In a matter of seconds

"Michael, your assistance has been invaluable."

"Thank you, Mr. Visionquest. Always a pleasure to serve you."

"Good-bye, my friend. Until next time."

"Until next time, Mr. Visionquest."

Michael bows out and disappears in a blink of the eye.

I summon Christina, from the Gardens of Ascension, to the Theater of Delights. In a matter of seconds, Christina takes the place of Michael and adjusts her manner of dress for the occasion at hand. I run my fingertips under her hair, around her neck.

"Hello, my love." She looks up at me, smiling with her eyes, and presses her virtual body into mine.

"Hello, Christopher." Her greeting runs like a silky caress through my mind, tempting me with the pleasure of making love to her in public.

Our group mind accommodates itself quickly to the arrival and presence of Christina.

We enter the theater as a unit, one among many hundreds of other units.

Inside the Pleasure Zone

The leaves above rustle in the breeze. Her kiss leaves a pleasant tingle on my lips.

I look up. Her eyes, half-closed, are moist with sex. Christina swings her head to my chest and snuggles. I close my eyes, encircle her with my arms, feeling grateful for the warmth of her love. When I wake, she is virtually gone.

I assume she has left our private virtual suite to visit the Gardens of Ascension, her favourite communal space, where she can be with other women of her kind to experience and enjoy the most divine states of mind imaginable.

Before the AeroGlider had docked, Christina and I had agreed to spend some time together before going our separate ways. After the AeroGlider had docked, we went immediately to our private chambers and surrendered ourselves - body, mind, heart, and soul - to our desired simulation.

Now that I am virtually alone, I am ready to observe. I summon Michael, my virtual guide, who is uniquely programmed to serve and protect my interests - the fastest, most intelligent, most advanced virtual agent of its kind.

"Mr. Visionquest, I am pleased to see you again. How might I assist you?"

"Thank you, Michael. I would visit three of the most sophisticated virtual communities in the Pleasure Zone, using all available criteria of excellence, in the following order, with the following classifications: one that Knows No Bounds, one ..."

"Mr. Visionquest, please forgive my interruption, but this request you make is most unusual for you. A community that Knows No Bounds would put you in danger of a mental breakdown."

"I am well aware of the risk, Michael. Thank you. Please allow me to continue."

"As you wish."

"Thank you, Michael. The following communities, please, using all available criteria of excellence, in the following order, with the following classifications: one that Knows No Bounds, one that is Creative Beyond Belief, and one that Keeps Abreast of Changes in the Free Zone."

"Thank you, Mr. Visionquest. With just over ten million virtual communities in the Pleasure Zone, your request will likely take at least several minutes to process."

"Please proceed, Michael."

"Processing."

A balance made fine

From inside the warmth of her kiss, her words pour into the heart of my soul:

"Such a fine line it is that separates those who would sustain the promise of myriad pleasures for their own sake at the expense of a lasting love from those who would sustain the promise of a lasting love at the expense of myriad pleasures. Might there not be a balance to be struck between the two, or better yet, a balance that would take the best from both? Such a question, I believe, is worthy of both lovers of myriad pleasures whose variety is endless and masters of a single lasting love whose depths and heights are as bottomless and limitless as they are sacred and divine."

I crack a smile in spite of myself.