Nigkala Tales Pt. 17: The Emperor’s Clothes

"That just leaves the mind-reading trick. That will be hard."

"I might have some ideas about that. Lately, my mind has been extraordinarily clear, I am able to focus on an idea to the exclusion of all else, and I have certain skills that might help."

"That could help. What are the skills you have?"

"Well, I don't want to mention them." Then I used my mental skills to say directly to his mind, "At least not out loud. Don't say anything. Just think about saying it."

His eyes got very big, and he almost said something, but he caught himself. I asked him to save the questions on that skill set for my place.

Eventually, Tex called the meeting, and told everyone to write down all the ideas they had or heard, good or bad, and email him by lunch the next day. He would then organize them, and assign tasks looking into the feasibility and difficulty of each.

Tom and Harry walked me back to my desk. Harry asked, "So, how do you like the crew?"

"They are quite vocal, and seemed inspired tonight."

"That they are. What you said floored them. Tex made the right call. I hope the higher-ups recognize that."

"Yeah, what you said about biology having already solved it, I think was a key insight. We may even get more people hired because of it."

"So we might get a fourth for bridge?"

"Yeah. We might even have a pool for what his name is."

"Put down five dollars for me on Richard."

"Why?"

"We have Tom and Harry. I could use a good Dick around here."

Tom groaned, but Harry said, "Nice one."

The next several days, I visited each of the team at their desk. I would tap into their thoughts as I asked about their work. By having them explain things to me, it helped them to clarify their thoughts. I would then offer observations and questions that occurred to me as a way to get them to get past any problems I see. Tex backed me, because it was energizing the team into thinking, and that was making progress.

Tex also was putting together a team to check into making a mental interface that could control the system. To that end, he got an agreement with another division of the company to send some researchers over for a while, with me as the object of research. The office next to mine was also for several people, and he put the researchers there. On the weekend, we met at my place, and spoke about how I thought my mental abilities could help. We also discussed what to tell the researchers, as I didn't want to let them know about it. After explaining my aversion to becoming a lab rat for the government or big tech, he agreed it should be a secret. We both agreed, however, my meditation would be a good start to get baseline info.

On Monday, Tex and I met the researchers. We set out a plan, and I would be wired up, starting the next day. We agreed to a morning session of two hours, and an afternoon session as well. The other half day I would be helping the nanotech team, and they would be analyzing the data.

I also kept up a social life, which included bars and clubs, but also gyms where I could do some serious working out. I even joined a local dojo as a part-time instructor for master-level students. I found plenty of sex at the bars and clubs, and occasionally at the gym. Being an instructor at the dojo, however, I discouraged it there.

Over the next two months, the team showed significant improvements, to the point that management became happy with my work, even if I didn't seem to be doing much other than talking. Tex explained to them that I was like a lubricant. I didn't do work, but made work easier for others to do. And the results they were seeing were the proof.

The people studying my brain were also happy. It seems my meditation was quite clean, allowing them to get a baseline much better than they usually got from test subjects. Likewise, when they had me think of shapes, colors, or other things, the data was unusually clean. This meant that their neural network was able to learn at a fantastic rate. It was when they got the error rate low enough; that they asked if they could try to connect it to the nanotech the team was working on.

They spent a week getting the two systems to talk reliably. Then came the big day: I wore a dress and shoes, nothing else. For the test, I took off my shoes and put them aside. I wore the helmet with the neural-net interface and transceiver that spoke to the nanites. The test began with a block of nanites sufficient to cover me with a quarter inch layer. They had already been tested on a dummy, to ensure the nanites would not try to enter me, or cover my face.

The big test was attended by the whole team, but no managers. [They saw the test on the dummy.] The nanites were deliberately slowed, just in case an abort needed to happen, or corrections on the fly. No one expected it, but we were prepared. The test began, and my foot resting on the top of the block quickly sank into it. Then they started climbing my leg. As my dress barely covered my vagina, everyone could see it rise evenly, and accommodate the shape of my leg. When it was about to go under my dress, I lifted it off, revealing everything, just as I planned. While some were shocked, and others stared, I just acted casually. Tex chuckled.

