The Orb

Karen sighed as she watched her friend disappear up the corridor. This wasn't like Sarah at all, usually she'd be the first to suggest that they hit the hotel bar and lead the way down there, especially in a chic metropolitan location like Haven City.

It was the look in her eyes too, she was hiding something that Karen could have sworn was lust or desire. It was almost as though she were expecting a long estranged lover to be waiting for her in her room.

The door to Karen's own room had already recognised her and opened to let her in. She dropped her small travel bag by the door and let her eyes explore the room. It was pretty unremarkable as hotel rooms went, featuring the usual bed, cupboards, holoscreen, massage chair and windows with a rather impressive view of the city skyline. The lights of the city were too bright for her to see the stars but two moons and a few whispy clouds on the horizon formed a picturesque backdrop across which the flashing navigation lights of aircraft and brilliant star-like dots of spacecraft moved steadily.

Karen had been to Haven City once before, but she was already glad she'd deferred to Sarah's choice of hotel. She could stand here for hours just absorbing in this view; that was, if her legs could support her, more than anything else she wanted to sit down.

Now I think about it, that's just what I need, she thought, heading for the massage chair. It had been an exhausting day and she'd been on her feet for most of it. She kicked off her shoes and lowered herself into the chair's sensual embrace, feeling it gently sculpt itself to her body and not objecting as its logic reclined her backwards, scooping up her feet. What felt like strong skilled hands began to work on her shoulders and more began their work on her calves and the soles of her feet. It was bliss just being able to relax and feel firm manipulation of the chair work the tension out of every part of her body.

Yes, it had been a very long day, and these Havenites definitely knew how to build a good massage chair.

Karen let herself just melt into the chair, eyes closed, marvelling how the technology seemed to have an even better idea of where the stress in her body was than she did.

She woke up a short time later to find the manipulation of her body had eased. Massage chairs were never completely still, but their job was to relax and this one had done it's job well. Sensing its occupants desire to sit up it brought her to a more upright position. As she enjoyed the gentle motion of the chair Karens mind returned slowly to her friend. Yes the chair was good, but surely it along couldn't account for Sarah's behaviour. She'd have to investigate.

"Room service" she said.

"Hello Karen" the room replied in a warm female voice "how can I be of assistance"

"Voice call my friend Sarah, room..." she paused, trying to remember was difficult when the chair had located and targeted one of the few remaining points of tension in her lower back, she closed her eyes and inhaled, "room 402"

"Calling Sarah in room 402" the voice said, then after a paused it continued "The occupant of room 402 does not wish to be disturbed at this time."

"Hmmpf" Karen muttered to herself.

Well, if Sarah was going to disappear like that she, Karen, would also have fun this evening.

"List activities available at this hotel"

The holoscreen that made up most of one wall, or rather the air in front of it, came to life listing and showing video clips of a wide range of facilities including a gym, swimming pool, virtual arcade, all very active and the last thing that would appeal to a woman in the undemanding bliss of a massage chair. Karen was almost ready to call it a night when the voice reached the end of the list and asked a completely unexpected question.

"Would you like to hear about our adult entertainment options?"

She paused. Normally that sort of thing really wouldn't interest her, but considering that she was all alone and not feeling particularly inclined to get out of the chair perhaps it might be a giggle to see what they had. She'd heard stories about hotel massage chairs on Haven that could do more than just relax their occupant as they watched pornography on the holoscreen, and more controversially some hotels even offered android "companions" to their visitors. Couldn't hurt to just look.

"Why not. Yes."

As the voice read through the options it was clear that most of the options were male oriented, especially the huge selection of videos. It was also clear that the massage chair that was currently innocently kneading her shoulders offered a whole range of rather more intimate ways to touch her body. Karen was rather shocked at how graphic the informational video was, showing a beautiful woman lying back in her chair completely nude a look of ecstasy on her face as a phallus formed from the seat of the chair thrust in and out of her, clearly with the same diligence as the massages it offered.

