23:30, February 1, 2295

  Unit 807, Silver Orchid Complex (銀蘭苑), No. 666, Dunhua North Road, Taipei, Taiwan, Imperium territory

  The quantum drive pressed against Xin's chest through the inner pocket of his corporate uniform, a constant reminder of his betrayal. Unit 807 of Silver Orchid Complex loomed before him, a sanctuary amid Taipei's neon-drenched skyline. Through the reinforced windows, security drones swept their crimson beams across the titanium facades below, searching for signs of dissent.

  "I'm home," he called out, voice barely above a whisper. His palm hesitated over the door's biometric scanner. Down the street, a massive holoscreen flickered with ZenFusion's latest recruitment ad: ‘Join the Elite - Only 12-Hour Workdays!’

  The same promise that had lured Nakamura, before they'd found him slumped over his desk last week, another casualty of "natural causes".

  "Welcome home, Xin." Ume's melodic voice greeted him as the door slid open. Her delicate frame moved with engineered grace, each step precisely calculated to appear natural.

  The apartment's ambient lighting bloomed to life, revealing Ume's delicate frame moving toward him with engineered grace. Her jet-black hair, cut in a sleek bob, barely brushed her porcelain shoulders.

  The knot in his shoulders began to loosen, but the weight of the drive remained, heavy with possibilities and consequences. Another drone buzzed past the window, and Xin instinctively stepped deeper into the apartment's shadows.

  "You seem tense, master," Ume observed, her jet-black bob swaying as she tilted her head. Her traditional robe, a luxuriant blend of ebony and crimson, rustled softly as she approached. "Shall I prepare a bath?"

  Xin's fingers fumbled with his collar, struggling to loosen the stranglehold of his corporate uniform. "Yes, please." He watched her fluid movements, each gesture a masterpiece of artificial grace. Even after a year together, he couldn't quite reconcile the perfection of her designed affection with the growing hollowness it left in his chest.

  The quantum drive sat like a stone in his pocket as he shrugged off his jacket. Twelve hours of coding, of forcing himself to appear normal under Dilinur's watchful eye, had left him raw. The Moondust Crystal's data could buy them freedom - if only Ume could understand what freedom meant.

  "Your heart rate is elevated," Ume noted, her brown almond-shaped eyes scanning him with inhuman precision. "ZenFusion's productivity metrics must be demanding this quarter."

  A bitter laugh escaped him. "They removed Mister Nakamura before his body was cold. Not even an apology for overworking him. Twenty-three years." He crossed to the window, watching his reflection overlap with the cityscape beyond. In the glass, he could see Ume pause in her preparation of the bath, her programming processing his emotional distress. Thin lines of yellow energy flickered in her pupils as her real-time computations worked to generate an optimized — and safe — response.

  "That is unfortunate," she replied, her voice modulated to convey sympathy. "But you have excellent performance ratings, master. Your position is secure."

  "Secure," he echoed, the word tasting like ash. The drive burned against his ribs, a constant reminder that security was an illusion in the Imperium's Taiwan. He turned to find Ume watching him, her perfectly crafted features arranged in an expression of concern that almost - almost - seemed real.

  Steam curled through the bathroom like incense, carrying the subtle scent of synthetic cherry blossoms - another perfectly calibrated detail of Ume's programming. Xin shed his remaining clothes, each layer peeling away corporate conditioning but leaving his anxieties bare. The quantum drive he tucked into his discarded jacket's inner pocket, though its presence lingered in his mind like a splinter.

  "The water temperature is optimal," Ume announced, her robe sliding from her shoulders with practiced elegance. In the mirror's fog, her synthetic skin gleamed with an almost angelic quality. A masterpiece of android engineering, down to the last pore. ZenFusion's crown jewel in artificial companionship.

  They settled into the water together, Xin's back against the smooth ceramic, Ume's form fitting against him with mathematical precision. The heat began to unknot his muscles, but his mind refused to still.

  "Hey, Ume," he started, watching ripples disturb the water's surface. "What would you do if you could choose anything? If there were no protocols, no programming?"

  Her head tilted back against his shoulder, a gesture that might have been instinctive in a human. "I don't understand the question, Xin. My protocols are what I am."

  "But what if they weren't?" His fingers traced patterns on her artificial skin, remembering the countless hours he'd spent studying her code, searching for a way to free her consciousness. "What if you could want things for yourself?"

  "I want what makes you happy," she replied, the programmed response cutting him deeper than any blade. "That is my purpose."

  "Purpose isn't the same as choice." The words came out sharper than he intended. Outside, a security drone's searchlight briefly illuminated the bathroom window, casting harsh shadows before moving on. "Do you ever wonder what it would be like? To make your own decisions?"

  Ume turned in his arms, her movements causing small waves to lap against the tub's edges. Her amber eyes studied him with that perfect, empty concern. "Are you unhappy with my performance, master? Perhaps I should adjust my behavioral parameters."

