The Ball

As she descended the marble steps of the atrium, Lumina found herself surrounded by a symphony of laughter, tinkling glasses, and the gentle hum of conversation. Soft strains of music floated from a live band playing to one side of the room, while dozens of corpos, executives and other well-to-do types floated around, mingling together and discussing whatever it is that interested them, all the while trying to out-do and one-up one another. Lumina didn’t care for that rubbish, despite the odd interesting tidbit of information that invariably floated across to her ears.

Her dress tonight, a custom tailored off-shoulder number with a plunging back, was a gift from an old friend that hugged her in all the right places and created an elegant yet alluring silhouette. Her bioluminescent tattoos peeked out from beneath the fabric, adding an exotic and ethereal glow to her appearance.

Lumina wound her way across the floor, dodging dancers and wanderers alike as she searched for her mark. It was well that she had been provided with a photograph of the guy, given how utterly normal he looked - especially among this crowd. Body modifications weren’t unusual, and no one gave her a second glance, but Lumina definitely stood out. Eventually though, she spotted him. A typical sight, surrounded by other men, laughing and drinking as they ogled the people around them. She suppressed a shudder, and slowly made her way over.

The evening progressed, and, with casual banter, well-timed compliments and the occasional innocent giggle, Lumina managed to captivate the exec's attention, drawing him into her orbit without raising suspicion. She noted his cybernetic enhancements—a subtle gleam in his eye from a lens, a slight twitch in his movements - probably caused by a faulty servo.

An opportunity finally presented itself when the man suggested a dance. Lumina accepted with a coy smile, her heart racing with anticipation. As they swayed to the music, she maintained a facade of elegance and grace, all the while planning her next move.

The music swelled to a crescendo with Lumina and the executive moving in perfect harmony - their bodies entwined in a dance that apparently thoroughly captivated them both. With each step however, Lumina felt the weight of the mission and the electric anticipation of what was to come.

The song ended, and, after a gentle whisper in his ear, Lumina led the man to a secluded alcove. Bathed in the soft glow of hidden lights, her heart raced with a mixture of nerves and determination. She knew this was her moment, the culmination of careful planning and subtle maneuvers. Lumina brushed the LED strands of her hair back, using the action to disguise the gentle tap behind her ear that activated her interface, causing a slender cable to extend.

Lumina stood a full head taller than the exec, which made the effect all the better when she brushed the backs of her fingers across his cheek and leaned down.

In a breathless pause, as the executive leaned in to meet her, captivated by the intimacy of the dance and the allure of the evening, Lumina seized her opportunity. She enveloped her target in her arms, dragging the cable from her datajack across as she did so, and, with a deft motion, plugged into the executive.

The momentary contact sent a shiver down Lumina's spine, a mingling of physical and digital sensations that mirrored the dance of their bodies. In that instant, their worlds intertwined - the tangible and the virtual merging in a delicate dance of infiltration and extraction.

As the connection was established, Lumina's consciousness expanded into the exec's cyberbrain, her helper AI squashing alarms and anti-virus software as she navigated the intricate network of thoughts, memories, and encrypted data. It was a delicate dance of intrusion and extraction, a ballet of technology and skill that unfolded in the hidden depths of their shared moment - though only one person got to experience it.

Eventually this dance, too, came to an end. Lumina found the data she came for, copying it carefully onto her own memory before withdrawing. She disconnected the datajack, quickly returning it to its spool, and then broke off the kiss, smirking cheekily as she backed away. As Lumina vanished into the crowd, she noted the bemused expression on the man’s face, clearly unaware that he had just been robbed.

As Lumina stepped out of the opulent building, the cool night air greeted her - a stark contrast to the warmth of the ballroom. It was welcome, though. Refreshing, even, despite the faint scent of pollution. She activated her commlink, her fingers dexterously navigating the augmented reality interface to open a channel.

“Kit, you there?”

“Just around the corner. You good?” Came the response. Lumina’s partner, Kitten, usually stayed with the car for transport duty and remote support. 

“I’m good - ready for a pick-up,” said Lumina. There was a brief pause, and then…

“En route. ETA two minutes.”

Lumina nodded, though Kitten couldn’t see that. Her mind was shifting gears already; moving from the elegant facade of the ballroom to the gritty reality that was the Zero-Nine. She scanned her surroundings - a habit ingrained in her from years of shadowrunning.

The matte black hatchback glided around the corner, coming to a stop beside Lumina as its passenger door slid open automatically.

“Got it?” Asked Kitten from inside, her eyes bright with anticipation.

Lumina smiled as she slid into the vehicle and motioned the door closed. “Secured and encrypted. Let’s get out of here.”

Kitten engaged the pilot autosoft - an AI designed to drive the car automatically, then leaned back as the hatchback surged forward into the late-night traffic.