Page 5 of Blazing Joysticks

As Keir spoke, Cat found herself captivated not just by his words, but by the passion behind them. Even from back here, she could see his eyes sparkled with genuine excitement as he described Guardian AI, an artificial intelligence system designed to enhance and protect users in virtual reality environments.

“Imagine an AI companion that doesn’t just react to your actions, but anticipates them,” Keir continued, his hands moving expressively. “An AI that learns from you, adapts to your play style, and most importantly, keeps you safe in the virtual world.”

Cat leaned forward, her mind racing to keep up with the implications of what Keir was describing. The potential applications were staggering, extending far beyond just gaming. She could already envision how such technology could revolutionize fields like medical training or disaster response simulations.

As Keir’s presentation drew to a close, the hall erupted in applause. Cat found herself clapping enthusiastically, caught up in the excitement of the moment. She watched as Keir fielded questions from the audience, his responses quick and insightful. There was something about the way he carried himself, a blend of confidence and genuine passion for his work, that resonated with Cat on a deep level.

The crowd began to disperse as the presentation ended, but Cat lingered, her mind still buzzing with ideas sparked by what she’d seen. She made a mental note to research more about Guardian AI when she got home. Maybe she could even apply some of the concepts to her own projects...

As the expo hall slowly emptied, Cat realized with a start how much time had passed. She glanced at her watch and gasped. “Oh no, I’m going to be late.”

She hurried toward the exit, her mind already shifting gears from the excitement of the expo to her evening plans. Her brother Michael and his wife Laura had asked her to babysit their son, Ayers, and she didn’t want to keep them waiting.

The New York City streets were a stark contrast to the orderly excitement of the expo. Cat navigated through the crowds, her earlier confidence giving way to her usual caution in busy public spaces. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finally reached Michael and Laura’s building, the doorman greeting her with a familiar nod.

“AttieCat!” A high-pitched squeal greeted her as she entered the apartment. Little Ayers toddled toward her, arms outstretched. He tried so hard to say Auntie Cat, but she’d love that baby no matter what he called her.

Cat scooped him up, her face breaking into a wide smile. “Hey, there, little man. Ready for some quality time with your favorite aunt?”

Laura appeared from the kitchen, looking elegant even in casual clothes. “Thanks again for doing this, Cat. Michael got called into an emergency surgery, and I’ve got that charity gala tonight.”

“It’s no problem at all,” Cat assured her, bouncing Ayers on her hip. “You know I love spending time with my favorite nephew.”

“He’s your only nephew.” Laura laughed.

“Yeah, but once you and Michael decide to give him a sibling, Ayers will still be my favorite.”

After a few last-minute instructions and good-byes, Cat found herself alone with Ayers. The apartment fell into a comfortable quiet, broken only by Ayers’ occasional babbling and the soft sound of the city beyond the windows.

As the evening wore on, Cat settled onto the couch with Ayers curled up against her. She flipped through the channels, finally settling on a familiar anime. “All right, Ayers Satoru Reeves, time for your cultural education to continue,” she said with a grin.

Ayers cooed, his eyes fixed on the colorful anime characters on screen. Cat chuckled to herself, imagining Michael’s reaction if he ever figured out the origin of his son’s middle name. Her brother had always teased her about her love of anime, but he’d been touched when she’d suggested Satoru as a middle name, thinking it was just a nice-sounding Japanese name. He’d had no idea it was her favorite character’s name.

As Ayers drifted off to sleep, Cat found her thoughts wandering. She gazed down at her nephew’s peaceful face, feeling a familiar ache in her chest. How she longed for this – a family of her own, a child to hold and love. But the path to that dream seemed fraught with obstacles.

Her mind drifted to her last serious relationship, and she winced at the memory. She’d thought she’d found someone who understood her, who appreciated her dedication to her studies and her work. Instead, she’d discovered his infidelity in the most humiliating way possible – through a video shown to her by a well-meaning classmate.

The betrayal had cut deep, made all the more painful by the realization that she’d been so absorbed in her work that she hadn’t even noticed the signs. Since then, she’d thrown herself even more into her career, finding solace in the logical world of code and circuitry.

Cat sighed, gently stroking Ayers’ hair. “Maybe someday,” she whispered more to herself than to the sleeping child. “Maybe someday I’ll find someone who gets me, who won’t make me choose between love and my passion for tech.”

The rest of the evening passed quietly. When Michael and Laura returned home, they found Cat and Ayers curled up on the couch, the TV still playing anime in the background. With whispered thanks and good-byes, Cat made her way back to her own apartment, her mind still full of the day’s events and her own swirling thoughts.

The next morning dawned bright and early, sunlight streaming through the gaps in Cat’s curtains. She groaned, burrowing deeper into her Jujutsu Kaisen pajamas. The aroma of coffee from the auto coffeemaker eventually lured her out of bed, her bare feet padding across the cool floor of her Tribeca loft.

Cat poured herself a generous bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, settling onto her couch with her breakfast and queuing up the next episode of the anime she’d been watching. This was her typical morning routine – a moment of peace before diving into the day’s work.

Halfway through her cereal, her phone buzzed. Cat glanced at the screen, not recognizing the number. Probably another sales call, she thought, debating whether to answer. In the end, curiosity won out.

“Hello?” she answered, crunching on her cereal.

“Is this Catrina Reeves?” A deep, vaguely familiar voice came through the speaker.

Cat swallowed hastily. “Yes, this is she. Who’s calling?”

“This is Keir Sharpe from Sharpe Drakon Games. I hope I’m not catching you at a bad time?”

Cat’s eyes widened in shock. She inhaled sharply, promptly choking on a stray bit of cereal. Coughing and spluttering, she managed to gasp out, “Mr. Sharpe! I – cough – excuse me, I’m fine!”

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