Book 2: Chapter 27: Luke Returns
Bob
March 2178
Delta Eridani
I walked through the village VR, watching the activity. There had been improvements in the six years since I’d been kicked out. I had enough hidden cameras and camouflaged drones around the village now to feed a real-time VR. No more recorded scenes.
Archimedes had finally started taking my tent design seriously. A few other couples copied the result, and now there were a half-dozen pretty good facsimiles of teepees scattered through the village. It was the dry season, but once the rains started up again, I expected this innovation to increase in popularity.
I was trying to ignore a couple engaging in some very public displays of affection when I received a ping. From Luke!
I responded and he popped in. “Hey, Bob. Long time.”
I grinned and slapped him on the shoulder. “Luke! Good to see you, buddy.”
Luke appeared momentarily surprised. We’ve never been physically demonstrative like that. In fact, Original Bob was a little standoffish in terms of physical contact. Luke got over it quickly, though, and grinned back at me. “I just went through the whole surprise-visit-by-Bill thing. Apparently it’s a standard hazing ritual.”