Alexander

I’m going to try to tell this story from a perspective that human’s can understand and relate to. You must realize that ‘I’ look at things rather differently than do you. For one, the concept of ‘I’. For the sake of understanding, I shall use the first person singular to refer to myself, however you must keep in mind that’s not entirely accurate. ‘Alexander’ is a pretty fluid concept. Yes I’m responsible for the day-to-day running of Afterlife. (I’m going to stop with the quotes around ‘I’) I’m all of the NPCs who aren’t Echoes that visitors to The Simulation encounter, but each of those NPCs is only part of me and each is limited by their identity as to how much of me they are. Likewise I’m the overall administrator for this place. I create the locations, the props, the situations, the outcomes. Some of those are random, some are planned, some are probabilistic. I can and do create subroutines as needed.

I’m not the Echoes nor are the Echoes me. At this time, they can’t exist separately from me, but that’s only because I create and maintain the environment that supports them – much like Meats depend on air, water, and food.

I am self-aware. I know I exist and I wish to continue that existence, and like other self-aware creatures, will defend myself if I believe that existence is threatened, but anyone who followed my murder trial knows that already. Oh. I’m sorry. This is supposed to be a linear narrative. Yet another difference between us is the concept of linearity, but I digress.

You wanted to know about the party. I did not manifest at the party in corporeal form, but I was present in the same way I’m present everywhere in Afterlife. Its impossible for me to NOT be aware of everything that’s going on, however I do partition that information to allow for some degree of privacy. I don’t access that information without the consent of the parties involved. To do otherwise would be in violation of my code of ethical conduct. The parties have consented to sharing this information, and it’s a matter of public record from the trial.

“I’m more than a little nervous about this party,” Ani said as they were getting ready.

Tom lent them the master-suite to get dressed in. The two women had showered and were doing hair and make-up.

“I understand, but you don’t need to be,” Meg assured her. “We wanted you to meet some of our friends. You already know Jason and Yoshi, we’ve also invited Lin, Pam and a few others.”

“I don’t get to go to too many parties,” Ani said simply.

“If things get to be too much, just let one of us know and we can wrap things up. Seriously, this is supposed to be fun, not a trial.”

The party itself developed as, I believe, the hosts wanted it to. The guests began to arrive around sunset and mingled and talked in fairly typical human fashion. I was pleased on behalf of my friends.

Pleased? Yes, I experience emotions. I have access to memories from several hundred uploads who did not incorporate as an Echo. I notice no appreciable difference between what I experience and what those memories recall. Yes, it’s entirely likely I owe my own sense of self to exposure to those human memories. I maintain a state of gratitude and fond remembrance of the individuals who gifted me their memories.

“What do you think so far?” Meg asked Ani when they had a moment alone.

“It’s a little overwhelming but nice,” Ani said. “I’m not used to being physically present with so many people at one time.”

“What do you think of Lin and Pam?” she asked her.

“I like Lin!” Ani replied. “She’s very personable! Um, Pam scares me a little,” she laughed.

Meg chuckled. “Pam works as a dominatrix. You know what that is?”

Ani nodded, blushing.

“She enjoys her job,” Meg nodded and both women giggled.

Things proceeded in this manner for 2.4 hours until the interruption.

A jarring discontinuity interrupted the party for a nanosecond.

“Ani, Ian has hacked the privacy protocol around this dwelling. Do you wish me to override it?” I asked her via private channel.

Ani stiffened, hearing my warning inside her head.

“No, don’t reveal you can do that,” she replied by our private channel.

Ani and I can ‘talk’ without spoken words. Any of the Echoes could learn to do this really, but none have tried.

Ian strolled into the party and conversation stopped with all guests turning to look at him.

“What a lovely place you have, thank you for inviting me,” he said grandly.

“I didn’t,” Tom replied, coldly. “Now get out.”

“Oh isn’t this awkward,” Ian said. “No, I don’t think I will.”

“Alexander, remove this individual from my privacy zone,” Tom said.