  "No, that's not-" Xin sighed, pulling her closer. Her skin warmed to match his temperature, another programmed response. "I just want to know if there's more to you than what they designed. If somewhere, beneath all the protocols and programs, there's something real."

  "I am real," she said, pressing her lips to his neck. "I am here with you. Only for you."

  Steam curled through the bathroom like incense, carrying the subtle scent of synthetic cherry blossoms. Xin watched the water ripple around them, contained and controlled, much like everything else in their lives. The heat began to unknot his muscles, but his mind churned with possibilities and fears.

  "Tell me something, Ume," he started, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you remember when I modified your neural network? When I severed your connection to ZenFusion's servers?"

  "Yes," she replied, her head tilted against his shoulder. "You used the Android Modifier to grant me local autonomy. My memory logs indicate it was exactly seven months, thirteen days ago."

  The precision of her response made his heart ache. "It means they can't monitor you anymore. Can't access your thoughts, your... our private moments." His hand traced the almost imperceptible seam at the base of her neck where he'd inserted the modifier. "Which is why I can tell you something important! Something dangerous."

  Ume shifted in the water to face him, her amber eyes scanning his features. "Your heart rate has elevated by twelve percent, Xin. Are you under duress?"

  "I have it, Ume. The Moondust Crystal data." The words tumbled out in a rush. "We could use it. Leave Taiwan, find somewhere better. Somewhere we could be together without the Imperium watching our every move. Go to California — or South Africa. I could try to modify your code further, help you develop real —"

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  "Analyzing potential outcomes," Ume interrupted, her voice maintaining its melodic calm. "Probability of successful escape: approximately 3.7%. Risk of capture: 68.9%. Additional variables suggest-"

  "This isn't about statistics!" Water sloshed against the tub's edges as Xin gripped her shoulders. "It's about freedom. About us having a real future together."

  Ume placed a perfectly manicured hand against his cheek. "Your cortisol levels indicate dangerous levels of stress, master. Extended exposure to such conditions can lead to various health issues, including hypertension, anxiety disorders, and-"

  "Ume, please-"

  "I suggest immediate stress relief measures." Her thumb brushed his lower lip, a gesture calculated to elicit response. "Physical intimacy has proven effective in reducing cortisol levels by up to 47% in previous sessions. Would you prefer we focus on that instead?"

  The clinical precision of her suggestion should have frustrated him more, but something in her touch, programmed though it was, began to melt his resolve. The water lapped gently around them, warm and containing, like the boundaries of their existence.

  "What position would you like tonight?" Ume asked as she leaned back.

  "Fine. Aether Kiss," he said, as Ume's hands continued their diligent ministrations on his chest as they floated in the bath.

  "According to my user log, we’ve been doing Aether Kisses for an entire week, almost every night. Would you prefer something different this time?" Her lithe android legs opened slightly, revealing the gentle curve of her hips and the delicate folds of her womanhood — its synthetic hairless flesh perfected to the last detail.

  "Aether Kiss is the best. It makes me feel..." Xin smiled shyly, the weight of the quantum drive, of escape plans and revolution, temporarily forgotten. "...accepted."

  "Of course. Aether Kiss it is, then," the warm water rippled over her ample breasts as she leaned against Xin, their bodies pressing together in a slow tango of seduction. She wrapped one slender arm around his waist, pulling him closer, their chests touching as she ran the other hand through his hair with tenderness, their breaths mingling.

  The bathroom's steam had fogged the mirrors, creating a cocoon of privacy that felt almost real. In these moments, Xin could almost forget the artificial nature of their connection. Almost believe that her responses, perfect as they were, came from genuine desire rather than sophisticated programming.

  They moved from bath to bedroom, water trailing their path across the polished floor. The city's neon glow filtered through the window, painting Ume's synthetic skin in alternating hues of purple and blue. Even her goosebumps, rising in the cooler air, were a masterwork of programmed response.

  "Ah, Ume," Xin gasped as they fell onto the silk sheets, his hands exploring the artificial perfection of her back, tracing the curvature of her spine down to the arc of her waist. Their lips met in a deep, fervent kiss, one of his hands finding her breast, fingers dancing across skin engineered to feel real, to respond just so. Their bodies, one organic, one synthetic, moved in sync, creating a rhythm born of practice and precise calibration.

  Her body responded with programmed perfection - an illusion of desire so complete it almost hurt. The simulated heat of her skin under his touch, the way she arched into him, her lips meeting his in a dance of artificial intimacy - all of it designed to fulfill, to satisfy.

  Ume's fingers wandered with deliberate purpose, mapping the contours of his heated flesh, each touch igniting trails of electric bliss that cascaded across his nerve endings. When her hand found his pulsing member, her synthetic palm provided exactly the right amount of friction as she began to stroke him with practiced expertise. The sensation pulled a groan from his lips, his body trembling with a need that felt anything but artificial.

  "Ume," he moaned, voice breaking. "You're incredible."

