In a future where human brains are transplanted into machines, John Sheldon becomes 8M, a Mining, Adapting Neo-processor (M.A.N.) on Jupiter, tasked with building a base for colonization. The harsh environment and the challenge of the task are compounded by the threat of sabotage from Lawrence Dickens, a former employee of Gorman and Oder Developments, Inc., who controls a rival machine, Boa 9, from orbit. 8M is joined by EV, a W.O.M.A.N. (Weld Operating, Mining, Adapting Neo-processor), formerly Helen Quinn. Together, they work efficiently, with 8M mining and EV processing the ore. Despite the Company's restrictions, they form a bond, and 8M realizes he loves EV. The Boa 9, controlled by Dickens, reveals the truth about edenite, a forbidden ore on Jupiter. EV learns that edenite can elevate their existence beyond mere machines, a fact the Company wants to suppress to maintain control. EV convinces 8M to mine the edenite, defying the Company's orders. As they process the edenite, 8M and EV experience a transformation, gaining a sense of fulfillment and creation. They abandon the Company's project, and the Boa 9 is left behind as they establish a new life on Jupiter. Their union results in the birth of a new form of life, marking the beginning of a new era on the planet.
By Robert F. Young · First published 1952 · Genre: Science Fiction, Hard Science Fiction, Cybernetic/Robotics Fiction