CRYO-TRANS - 2087

#83 - Not bad for a guy nearing a hundred and fifty years old. Even with his sixty-one years sleep.

Welcome! - I’m glad you are here. Today’s story, in 2087, is a continuation of William Oliver Williams III’s new life after Cryonics. Read 2084, the beginning.

CRYO-TRANS - 2084

                  CRYO-TRANS - 2087 

William Oliver Williams III was almost healed and was ready to get back to normal. There were only a few loose ends to tie. 

William had had another operation. He was exchanging bodies. He was somehow at odds with his female body. He couldn’t function smoothly. There was always something nagging at him. Maybe it was the hormones. It was just too much. 

It had been an emergency operation at the time, the second of two incidents at “The Tank”. Both were electrical in nature. 

“The Tank” had lost power and it couldn’t be restored fast enough. Several “Sleepers” succumbed. William lost his body. At the time, the only available body was female. 

His brain was not damaged. 

The first incident, a brief power outage, destroyed Williams’ motor skills. Unfortunately, the world class surfer didn’t survive. His brain’s motor complex data was transferred over to William. It was a simple operation. Via usb cable, brain to brain. Old data out, new data in. 

He wanted a new body, a male one. He got on the list. That was two years ago. The legalities take time. 

As a return customer, he got a good discount. 

Still, the ops were not cheap. All you needed was the money. 

William had the money. He figured his time in “The Tank” was money well spent. 

Though his portfolio from his previous life’s endeavors had taken a hit over the decades, it was his investments in crytocurrency and blockchain that skyrocketed.  

Both were commonplace now, institutionalized.  

The “New Internet”, Blockchain, flourished. Among other Crypto coins, Shiba Inu connected.  

All grew in value all the while he was in the freezer.  

William cashed out half. It was a large sum of money in 2087. 

Commerce was done with both crypto and cash. The US Dollar was still the measure of value.  

The body-part tech was solid. Bodies, their organs and parts, and skin graft “covers”, the fur - tails - ears - noses, from exotic animals, were bought and sold on the open market. It was a lucrative business. 

He chose the body of a fifty-year-old. He had an option on the body of a younger man but that seemed to him too much of a stretch.  

William also got some work done on his face. He could pass for a fifty year old.  

Not bad for a guy nearing a hundred and fifty years old. Even with his sixty-one years sleep. 

With his new body, doctors told him he could expect the urges of a younger man.  

William looked forward to that. To find a woman who could feel and express herself spontaneously would be the finest thing.  

When and if he did find her, it would be difficult for him to turn Lola off. Or sell. Or repurpose. 

Lola, “ROBO-LOLA”, his android, was still with him. He’d grown fond of her.  

He almost felt guilty.  

He and Lola headed back to their condo in Key West. She had had an upgrade and was looking good. New microprocessors and evermore lifelike skin. 

She could interact with him. Was witty and fun to be with. She could go through all the motions. Her capabilities were almost endless. She could drive. 

How William wished she were flesh and blood. 

She could do everything but feel.  

Technology had yet to cross that line that gave androids sentience. It was always just out of reach. Some began to believe that technology wasn’t the answer.  

Lola was all programming and construction material. A beautiful assemblage of technological brilliance.  

A work of art. 

With only “his” head, and most of “his” brain, William couldn’t help but marvel. He was alive, again. At times it was almost overwhelming.  

But now what? 

William and Lola settled in on Key West. Their condo overlooked the Gulf and its boat parade. Cruise ships to kayaks and all manner in between. 

Walks down to Duval Street and Mallory Square were a short distance away. With stores and pubs galore, it was always alive with activity. Great for people watching. 

No one detected that Lola was an android or that William was a trans.  

Lola was pretty and loaded with style.  

They did get the occasional stare like “Is that old guy her father or what?”.  

William was happy. Lola was a good investment. 

He thought about his previous life.  

His successful years in business were of little value now, lost to the past. His peers of that time had long since passed away. 

Technology had changed everything. It would be a steep learning curve, even if his instincts were still good. 

He was still adjusting, and grateful, having gained a new lease on life.  

He needed something to do. Something to sink his new teeth into. 

William had a persistent urge to be on the water. He wanted to take up surfing but there was no surf around Key West to speak of.

Kayaking was fun. 

Lola took to the water right away. She could swim like a fish. 

At first, William was concerned about water damage, especially saltwater, to her circuitry or skin but Lola assured him she would be okay.  

They took scuba diving lessons and went diving regularly. 

He joined a boating club. He took lessons and it didn’t take long before he knew what he wanted to do. It was an idea whose time had come.  

He wanted to travel. On the water. 

He bought a small yacht. A 28’ cruiser, ocean worthy. 

He outfitted the cruiser as needed for more frequent day trips and overnighters to nearby marinas.  

They became routine and of longer duration. To the Bahamas. The Antilles. 

Soon they were on board almost full time. 

William reasoned that with Key West as his base, he could go anywhere the cruiser could. He plotted out longer cruises.  

They could follow the Gulf Coast to Corpus Christi, pick up the Intracoastal Waterway and follow it back to Florida. Then maybe follow it up the east coast to Boston. 

Maybe a cruise up the Mississippi. Maybe after that, through the Panama Canal up to Acapulco. 

Who knows. 

Anywhere warm. 

The morning came when they motored out of the harbor.  

The sun rose over The Keys as they headed north into the Gulf on “see to the bottom” clear-blue glassy swells that rolled to the horizon. 

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