Sitting there, watching this stranger's pleasure, Karen became painfully aware of how long it had been since she'd been touched that way. Yes this was only a machine, but the more she thought about it, the more she couldn't deny her arousal.

What the heck, all she had to do was to stand up, remove her clothes, sit back down and give the word. She leaned forward to get up enjoying the way that the chair's material clutched at her, seductively trying to draw her back into pure relaxation. She removed her blouse, but just as she was about to pull her leggings down the room's voice reached the bottom of the list it had been reading to her.

"The orb. Guests wishing to enjoy the most intense interactive sexual experience ever devised can now do so with this advanced sex toy, available in every room."

Unlike with the massage chair the holovid simply showed the image of a large black ball.

Karen was intrigued. Deeply intrigued. The menu began again from the beginning, it clearly wasn't about to be forthcoming with any more information about the Orb, so she spoke up.

"Tell me more about the Orb."

The screen faded and the imaged changed to one of a woman, standing holding one of the black balls. She was obviously a model, given her strikingly good looks which extended to her bare breasts because she wasn't wearing a scrap of clothing. Her modesty was preserved only by the fact that she held the ball between the camera and her groin, not that anyone with a body that stunning could ever be modest with it. The warm tanned colour of her skin and the black of the ball contrasted with the featureless white backdrop of the scene.

When the naked wonder began to speak in a confident yet conversational tone it became apparent that this must be a promotional video made by the ball's makers.

"We're proud to present to you The Orb, the most advanced, the most mind blowing sex toy ever imagined."

They certainly weren't pulling any punches. There was something in the way she just said "The Orb" as though the name itself was sacred. Karen found herself wondering how this could be so. It was just a black ball, just how was a woman supposed to pleasure herself sexually with it. Maybe it vibrated or something, but she couldn't see how that would make it the most intense interactive sexual experience ever devised.

The camera cut to a view showing only the woman's face, taking in the smooth perfection of her golden hair and emerald green of her eyes. She went on.

"Using the very latest in nano and adaptive neural technology, Transperience, Haven's leading producers of sexual peripherals, offer a revolution in the sexual interaction between human and technology. The orb is a self-pleasure machine like no other, that can know and touch your body like no partner you have ever had."

The view cut back to her whole body again. Still the ball in the woman's hands looked static and unremarkable.

"The Orb; you need to try this ladies. It will blow your mind."

The model gave a subtle and knowing smile to the camera then she turned her brilliant green eyes on the object she was holding in her hands, the Orb. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath as though savouring the moment. In fact it reminded Karen of the way that her friend Sarah would pause before taking a first bite of a slice of chocolate cake, taking in the smell and basking in the anticipation. The eyes opened again, silently, and the woman, to the ball, spoke one word.

"Activate."

Then the most astounding thing happened. It was as though the ball in her hands suddenly became a viscous liquid and began to flow toward her. It sucked itself onto her belly, as though she'd been lying on her back holding a ball of molten tar, and then it began to flow across her body, spreading itself out evenly across her skin in a wave of shimmering blackness. Within a couple of seconds it had flowed over her breasts, seeming to defy all laws of physics as it moved up to her shoulders. Her legs were already covered and the black substance and it wasted no time in flowing down the woman's arms to even coat every single one of her fingers. Her eyes were closed again, an indulgent smile spread across her face as she tilted her head back, evidently enjoying the sensation of this suit forming around her. The material had stopped in a collar around her neck, so it seemed as though her head was going to be spared from the glossy black tide. The woman just stood there gleaming and spectacular in a perfect seamless catsuit that highlighted her every curve.

Karen was amazed. What had just happened looked like movie special effects. There was no way any material could move like that, could it?

What happened next had more of an impact on Karen even than the way the Orb had enveloped this woman. There was the sound of an electronic chime ringing out and then, in response to some unseen stimulus, in an instant the smile melted from the model's face. Her eyebrows raised in the centre and her mouth opened in a gasp as she let out an involuntary silent "oh!" It was the single most incredible facial expression Karen had ever seen, it was as though someone had reached inside this woman's mind and flicked a switch to turn on intense pleasure. There was no way that any actress could imitate that.