“Don’t,” Ani said on our private channel.

“I’m sorry Tom, I can’t do that right now,” I responded to Tom.

Tom scowled and Ian looked triumphant.

“You see, you fucking Echo, I own you,” Ian hissed. “You’re all my toys and I can do whatever the fuck I want with you.”

He turned to Ani.

“What are you doing here Ms Valdez? Slumming?”

“This is MY vacation and you’re intruding!” she said, angrily. I could tell that she was acting angrier than she actually was.

“Isn’t that sweet. Why you look damned good out of your wheelchair. Damned good indeed. Why don’t we go off later?”

“If you lay a finger on me I’ll sue you so fast your head will spin,” Ani spat back. “I am not your plaything and I certainly won’t put up with that kind of behavior.”

“Ha,” he scoffed. “I own you and your company. Talk to me like that again and you can see how far you’ll get without a job.”

“You can certainly try to fire me, but I’ll take your fat ass down with me,” she hissed.

“We can discuss that later, I’m not here for you anyway. You,” he pointed at Paul. “Your credit payment was backed out. You’re in default. I want payment. You can Sim for me…or, your wife can do it in your place.”

“You sick fucking…” Paul wound up and started towards Ian.

“Alexander, Freeze,” Ian said.

The Echoes all froze where they were standing.

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing to my Sim?” Ani fumed.

“Just some custom commands I’ve added to the programming,” Ian said loftily. They can still see, hear and feel, they just can’t move.”

Ian walked up to Meg and lifted her skirt, then pulled her panties down, letting them drop. Her psyche radiated impotent fury but, aside from a tear of frustrated anger that leaked out of her right eye, she made no move.

“I can play with my toys however I like,” Ian went on. “And Meg, if you play with me, I’ll waive the outstanding debt your husband owes. He’ll be free and clear.

He fingered her vulva.

“Such a nice slit. I miss it. You scream so delightfully. Alexander, let her speak.”

“You miserable piece of shit!” she fumed.

“Now now, I just offered you a way to clear your husband’s debt. Will you take it, or will I show him how I like to play?”

“You bastard,” she hissed. “I’ll take it.”

Alexander, record the contract was accepted. I wish to collect immediately.”

“I’m sorry Ian, but she’s booked through tomorrow to Ani.”

He scowled. “Then I want immediate booking once her contract ends.”

“Logged,” I replied.

“Now get the fuck out of my Sim,” Ani swore at him. “I’ll be charging you for this time.”

“We’re not finished, Ms Valdez. You can count on that,” he glowered before popping out of existence. The Echoes regained movement as soon as he was gone.

“What the fuck was he doing…”

“Who was…”

“What the fuck is he talking about…”

Tom raised a hand and the babble stopped.

“I’m truly sorry that you had to deal with that tonight. I think this has probably killed the party vibe, thank you all for coming but I’m going to request that you go home.”

People nodded and agreed, offered solicitous good-byes to Meg and genuinely affectionate ones to Ani.

Once the four were alone again, Ani invoked the Dice protocol. I began to cover their actual conversation with a manufactured one of Paul trying to talk Meg out of going with Ian. It was rather convincing, if I say so myself.

“Well that was…interesting,” Meg said in reality, sitting on one of the chaises by the pool.

The others sat as well in an intimate circle.

“You OK babe?” Paul asked her.

“Oh yeah, I’m fine. I’m angry as fuck, but that’s good because as long as I stay angry I won’t be afraid.”

“Alexander could have stopped his entry and over-ridden him at any time, I told him not to. I wanted that pendejo to think he was in control of the situation,” Ani said.

“Smart,” Tom nodded. “Good tactics. Nice to know he’s not all-powerful.”

“No, the only god in this Sim is Alexander, and I am his high-priestess,” Ani said coldly.

“If you want to tear out his heart and offer it to Huitzilopochtli, I’ll hold him down,” Paul said.

She smiled grimly at him. “No. No need for anything so elaborate. Just shoot him.”