THE SKIN OF THE UNIVERSE, September 2nd, 2083, Thursday

Meri was now were almost sure about where they were and where they were going to. She was feeling Kara more and more in her mind and on her own skin. Kara was trying to attract her to the power of the skin system. Meri already knew that she had no other choice than trying Met's Skin on her to face the final challenge with Kara. It was surprising that she was getting excited with compound feelings whenever she remembered this fact. She was also sure that Kara was sharing the same feelings too. They were both looking forward to have direct contact with each other through Met's Skin. This fact was now technically almost clear for Meri, but knowing this was only increasing her fear. Kara had designed the safety and security features perfectly. All the skins were belonging to Kara, all skins were hers. As soon as Meri put the skin on, she would also be a part of Kara. She would lose all her personal control and would have to follow Kara's requests without any arguing.

Kara would become her guide, her reason, and her master; like she was so for a considerable part of the universe with her power of using the matter for her needs and communicating with other minds through an automated resource management system using the current level of artificial intelligence.

Meri was quite aware of the past developments in AI history, but Kara had started keeping the critical information confidential after some time. The knowledge was hers. It was not open to any other person or an artificial unit in the universe. Kara had also said nothing to Met about the secrets of her system. Meri were able to reach only a very limited part of the technical details. Putting the skin on contacting directly with Kara seemed to be the only alternative. Meri was aware that Kara was also willing to contact her with the skin both for her personal desires and for completing the missing details in her victory. This would be the final victory of matter on spirit.

Meri was strongly feeling that Kara was not completely confident about what she was doing, although she knew that Bakara and Kara together and alone had spent their entire lives to develop a reliable, robust, and just system. They both knew the history well enough to see and understand that a perfect result had never been possible. Meri could not imagine how happy Kara would be in case she gave her unconditional support to Kara and join the system. However, this would not solve anything, Meri would be just one of Kara's system elements in that case. She would lose her power to see and feel the energy and spirit of the universe and her power to understand the power of life. She would lose her desire to live and love. Even Met would lose his meaning for Meri. He had not been able to continue living with Kara although he had the skin designed and managed specially for him on his own skin. Meri thought that Kara was also aware of the lack of a possible solution, but she had no way out to change her way and make a new beginning in another life line.

"Put it on!" Kara's voice was clear on Meri's ears and her mind. "I want to feel you perfectly with all the details in your mind and your body. Give your own skin to me. I will cover you on all your fragile points. You will have a perfect and endless life."

Meri was thrilled. She was aware that Kara was feeling all her emotions immediately.

"I understand you and I love you Kara, but you already know I cannot be a part of you. I cannot be you."

"Just try it," said Kara. "You will see and feel, I want you to test my hose. I will love you to contact you with it. I am already getting excited thinking about what we will be able to live together. I can feel your internal and external touches even now. We can connect and be the master of the universe."

Rulers and ruled ones, masters and slaves, executioners and victims. It was surprising to see that Kara was still suggesting to design and control everything although she well knew what had happened in the history to people fighting against each other ignoring the nature and the universe.

"I cannot be with you Kara," she said. "You know that, you know me more than I know myself. I cannot be a part of your system."

"Just try it, nothing will happen if you don't believe in me after that. I will leave you and we will see what we can do."

Meri was sure that this was not true. However, this could be her best chance to gain power against Kara to make their life system stronger and gain Met back. She also knew that Kara was able to see all her thoughts and plans, and knew why Meri would accept her request. She felt the heat on her face going red and on her entire skin. Her eyes started looking differently.

"I am waiting for you," she whispered softly.

It was the critical moment for both of them. The border between them was about to be removed. Meri had witnessed many memories with Kara. She had lived her own memories with her through the interface system she had designed for Met's Skin, but this would be different at all. Meri was now submitting her body and her future, and even her mind to Kara's hands. Once she was in the Skin System, she would not be able to come out again unless Kara permits or some external power releases the active limiters. Meri knew that there was no other way of coming out except taking Kara's permission. Only Met could find a solution to remove the cage, but he still seemed to be far from his memory and his conscious.

"I wish there were some one who would always protect me," thought Meri.

Kara activated Met's Skin. Meri wondered for a moment why Kara had not tried using it directly to control her. She then remembered that what was important for Kara was to gain Met and Meri's support, not to control them by force.

"You now have me to protect you as long as you stay in the skin," said Kara.

Now they were at the same point and at the same moment of The Universe. They felt each other on their skins and their minds. Meri was surprised to see that Kara's artificial skin was more sensitive than Meri's own skin under Met's skin. Boundaries were determinative. The contact points were like separate, individual lives. Kara initiated a parallel contact check. She started with their lips. Meri felt a slight touch at the middle of her lips. As Kara gradually increased the pressure she applied on Meri's skin, the contact surface widened and turned to a passionate kiss. However, Kara noticed that Meri was tense.

"It seems you need more to relax, do you have a problem?" she asked.

"I think I did not like the idea of not leaving the skin without your permission," replied Meri.

"I will soon get everything out of your mind," said Kara increasing the pressure on her lips and putting her hands affectionately on both her cheeks. It was not easy for Meri to enter the mood but Kara's patient tenderness helped her. She caressed Kara's hair.

