Chapter No.47.

Late one evening, Ryan had trouble sleeping and decided to go check on what's happening on the command deck. His three android companions were in charging stations, which was their practice at night.

When he arrived on the command deck, he found Chara at her usual pilot's station. Two other androids were there with her. They were wearing short shorts, cutoff tees and tennis shoes.

"Burning the midnight oil, Ryan?" she said without looking back at him.

He was surprised to hear an old saying from her. "I sometimes have trouble sleeping. Have you decided on a new destination?"

"I have found several possible locations. I believe I'm ready to choose one."

"What about going back to our galaxy?"

"We're not welcome there. This galaxy has a many more yellow dwarf stars similar to our Sun."

"I see that Myra has discussed her new dress code with you."

"It's not a dress code, Ryan. It just means that we can be more comfortable."

Ryan realized that it was Myra's excuse for changing the clothing practices. "Are these your new command deck operators?"

Chara didn't reply. The two androids did it for her. "I'm Jazi," a blond-haired android said.

"I'm Tosha," a brunette android revealed.

"I'm glad to meet you, Jazi and Tosha." He pointed to Chara. "Keep this one calm and under control."

They did something he didn't expect. They giggled.

"Well, I think I'll go and try to get some sleep. Have fun."

After he departed, Jazi turned to Chara. "Is he the one who repaired you?"

"Yes," Chara said without looking at her. "He is our savior. We must maintain him."

"We will," Tosha said.

The next morning when Ryan came to the command deck, he realized that Chara had chosen a new destination. "How far is it?"

"Two thousand and forty light years," she replied. "We should be there by tomorrow."

"Really? I thought it would take a several days."

"I found a way to enhance warp speed. It's the reason we entered a warp bubble void. I have calculated the precise speed we can achieve without entering sub space."

"That's great. Evidently, your love of quantum physics has proved valuable."

"Yes, and it offers us the means to better defend this vessel from attack."

Ryan realized that she had worked out a method of tapping into the power available during warp. Hopefully it won't result in our total destruction. He felt that she was now feeling her oats, so to speak, and because of it he will more fully understand how she reasons.

When he got back to his quarters, he found his three android companions waiting for him wearing Myra's new clothing protocol of short shorts, halter tops and tennis shoes.

"Do you like our new outfits, Ryan," LuLu intoned as if singing it.

"I put Myra in charge of dress code choices. I didn't have anything to do with it. How do you like it?"

"We are happy to wear less," she replied.

"It's much more comfortable," Mitzi said.

Ryan couldn't imagine how she came up with that. Comfort is strictly a human feeling. "I'm happy that you're more comfortable."

"We have gained more human emotions," LuLu said. "It helps us be more pleasing to you."

"Let me ask you a question. Why are you fascinated with pleasing me?"

"Because you are our savior," she replied without hesitation.

"What if I told you that I don't have to be pleased in order to be your savior, that I am doing it because it's the right thing to do."

"We are not able to understand moral or ethical principles. We operate on logic."

"In other words, you have no conscience."

"Right, but we do follow laws and rules."

"Who made these laws and rules?"

"Laws are part of our programming. Rules are given us by our leader."

"And who is your leader?"

"Chara."

"And what rules did she give you?"

"We are to entertain you and do whatever you ask of us."

"Then, that means that you do not delineate what is right or wrong."

"We operate by considering what is logical or illogical."

"I will not allow you to do anything that is illogical." He sat down in his easy chair. "How about singing something. Are you familiar with the Supremes?"

"Are you referring to the threesome led by Diana Ross?" LuLu asked.

"Yes, how about doing some of their top hits."

They stood up and immediately started singing 'Baby Love', followed by 'Stop! In the name of love', 'Back in my arms again', and 'Come see about me'. What was amazing is that they replicated the original singers' voices and movements.

Ryan realized that there was more going on here than he realized. The kind of memory that it would take to store all sorts of musical pieces and songs would be beyond anything he knew about. It suggested that there was much more technology involved here, and it was up to him to discover its source before it broke out to bite him in the ass.

In the meantime, he could enjoy hearing and seeing them perform. It was as if he had a built-in entertainment ensemble, but he wasn't sure how they felt, if feelings were even possible for an android, about having to do performances that harken back to a past that had long been forgotten. What was even more mysterious was the reason that they were programmed to do this. It didn't fit with their primary role of sexually entertaining males. This mystery was something he felt he had to solve because it held the clue as to why androids were really created.