In the 48th Century, most organic lifeforms tended to carry several preconceptions about the way that Videran cyborgs lived their lives. The all-too-common impression was that all a ‘borg needed to do was glance at a filmpage or a screen, read the contents, and they knew everything there. However, as Zana Sherman could testify all too well, taking in data was not the same as actually learning. A ‘borg’s computer brain still needed to train on how to use the data, to analyze and discuss, in order to act on the information it received, just like an organic’s. And you needed to prove that acquired knowledge to the Powers That Be, in order to get the accreditation the law frequently required. Such as Ph.D.s in psychology.
Which was why Zana was now where she was, observing a shift of the operations crew on one of the private starbases orbiting Videra, gathering information for a paper due one of her professors. Psychology of xenospecies was her focus of study, and this shift was strongly populated by non-humanoid lifeforms. Indeed, by a fluke of scheduling, two sisters from the planet Tibeon were holding down the main operations chairs during this shift. Staying as unobtrusive as possible, asking the minimum of questions on what they did and why, Zana still found herself tapping reams of notes into her tablet.
One of the stories I work on periodically is entitled Isis’ Daughters, and I’ve used Second Life to shoot illustrations for it. Morgan was willing to help me reshoot the cover photo, as it needed revising (as well as updating to newer goodies such as materials). And, luckily for me, the same place I shot the original photo was still available! This is a much better piece than the original, I’d say ….
Her heart is water, its own self its stay. It will be fog or cloud or haze, or frail Mists that wander after daylight pale. It will be all things: the sea’s salty spray White in the wind, cast fuming on a shore Stone-desolate; a river’s liquid song; A fountain wearing jewels for a throng Of dancing waves; a pool forevermore Quiet under leaves gold-rimmed, death-black; A sea-mirror; or, made of sweet love dreaming, A crystal well; a molten river gleaming Under hot sun, flame following its track; Falls rapids; wild water of storm and trouble; Or, being quit of love, a gay bubble.
Sitting in the bar of the restaurant, waiting for her friend to show up for their dinner date, Zana Sherman sipped at a Saurian brandy, and smiled to herself a little. She had been reading a book published some 2,000-plus years ago, assigned by her current literature professor, and one section applied quite nicely to sitting in a bar —
The Hitch-Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy also mentions alcohol. It says that the best drink in existence is the Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster, the effect of which is like having your brains smashed out with a slice of lemon wrapped round a large gold brick.
She smiled more, and wondered if a “Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster” would have more effect on a cyborg’s brain than normal alcoholic beverages.
In the end, though, she was content with her brandy, and the companionship of a good friend … a hard thing for her to find, as the fame of her mother, Ariel Sherman, tended to encourage the approach of chancers. True friends were valued by all the cyborgs, but especially by the Sandhara-Sherman clan, with its standing in terms of wealth, fame and Republic society.
Jem and I were planning on doing an outfit or two from the new round of Tres Chic, which almost always have some great outfit to write about. Sadly, this time we didn’t find any clothes in the event (though I’m wearing hair and boots from this month’s round). But we did find goodies we loved while we were in the sim. After all, sales like Tres Chic, or sales inside individual stores, are meant to draw business in, so that customers will take a look at all the other goodies inside. In an event’s case, you can think of the event as the “anchor store,” and any other stores around benefit from the business the anchor draws in as collateral sales.
Summoned from the waters of the sacred spring, the Guardian watches over the Glade of the Goddess, fending off those who would profane the holy shrine with their violence ….
Harper hasn’t written much about Zana Sherman as a grown adult yet in her Ariel Sherman stories; she’s mainly looking at Zana’s early years when she puts the girl in one of her Ariel stories. But she does have one story, where she has Zana in her twenties appearing between the main sections of her as a child, getting ready to watch a documentary of her life as the first naturally-born cyborg. (It’s a long story; she’s outlined it for me, so ask Harper for the details.) When she wants a photo of Zana as an adult, Harper comes to me.
Second Life® with Harper, Conan, Jem, Diana and Morgan
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