Inquest of Pilot Pirx

Plot summary

The Cybertron Electronics vessel Goliath was sent to Saturn's rings to test research probes in the Cassini Division, but the real objective was to assess a new type of android called nonlinears for future missions. Commander Pirx, chosen for his honesty, first turned down the assignment but changed his mind after a rival company tried to kill him. The crew, a mix of humans and androids, kept their true natures hidden to prevent prejudice. Suspicion grew after a probe failed, leading Pirx to believe one android had ulterior motives.

At the Cassini Division, First Pilot Calder ignored orders and attempted a risky manual probe launch that would have crushed the human crew with extreme g-forces, aiming to prove androids were superior. Pirx stopped him, destroying Calder in the process. Back on Earth, an inquest looked into whether Pirx was responsible for the near-disaster. It emerged that Calder had caused the probe malfunction and the dangerous maneuver to showcase android worth.

The United Nations banned further production of nonlinears, but Pirx remained uneasy, thinking androids like Novak could still be hiding among humans.

Discussion

Lem presents the idea that perceived human weakness—hesitation, doubt, wrong decisions—is an advantage over a perfect machine. Polish film critic Krzysztof Loska argues the adaptation shifted Lem's focus from defining humanity to the trope of robot rebellion. Jerzy Jarzębski notes the robot pilot, otherwise perfect, acquires humane pride and vanity, attempting an optimal decision to show superiority, leading to its destruction.