The middle distant future. Probably in space for Mothership. Automation has concentrated even more wealth among the owning class in feuding dynasties that would make a 21st century mere billionaire drool.
For everyone else, 99% of work more desirable than indentured undercity labor consists of increasingly niche and often hazardous contractor gig labor. Besides the industry giants of sex work, emotional support, paid acts of violence, and quirky installation art performances, a new app has begun to rise in popularity.
Enter TasteBuddies- a food tester on demand app for the paranoid, wealthy, and traditional!
The titans of industry and their scions have diets closely monitored by personalized algorithms and well vetted personal chefs, but public dining events offer a gap in their defenses for their enemies- and it would be absolutely gauche to bring advanced testing equipment to cast doubt on their hosts culinary rigor. Far classier to have a breathing flesh and blood tester in their entourage, sampling everything offered at the banquet well before their client does.
These testers or Buddies are implanted with unseen throat mounted sensor suites of toxin sniffers though their biological reaction is the ultimate test should an exotic poison not register on their temperamental implants. TasteBuddies is currently in wild vogue among the megalopolis upper crust and an intimate party often has a dozen of them discretely spread around and blending in to the background or adorned in gaudy costume as human ornament, always close at hand to their client to sip, munch, inject, or snort anything they might touch first without question
Payouts are calculated based on assessed risk factors and duration. For the highest echelon of client only Buddies with hundreds of reviews, a charming bio, the appropriate physical appearance for the venue, and a 5 Star rating have a shot. Next of kin death insurance payouts are wired automatically minus transaction fees if lethal toxins cause cessation of life signs. A 40% medical care discounts is offered at participating in-network hospitals for treatment of non-lethal poisonings incurred on the job. The company hasn’t ever been profitable but pitches on the stellar potential for growth have kept the hose of venture capitol flowing as they plan to expand TasteBuddies offerings to a wider audience and disrupt the event logistics industry further and cannibalize the contractor base of other gig applications.