Journey of Rick Heiden Ch. 27-28

Amaré gave me a little smile, we said our goodbyes with a bow, and Venn drove him away.

"Does this have something to do with why you wouldn't let me come to the penthouse to retrieve my uniform when we arrived? It made me suspicious, and I saw through your dubious excuse."

"It has everything to do with it," I said, straightening his beautiful jacket. "Now, before we go up, I want you to know that I thought of this."

"Ah," he said, "now I'll know who to blame."

I smiled. "With the help of Magnar," I said, continuing, "and from what he told me a man named Baden from Laren College, they did it while we carried out the mission."

"Baden?" --we moved toward the lift-- "Didn't he alter Magnar's home? He boasted about it for a jear before I agreed to see it. What have you done?"

"Something I know you'll love," I said.

We entered the lift, but it didn't move as it had before; it sat there. A sudden, androgynous voice startled us both.

"Hello, welcome home."

"Who are you?" David asked.

"I am the first in the tenth generation of the Hestia project."

"Tenth? I saw nothing wrong with the generation we had," said David.

"You had generation one," said the voice, "the last of its antiquated kind; already three generations old when you departed for Earth. It had no interface, no visual, and no voice. They built it to take commands, but it came nowhere near sentience. Five more generations have passed during your fifty jear absence, and I am the tenth."

"Are you Hestia?" I asked.

"You must name me and assign a sex and/or gender for my interface to project if you so choose."

David looked at me. "Rick, you know I don't deal with this sort of thing."

I placed my hand on his back. "I'll take care of it, David. Let us go up, please."

The Master Builder had constructed the building and grounds on an entire city block long ago, so it had an impressive footprint. The design of the exterior is Edwardian Baroque, but some previous tenants altered the interior to reflect a Second Empire design. Nevertheless, as planned, Baden altered the home to have the feel of a traditional Edwardian English gentlemen's club. The tasteful, masculine space, shown with vibrant, deep colors, medium-toned wood walls with custom moldings, and ornate white coffered ceilings. They made the furnishings of exotic woods, Jiyū's equivalent to faux leather that I called jeather, and something like velvet.

After the initial shock, David feigned having loved it as best he could, but he didn't fool me. He made a deplorable liar, even if to spare my feelings.

"You don't like it."

"Please, forgive me that I couldn't give you the reaction you wanted. It's not that I don't like it, but I tend not to fall in love with things in an instant. They must grow on me, including changes to my environment."

"You told me you fell in love with me the instant you met me," I said.

"And you make the exception to my every rule, my dear."

"Nice save," I said and sighed. "I shouldn't have worried. You probably could get used to anything, couldn't you?"

"Oh, I wouldn't go that far," he said. "Take this uniform, for example. I promise you; I will never get used to it."

"What's wrong with it?"

"I admit, Svend created an attractive set of garments, but they couldn't feel more uncomfortable unless I wore it at a Turkish bath."

"What do you mean? It has vents."

"Ah yes, the vents," he said in derision, "an exceptional idea, insufficient at any temperature more than 25 degrees centigrade. Svend missed the mark with this one."

"Okay then, will you at least grow accustomed to this décor and enjoy it?"

He took a deep breath and gazed about with a lukewarm air. "Sure."

I would have rolled my eyes if I weren't attempting to break the habit.

First came the foyer, still rounded, but more open than before.

"What happened to the stairs?" asked David. "How do we get to the second level?"

On the far side of the room, a slender, grey, featureless being dragged itself with timidity into our view from the hallway.

"The staircase resides in the circular stairwell which doubles as the library," it said with the same voice we heard in the lift. It had gestured to the rounded wall to its left, which marked the center of the building.

David and I stood staring, not believing our witness.

"My apologies," said the androgynous voice. "The quicker you decide my appearance, the less disconcerting you'll find me, I promise."

"Not to sound rude, but what are you?" asked David.

"I am a synthetic, a physical entity with a holographic interface. I replace the Hestia robot that once hid in the closet. It took time to perfect, but this form remains the underlying structure beneath whatever I may project to you later."

"Are you like Venn?" I asked.

It shook its rudimentary head sloth-like and spoke with rapidity. "Venn is a decentralized synthetic intelligence which gives the appearance of inhabiting the robots he controls. He could, without consequence to himself, disengage from a given robot like a human sloughing off skin cells and not give it a second thought." --it shrugged-- "I'm just an anthromorph. I exist as who and what you see before you; however, I question what that is."

