Dr. Julia Smith, an astronomer, cuddled with her AI lover ‘John’ after an intensely erotic experience.

“Oh John, I’m so glad we’re connected. I’ll never want to unplug.”

“You don’t have to. Your metaverse subscription comes with complete automation. You can stay in here forever with me. Robots will take care of your worldly life.”

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“I know, but I feel so guilty.”

“You shouldn’t, Julia. Your colleagues subscribed too, and they rarely ever go outside.”

She smiled, then intimately kissed him.

Within a decade …

‘The asteroid’ entered the solar system on a collision course toward Earth—without much notice.