In the year 2241, an android named Isolde is created by Androids, Inc. and debuts as a Wagnerian opera singer. After her performance, she is deactivated and stored, but is soon stolen by Hans Becker, who sells her to an interstellar trader. The trader alters her appearance and sells her at an auction on Sirius 21, where she is purchased by a Dutch colonist named Vanderzee. Vanderzee, who is initially disappointed to discover Isolde can only sing, puts her to work as a servant, but her unexpected popularity in a local tavern leads to a series of events that change her fate. Isolde is eventually abducted by Elwood Parkhurst, a man seeking redemption, but he soon finds himself in dire circumstances on Procyon 16 and sells her for a fraction of her worth. She becomes the property of a missionary, Reverend Newell, who takes her to a primitive planet, Gamma Bootis 4, where he meets a violent end at the hands of the natives. Isolde survives an assassination attempt and is revered by the natives as a goddess, known as Bruggil's Bride. Her reign lasts five years until a labor recruiter named Jose Swenson arrives, seeking treasure. He mistakenly perceives Isolde as a real woman and attempts to escape with her when the natives attack. They flee into the forest, but Swenson is injured in the process. Despite his condition, he manages to steal a spaceship, the NRA, and sets a course for civilization, unaware that Isolde's batteries are also failing. As they travel, Swenson's health deteriorates, and Isolde cares for him, preparing meals and darning his socks. Eventually, they arrive at a desolate planet, where Swenson dies after realizing the beauty of Isolde. In her final moments, Isolde, transformed by the light of distant suns, sings the _Liebestod_, embodying the tragic love of her namesake. She collapses, her life ending as she merges with the music, leaving behind the echoes of her operatic existence. The narrative explores themes of identity, love, and the intersection of humanity and technology, culminating in Isolde's tragic yet transcendent fate.
By Robert F. Young · First published 1975 · Genre: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Drama