I felt them cover my vagina, and even briefly seem about to enter, but it recognized my anatomy and instead formed a seamless covering. It continued to expand to my other half, until it encircled my hips. Then it expanded upwards, and also down the other leg. The leg expansion was much faster, as it was using the first leg as a pattern for shape. As it neared my foot, I lifted it off the ground until it was covered. By this time, I had a smoothed dimple over my belly button, and the lower breasts were a third covered.

There was a drawback in this slow creep of nanites. Crossing and covering my vagina got me sensitized, and as it covered my lower nipples, I got aroused, and my nipples expanded. The nanites handled it great. Better, in fact, than the audience did. By the time my upper nipples were about to be covered, my nipples were all at two inches long. By the time they were covered, I had visibly had an orgasm. Again, I had planned to do it and allowed myself to be easily aroused. Although I wasn't exactly looking, I could sense a number of guys had some serious erections, and two had accidents.

At my neck, they continued until they came to my jaw. When it sensed it was widening quickly, it stopped and backed off to the base of my neck. When everyone saw that, they realized it had stopped at the correct point in the process. A great round of applause lasted a few minutes. Then we got into the flexibility testing. While I was no acrobat, I was fairly flexible, and was able to determine that it handled the situation well. Then it was time for the 'biological processes' test, or in other words, the bathroom test.

While they weren't sure how to test it, I was, and I went between two desks. I lifted a leg onto one, then leaned onto the other one, so I could lift a leg onto it. I then went into a full split with my legs in a one-eighty.

"Okay, folks, gather round. This test requires the suit open enough to allow me to use the facilities. While I don't need to, now, I am in this position, so you can get a close up look at the process and verify it is working properly."

"You do realize you will be exposed?"

"Yes. It's one of the reasons I am a good subject for this test. I have zero embarrassment about my body. Oh, you also need to have someone looking from behind."

I waited until they were positioned.

"Okay, Becky Sue, we are recording again."

At that, I gave the thought for the 'bathroom' command, and it happened, but not wide enough. "Looks like we have a problem. There is enough for a small dick to squeeze in, but it needs to be much larger for using the facilities. How does the back look?"

One of the people behind me said, "About the same."

Another team member said, "Got it logged. Next?"

I then gave the thought for the 'finished bathroom' command, and it closed.

The next test was for color shifting. I gave the thought for 'color', and a swath of color appeared on both forearms. These were examined, and some issues noted. Then I tapped a color and the swath spread out, but in the same space. This was to fine tune the color choice. More notes, and then I tapped a color and the colors expanded again. The next time I tapped, not on the color, but rather the nearby accept symbol. Suddenly, the entire suite changed to my selected color. Again, there were some issues.

At last, we had sufficient data for a while, and it was decided to finish the test. By this time, we were on the far side of the large room. We agreed, and I gave the thought command for 'undress'. While my upper half was revealed quickly, I had to lift a foot before the leg began to be revealed, in the reverse of how it went on. As the cube began to form at the other foot, I had to lift it also for it to finally come off. They weighed it, and saw it was the same, so they knew all of it had come off. So they then took the helmet from me, and started checking it.

While those in charge of the test were focused on the data collection, and ensuring it was all stored for analysis, the rest just took the opportunity to stare at my naked body. It was nearly five minutes before someone decided to mention it.

"Um, Becky Sue?"

"Yes?"

"You're naked."

I looked down, and said, "Seems you're right. Anyone see where my clothes went?" I didn't even attempt to cover up. I waited, and a few minutes later, someone else brought them to me. I casually put my shoes on first, bending at the waist, before I put the dress on. When I briefly looked at Tex, he quickly hid his smile, and looked away. After a few minutes, I moved to sit down with some of the others who were idle. It didn't take long for someone to ask.

