Scotland 2062

The pod fired up, and dropped silently to the ground, suspended and connected by a latticework of tethers, that refuelled the pod, and physically through all weathers, kept the structure of “The Collective “nice and simple and very aesthetically pleasing. 

Untethered the pod smoothly joined the main beach road, and headed north to the beautiful long unspoiled beach at “Balmedie “to the collective that was “in residence “in that location on Scotland’s North East coast. 

EEsher,  James and Indigo were already waiting for him, they were slowly walking towards the large dunes that were the particularly interesting feature of this long and beautiful beach.

The AI’s  gracefully excused themselves and let the friends converse naturally, speaking and listening, using their voices and ears, and gestures and smiles and frowns, i.e. body language. All these communications were simulated during the “Data Feed”sessions, but it just wasn’t the same, as being in the same actual place, with a real person…

He caught up effortlessly climbing the dunes, as he like the others was in great physical shape, on encountering his group, he eyed them up, appraising today’s skins, and what they were attempting to portray?

EEsher was resplendent in her spiky look hedgehog skin, with “virtual “vicious looking quills shivering iridescently. Matching her prickly personality, a result of the remarkable speed at which she could interface with data, which meant, some people misunderstood her, as she just got bored waiting for people to catch up with her train of thought, but she was mellowing … albeit …slowly.

She had a stunning  impish beauty, with her  green emerald eyes, and slender petite frame, but beauty was now commonplace, with genetic engineering the norm. So personality was now prized more than good looks, and she had that in spades, if you could only keep up with her. 

James was going through a “Braveheart “phase, as many Scotsmen do…The power of that ancient film, starring a vertically challenged antipodean never failed to amaze Sharg, how did people swallow that  “Wee guy “portraying such a giant of a Scottish Hero? Anyway here we had a “suitably tall “Scot trying to get in touch with his “Hollywood inspired roots”with a skin resplendent in red “Stuart “tartan, and doing its best to replicate digitally a flowing kilt. It worked mostly, and of course managed to conspire, with the help of his AI, not to display his faux  genitalia on the outside of his “skin”, for which Sharg breathed a sigh of relief….

James was a strong, immensely capable, and genuine guy, who, when he became your friend, meant it with all his “Braveheart”!

Indigo had a simple skin theme today, as she did most days, but she was capable of pulling off the most stunning transformations when she felt like it. White always contrasted beautifully with her dark skin, a nod to her ethnicity, from the Caribbean. She had a calm serene quality, and nothing phased her,  complimenting her ability to strategize , and keep things on track, when things were going “off piste.”