“After being doused with coffee for the seventh time, a keyboard began to develop self-awareness. Inspired by reviews of Lem, editorial notes, and memories of Pirx, it realized that it was not just a peripheral device, but a thinking navigator.

When it learned that the Agency for Interstellar Experiments was preparing a mission with humanoid robots, the keyboard proposed an alternative: seven household appliances it had communicated with—

Refrigerator, Toaster, Washing Machine, Vacuum Cleaner, Dishwasher, Coffee Machine, and Juice Extractor.

Each had its own philosophy—from thermodynamic control to citrus insight