Randel watched as the boardroom devolved into a zoo. The small group of silent, nondescript, obsequious execs quickly transformed into something resembling a group of rowdy, hypermasculine, but nonetheless obsequious, howling monkeys. As they watched Conkling’s avatar slamming into the gorgeous woman, the execs cheered and offered commentary, while looking occasionally over at Laiusson to ensure that everything was still more or less within the bounds of boardroom propriety. Laiusson did not object to the behavior. The CEO simply sat back in his chair and smiled a pleased smile. He would watch the screen and look over at Conkling from time to time, switching the onscreen perspectives at will. Aside from sudden shakes, swallows, and minor stirrings, the only parts of Conkling’s body that were in motion were his hands. Although the manual waves, circulations, and stretches (that made the user appear like the conductor of an invisible orchestra) might have been thought bizarre before the popularization of the omni-immersion interface, at the present moment this display was a normal part of everyday life throughout the industrialized world. Even as Conkling’s body appeared largely relaxed, it was not passive. On the contrary, the intensity of even his minor stirrings suggested a hyper-activity just under the surface. His movements gave the impression of a gesticulating somnambulist in the grip of deepest slumber.

“I didn’t know the ole boy had it in him,” Laiusson added loudly to the scattered chorus of banter. Everyone laughed on cue. On screen, Conkling was fully immersed in another world, unaware of what was happening all around him. “We’re going to make more money than you can imagine with this product,” Laiusson said to Randel without taking his eyes off the screen. “We could even consider marketing professionally recorded sessions of Cupid’s Code as a kind of animated pornography. Unless you look close, you can't even tell it's fake. In any case, we can have the whole thing patented and the software available to the public in a few months, which will give us plenty of time for an extensive advertising campaign. You’ll get a hefty bonus for this. How does that sound to you, Mr. Mitteast?”