Synapses Firing Like Shards of Light

She had a gift for neural interfaces, a mix of youth and an undefinable something else. Hers was a busy career testing devices. She pushed them to the limit, teaching designers what the things they had built could do when they were plugged into a truly nimble brain. Entertainment hardware first, then professional gamer gear, sometimes poorly disguised military labs. Busy she was, very busy, the best there was even when she was no longer the youngest one.                        

But an undefinable something else can take somebody only so far. By her sixth birthday it was clear her best days were behind and she had to retire.

Her father and I were alright with that. She had had fun, and the money had been good, but it was time for her to start school, learn to read, catch up with her peers in speech skills, and get serious about learning to walk.