“Amphitheatre.”
“Shit. I will be there in thirteen minutes. Save me a seat?”
“Will you leave your hair down?”
She snorted. “Yes.”
“Then, yes. But I am sitting up at the front.”
“Shit. Well, I hope that others are late.”
“That is doubtful.”
“Why?”
“Check your itinerary. See you in thirteen minutes.”
Zera looked at the itinerary and bolted down to Susa, kissed her forehead, and said, “Love you; yesterday was fun and weird. I think I am heading toward another shift, and I don’t have you to talk me through it. This one is strange, though; there seems to be an attraction component like the one you used but different. Okay, I am late for a meeting, but I want to discuss this with you later.”
She kissed Susa’s forehead again and headed up into the lift with a few other researchers heading toward the briefing. When she arrived, Alya was standing in the front row, waving frantically.
Zera walked down to the front of the amphitheatre, where it seemed every professor and student who was involved in a research team was present.
Dr. Miliken started the briefing on time.
“Despite the events of yesterday, the program goes on, and our testing and recruitment phase is beginning. Some of you have already declared your specialities, and some of you have been in your chosen occupation for decades. Today, you are going to be briefed on what your options are regarding your future.”
Zera blinked as the team research group came forward. She sat up and listened to their pitch on research to work with and benefit the teams specifically. There were speeches given by folk in the economics industry, think tanks, public service, private sector applications, and then the teams arrived. The first team was familiar. Hron, Naima, and Astel talked about local service and the benefits of working with your own people; while Torun, Ryma, and Tycho spoke about natural disasters, stellar events, and the occasional dip into their world’s history.
As the other speakers had before, they threw the room open to questions. Zera crossed her legs, and Tycho’s gaze focused on her limbs. He had been in the middle of a sentence and had paused. She blushed and quickly uncrossed her legs, tucking them together, but that caused her wrap dress to slide open, and she grabbed the drape that was trying to get away while she kept her hand on her knee and her expression bland.
Torun was grinning, and Ryma was covering her smile with her hand while Tycho got himself back under control and answered the question about duty shifts and time for personal activities.
Someone raised their hand, and when Tycho nodded, they said, “I have been hearing rumours about the teams using an escort agency for sex partners, and do you have any information on how someone can apply?”
Zera’s eyes went wide, and she pressed her lips together.
Tycho coughed and said, “Yes, we do use an agency. Tech is involved so that we don’t see them and they don’t see us. That way, our preferences are kept discreet. Of course, all of the escorts are under non-disclosure agreements, but they can’t remember who they were with either.”
One of the men raised their hand and said, “What is the fun in that? If you can’t remember them, how do you know if you enjoyed yourself or not?”
Ryma put her hand on Tycho’s shoulder and spoke. “What if you had a physical activation and you could not find a sexual partner once your training completed? You try things but are worried about injury or worse for your lover. When the corporation started up, Torun was the first client, and when his escort didn’t bend or break, he recommended it to others. His testing process was thorough, I am sure. I have never had a bad date since, and my emotional outlook has dramatically improved.” She smiled. “When your activation takes over, you are afraid of your own body. When you first try to reach out for contact, you seek friendship, but then, you seek a lover, which is when things go wrong. Your fangs pop at the last minute; your claws are too sharp. In the case of the guys, one craves blood at the wrong moment, and the other can screw his lover through a wall if he isn’t careful, which means he has to always be careful, which means sex is stressful.”
“When we join the program, we give up our family names and our families to keep them safe, but we give up a lot more. You have already given it up just by being here. Now, imagine a life not knowing the touch of someone who cares, with no end in sight.”
The gathered people murmured, and a coy woman asked, “Do you always use the same person?”
“The same escort? No. They each specialize, so we can choose by mood. If I wish someone to dote on, I select that person. If I need a bit more of a fight, I choose someone else.”
That made them blink, but she showed her canines, and some of the super-keen women flinched. Her preference for ladies was well known, and she chuckled. “See? Not as easy as one might imagine.”
Torun took the podium. “As I have been involved with the Blind Date Corporation since before its inception, I can field any additional questions. First, I believe you are curious as to how to apply, and the first step is to fill out an application on the app.”
Zera looked at him, and she was scowling. Don’t do it. Don’t you fucking do it.
“As for personal experience, I believe that Zera could fill you in on the details of the service.”
The room got very quiet, and then, it got very loud. Tycho extended his hand to her, and she lifted out of her chair and floated onto the stage. His telekinesis was a side effect of his activation into a blood drinker.
She stalked over to the podium and
