Heaven is a Place on Earth by Graham Storrs

off-guard. She didn't want to go anywhere or meet anyone. But she gave herself a mental kick up the backside and smiled. “Now would be fine. I'll be there in a couple of minutes.”
    She didn't want to get back in the tank. The thought of being in there if Dover Richards came round scared her witless. She needed to be free to run. No, she'd just lie on the bed – perfectly safe for a short spell in VR – and set up an alarm to pull her out if anyone came to the door. Working through the unit's systems to warn her of anyone standing within a metre or two of her door turned out to be more complicated than it should be and she turned up at WorldEnough's main reception ten minutes late.
    “ Please go through. Mr Naumann is expecting you,” the virtual receptionist said, indicating a door off the lobby. Ginny stepped through it, straight into Naumann's office.
    She entered in a flurry of apologies which Naumann flicked aside with easy grace. “My fault for springing it on you,” he said. “Take a seat.”
    Ginny looked around. Once upon a time, offices had been drab little boxes. If you were lucky, your drab little box had a view of something other than the office block next door. Those days were gone. Derek Naumann's office was a huge and ornate salon that might have been modelled on one from the Palace of Versailles at the height of the Bourbon dynasty. Gilded Rococo furniture of the most delicate and elaborate designs drifted in oceans of blue carpet that lapped at wide parquet shores. At least, she guessed, the brochures might say something like that. WorldEnough built virtual worldlets and every office there was an advertisement for the company's products. Ginny sat in one of the white-and-gold chairs and smiled at Naumann, waving a hand at the décor. “This is new.”
    “ Hideous, isn't it?” he said with a grimace. “I keep asking them for something a little less outré , but they insist I keep it until the new product line launches. Can I get you a coffee or something?”
    No thanks. I need to get back to my unit in case I'm being murdered in my sleep . “I'm fine, thank you. How's business?”
    Naumann gave an elaborate shrug and rolled his eyes. In a tone of mock gravity, he said, “Profits are slipping. The shareholders are not receiving the value we promised them. Something must be done.”
    Ginny had heard this refrain before. What she couldn't see yet was why Naumann had called her in to tell her there was no more work when she didn't even have a contract with them at the moment.
    “ The powers that be are looking to me to pull their collective butts out of the fire, as usual. They need products that will shake the marketplace, worldlets that will inspire our customers and invigorate their businesses. In short, a miracle is needed.”
    “ I'm not sure...”
    “ You're not sure if I'm man enough for the task before me?”
    Ginny laughed. She'd forgotten how much fun Derek could be. Nevertheless, she wished he would get to the point.
    “Ginny, darling, you and I have worked together before. Many times. Let me tell you right now that it was never my idea to stop using you for our soundscapes. The world is run by accountants. Always has been. Cheaper solutions were sought and found.”
    Cheaper? thought Ginny. If she charged any less, she would be paying them to let her work. Perhaps the thought showed in her expression.
    “ Oh, I know what you're thinking, and I agree. You get what you pay for. And, trust me,” he waved a hand at the room, “there's a good reason why the sound for this little extravaganza is always switched off.”
    That was another good thing about Derek, he wasn't tone deaf like most people she worked for. “So... you want me to spice up the soundscape for...” She looked around. “...this?”
    “Good heavens, no. This is beyond redemption.” He winked. “But don't tell the GM I said so. She thinks it's le dernier cri . No, this is why I called you in.” He moved his