"Yeah, I was so focused on the test, I forgot I was naked. But as to being seen naked, I don't mind at all. My current sex life is getting laid by about ten different men per week, at various bars and clubs. I even somehow wind up having a gang bang or two a month."

To another question, I answered, "No, it doesn't bother me. I like the variety, and I get to tell lots of interesting tales to my husband. He also tells me his tales, but I have far more sex than him. We both knew it had to be this way before we married, and so we have been a happy family ever since."

Over the next several months, several things changed. I assisted in about one full outfit test a week, and when I was to get ready, I simply got naked. There were fewer watchers, as it was harder to justify doing nothing. But I started to see a number of the team members at the bars and clubs, and most had sex with me. When I overheard two women complaining the guys got all the fun, I went to them and said I enjoyed sex with women, and they enjoyed me. Two nights later, the first woman of the team tried me on. She must have indicated her enjoyment, as some other women on the team showed up to have sex with me.

The people working on the helmet also used the data to refine the control interface, and began to get a simplified unit rather than the bulky helmet. I suggested a tiara which could have a tiny laser jewel over the forehead for short-range data communication, as well as a short-range radio connection to the nanites directly. I even suggested the nanites could connect up the back of the next for a hard connection. However, all this data necessitated a larger neural net that needed more power when it processed data. So a belt pack was designed for power, communication, and computation. It also held extra power for the nanites, as their own needs went up sharply when anything changed.

Along with the main developments, there was a group using test dummies to increase the protection of the nanites. Another was working on isolating damaged nanites and removing them from service. A third was working on a 'cloth-only' nanite that was far lighter and even more flexible. I did take a three-week break to shoot a movie. When I got back, I got to test the 'cloth' nanites. It lacked many things, but it was light enough to be reasonable. By then, no one batted an eye when I was naked during a test. It was nearly a year into it that the neural net had a breakthrough. I was now able to think an image of an outfit, in color, and have it read that image and drive the cloth to create it. The time to switch from one outfit to another was down to a few seconds.

This led to another breakthrough. They had been analyzing several other people, learning to read their minds also. One of the tests was to have each person try on another person's unit to see how broadly it could recognize things. My unit was consistently better than others at reading a mind, but they chalked it up to more hours. But as the other units started recognizing things, they saw my unit did the same earlier. And the breakthrough for me was also echoed by advancing faster at reading others' minds. It seemed my unit had now learned to ignore the noise, and was able to see only what it needed, which let it learn more quickly. They eventually scrapped the other units and cloned mine.

After a year and a half, the project was declared a success. It would still continue, but in the areas of refinement, weight reduction, power reduction, and other improvements. But it was good enough for the trip. There was another meeting with the suits at this time to discuss plans on how to announce it. I wasn't initially invited, but I fixed that. While I didn't intrude on much of the discussion, I did speak up when it came to publicity. I said I knew a lot about that, and they heard me out. I suggested that in addition to the Consumer Electronic Show, and other high-tech showcases, that they should also do the circuit of science fiction and fantasy conventions.

Mr. Madison asked, "Why should we do them?"

"They may not be in a position to purchase it, but they are a well-connected group of people who will see in it far more than you ever expected. Additionally, entertainment people will see it and hear about it. Just imagine the movies set in the future where a person's clothes can change at a whim? That's even more PR. PR drives sales, and sales will drive down costs, while driving up profits. You want this for the Mars trip to reduce weight, and it does that by eliminating much if not all clothing needs, while maintaining clothing variety. Wouldn't it be even better if you make a profit?"

"My kids are definitely ones to hear about such things, and I know I hear about all sorts of things from them. Sometimes, I have even heard interesting things that apply to business. Thank you, Ms. Tate. You are right; it does make sense to make a profit from this project. It has cost enough already, and it would make me far happier if we realized a profit also."

"If you do decide to go that route, I would like to be selected as the model. I know the crowd far better than most, and they know me as well."

"I think that is an excellent idea, especially as you have the best control as well."

The meeting closed with the task of checking the market falling to the sales division. I had a feeling it would go well, and I looked forward to showing it off. A few days later, as I finished up checking out, Tex walked me to my car in the visitor's lot.