The woman gasped a second time, impossibly the ecstasy showing on her features seeming to double, and then the video faded out.

Karen realised that every muscle in her body had stiffened despite her chair's insistent attempts at relaxing her. The resolution and clarity of the holoscreen had made it seems as though the woman had really been right there in front of her, in the room. What kind of intensity of feeling, what kind of mind blowing stimulation could make a woman respond like that?!

Karen had once, a few years ago, owned a pair of haptic shorts. They had been black and skin-tight and but for the control panel set into the waist would not have looked out of place worn in a gym. She couldn't have worn them to the gym though, because when she switched them on they created the sensation of hands caressing her thighs and her buttocks as a tongue and fingers played with her sex. She'd always enjoyed using them, especially the way the programs would tease her with the stimulation and she would never quite know what was coming next. There was also a sleep mode, where she could wear them to bed and they would play with her during the night; some of the erotic dreams she had from that had been intense.

Not usually being one for sex toys Karen had felt daring and ordered them after Sarah had mentioned them once with a giggle during a night out. She wondered whether they were still in the bottom of a drawer in her bedside cabinet at home. She should pull them out again when she got home.

The orb looked like something else entirely though. She couldn't get out of her head the way it had completely bound itself to that model's entire body, as though acting out some relentless agenda of its own.

Karen realised that she could have that experience. Right now.

The idea both excited her and terrified her. What would it be like to allow something like that complete access to your body? To be powerless to stop it touching you anywhere, in any way, but not caring because you were being completely swept away by a wave of pleasure.

"I would like to try the Orb" some part of her said, aloud, before a more cautious part of her could stop it.

"Use of the Orb for one night is priced at an additional five credits, do you agree to this charge being added to your bill?"

Typical hotel, she thought, it didn't matter what world you were on they'd still find a way for charge you extra. She hesitated, but she now realised that there was no way she could go back now. She couldn't see that that kind of pleasure was possible, within her reach, and then just curl up and go to bed.

"I agree."

The room said nothing more, but as Karen watched the holoscreen went blank and one of the wall panels slid open to reveal a black ball in a little compartment, exactly like the one she'd seen on the screen, about the size of a bowling ball. Delicately she crept up to the recess and looked over the device. It appeared to be a seamless, flawless, black rubber ball, but otherwise it was a bit nondescript. Gingerly she picked it up and started to examine it, turning it over in her hands. She was more than a little bit wary of it; there was no telling what it might do, and she didn't know what would trigger it.

"Err... how do I..." she began to ask the room.

Before she could finish her sentence a stylish selection of text and images appeared in the air in front of the holoscreen. It was evidently the Orb's user's guide, because a window labelled "Quickstart Tutorial" had whizzed to the front.

"Welcome to your first experience with the Orb." a warm sensual female voice was reading the text as it appeared. It promptly vanished and was replaced by a new sentence. "In order to get started you must remove your clothes."

Creepy, Karen thought. She placed the orb down on the bed and proceeded to take off the rest of her clothes, feeling glad that the room was a comfortable temperature. She'd folded her blouse and placed it on the bedside cabinet, but by now curiosity was getting the better of her and the remainder of what she was wearing received no such ceremony. Just what was about to happen? More than anything the mystery built up the anticipation.

The ball was still sitting there innocently. She picked it up again, holding it in both hands.

"Alright," she said to nobody in particular. "Now what... oh!"

A warm tingling sensation had suddenly enveloped her fingers. She looked at them and registered shock to see that without warning the black material of the orb had come to life. Her hands already looked like they had become encased in thick shiny black gloves and she let out an involuntary shriek as the tide of black advanced toward her up her arms at an alarming rate. instinctively she tried to shake the stuff off but it clung to her like glue.

It was happening to her, just like the model in the video.

