From the moment the group gave their names at the door, a Myrmidon AI supervisor was discreetly collecting data points on each individual. It collated their known movements and web history to gain a picture of their interests; their entry into the horticulture contest was their most recent entry. Senjen’s activity on the catalogue was given particular weight. 

It also conducted a soft credit search and cross reference of known purchases to gain financial data. It then studied each person in minute detail with an array of cameras and sensors. It didn’t just map every single muscle in their bodies for body language reading, It plotted their reactions and interactions with each other onto a vector space along with all the other information.

With this baseline in place, the supervisor created a sales strategy for each person and assigned them to the best-placed member of staff. These people didn’t immediately break off from what they were doing; they didn’t even let on they were being conducted. They just finished the conversation they were having at a leisurely pace before making their way over. There was enough to see in the Myrmidon showroom to be fairly confident that leads wouldn’t leave before being at least spoken to.

As Senjen locked into his fact-finding mission and was following them around on autopilot, Light meandered with the others around some of the closer display areas. He nervously sucked the champagne into his suit, which promptly assimilated it. He had spotted a QV-specific area in the back, but didn’t want to go alone. His brain instinctively knew there were QV nearby and couldn’t stop looking for them in this alien crowd.

Then he saw one. A female around his age, whirling animately around in her gelsuit while talking to a couple of Humans just a dozen metres away. She was healthy and adorned in pearlescent jewellery, with delicate beauty spots on her hide that precluded any colour change. Light stared, utterly captivated. He put his empty champagne flute down clumsily next to a bust of Athena, causing it to rock. The female looked his way and flashed good natured amusement.

“Wow! I never expected to see another Utaysi here. Welcome. Can I help at all?” Came a voice from behind him. Light looked and saw a staff member politely approach Senjen. They wore a sparkling Myrmidon branded Utaysi body-form.