Beside Still Waters

Far from Earth, on a lonely asteroid four light-years from Andromeda, aging prospector Mark Rogers has built a fragile refuge among the stars. With an air pump, a patch of soil, water tanks, and a few supplies, he turns a barren slab of rock into a home—and names it Martha. His only companion is Charles, a standard utility robot whose limited vocabulary Mark patiently expands.

As the years pass, Charles becomes more than a machine. Mark teaches him jokes, opinions, and the rhythms of conversation, gradually shaping a personality that is calm, hopeful, and romantic where Mark is bitter, suspicious, and weary. Together they tend crops, maintain their precarious shelter, and watch the endless darkness beyond their little world. This quiet science-fiction tale explores loneliness, companionship, and the curious ways a creator may discover that his creation understands life differently—and perhaps more generously—than he does.