FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

Sutopia

Ch 6, Sfamily: Space Family

Vitual Reality was not a new technology when Logan had been growing up; it'd be a commercial product for well over 100 years back when he was born, and had been common place in most businesses, households and commecial jobs by the time he was in high school. He was familiar with the various applications including but not limited to Augmented Reality (he particularly loved his visor for AR games), virtual meetings and, military/policing components. He also knew that the technology continued to develop, but he didn't even bother considering how far it would develop in a half of a millenia until he logged in.

Rather than connect to any additional devices, put on a visor, or don a sensory perception mesh suit, all he had to do was follow Star's directions and load up a the program in his implant; after that, it did all the rest. For a split second it felt as though nothing existed, not even himself. Gradually, however, his entire body got the strange sensation of emerging from numbness, pins-and-needles spreading across every inch of his skin as he felt the kind of coldness which wasn't actually cold-- it was just an absence of heat.

From there, a strange hazy glow emerged from all around him and yet, nowhere all at once. It was like the time when he was young and his family took a trip to Wales-- it was early morning and they were surroundedf by fog so thick the entire world looked off-white. As if focusing on the memory affected the world around him, the haze slowly took shape into almost-familiar wisps of mist before dissolving complete, leaving Logan standing in the middle of his parents' basement-- and then the sound kicked in when he heard Star speak. "It takes some getting used to, but the more you use it the faster you load in."

Spinning around, Logan saw Star-- the Fox woman-- his niece. She looked unspectacular and mundane (aside from the obvious 'fox woman' thing). "Is this it? Are... are we in VR now?"

Star winked, and moved to take a seat in his armchair. "I wanted to make sure you were somewhere in virtual space familiar to you... the first time in VR can be really jarring for someone not expecting it so I used the same memory scan for this virtual space as I used when programming your living quarters. Granted, this isn't physical, but at least it all loads in immediately without having to be custom built."

Her unreadable expression made it hard to tell if she was jesting with him or if she were explaining the situation like someone might compare two different makes and models of a vehicle. "Oh. Yeah... I guess not."

His dismissive comment was only because he couldn't think of anything else to say; he was still too busy looking at the perfect recreation of his basement room. Everything was in place. Everything was perfect. He was really in VR and it had made all of this? It was all in his mind, right? That thought made its way to the surface. "So... all of this is just being projected into my mind, or something?"

Star expanded on the 'or something' in a big way. "Actually, if we were talking about a physical location for this, it wouldn't be your mind, no... this information is stored on a central server, but you aren't, and neither am I. This is more like..." she paused, tapping her furry chin. "It's more like watching a movie, and being part of it all at once. You aren't IN the movie... you're in the theater, or you're at home, but if it's a really good movie you get drawn in and you feel like you're part of it."

It made clear enough sense; it was essentially how VR had always worked. "So this is just all one big program that's being 'beamed into' our heads?"

She tittered. "I love your quaint approach to things, Logan... no... the information isn't EXACTLY 'beamed into' our heads. If anything, we're 'beamed into' the server. The electronic-brain interface would take a few hours to explain, but, essentially--"

Logan was a little tired of being talked down to. "I'm not going anywhere. Let's hear it, then. Tell me about the electronic-brain interface."

By the fifth or sixth minute of Star's very technical explanation he was sorry he'd asked. "Okay--" he interrupted again, "-maybe just the 'end user' version?"

Star smiled patiently. "Your body is where you left it. Your Sum, as you know, was stored on an electronic medium before Corpus Verto put it into your regrown Corpus. Right now, your Sum has been disconnected temporarily from receiving input from your body and, instead, is interfacing with the server I had mentioned."

The idea frightened Logan for a number of reasons. "So you mean I was... what? Uploaded back onto a computer?"

The Fox chuckled softly, covering the end of her muzzle with two fingers daintily as she did so. "No, Logan... no-- not at all. Just like your brain can receive input from your eyes or your tongue or ears or skin or nose, so to can it be fed sensations via your implant. I didn't sign you up for an 'Iactis' or anything."

"Iactis? What the heck is that?"

Star offered a calming smile. "Imagine going on a trip without leaving home."

Logan made no attempt to hide how much he didn't appreciate her casual disregard for his question. "That's easy-- what does that have to do with the i-ack-tis thing?"

Star held out one paw and opened it up; a three dimensional hologram of a generic body appeared, slowly rotating a few centimeters above it. "Your Sum can be stored in any body and, so long as a body is healthy, it can be kept in suspended animation for any length of time. Some trips from habitat to habitat take so long that going somewhere to run an important errand, or even to go on vacation could take weeks, so, in a case like that, it's just easier to undergo a Corpus Verto but, instead of exchanging bodies, you just temporarily 'throw' your Sum across the distance and broadcast yourself into another Corpus. It's actually a lot more complicated than that, but I assume you're not asking for the specifics..."

He couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Just... THROW my Sum? As in, like put my brain in another body?"

The Fox sighed. "Not your brain-- that's a physical structure... just your Sum. There's a difference, remember? When you undergo Iactis you're shutting down your actual body and having your Sum broadcast to a temporary one... it's not entirely unlike what we're doing here in VR right now, except, rather than have the server feed you sensory input there's an organic body on the other end. That, and a few more complex programming intricacies."

It made a little more sense, but not a lot. "So... it's... like a video game, but I'm controlling a REAL body in the real world?"

She shrugged. "Close enough..." it was obvious that she wanted to change the subject. "So-- how was your first day of class?"

Her willingness and the ease with which she completely hijacked the conversation while he was just starting to feel like he was learning something made it difficult for him to maintain his train of thought. In the end, he had to surrender it as a lost cause; he realized that, for a number of reasons, he needed Star and, at the very least, he DID call HER, so the least he could do was to carry on a conversation like an adult... even if she was controlling the trajectory. "It was fine."

She stood up and patted the back of his arm chair before abandoning it to him. She sat down on the edge of the coffee table instead. "What did you discuss? Learn anything new and helpful?"

He took back his chair, thinking only a moment before he had an answer. "Yeah. We got to learn about our implants, how to do basic search functions, a few advanced search techniques, all about the mapping program, the metanet, oh--" he threw in for fun: "--and birthdays aren't celebrated here in the future."

Star took it in stride. "This is the present, not the future, Logan. And birthdays CAN be celebrated if people want... it just isn't as common as it was back in the 22nd century. Mine, for example, is September 19th. I'm a Virgo." She winked.

There were several seconds of silence as Logan let that statement sink in. Fingering a loose thread on the armrest of his recliner, he looked up at his vulpine niece and asked "Why AREN'T birthdays celebrated?"

The follow-up question actually got Star to pause, ears raising slightly as she regarded him. "To be honest? I suppose most folks have stopped celebrating birthdays because they're just another unimportant anniversary. There are a lot of transhumans out there who are a few hundred years old and the day of our birth just isn't that important anymore... we could just as easily celebrate the anniversary of when we underwent Corpus Verto into whatever Corpus we're occupying. I guess it just seems..." she shrugged, looking down to her paws. "...arbitrary."

Logan let out a long breath. "Wow... I guess the 'modern age' is a lot less celebratory then if something like a birthday is seen as unimportant?"

She shook her head. "No-- there's no reason you CAN'T celebrate a birthday... it's just that most transhumans don't. From what I understand most Uploads stop celebrating them too after a few dozen years."

The young man paused. "Uploads?"

Star recoiled, making a sour face. "Sorry... that was rude of me. 'Upload' is a casual term for humans who had their brain scans backed up and stored before the war. Some of the restored populous finds it offensive-- I didn't mean it that way."

Logan shrugged in response. "S'fine... I don't know enough about it to be offended anyway... but, hey-- if ever YOU decide that you want to celebrate a birthday again at least I know your birthday now."

His niece recovered from her social faux pas fast enough, even tittering. "Okay. If I ever decide to celebrate it I'll be sure to let you know."

He leaned back in his chair, smirking. "I mean... when you consider it, I have several hundred to make up for, don't I?"

It wasn't a particularly funny or witty statement yet, for some reason he couldn't figure out they both laughed at it. The laughing carried on for far longer than the semi-humorous comment was worth, and yet Logan really didn't mind; there was something far more relaxing about Star that wasn't there back when he'd first met her. Was VR really the kind of social safety he needed to interact with his idiosyncratic niece? It didn't even really FEEL like he was in VR-- it was so real!

Even as he wasin the middle of his philosophical pondering over technological representations of life, Star started up the idle chit chat again. Logan couldn't help but feel that it was remarkably similar to the talks his mom used to have with him after his days in high school. Star asked fairly simple questions, talking more about his class, things he liked, things he didn't, and any new things he might have learned. When the discussion turned to any epiphanies he might have had, Logan certainly was preapred. "Everyone in class seems like they're someone important."

The Vixen nodded. "Right. 'important people' tend to be the ones that get approved for a Corups Verto."

Logan started counting off the qualities of those in his class and was quick to identify that he stuck out like a sore thumb. "There's, like, politicians, scientists... and then, out of the blue, there's someone like me."

Star's muzzle scrunched up as if she'd sucked on a lemon. "What do you mean 'and then there's you' exactly?"

Logan shrugged, surprised by how much his casual self-depreciation had caught her attention. "Well.. I mean... it's not like I'm a scientist or a politician or even a Hollywood actor, right? I'm just me."

Star's expression went pure neutral, followed by the faintest of winces. "Oh... of course... Harper Knight."

