num_pages: 370
description: This is a standalone novel exploring sentience and artificial intelligence through the lenses of conflicted robot hero Unit Four.When Unit Foura biological soft robot built and stored high above the Jovian atmosphereis activated for the first time its in crisis mode. Aliens are attacking the Helium-3 mine it was created to oversee and now its sole purpose is to defend Earths largest energy resource from the invaders in ship-to-ship combat.But somethings wrong. Unit Four doesnt feel quite right.There are files in its databanks it cant account for unusual chemical combinations roaring through its pipes and the primers it possesses on the aliens are suspiciously sparse. The robot is under orders to seek and destroy. Thats all it knows.According to its handler thats all it needs to know.Determined to fulfill its directives Unit Four launches its ship and goes on the attack but it has no idea its about to get caught in a downward spiral of misinformation reprograming and interstellar conflict.Most robots are simple tools. Unit Four is well on its way to becoming something more....
language: English
title: Activation Degradation
publisher: Harper Voyager