virtual woman Jeremy brings the Savage home to the Virtual Kingdom, the city where he grew up. They walk down corridors where people in cubicles are strapped to chairs, metallic bands on their heads, toggles under their fingers, staring into space. These people are totally absorbed in what they are doing, and the Savage walks by almost without seeing them. Jeremy seems to be the only "live one" in this whole city. At least he had enough spark to leave his city and visit the Terrain of Savages.... A door opens in front of them and Miss Rivers, a woman in a white dress, almost steps into their path. Seeing Jeremy, she turns and smiles at him. MISS RIVERS: Well, hello, Jeremy! JEREMY: Hello, Miss Rivers. MISS RIVERS: And this is...? She holds out her hand to the Savage, expecting to be introduced. The Savage clearly doesn't see her. He stands there looking at Jeremy, wondering what this is about. JEREMY: (interceding) This is my friend, the Savage. He comes from outside the city. MISS RIVERS: (disconcerted—she has committed a faux pas) Oh! (looking directly at the Savage) I'm sorry, I'm.... JEREMY: (apologetically, to Miss Rivers) He doesn't have an implant. (spelling it out) He can't see you, or hear you. MISS RIVERS: My! (intrigued now, she reaches out timidly to touch the Savage) May I.... SAVAGE: (beginning to lose his good humor) Who are you talking to? Some kind of phantasm? JEREMY: A simulacrum. A pretty one, too. (amused yet nervous, through gritted teeth) She's touching your face. Miss Rivers now has her hands pressed against the Savage's face, cooing excitedly as she pokes and prods him. The Savage still feels nothing, of course. He flings his hands into the air in a gesture of exasperation as he says: SAVAGE: What is this...!? As it happens, one of the Savage's hands cracks Miss Rivers across the jaw. She yelps and holds a hand to her face, as if afraid something is broken. MISS RIVERS: (sobbing, mumbled) I'm sorry! Did I...? JEREMY: (turning on the Savage, seething) You hit her! He puts his arms around Miss Rivers protectively. The Savage looks down at his hands, then up at Jeremy, bewildered. SAVAGE: I didn't see her. She's not real! Jeremy grabs or pushes the Savage aggressively. JEREMY: She may not be real, but she's my fiancee! SAVAGE: Huh!? You're marrying a...? (this changes things) Hey, man, you could see I didn't hit her on purpose. (in her general direction) Are you hurt? (he gently but firmly removes Jeremy's hands from his person) She should be more careful. Order is restored. Grinning, Jeremy leans in and whispers something in the Savage's ear. The Savage grins too and squints over in Miss Rivers' direction. She has regained her composure and is now standing a bit primly and self-protectively at a distance. SAVAGE: (to Jeremy) Is that so? I'd like to get me some of that. (sadly now, shaking his head) But she ain't real, pal. Out in the bush, there, we got real women. MISS RIVERS: (piping up, a bit shrill) Well, I should be going. (she reaches to take Jeremy's hand, avoiding the Savage) So long, Jeremy. Sorry to intrude. (nodding to the Savage) So long, sir, nice to have met you. SAVAGE: (to Jeremy) She leaving? Jeremy nods yes. The Savage cautiously sticks out his hand to be shaken. Jeremy takes both hands and guides them together, then lets go. The Savage grasps Miss Rivers' hand awkwardly because he can't see it, and moves his hand up and down. Miss Rivers grimaces and smiles through her teeth. MISS RIVERS: Klutz, stupid fool. She leans directly into the Savage's face and yells, almost spits. MISS RIVERS: Heathen! Jeremy expresses shock. MISS RIVERS: (saucily) Well, he can't hear me, can he? Jeremy lets out a sudden chuckle as Miss Rivers disappears through the door from which she came. Jeremy and the Savage walk off together down the hall. SAVAGE: (shaking his head, hands behind his back, pondering) I still say you ought to get yourself a real woman.
	location: Denver, Colorado date: January 1994 average rating: [not rated] your rating (0-10):