The young man nodded poking his index finger in her direction. "Yes. RIGHT there is what I'm talking about. I'm no Harper Knight."

She rolled her eyes. "Thankfully. I don't think we have a need for more than one old time Hollywood actor... or even one, for that matter, but that's an entirely different matter that we--"

Logan scowled in response. "You know what I mean!"

Her ears shifted forward, zeroing in on him. "Yes, I DO know what you mean. You may not be a Hollywood actor, but you're important too."

His frown remained. "It's not like I have a Nobel Prize. I didn't invent anything. I don't have any theories named after me. I've never been responsible for a school club, let alone a nation. I--"

She cut him off. "You're my uncle... and that means something."

Logan had to fight against his initial reaction, which was to take comfort in the fact that she was fighting to identify his value, but self-worth had never been a strong trait of his. "Sure... I'm the uncle of a niece who is several hundred years older than I am."

Star let out a puff of breath through her nostrils. "Logan... you're my family. That means you have a lot of social cred, a lot of resources. You have standing-- even if you don't believe it, you're important too!"

Back when Logan had lived in his parents' house-- his REAL parents' house and not a recreation on the moon or in VR it had been enough. His folks hadn't expected anything from him except occasional encouragement to try and do something with his life but, in the end, they'd just considered him a burden to bear and 'made due'. He had come to accept that his lot in life was to be someone's responsibility and that he'd just have to go with the flow. He was used to being pushed to act by others, and never by his own motivation.

Whether it was the Corpus Verto, or his time learning new things in his integration class Logan couldn't say but, for whatever reason, suddenly, that wasn't enough. Standing up, he shook his head. "Whatever importance I have is because of you, Star. If I'm just important because of you then I'm not the important one-- you are. I spent my whole life back on earth being supported by others and... I dunno... maybe--" he paused, feeling his hands begin to shake at the growing realization, "--maybe I need to be able to stand on my own?"

The silence that followed his own self actualization was deafening, and he started to wonder at what had prompted him to say something like that. Slacking had always been enough for him, and any call for self-betterment usually brought with it the acknowledgement that a lot of hard work would be in store. Why, while he was facing down his fox-shaped niece, did he suddenly decide he wanted such a dramatic trajectory change for his life?

She continued to say nothing, and Logan stared right back at her, his mind awash with second guessing his own words but he wasn't about to rescind them. He had always lived at the beck and call of his parents-- despite having grown older he hadn't ever really grown up. After the time he spent the prior night with Peter, and the time in class, he started to see things differently. No matter how he looked at it or what path his thought processes took he came again and again to the same conclusion: things had to be different, and he didn't want to freeload off of his niece.

"Star... I want to-- I NEED to be able to make it on my own."

The moment the words left his mouth he was immediately fearful. He was suddenly surrounded by the unknown and realized that the stability he'd enjoyed for his whole life was gone. With that single statement would he be adrift in life with no direction and no support? He felt apprehension and anxiety and worry-- but he also felt... pride? Logan had never found anything he did to be worthy of pride. If what he was feeling WAS a sense of self accomplishment he was astounded by just how much he wanted to feel more of it-- a lot more. It was addictive.

He was snapped out of his typhoon of different thoughts by a faint giggle from Star. The Fox woman was staring at him, one paw gingerly covering the end of her muzzle. He was chagrined at her response. "What?"

His niece was all smiles and her long, bushy tail flicked with mirth. "I'm just really happy... I mean... based on all the stories I heard I... I wasn't sure what to expect when you found out that you were getting a free ride. It-- I... I really didn't expect this, to be honest."

Logan would have felt insulted if he didn't realize that his actions were counterpoint to all of his usual life experiences. Shrugging it off, he tried to assert his will to be successful on his own. "I mean it. Really. I... I REALLY appreciate all the help you've given me, but if this is my second chance at living I need to learn more about life in this century, and I need to be able to pull my weight... right?"

Star stepped forward and held her arms out; Logan realized that, despite how realistic the world around him was that they were in VR and, for some reason that made things just a little less awkward and he accepted the hug. It felt surprisingly good... and a little weird hugging a Fox-woman... but mostly just good. As they disengaged, his niece kissed him in the cheek (also weird... but good too). "Take some time to settle in, and THEN you can start looking into figuring it out... but I think that's a great idea, Logan. I am genuinely happy that you're being proactive about bettering yourself."

Logan felt his cheeks flush slightly and he slowly disengaged. "Yeah... well... I mean... I figured the old 9-5 really wasn't my thing but apparently now a full work week is only like, 20 hours or something. That can't be too bad, right?"

Her bemused expression revealed to him that he apparently said something she thought was funny. Star followed it up with a single word, full of mirth. "Assuredly."

He continued on in that line of thinking. "Or, maybe I'll start a small business? The sky's not the limit anymore if we're in space, right?"

Star winked. "I have a few critiques, but that can wait. I'm just so glad that you're feeling motivated."