The flow of black material reached her torso within seconds. The sensation was mind blowing, not just the feeling of this shiny rubber like substance moving over her body with a mind of its own, but it flirted with her senses in the most incredible ways. Everywhere it was touching her skin felt warm and it was as though electricity was prickling her, but in the most pleasantly stimulating way. It lifted her breasts sensually and she gasped and shivered as a tingling sensation swept across them, focusing on her nipples. The flow met behind the small of her back, caressing her as it closed up her back like she was being zipped into a tight suit.

She jumped as a strand shot down between her butt cheeks and at the same time the flow moving down her belly engulfed her mound. She caught one last glimpse of her swollen sex as it disappeared under the black tide and she realised just how aroused she was. It was like the feeling of a lover's hand sliding down there, a middle finger sliding between her nether lips. It was a stimulating touch, but it diminished to a pleasant warmth as the suit closed between her legs. Its warm lingering presence over her most sensitive spot served to promise more to come, but no more.

Karen was a little worried about just how far the orb was going to go, but as she felt it wrap itself around her neck she realised it was stopping there. It was also leaving her hands, retreating up her arms. Over the next few seconds the black material consolidated itself into the shape of a black one piece swimsuit, though one that was sucked tight against every single inch of the skin that it covered.

She tried moving her torso and found that though it clung to her body it didn't restrict her body at all. She ran her hands over the slick, almost rubbery material. She couldn't believe just how tight it was, how it clung to her body. She'd been naked seconds earlier; it had all happened so quickly, and now here it was formed perfectly to her breasts and the contours of her sex.

Just what could the orb really do?!

She sank down to sit on the edge of the bed, her hands sliding up her flanks and tentatively touching at her breasts. The surface of the orb was smooth and warm, it felt very nice to touch, and to feel her touch through it.

"The orb is now active" The voice stated the obvious. "Welcome to the main menu."

Program titles were scrolling past in a "most popular" list, titles like "clit bomb" "rough and tumble" "gone in 60 seconds" leapt out at her. Presented with such enormous choice she had absolutely no idea where to start, not to mention that she found that some of the titles scared her, the ambiguous ones perhaps more so.

"For first time users we recommend one of the warmup programs" the voice said, after a pause. It was a nice touch. It was as though it had sensed her indecision and was gently stepping in to guide her.

She decided to see how smart the guidance really was "can you recommend a good warmup program?"

A window with the title "Just dance" whizzed to the foreground. The summary simply read "Get moving! Get aroused!" And apparently the average review was five stars.

It seemed as good a place as any to begin.

"Err... Okay. Begin?" She said.

"Be aware, this program includes lockout, do you wish to continue."

"What's lockout?" she asked.

"Lockout programs place the user in a position of limited control for some or all of the duration. Command functions are locked, body movement may be restricted or controlled. Auto release by emergency or distress is always active."

The words were so matter of fact and yet they shot a thrill down her spine. It was bondage, basically. There would be no going back, it would be like strapping into a sexual roller coaster. She thought better of of proceeding for a minute, but then she bit her lip and decided that she'd done enough thinking.

"Yes. Begin." She said.

The orb began to move, the swimsuit rippling and shifting around her. It was a marvel just to feel that movement on her skin, it felt like nothing she had ever felt before, it was like living rubber syrup. Sleeves and legs were forming from the suit and flowing down her limbs, as the material around her body redistributed itself. She held her hand up in front of her face watching shiny black gloves forming around her hand, and then looked down to her feet as she felt her toes being wrapped in the same fashion. She laughed in surprise as she felt her feet being pulled into the shape they would be if they were in heels and, sure enough, the heels themselves grew out from under her feet.

Then the next surprise came, no sooner had the suit finished forming she was climbing up off the bed. Karen was stunned at the way that complete control of her body had been so easily taken from her, and how smooth and natural this new movement felt. As it stood her up at the end of the bed she tried to pull against the motion of the orb to realise that whilst the muscles were still her own she just didn't have the strength the resist the motion of the black material gripping her body. All she could do was stand there on the heels that had formed beneath her, looking at herself in the full length mirror and stare in amazement at how the black shiny finish of the material highlighted every curve of her body.