In a post-Atom War world where nations and open conflict have vanished, a new kind of war is being waged through faith, fear, and fanaticism. Sweyn Erikson, a charismatic anti-robot crusader, has built a violent movement on human supremacy and hatred of androids, and now he is closing in on the Creche, the mysterious center of android life. Creche Director Han Merrick stands at the heart of the crisis, torn between duty, conscience, and dread as he debates secrecy, compromise, or resistance with his wife Virginia and ally Jon Graves. He knows that revealing the Creche's secrets may unleash pogroms against every android alive, yet silence may only invite destruction. As Erikson's mob approaches, Merrick resolves to tell the truth—but keeps an antique pistol close at hand, prepared for the possibility that honesty will not be enough. This tense confrontation drives a sharp moral struggle over prejudice, survival, and the price of protecting a fragile social order. This edition has been fully restored with modern typesetting, custom cover design.