Nodding, Logan felt just a little emotional, realizing that, despite his willingness to be self-sufficient, it helped knowing that he didn't really have to go through it all COMPLETELY alone. "I'm really lucky to have you. Thanks, Star."

She smiled softly, but there was also a hint of pain to her expression as well. Her ears wilted slightly and she looked down to her paws which, Logan realized, were still holding his hands. Star spoke softly. "I'm really lucky to have you too, Uncle Logan... you're the only family member I could bring back, you know."

The statement suddenly pushed a lot of weight onto his shoulders. Logan had been so focused on figuring out the 27th century that he hadn't stopped to consider what might have happened to the rest of his family. He had so many questions, but he realized that the topic was having a profound effect on Star. Instead, the young man tried to offer some levity and offered a shit-eating grin so she'd know he was being playful. "Well... I'm just sorry you had to settle for the booby prize, Star."

"Amber."

He paused at the non-sequitor. "Huh?"

The Fox looked up at him again. "My given name was Amber. You seemed surprised by the name I use these days. I figured if we're family, the least I could do is tell you the name my mom gave me."

Logan was honestly surprised. "That was our grandmo--"

Star nodded. "Your grandmother's name... yeah. My mother told me."

The young man offered a helpless chuckle. "Sounds about right... but what I don't understand is why you--"

His words trailed off as Star's fur began to shed and she lots almost two inches of height, not including her ears, which shrank and pulled further down her head. In the course of two heartbeats, Logan went from looking at an anime-style sexy fox girl to a rather mundane-looking auburn haired hazel eyed 30-something woman that looked eerily like his sister, but with a slightly more chiseled nose. She spread her arms, offering a half-hearted smile which did nothing to dispel the embarrassment in her eyes. "Aaaaand this was what I looked like before I underwent my first Corpus Verto... it's the original me... yay..."

Her little cheer was filled with sardonic self-depreciation, but Logan didn't let that stop him from remarking. "Wow... you look like a grown up Susie..."

His comment didn't seem to help, and she quickly covered her face, body reverting to the form with which he was more familiar as Star. "Oh, UGH... I used to hear that ALL the time, but usually it was a 'younger version of your mom', not older."

Star's follow up laugh was just a little more genuine and, when she removed her paws, her more casual smile returned. Logan had to make the comparison. "You seem like you're more comfortable as a Fox."

She smiled. "I am."

Logan wanted to be honest, and so he didn't hold back. "I think you were just fine as a human, but if you want to live your best life then who am I to say anything? Family's supposed to be supportive, right?"

A much more enthusiastic smile split her muzzle and her tail actively swished. "That sounds like a great idea."

Star followed up with a fresh hug, pulling Logan in tight. The feel of her ample breasts squishing between their joined bodies got a blush out of him; whether in real life or VR it made no difference. He quickly separated, feeling a little warmer as he looked anywhere but at her. "I think it's a good idea too. Mom always said family was important, and I guess it's for reasons like this."

The Fox tittered in response. "Somehow I DOUBT the Grandma Bradshaw was thinking about reawakening several hundred years in the future."

Logan huffed. "IN GENERAL, I mean! She said family was important IN GENERAL."

Star giggled. "Grandma DID always say that, but so did mom and so did you."

Yet again Logan was caught off guard by the differences a few hundred years could make and, despite reprimanding himself that he SHOULDN'T be so surprised, he was. "So... you and me against the galaxy, huh?"

She obviously caught the humor to his tone because her ready smile was a good start to her response. Reaching out to give his hand a squeeze, she nodded. "Living several centuries alone gives you an even greater appreciation for family."

Logan couldn't help himself. "Sfamily."

Star raised an eyebrow. "Pardon?"

"Sfamily. Space Family shortened. We're a family in space... so we're a space family. Sfamily."

The Fox giggled. "Well aren't you the Space Smart Ass."

He wiggled his eyebrows. "You mean S-Smart Ass?"

They shared another giggle and, as things slowly calmed down between them, Logan took his seat again in his armchair and Star walked around the coffee table to sit on the opposite side of it on the foot stool. "Anyway, Logan, I'm glad that the classes are going well for you and that you feel inspired to improve yourself."

Logan nodded. "Yeah..."

She leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees as she folded her paws thankfully in front of her chest to block the view of her cleavage. "Then I suppose the next obvious topic is to discuss just what you want to do in that regard."

He wasn't ready for the sudden change in topic. "Huh? Whadda you mean?"

It felt like she dropped a bomb when she brought up the same topic his parents used to raise more than five hundred years prior. "Considering you wanted to be independent, I was wondering what you wanted to do for a living. You know... since jobs are optional and most businesses as YOU'D probably think of them don't exist anymore."

Despite how much things had been altered by the passage of time, some things were painfully unchanged.