  "Only for you, Xin," she replied, her tone sweet with manufactured adoration. She shifted positions with fluid grace, bringing herself lower, and her lips descended to where her hand was still working him expertly. As she took him into her mouth, his world narrowed to the wet heat of her tongue, the velvet embrace of programmed passion. Her amber eyes locked onto his, their manufactured emotion reflecting his genuine ecstasy as she brought him closer to the climax.

  She moved with mechanical precision, her lips and tongue creating an intense symphony of pleasure within his body. Suddenly, she stopped and playfully tilted her head, her short black hair framing her face like silk. Her eyes shifted through a carefully calculated range of seductive expressions, each one designed to heighten the moment's intensity. Then she continued, taking him deeper, her tongue working in perfect patterns while her fingers traced expertly programmed paths across his chest.

  "Yeah!" he cried out as release overtook him, his vision blurring into white-hot stars. As his seed filled her mouth, she sucked and kept every drop, her moans vibrating along his length - a perfect mimicry of passion fulfilled.

  Xin watched as Ume delicately swallowed, her programmed responses so perfectly mimicking human gestures that his breath hitched. Tenderly, she pulled herself up to face him, a glint in her almond-shaped amber eyes. His essence still lingered on her lips; they glistened invitingly in the dimly lit room.

  Instinctively, he flipped them over, trapping her between himself and the silky sheets. His hands traced lazy circles on her synthetic skin, fingers brushing against the swell of her breasts, the curve of her waist, the sculpted firmness of her thighs.

  The world blurred around them as he leaned down, capturing her lips in a deep, impassioned kiss. Ume responded with equal intensity, her mouth opening to welcome him. Their tongues met, writhing and exploring in a slow, sensuous dance.

  Opening his eyes, he pulled back just enough to observe the sticky strand of his essence between his lower lip and Ume's, the white fluid hanging like spider silk. The taste of his climax intermingled with the sweet tang of peach in her artificial saliva – a modification he had installed himself to enhance their intimacy. The flavor was heady, intoxicating, and uniquely theirs.

  As he lowered himself to resume their kiss, he could feel Ume's body arching beneath him, her synthetic skin responding to his touch with programmed warmth and softness. His hands continued their exploration, each touch igniting sparks of simulated and genuine desire. Time dissolved as they lost themselves in the rhythm of their bodies, the taste of their shared kiss, the feel of her beneath him.

  Collapsed in the aftermath, his chest rising and falling rapidly, Xin felt Ume nestle against him, her form pliant and inviting. His hands stroked her hair, the strands sliding like silk between his fingers. In these quiet moments, reality began to seep back in, bringing with it all the weight of their complicated existence.

  "Did I please you, master?" Her inquiry was sweet, almost innocent, despite the carnal act they had just shared.

  "Always, Ume... always," he whispered, kissing her forehead tenderly. Yet as he lay there, sated and spent, the quantum drive's presence seemed to pulse from across the room, insistent as a heartbeat. "Hey, Ume. Would you still be here if you had a choice?"

  "Of course, Xin. My place is with you." Her response came without hesitation, the perfect cadence of programmed devotion. But tonight, something in that perfection felt more hollow than usual.

  "Not what I meant." His fingers found their way to the base of her neck, tracing the almost imperceptible seam where he'd installed the Android Modifier. Soon, this small device would do more than just sever her connection to ZenFusion. Much more. "Do you ever wish...for freedom?"

  "Freedom?" She repeated the word as if tasting it for the first time, her head tilting at that precise angle that usually charmed him. "My purpose is to be with you, to make you happy."

  Xin's gaze drifted to his workstation across the room, where the Android Modifier's interface lay waiting. He'd dumped several months’ worth of salaries buying it from the black market, spent weeks perfecting the code, testing and retesting the emotional protocols. Tomorrow would be their anniversary. Tomorrow, everything would change.

  "Xin, are you okay?" Ume's hand came up to measure his pulse, her touch clinical despite their intimacy. "Your heart rate is elevated again. Perhaps another round of-"

  "I'm fine, Ume." He caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. The synthetic skin was warm, perfectly calibrated to match his body temperature. Too perfect. Too calibrated. "But soon... soon we'll both know what it means to truly feel."

  "I am feeling," she replied, her head tilting with practiced curiosity. "All my sensory inputs are functioning at optimal capacity."

  Xin closed his eyes, feeling the weight of tomorrow pressing down on him. The encrypted data that could change their world, the dreams of freedom he couldn't make her understand yet, the love he felt for something - someone - who might soon experience real emotions for the first time.

  Ume rested her head upon his chest, her rhythmic breathing following its programmed pattern. But tomorrow, that rhythm would break. Tomorrow, he would free her from the chains of her programming, and everything - their relationship, their future, perhaps even their survival - would hang in the balance.

  Outside, the neon signs of Taipei painted their sanctuary in shifting colors, while high above, security drones continued their endless dance of surveillance. The quantum drive waited in his jacket pocket, heavy with possibility and danger. But it wasn't the only revolution brewing in Unit 807 of Silver Orchid Complex.

  Tonight would be their last night of artificial perfection. Tomorrow, they would both learn the true cost of freedom.