"Would we be allowed to see and touch each other's hair in case we were obliged to be covered?" asked Meri.

Kara did not reply. She started caressing Meri's hair and moved her hands towards her shoulders and her arms.

"I think we should now think about each other," she said. She initiated her intimacy program. As they proceeded, Meri felt sorry for not being able to be always together with Kara while she was in her compassionate mood. As they became closer, the feeling turned to happiness and desire. Her mind, her body, and her skin under Met's Skin started playing the game created and being applied by Kara.

"Now you have the skin of the universe on you. We will share our universes with each other as much as possible. It will be our gate to the entire universe system and to infinity."

Meri did not consider finding an answer but just tried to respond Kara better. She wanted to get the most from her, and she wanted to give everything she wanted perfectly. She wanted to be the meaning of life for her during the period they were sharing. Kara had already become a meaning for Meri with her carefully chosen special moves.

As Kara touched her, Meri was learning more and more about the secrets of her internal and external universes. As she learned, Kara also learned from her. They knew each other better and discovered new methods to understand The Universe. What they had in had been delivered to them from the external spaces. They were now creating their special worlds together in their bodies. Kara was happy to surprise Meri with her tools and actions. Meri was proud to respond Kara perfectly in most cases. It was like an encounter of identical minds containing the infinite variety of the Universe. Each point they kissed had a reflection in space at that moment. Each region they touched and caressed was a story told by the history of time. Their eyes, their ears, their noses, their lips and tongues, their hands, their entire skins were not sufficient to feel and understand the beauties delivered by the nature. There was something which they could not understand and explain.

"This should be the love for nature," said Kara.

"Love is more common," replied Meri. "This is more than love or any other feeling we know. This is a match of two sprits, shaped by space and time to make us understand eachother."

She felt sorrow as Met's image grew in her mind. She knew it would be dangerous to remember him now, during such special moments. She moved her fingers on Kara's skin to discover new points to surprise her and tried to concentrate on what she was doing. They were now like clouds of skins moving in space. Unexpected touches were coming from anywhere at any time. The distances between them were decreasing, the heats in their minds were growing, the flames around them were rising. From her movements guiding her downwards, Meri was understanding that Kara was willing her to leave her body to her, follow the paths with her fingers' guidance, and lie down to the darkness below her. She thought that accepting Kara's request could also be giving up her hopes to protect life and considered resisting, but she had no other choice than submission at that moment. Kara's skin was perfect and it was working perfectly. It did not take too long before Meri forgot everything and started listening to only Kara's voice and actions. She relaxed, she waited for Kara to complete her program. She tried to taste every detail Kara offered. She showed her gratitude trying to give perfect responses to Kara's moves, sometimes with a special look in her eyes, sometimes with a sensitive moan reflecting all of her feelings rising upon Kara's action, sometimes with a very special touch on the most sensitive point of Kara at that moment. It was a wonderful game and they were both willing to play it until the end of time, but it was not possible. Kara passed to the last scene.

"I want you to meet the details of my telescopic hose," she said. "This can be a meaning of life for everybody, it is sensitive at both inside and outside. It can include everything in it, penetrate in everywhere outside. It is a symbol representing The Universe. It is the skin of the universe. Would you like to examine it more?"

Although Meri knew the basic features of skin elements, this was more than she could imagine. It was like defining a new life for a new future. She wanted to try and know more about it. On the other hand, she would probably have no other choice and it would only be possible to reject Kara in cases she wanted to play the game in a different way. Testing skin hose was probably one of the targets of this special session between Kara and Meri.

"You know the history, gender problems were always important, and determinative in some cases throughout the history. It is not easy to understand why sexual differences in male and female functions had been such exaggerated in the past. Why had women's organs been locked, why had the women been forbidden to feel the taste of The Universe, why had they been forbidden to show their hair and face? Why had their breasts, hips and legs become precious commodities? I know the social, political, and economical reasons. However, when I look at the history and try to find a reasonable answer, I cannot find anything that could make sense."

Kara had not asked a question but there was an answer in Meri's mind for this question: "The reasons were the social systems established, managed, and protected by powerful men with the support of women accepting to live under their rule." She could also add "Men powerful like you are today," if it weren't too dangerous. She could not dare to take the risk of leaving time to Kara to understand her actual thoughts. She concentrated on the offer of Kara and started playing with her skin hose. She was not expecting to be so affected with the first touch, and also to see the high level pleasure at Kara's face, to hear the wonderful song coming from her lips, and the locked hot look in her eyes. She discovered the features of Kara's hose slowly and patiently. She tried to understand each detail. She tried to learn and use all of them one by one, to see their effects on Kara and to feel them inside. A warm, moist, meaningful feeling covered their entire bodies on their skins and in their minds. They became closer and closer. They were trying to be one single person in connected skins. Their previous experiences lost their meanings. They defined life again together. They were now at the highest point of The Universe. Their eyes and ears, their hands and lips, their noses and tongues were working but they had lost their meanings. Their movements and their cries were taking them to a new future. They found the pleasure of reaching there.

This was the "that moment" in the dreams of all women and men throughout the history. They lay for a while waiting for their heats and breaths turn back to normal. Now, they were ready to fight.