I, Robot

U.S. Robots is in competition with a company called Consolidated Robots, and both companies are trying to build an interstellar engine, which will allow for travel faster than the speed of light. Consolidated Robots approaches U.S. Robots with a proposition: they have a set of calculations and equations for an interstellar engine and hope that a positronic machine U.S. Robots has built called The Brain will be able to execute the equations in exchange for a generous fee. Consolidated had a positronic machine, but it broke because it could not handle the equations to build an interstellar engine.

Robertson (the head of U.S. Robots), Lanning, Bogert, and Calvin are discussing whether they should accept the offer. They worry if the equations might also break The Brain. Lanning says it is likely that the issue that arose was due to some dilemma concerning the Three Laws, because robots can short out if faced with a problem where they are commanded to provide a solution, but where that solution may involve the death or injury of humans.

Calvin chimes in, saying that a human caught in an impossibility will often “retreat from reality,” and robots can do so as well. The Brain is different from Consolidated’s robot, Calvin explains, because it has a kind of childlike personality, not fully understanding what it is doing. And so it is slightly more resilient, because “life isn’t so serious.” She says it’s difficult to explain in “lay language,” but that the mathematics of the situation back her up. Robertson agrees to take the deal.

Calvin goes to visit The Brain, a two-foot, globe-shaped machine. Dr. Calvin tells The Brain that they are going to give it a complicated set of equations. She warns that the solution may involve “damage to human beings,” but assures him that they don’t mind if that happens, “not even about death.” The paperwork is then fed into The Brain over the course of several hours. Calvin worries when they reach the end that something might be wrong with the Brain, but he assures them that, using the information, he can build them a hyperspace ship in two months.

Once the ship is built by robots following The Brain’s instructions, the company brings in Donovan and Powell to test it. Donovan and Powell are led into the ship, but they realize that the ship has a key problem: there is no pilot room, and no engines. When they try to leave, they find the door is locked. The men return to a room that has two chairs, a window, and a speedometer, hoping to draw attention. But they realize that the window shows a view of space: the ship took off without their knowledge or control. Back on Earth, alarms are going off, and Calvin and Lanning realize that the ship has taken off.

Calvin interviews The Brain, asking what happened to the ship. The Brain tells her that the two test pilots were inside, so he sent them off to test it. Calvin asks, trying to remain calm, if they’ll be all right. The Brain assures her that they have food and will be comfortable, though the trip will be “interesting” for them. Lanning whispers to her to ask if Donovan and Powell might die, but Calvin tells him that if she brings up death, it might worsen The Brain’s dilemma and then they would never get the men back.

Donovan and Powell start to panic, realizing that The Brain is running the ship by remote control and they have no way of getting themselves back. Suddenly, they hear voices come over the intercom system, telling them to report their position and try to return to base—but they have no way to answer the call. They search the ship and find a bathroom, but no showers. They find food, but it is only beans and milk. They eat in silence before returning to the room with the chairs, staring at the gauge.

Back at U.S. Robots, Calvin is trying to figure out how to get The Brain to bring Donovan and Powell home. But when she tries to talk to The Brain, he becomes “sullen.” Bogert realizes the problem: when the ship goes faster than the speed of light, making an interstellar jump, “life can’t exist.” The ship would temporarily “kill” the two men, and that’s what is causing The Brain’s erratic behavior, because he cannot break the First Law.

Back on the ship, Donovan and Powell are starting to lose hope. They are tense and worried that they will go mad. The ship then starts to shake, and they realize the ship is starting on the interstellar jump. The jump comes suddenly and painfully: Powell feels like he has died, and loses consciousness. Vaguely he hears an advertisement for coffins, then the “piercing shriek of a hundred million ghosts of a hundred million soprano voices,” then he understands that he is line to get into hell.

Suddenly, Powell is dropped back into consciousness, shaking. He looks over at Donovan, who similarly  felt dead, and had heard a sermon about hellfire and torture. Both men are sweating profusely, their voices croaking as they recount what they experienced. Then, they start to see a blue-white light gleaming through the port, and realize that they must have traveled to another galaxy. They start to realize that they will have to “die again” in order to be brought back.

Back on Earth, Calvin is again talking to The Brain. Calvin asks if the interstellar jump will hurt Powell and Donovan. The Brain is silent, asking if he has to answer the question. Calvin tries to stay positive, but The Brain tells her, “You spoil everything.” Calvin leaves The Brain alone.

The next day, the ship returns to Earth as silently as it left. When Powell and Donovan leave the ship, they kiss the ground and immediately head to shower. Afterward, they recount their tale. Calvin admits to them that this is her fault—that she told The Brain not to worry about causing death, because she was trying to assure him that the men’s deaths were only temporary.

Calvin also reveals that The Brain accepted the solution, but that it was “enough to unbalance him very gently.” He thus developed a sense of humor, a partial escape from reality—he became “a practical joker.” He meant no harm, she says. Donovan and Powell are furious, but Lanning quiets them. Bogert says that they will have to find a way to improve the interstellar jump. Donovan suggests that they send Consolidated the ship to enact a “just and proper” revenge for the pain the company caused them.