The Robot Destroyed

R. Sammy’s destruction transforms a seemingly minor act of property damage into evidence of a calculated effort to silence and frame Baley.

increasingBearing stren­gth in each eventdecreasing

A Familiar Irritation

A Familiar Irritation The Department errand robot R. Sammy delivers messages and repeatedly addresses Baley by his first name. Baley finds the robot’s fixed friendliness irritating and resents the wider spread of robotic labor. A human replacement R. Sammy’s presence has displaced Vince Barrett from work. The simple office arrangement carries an economic grievance that later makes the robot’s destruction politically charged. A minor character in daily routine becomes a consequential piece of evidence.

Jessie at the Office

Jessie at the Office A distressed visit Jessie comes to headquarters and speaks privately with Baley while worried about the robot and the danger surrounding the case. R. Sammy is positioned to observe the visit or hear its aftermath. A possible motive Baley later recognizes that investigators could interpret Jessie’s visit as a reason he might silence R. Sammy. The event becomes useful to whoever wants him removed. A family conversation is converted into incriminating context.

The Alphasprayer Attack

The Alphasprayer Attack A robot deactivated Anthony Gerrigel finds R. Sammy in a photographic supply room with an Alphasprayer against its head. The radiation has irreversibly destroyed the robot’s positronic brain. A suspicious method The weapon is traceable to the Williamsburg power plant, and the photographic film has been fogged. The scene looks deliberately arranged to make the cause unmistakable. The destruction is not a routine breakdown but a message and a clue.

Baley Under Suspicion

Baley Under Suspicion Circumstantial evidence accumulates Baley passed through the power plant, disliked R. Sammy, and has a wife connected to a political group. The Commissioner notes that these details may appear to form a motive and opportunity. A career at risk Baley understands that a robot’s testimony may not count in court. Even Daneel’s presence cannot automatically clear him. The destroyed machine threatens to destroy a human investigator’s standing.

The Cover-Up Unravels

The Cover-Up Unravels A murder connection Baley identifies Enderby as the person who used the Alphasprayer to destroy R. Sammy. The act was meant to silence a witness and frame Baley after the earlier killing of Sarton. A second crime exposed R. Sammy’s destruction is part of one continuous attempt to protect Enderby’s political secret. The evidence that endangered Baley instead helps reveal the cover-up. The small robot’s death marks the investigation’s decisive turn.

At the opening of the story

The day before R. Sammy is found

The day after Baley’s visit to the power plant

After the Department discovers R. Sammy

Near midnight, during Enderby’s exposure