[In the year 2247, a world government was established. Peaceful religions were still permitted, but religious violence and extremism of all forms, be it Al-Qaida terrorists or extreme Christians targeting abortion doctors for murder, were decreed a global threat. By 2255 the last religious extremists had been exterminated. With the fall of fundamentalism, science progressed rapidly. By the year 2483 humankind had spread to several of the nearest stars. In 2814 contact was made with a super-advanced civilization and a practical Alcubierre warp drive was developed. Running a rocket ship on a preexisting Alcubierre track, the extraterrestrials took humankind into deep extragalactic space to investigate an anomaly. Probes were first used, and it was determined that matter was flowing across a junction of Polchinski membranes into a different universe. A human, Ken Masterson, and a female android, Star, volunteered to be the first to literally escape the universe. This is their story.]
*
I checked my section of the instrumentation, just like I'd done every day for the past week. "Perfect, as always. Any issues with yours, Star?"
Star's gentle voice sounded. "None, Ken. Everything is in order."
"I guess we can quit doing these," I grunted. "The computer will let us know if anything goes wrong."
Star walked over to me. "I'm a lot more than just a computer, Ken."
"I meant the ship's computer, not you," I told her.
"You are correct, the ship's computer will notify us of any malfunctions," Star laughed. Wait... laughed?
"Um, Star? Did you just laugh?"
I felt her arms snake around me from behind. The synthetic flesh felt good against my skin. Since we were never going to leave the ship, neither of us had been issued clothes. "I'm neither computer nor robot, Ken. I have the emotions and desires of a human." Star's lips pressed very lightly against my neck.
I turned to face her. We were mere centimeters apart. "Desires?"
Star parted her lips, and a very human-like tongue came out as she licked them. "Don't you think I'm attractive?"
I paused. "Um... well... I didn't know you were this human-like. I just kind of assumed I would be celibate."
Star's eyes seemed to twinkle. "Assumption, Ken, is the mother of all fuck-ups."
I took a closer look at her. Blonde hair, wavy, shoulder-length. Thick, but not fat, frame. D-cup breasts, nicely rounded ass, strong muscular legs, fair skin. And china-blue eyes. "You do look quite lovely, Star."