The Jacobs Project: In Search of Pinocchio (SYMBIOSIS) Read Online Free Page B
Author: Samuel King
and briefly closed her eyes. If only that was true.
" Oh… Yeah, of course. Well, can I get one just like her… a copy?"
" Her configuration specs are proprietary, but there's no shortage of profile designers, and I know that several of them do an excellent job of replicating Helen, here."
They continued to banter for several minute s as the demonstrator looked on—naked, smiling, humiliated. She'd done her job well. Even while talking to the salesman, the customer couldn't stop looking at her . He'd buy. She was sure of it.
As they left the room, the salesman called over his shoulder, "You can get dressed, now, Helen." But, being near closing time he didn't mean it. Against corporate policy and the law. She snorted, and as if to punctuate her point the room changed, the study giving way to a bedroom.
Sighing, she ambled over to the bed and sat on its edge. She wouldn 't have long to wait. Her thoughts returned to the handsome demonstrator from Northside, giving rise to a fantasy. She imagined him walking through the door instead of the salesman.
But as soon as the thought arose she put it out of mind, lest it betray her feelings at a most inappropriate time. That would surely earn her a "time-out". Not even my thoughts are my own.
She began to work on her smile, crafting and moldin g it. When she had it just right, she froze it in place and waited. At any moment the salesman would return to the room. He'd have his fun then she'd be returned to the main demo area and shut down for the night like any other piece of equipment. She sighed, knowing the next day and the day after that she'd be doing it all over again. Incept plus 712 days — almost two years.
VI. FULL CIRCLE
19 April 2145
Office of Gary Toshima, President
General Holographic Corp. Headquarters
Turning away from the computer monitor with its tedious sales projections, Toshima studied his secretary of many years. No longer young, she was lovely all the same, but her worried look concerned him. "What is it, Eileen?"
" You've got to see this," she replied tersely. "Video on ."
The picturesque view on the wall facing him dissolved, revealing the head and shoulders of a stern-faced, middle aged woman. She spoke in strident tones.
"This recording was released to all the major news networks an hour ago," Eileen said. "It's all over the place."
He listened for several seconds before throwing his hands up. "So? Another emancipation group. There must be a hundred of them across the country. They meet in each other's kitchens, fancying themselves as modern day abolitionists. What's new?"
" This is not just another emancipation group, Gary. This is different. These people are serious. Lady's name is Joanne Mason, and she's from a prominent Boston Family."
" Oh."
" Uh-huh. And this new group of hers, The New England Emancipation Society, promises to be a major thorn in our sides."
He laughed nervously. "Come on, Eileen. Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit? It's one regional group, after all."
" Don't be so quick to laugh this off, Gary. She says her group is the first of many, and they won't stop until the creation of sentients for commercial use stops." She paused and looked into his eyes. "You know, public opinion could start to turn against us. I've heard terrible stories about the things that are happening to some of the sentients."
Toshima sat up straight, staring at the vid. He too had heard the troubling stories.
" For the first time we'll have serious people with serious connections making the point that we're nothing more than modern day slavers," Eileen continued."Twenty-second century slavers, twenty-second century abolitionists. We've come full circle." She sighed. "I wish they had listened to you back in '33."
" Uh-uh. My objections at the time weren't moral; they were about liability and public relations. Once they made the decision to proceed, I was on board one hundred percent."
When she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder,
" Oh… Yeah, of course. Well, can I get one just like her… a copy?"
" Her configuration specs are proprietary, but there's no shortage of profile designers, and I know that several of them do an excellent job of replicating Helen, here."
They continued to banter for several minute s as the demonstrator looked on—naked, smiling, humiliated. She'd done her job well. Even while talking to the salesman, the customer couldn't stop looking at her . He'd buy. She was sure of it.
As they left the room, the salesman called over his shoulder, "You can get dressed, now, Helen." But, being near closing time he didn't mean it. Against corporate policy and the law. She snorted, and as if to punctuate her point the room changed, the study giving way to a bedroom.
Sighing, she ambled over to the bed and sat on its edge. She wouldn 't have long to wait. Her thoughts returned to the handsome demonstrator from Northside, giving rise to a fantasy. She imagined him walking through the door instead of the salesman.
But as soon as the thought arose she put it out of mind, lest it betray her feelings at a most inappropriate time. That would surely earn her a "time-out". Not even my thoughts are my own.
She began to work on her smile, crafting and moldin g it. When she had it just right, she froze it in place and waited. At any moment the salesman would return to the room. He'd have his fun then she'd be returned to the main demo area and shut down for the night like any other piece of equipment. She sighed, knowing the next day and the day after that she'd be doing it all over again. Incept plus 712 days — almost two years.
VI. FULL CIRCLE
19 April 2145
Office of Gary Toshima, President
General Holographic Corp. Headquarters
Turning away from the computer monitor with its tedious sales projections, Toshima studied his secretary of many years. No longer young, she was lovely all the same, but her worried look concerned him. "What is it, Eileen?"
" You've got to see this," she replied tersely. "Video on ."
The picturesque view on the wall facing him dissolved, revealing the head and shoulders of a stern-faced, middle aged woman. She spoke in strident tones.
"This recording was released to all the major news networks an hour ago," Eileen said. "It's all over the place."
He listened for several seconds before throwing his hands up. "So? Another emancipation group. There must be a hundred of them across the country. They meet in each other's kitchens, fancying themselves as modern day abolitionists. What's new?"
" This is not just another emancipation group, Gary. This is different. These people are serious. Lady's name is Joanne Mason, and she's from a prominent Boston Family."
" Oh."
" Uh-huh. And this new group of hers, The New England Emancipation Society, promises to be a major thorn in our sides."
He laughed nervously. "Come on, Eileen. Don't you think you're overdoing it a bit? It's one regional group, after all."
" Don't be so quick to laugh this off, Gary. She says her group is the first of many, and they won't stop until the creation of sentients for commercial use stops." She paused and looked into his eyes. "You know, public opinion could start to turn against us. I've heard terrible stories about the things that are happening to some of the sentients."
Toshima sat up straight, staring at the vid. He too had heard the troubling stories.
" For the first time we'll have serious people with serious connections making the point that we're nothing more than modern day slavers," Eileen continued."Twenty-second century slavers, twenty-second century abolitionists. We've come full circle." She sighed. "I wish they had listened to you back in '33."
" Uh-uh. My objections at the time weren't moral; they were about liability and public relations. Once they made the decision to proceed, I was on board one hundred percent."
When she placed a comforting hand on his shoulder,
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