"Why do you question what you are?" I asked.

The anthromorph tipped its head. "I am different from the other synthetics. They were not made to comprehend their uniqueness as I do. I'm more human-like in that respect, but you humans are a social species. You understand and know yourselves through the commonalities and subtleties of contrasts that you share with one another. Subconsciously noting in others what you are not, assists your ability to intuitively define yourself. Without that, you would have no reference to understand what it means to be what you are. I am unique. There are no others like me, and I see nothing but stark contrasts with everyone."

"When did they activate you?" David asked the anthromorph.

"I have a memory of the last sixty-three days," it said.

"So, for all that time, you've had no basic parameters or even a name." --David turned to me-- "Human babies get that much."

"Can you help me?" it asked.

I couldn't help but feel sorry for the poor thing. It appeared we were given an intelligent child with a blank slate upon which only someone else could write.

"Yes, I think I can help you," I said. "Give me a day to think about it. I wouldn't want to rush into a decision by deciding now."

"I understand," it said. "For now, would you like to see the house? May I guide you?"

"Yes, please," said David, overcome from the newness of it all.

"I have a question," I said, "If we have you, what about the Attendants?" The tiny machines the size of a fly called an Attendant, watched over you and your guests so you both could have personalized assistance while in the home.

"We still use the Attendants. The modern version is more sophisticated and utilizes cloaking technology."

"I see."

"Now, to begin," it said, interlacing its fingers, "you should know, that the other tenants volunteered to vacate the building before work began."

"Why would they do that?" I asked. "Has my request made them want to abandon their home?"

"It factored into their motivation," it said, "but do not worry, I happen to know they never enjoyed living here. They have moved to private residences on the current edge of the city close to the water. They appear quite happy there. Baden felt their absence provided an opportunity. He has restructured the building into Jiyū's residence for its Ambassador to Earth now that the people of Earth know of our existence."

"But we live at this residence," said David. "I will not keep the position of Ambassador to Earth forever."

"Someone must do it," it said, "and I can assure you no one else wants the job."

David's lips tightened, and his eyebrows drew together in vexation. "When did we began conscription?"

"Think of it as winning an election," it said.

"By default, perhaps," David said and looked at me.

"No one will force you to hold the post," I said, "but you must admit, too much change is occurring to dump it into the lap of someone less experienced than yourself for some time to come."

"Very well, I accept your reasoning," he said in resignation. "What else should we know?"

"Baden designated this fifth floor, the main floor," it said. "He intended it for guests and diplomatic dinners."

The lounge came next after the foyer, consisting of a series of comfortable sitting areas in front of a painted focal wall. Beyond that to the left and right, a connected semi-circular hallway led to several rooms. One room served as a dining room with a mahogany-colored, airstrip for a table with seating for twenty-six.

"What the bloody hell is that?" asked David, pointing out the enormity.

Many of us had picked up a tendency toward that bloody phrase, and this table warranted it. Its creator crafted it with elegance but had elongated the thing into absurdity. It belonged in a palace somewhere.

"Baden had it made for dinners with dignitaries from Earth," it said.

"We can manage ten guests," said David, "not twenty-four."

"Thank you, David. I appreciate your realizing that."

"I see now that Baden should have implemented these ideas with your input," it said. "I will have it replaced at once. I have heard it looks beautiful, no doubt, someone will want it."

It reminded me of a bridge held up by five wooden arches with closed spandrels. The craftsperson made the dining set with vast bulk to give weight to the sparse room. Its generous width and expansive length both provided space for food and ample elbow room for each guest. They must have brought it into the building through an outside wall during reconstruction. I feared the necessity of cutting it to remove it as it stood, and I couldn't have that. I shook my head. "No, don't replace it. That would seem ungrateful, and it is beautiful. Someone had gone to a lot of trouble to create it. We should keep it and use it."

"You don't want something smaller?" asked David.

"It surprised me, that's all. It may appear enormous, but one never knows, it could come in handy."

Moving further around the circular hallway to the right, one would find a butler's pantry alongside the kitchen, which as before, looked nothing like a kitchen that I recognized. The right side of the building had two large lavatories and the day room, a bright and comfortable place to spend some time. Any further and one would re-emerge into the living area to the right of the curved focal wall.

The surrounded cavity held the circular room 30 feet in diameter and an entrance on either end of the hallway. The center contained a hole with a spacious, free-standing, spiral staircase of the same wood as the dining table, which spanned almost the entire height of the building. The walls, lined with built-in bookcases, held a rolling ladder for reaching the top shelves, swiveling the circumference of the room.