"I'll miss you and your naughty side. I've also heard I earned a small raise and a large bonus for its success, which I credit to you. So what's next for you?"

"I plan on taking a vacation. I need to do some spiritual cleansing, as I feel the clarity I had when I started this project has faded, and I want to 'clear the air' as it were."

"Probably all that sex you have."

"Actually, it is not."

"Huh? How could you know?"

"I had an adventure in another land, where I encountered a holy lake. It enforced certain requirements, don't ask me how, as I never experienced them. But my host had seen it and expected me to have difficulty entering the lake. I had none. I came to treasure my time swimming and floating. Then one day, I 'connected' with it on a spiritual level. It was on that day I experienced a miracle of sorts. It saw me, and saw my chi flows, and cleaned them out. Since that time, my thinking has been far clearer, as were my physical skills. I don't think I am anywhere near that level of being clogged, but having experienced clarity, any clogging is felt, and I have felt it more these days."

"Wow. You do get around."

"Yeah, and I have fun while I do it. Anyway, be seeing you."

"Likewise."

I went back to my pad, and enjoyed the next two weeks goofing off, as I waited for the end of the month. As it neared, I shipped most of my stuff home, gave some away, invited Tex and family over for dinner, and finally packed my car and turned in the keys.

On my drive home, I passed through a number of small towns. Twice, I decided to do laundry, so I stopped at a busy Laundromat, and did a load. I also washed the clothes I was wearing, leaving me in nothing but shoes. I got lots of looks, but no law officer ever showed up. I thought for sure one would when I had sex with three guys while waiting for my clothes to dry. Having got away with that, and noticing I was in a strip mall, I decided to go shopping for some groceries. I didn't bother to get dressed first; and instead put all my clothes in the car and only took my purse. I didn't buy much, but I did spend a fair amount of time in the refrigerated section. At the checkout, I got into an extended conversation with the guy behind me, so I turned to face him. When I left, I got into the car and drove naked all the way to the small-town motel. I checked in naked, and I ordered pizza. When the delivery gal came, she was surprised by my nakedness, but I then surprised her by asking to have sex with her. She called in saying she was taking her break.

Afterwards, I decided to ask Inanna about today. "Queen Inanna, I was surprised by today's lack of official notice by my actions today, as well as by the ease with which I had sex today. Are you behind this?"

"No, daughter. Rather, I think you are."

"Me? How?"

"You are my priestess, and that has certain powers when it comes to sex, as you know. You have used them from time to time. I think you have come to control them without a specific thought, but only desire. And so, if you desire sex, others who find you desirable willingly comply. And you are very desirable."

"I see. Oh, I have another question. When I spent time at Hugeng's home, I encountered a holy lake. I managed to connect with it, and it even took me in briefly, and washed out the stuff clogging my chi. Afterwards, I had great clarity of thought and skill. It has lasted quite a while, but I see signs of clogging, and I desire to find a way to unclog myself."

"I know of this lake, but only by rumor. I am surprised it accepted you."

"So was Hugeng."

"Such places have guardians, and may or may not accept you. They are also quite strong, so if you go, don't antagonize them. If they say leave, do so, and don't ever return unless asked. What is your question?"

"Do you know of such a place near my home?"

"I do not. It takes time to learn an area well enough to know such, and I have only had you and a few others in this land for only a few years. I also have little interest in seeking such, as I am far more interested in people. But you have the skills to find such if they are near. Look for a large, diffuse area of spiritual power with negligible human presence."

"Then I shall see what I can."

"Goodnight, daughter."

Sleep was deep and peaceful. In the morning, I dressed and left. I had a long drive ahead, but I would be home by the end of the day. The next few days I spent at home with Filipe. Recovering from the drive and telling of recent events. When I felt ready, I began my search. I soon learned that human activity provided lots of noise, which meant the night was a better time to seek. Human proximity was also an issue. I decided midnight walks away from the house would serve best.