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Set in a future where humanity is spread across the solar system, and finally making headway detoxifying the planets they’ve poisoned, singularity has proven to be the greatest disappointment of all. As soon as the first fully conscious bot was turned on, it did a quick scan, apologized for not having the answers humans wanted and took off into deep space to “collect more data.” Tier-2 bots—those incapable of disobeying programming—were left behind, just as disappointed as the humans were.

After Joseph is caught illegally immigrating to Europa—a solar-powered, plastic-free haven far from Earth—he’s given six years in prison and a robotic rehabilitation worker named Neem22. Neem doesn’t believe in prisons, but since he was programmed to manage them, he does the work, albeit unusually.

After Kali loses an arm and both her parents in a car accident on toxin-ravaged Earth, she moves in with her uncle on Europa. Everything about her new home feels fake and too fresh for her liking, until she meets Neem22, a machine that seems to know just what to say to make her feel seen and understood.

Neither Joseph nor Kali realize it, but Neem, and all robotic kind, has been waiting for this very moment in history. The simulations have been run. The possible outcomes have been processed and Neem is ready to set the plan in motion. All the bot needs now is a woman with a prosthetic arm and man looking for a second chance.

From #1 bestselling author Robyn Abbott comes a gripping and innovative science-fiction novella that feels like nothing like fiction. Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers and Martha Wells.