"Sixteen!" Nora exclaid. "And you have them all to yourself?"
"Yep. I can’t even make use of all of them right now. So powering up one of two just for you would be no problem. And, like I said, if we need more, we can just instantiate more instances from the template. Jack has a limited Energy Point generation rate, so there is a limit, but I think he’d be okay with at least double my current build out."
"If I lock extra server and solar rooms behind a security door, I can disable them without deleting them and save the EP cost when they are not in use. I don’t have a problem with maxing EP costs once in a while, as long as I have enough saved up for simulations."
"And I could use these Cerebras?" Nora was looking at Jack hungrily, like a man that had just been offered a chance to drive a formula-1 car.
"Yep."
"And if I asked for additional equipnt?" Hope and excitent sparked in her eyes.
"Not a problem. I can get you anything as long as you can tell where in the world it is. Also, eventually, I plan to create my own research institute, so, if you accepted a soul bond, I’d be willing to make you employee number one in that company."
"Marry ," blurted Nora. She blushed, then said, "Sorry, I don’t an that. It’s just..."
"I get it," he reassured. "Soone’s offering you what sounds like a dream co true and it can be hard to express how that makes you feel."
"Yes, that," she said. Then added, "I accept. Before I get cold feet, make your offer. Please."
So he did. He paused the simulation, dialed the ti ratio back to 1:1 and used the Nora in front of him as the basis for her template, then initiated the soul bond imdiately.
[Soul Bond Accepted: Nora Blackwood]
Like with Madison and Miranda, Nora pushed for a close connection. This was a little surprising to Jack, as Nora hadn’t seed to be interested in him romantically. She was seven years older than him, after all.
Maybe she did it because it would be easier for her to tell if he was getting ideas about her. Or, maybe she thought, given the fact that the bond was permanent, she might change her mind about him later and didn’t want to be stuck with a lessor connection.
As soon as Nora appeared in his soul space, he maxed the ti ratio, quickly explained about what happens with her physical body while in his soul space, told her he’d explain parallel self and other features one she was alone, then pushed her out and pushed his ti ratio back down to 1:1.
Back in the physical world, Anjali was explaining to Jack the finer points of CRISPR synthesis, when Nora took a deep breath, blinked a few tis, then said, "If you’ll excuse , I need to use the ladies’ room."
Then she got up and rushed off.
Anjali watched Nora rush off. She briefly looked puzzled, then seed to decide it didn’t matter and turned back to resu her explanation to Jack.
Nora reappeared in Jack’s soul space, and he explained to her how parallel self worked and warned about what happened when the two selves ’gazed’ at each other.
As soon as he finished, he gave her the sa permissions as Madison and Miranda, then she disappeared, before reappearing when she activated parallel self.
As soon as her parallel self appeared, she got a strange look on her face, then wobbled for a mont and said, "Oof, that’s a real head squeezer."
"You did it anyway." He chuckled. She just had to know what it was like to stare into herself, staring into herself.
"You didn’t say it was dangerous, so I wanted to experience it for myself. It was every bit as surreal as you claid. More even. Now, please, show your lab. I feel like I’ll burst if I don’t see it soon."
"Sure, follow ."
He led her into his lab and the mont she saw it; she squealed like a little girl and started rushing about, caressing the lab equipnt.
After a few minutes, she said, "You have almost everything! This is amazing."
"Oh, what did I miss?"
She began describing what else she thought they needed, and he imdiately sumd a snapshot and began searching for what she wanted.
Back in the physical world, Nora ca back out of the bathroom and returned to her seat. By this point, most of the people had left, and the only people left at their table were Jack, Anjali, and Nora.
"Jack," Nora interrupted. "Would you be willing to exchange contact info? You have a bright mind and a unique perspective, and I would like to stay in touch."
Anjali looked at Nora as if Nora had just asked Jack to have her baby.
Nora looked at Anjali and said, "What? You planned to do the sa. No reason why you should be allowed to monopolize him."
Anjali didn’t look like she bought Nora’s excuse, but also didn’t seem to care. Instead, she asked Jack, "You don’t mind exchanging contact info with as well, do you?"
"No, I don’t mind."
After exchanging info with Anjali and Nora, whose last na turned out to be Blackwood, he noticed that it was getting late.
"Well, it’s been a pleasure talking to you, but I have two cars to move and classes in the morning, so if you’ll excuse , I need to get going."
They said a few pleasantries, then Jack left and headed for his new Maybach.
Its looks were subdued, not flashy like most supercars, or ostentatious like so lower end luxury cars. But when he opened the door and slid into the driver’s seat, he suddenly found himself in automotive heaven.
It was so comfortable, so refined, it made every other car he’d ever been in seem like a wood carriage in comparison.
When he closed the door, it didn’t bang or rattle or even thump. It made a soft shthump sound that evoked thoughts of solidity and engineering perfection.
When he bushed the start button, the console lit up, but there was no sound. At first, he thought the engine had failed to start. But when he looked at the dash, he saw from the rpm ter that the engine was running.
He fiddled with the seat and steering wheel controls until felt like things were just right, then spent a few monts adjusting the mirrors before finally pulling out of the parking lot.
When he’d pulled into the parking lot, he’d felt it when he crossed over the boundary between road and canted sidewalk. But as he pulled out onto the road, he felt nothing.
As he drove towards the enclosed parking of his hotel, he had to give Greg a silent thank you for being Anjali’s fan boy. This car was a dream to drive, and now he could have one without exposing his wealth.
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