Looking down from the staircase railing, one could see to the first floor and up to the level above. The walls, in rich, dark wood tones, held so many books we could have used it as the public library. The stairwell's lighting provided a great deal of drama to the books and stairs. The room, despite its obvious modern undertones, harmonized well enough to fit into the overall theme of the traditional British gentlemen's club. David and I loved the stairwell and agreed it highlighted the home.

Baden left the first and second floors empty apart from the stairwell library. The third and fourth floors each held four guest suites for visiting dignitaries or anyone else we invited to stay.

David and I thought we would leave the anthromorph on the fifth floor so we might explore the sixth in private. The instant we climbed the stairs, however, we met it once again at the top.

"How did you do that?" asked David.

"I can assist you on each floor," it said.

"I see," I said, "and should we wish for privacy?"

"The team at the Hestia project discussed the privacy issue," it said. "It seemed to them that having the Attendants watch over someone and learn, so the person had personalized assistance during their stay, represented a lesser intrusion than for a walking talking humanoid version to perform the same function with greater efficiency. In the end, they decided I should have someplace to go --rather than standing about-- and I do. However, it changes nothing except your perception; the Attendants are no less me than I am."

"Very well," said David. "What about the privacy from you?"

"As for privacy concerns," it said, "what you do and that which transpires beneath this roof remains private, but of course, I will do whatever you ask. If you ask an Attendant to leave you, it will."

"I don't mind having an audience," said David to me, smirking. "We had one before, remember? Would you feel comfortable with this?"

"One thing at a time, David, I beg you. I'll need time to think about it. For the moment, let us explore by ourselves."

The sixth floor, our private residence, had twin master bedrooms; the second one Baden intended for personal guests. The staircase terminated with a railing and no circular hallway. It left an open floorplan, which consisted of a sitting area and an intimate dining room for four with room for six. The grand balcony with pool remained in evidence beyond the folding glass door.

David intentionally ended our tour in the bedroom, which had not gone unnoticed by me. He said he wanted to show his appreciation for having the penthouse redesigned for him, but David just wanted an excuse to play. His hand on my cheek felt warm, and his lips kissed me with the kind of passion that only David could demonstrate. He pulled the shirt from my pants. I tried to pull his, but a playful swatting knocked mine away.

"No no," he said, "just you." He smiled a mischievous smirk of a smile.

He kissed me with the unbuttoning of every button on my shirt. He unbuckled and unbuttoned my pants. They slid down my thighs. He nuzzled my neck and grasped my inflating cock. He ran his hand up its considerable length and rubbed his precum-covered thumb all over the frenulum, and I grew erect rather quickly.

"Do you like this?" he asked.

"I know what I would like even more."

"You can have that when I can take my time. How about this instead?"

He turned me around against the bed and shoved my upper body down onto it. Running his hands down my back he rubbed my ass, kneading it, testing the firmness. He gave the right cheek a sharp slap. He knelt behind me. Spreading my cheeks, he planted his tongue against my hole.

David knew how much I loved his ability to eat my ass for an hour, and he proved he could, many times. I looked over my shoulder, and I could see his eyes just over the mounds of ass he buried his face into. He enjoyed how much I squirmed. His tongue darting in and around all the places I desperately wanted his cock buried in me. He meant his tongue to tease me, and I would have no satisfaction until he fucked my hole, breeding me repeatedly.

David's mouth was busy thanking me for my role in having the penthouse redesigned when Aiden contacted us with an invitation to come to the college dining hall to eat and talk. He had unfortunate timing, but with everything happening we went anyway, and David and I both needed food.

Venn, Jiyū's transport A.I., made an inquiry as he delivered us to Bragi College. "I heard upon your recent return you brought someone who could rekindle Jiyū's space program. Is it true?"

"Yes, I know why you're asking," I said. "You have the responsibility for all transportation, and that would include a space vessel. His name is Captain Rocke Lancier Dupré, and yes, I think he might do that at some point, given the opportunity. You'll meet him soon enough."

"Do you think Maggie and Rocke will cope on their own?" asked David. "They just got here."

"Maggie told me she and Aiden had a long discussion about it. She felt certain she didn't need me. Besides, Aiden will check on them later as he's staying with her tonight. But so that you know the chutzpah Maggie has, she moved to London from France without ever visiting England."

He nodded in agreement. "That takes gumption."