"Congratulations on winning our contest, Mr. Riat! You get one free date! Our team workers are on their way to your home, where they'll set up your Holo-Dating Trans-pod System. If you decide to sign up for our membership, we'll arrange a code-key for you and you can enjoy your Holo-Dates on a more permanent basis. If you do not choose a membership or if you do not employ the code-key as instructed, the entire system will self-destruct automatically in 24 hours. How does that sound?"

"Wow, that's great, thanks!" Dicci clicked off the Outer-Com-K, and quickly turned to his roommate, Manfread. "We won! We actually won! They should be here any minute now, Man!"

Manfread lit up in excitement. "Oh, wow, Dicci! I can't wait to get a-."

Buzzing from the DoorKeepCom briefly interrupted the victors' reverie.

Dicci punched the buttons and spoke to the DoorKeep. "Yes, who is it? The Holo-Daters? Send 'em on up!" Dicci let them in and showed the workers where in the room he wanted the trans-pod. Though it was a very complicated piece of technology, it took the workers no time to set up the Holo-Dating System.

After they finished the job, the head worker instructed Dicci and Manfread on how to use the device. "Okay," he said, holding out the device in front of them. "So. You make a selection by punching these tabs. Then you'll get a 3-D image there in the trans-pod. If you approve of your choice, hit the Acceptab and your selected date is transported right to you! If you change your mind, hit the Exitab, and start all over. But there is one cautionary," the worker said somberly. "You can only hit the Exitab during the image phase. If you hit the tab after she's physical, well, they have a place for guys who do that...." Got it?"

Dicci and Manfread nodded in unison. The frightening expression on the worker's face made his instruction indelible on their minds.

"Any questions?" the worker asked.

Manfread gulped. "And the females will know what we look like, too, eh?"

Dicci was at least two padros larger than his lifelong friend, Manfread. They were not aware of it, but when others observed the two friends out and about, they were often reminded of "Mudt and Jeef" from the comickals.

"Yep," the worker said, looking askance at the two contest winners. "We don't want to frighten anybody, if we can help it."

Dicci asked a question. "And all of the females have agreed to participate?"

"Why, sure," the worker said. "This ain't no slave market. We're a legitimate dating service. The gals get the same instructions on their end of the system. Everybody knows the rules. It makes it all nice and cozy, see?" The head worker picked up the empty cartons littering Dicci and Man's apartment, and handed them to his assistant who plunged them into the trasher. "Have a good time, gents!" the worker said, waving as he headed out the door.

"Whooot-hooot!" Dicci yelled.

Manfread picked up the System's controlling device that the head worker had laid on the counter and handed it to Dicci. "Okay, Tricci Dicci, what are you waiting for?"

Dicci took the device and mulled the choices over in his mind. "Let's see. What kind of a mood am I in?" He clicked through the pics of available dates and made his decision. " I think I want the Brown one--."

"Will you hurry up?" Man grumbled and twitched nervously in his seat.

Dicci made a face. "Patience, please!" Then he got back to business. "Yes, here's the one! I'll have the Brown one with the long, blond hair!" He pushed the appropriate tabs and the two friends sat perfectly still, their eyes trained on the trans-pod.

In seconds, a vision appeared. A second more and it rotated slowly in full 3-D.

"Wow! Look at that!"

They were both spellbound by the beautiful, seductive image of the Brown with the long, blond hair. It took the boys a few minutes to notice her other attributes, but eventually they saw that she also had bright, shining eyes and a piquat nose.

Man whispered, "So, you gonna choose her?"

"What, are you kidding?" Dicci asked.

Dicci acted out his reply by punching the Acceptab and the beautiful, revolving image became a walking, talking female who gracefully exited the trans-pod. She had already seen Dicci and Manfread on the other end, so she walked up to them. She looked at them both and then took Dicci aside and began a conversation. Manfread felt completely left out until the Brown - her name was Hunni - nudged Dicci to invite him into the conversation.

Dicci brought his friend in and the three discussed where they wanted to go on their date. Dicci suggested that they go Underground to hear the new music at the Deep 6.

"That sounds like fun," Hunni said, batting her lovely eyes at them. "Are you two ready to go?"

It was so hard for Dicci and Manfread to take their eyes off of the beauty, but they tore themselves away to get their wraps in the bedroom closet.

Dicci shook his head in disbelief. "I never seen a more beautiful one than her, have you, Man?"

Manfread shook his head. "Never! But don't lets keep her waiting. I wouldn't want her to change her mind." They grabbed their cloaks and headed back into the front room.

Hunni was primping on the couch, waiting for them. Once again they were muted by her beauty. Like automatons, they slowly walked toward her. Finally, Dicci found his voice and asked, "Ready?"

"I certainly am!" she replied with a wink.

Dicci opened the door for her to exit the apartment. He and Manfread followed her out. But they could not stop staring at her - her shapely form, her come-hither eyes, her heavenly scent.

And that single blond hair trailing down her back - perfection!