Beyond all expectations, it had arrived.
After months of requests for more measurements, photo references, and ultimately, more and more time, a large crate awaited her, within which, amidst the expected tons of packing peanuts, was-
A hobby. No, hobbies involve balsa wood and glue. Yet this endeavor was obviously far too involved to be merely an interest. A fetish? The thought shook her mind and, against all haughty and prepared instinct, her body as well.
She gave a heavy sigh to calm her nerves and to attempt to slow her racing heart. A glance into a mirror overlooking her fireplace reminded her that, at least for now, she remained who she was. Madison. Maddy for short, who worked in IT and had no personal life who lived alone and was wasting her looks chilled pale in server rooms, reading about new developments in cable technology.
She laughed at the thought. Yes, it was all true. She really didn't get out much, and she was the only woman in her department, and yes, such a career in information management and data security was hardly the kind of exciting new field filled with attractive 20 somethings with vibrant social lives.
And yes, people were generally surprised. While she never considered herself much of a beauty, her slim frame, short cropped blonde hair, button nose and blemish free skin, definitely opened doors for her. As her university friends not-so-subtly hinted at, she had other options than to get a masters and join the wage slaves at Cetadyne.
But it was 2023, and her job was undeniably important to Cetadyne Systems. New developments by the labcoats upstairs had to be organized and managed in a way that was halfway comprehensible to the other departments and the shallow minded suits in management, whilst maintaining security from corporate espionage. And she was respected; after a period of awkwardness she found herself nurturing a kind of camaraderie with the other basement dwelling IT professionals, and they appreciated her ability to talk to upper management. They were a spotty lot, to be sure, but she appreciated their general open mindedness and she enjoyed talking shop about new tech developments with them.
And on top of all that, she was well paid. It was rare to find someone of her skills and talents, who could navigate the corporate world, understand and decode scientific papers, and keep up with database security developments to ensure that the whole system worked smoothly. And, though she was a bit loathe to admit it, being a woman in that field checked off a corporate checklist somewhere, and they took every advantage of using her in recruitment ads.
She cracked an wry smile. She was stalling. She made a face that attempted to evoke a fiercesome tiger, but came out as more of a constipated kitten. She hoisted the titatium crowbar above her head and with one smooth motion cleft the entire wooden crate in-twain.
Not really. It got stuck in a mass of splintered wood and only in a flailing attempt to extricate her tool (a slightly ironic gift from an ex boyfriend) did the top panel fly off. Setting the prybar aside, Maddy gazed inside at a strange sight.
A rather well endowed East asian woman, dressed in a stereotypical secretarial outfit, with a pencil skirt cut far shorter than Cetadyne dress code would allow and the top sweater buttons suggestively undone, lay staring, mouth agape, at Maddy's shocked and astonished expression.
A closer inspection revealed something off about this almost macabre sight. A slightly unnatural sheen in the suddenly hot light of her living room revealed that this body was not made of flesh, and, as an impudent little poke revealed soon afterwards, not containing bone either.
