 And now, a tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. In a moment, act one of Doom Machine, starring Leon Janney as Dr. Ferris, and written especially for suspense by Edgar Marvin. It's eight o'clock in the morning, in the year 2,500. On the outskirts of the great city is a large one-story house. In one wing of this house is the laboratory of Dr. Atlee Ferris, who is seated behind an enormous horseshoe-shaped desk, studded with levers and small blinking instrument panels. Good morning, Dr. Ferris. Good morning, Jack. I tried to work out those calculations. He left as best I could. I hope I have them figured right, sir. Never mind. I won't be able to use them anyway. I lost the train of thought on that wide pattern we were following. Oh, it's too bad. But first you were so far advanced on it. Well, I'm only human, Jack. I'm not a machine. In fact, my humanity practically conspires against me. The level of concentration I need is fantastic, Jack. But I'm not pure brain. There are disturbances, distractions, emotional upheavals. That's what life is, Dr. Ferris. We can't avoid that. But if there were pure brain, Jack, a mind that would hold pure thought and nothing else, it would carry out the logical sequence of thoughts into action without any deviation for its purpose, regardless of any distraction or human consideration. There's no such thing, Dr. Ferris. It would be monstrous. Perhaps. But it would succeed in its work. Whereas we, because we're human, too often are distracted and fail. I'd rather fail than be just a brain. Yes. Yes, because you're a human. And you won't admit that creatures with a pure brain would be superior to you. Well, back to your work, Jack. I'm just talking to myself anyway. He doesn't understand how limited the human mind is. Yes. Yes, that's it. That's what I need. A brain that isn't human. Third Audio Box Entry, July 7th. The first parts for my new project arrived today and I immediately began assembly. The job is going to be bigger than I expected. My original plans didn't call for motive power, but now I see that everything will be impossible unless there is false subaction. Sixth Audio Box Entry, July 20th. Sally is bursting with curiosity. But she knows enough now not to come near my work room. Perhaps I should prepare her for the fact that we are going to have a guest in the house. Thirteenth Audio Box Entry, August 27th. This is probably the last report I shall make. There is complete mobility and the concentration chamber has been sealed. Not even I could get it to change a thought once the decision trap is shut. Communicative power is slow, but there is no faltering of expression. The last thing is the will. I shall test that tomorrow. The final test. I hear something. Is that it, Dr. Ferris? I ordered it to report to me here in the laboratory at 10 o'clock. The time is in no jack. It's just 10, Dr. Ferris. Is it safe? We'll know in a moment. Most enormous robot I've ever seen. This isn't just a robot. Inside that enormous metal body is the most advanced electronic brain ever devised. Pure brain. Maximum electronic mentality. That's what we'll call him. Max. I could think of other names. The real thing, Jack, is his power of concentration. His will is tied directly to action. He does whatever he decides. Nothing can stop him. Nothing can distract him. His will is as strong as the titanium he's made of. He's perfect, Jack. Perfect. Yes, he's perfect, Dr. Ferris. You've got what you wanted, a brain that isn't human. A thing completely without emotions. Look at Daddy's laboratory, Thomas. Isn't it immense? You can see and hear everything from this control room. Is that the robot, Mr. Ferris? Yes, yes, that's Max. Well, what do you think of him? He's amazing. He operates himself, Phillip. He's not just a robot. He's a thinking machine. He's figuring out the solar energy formula right now. Jack does the manual work. You mean the man takes orders from the robot? Jack's not in Max's class when it comes to pure thought. Oh, Daddy, it's humiliating to take orders from a machine. What's your opinion, you brilliant young physicist, Phillip? Well, as a scientist, Dr. Ferris, I have to admit admiration for your robot, Max. But speaking as a human being, I think I'd resent taking orders from it, too. I mean, having it on a pedestal. That's where Max belongs. He can do the mental job and Jack can't. Therefore, Max leads and Jack follows. I'm not interested in your so-called human values. I have no more feelings about them than Max has. The superior always lead the inferior. That's the way it is, and that's the way it has to be. Dr. Ferris, I can't stand it anymore. I'm not working for you. I'm working for a machine, an iron monster. Oh, now, don't be silly. He knows it, too. I can feel it. He's cocky, Dr. Ferris. He gloats over us. Well, that's how you feel, Jack. Max has no emotions. He's just doing a job. I don't want to be a part of it. But it's going to succeed, Jack. Max is going to accomplish in a month what you and I have been working on for three years. I'm going to fly to the capital tomorrow to report on our progress. You can't quit now. I'm depending on you. How long will you be away? A few days, maybe a week. And the final test of the formula may come while I'm gone. You have to be here. Well, for that close to the end, I suppose I can stick it out. Fine, fine. Now, if the test should come while I'm gone, I want you to record all the steps on the Audiovox tape recorder. I'll remember. Oh, and, Jack, there may be some danger. You're going to be trapping the energy of the sun right in the laboratory. Radiation will be intense. Now, be sure you set the thermal drums in back of the solar tube so you can graph the heat measurement. The main thing, of course, is to be positive if the formula's correct before you throw a switch. Much chance I'll have to figure that. Max makes all the decisions. Well, that's the one reason I'm not worried about the danger, Jack. You can trust Max. Whatever you think of him, you know that. I suppose so. Well, it's important that you believe in him. His mind, Jack, his pure electronic brain will do more for humanity than generations of emotional beings like us. Home 23. Home 23. Omega 15. Omega 15. Thermodyne 24. Thermodyne 24. Set rheostat control. Set rheostat... Max. Max, that's it. That's the test for solar energy, the final test. Set rheostat control. You sure we're ready for it, Max? Let me look over the formula. The formula is right. Well, at least let me see it. Do now. Now? Is there any reason why we must finish it this afternoon? We've been working all day. I want to look over the formula tonight, tomorrow. Must finish. Must finish. All right, all right. Nothing stops you. Let me turn on the audio box tape recorder so we can record the steps. I had a chance to get anywhere arguing with a machine. Never tired, no emotions, no feelings. After this test I'm through. Dr. Ferris and now I'm walking out. Set rheostat control. Just a minute, just a minute. There. Now I'll check the thermal drums. The graphing. Set thermal panel. Check. Thermal 8. Thermal flux. You must be tapping the sun. Look at that control panel spin. Thermal 10. Radial flux 8. Flux 9. Max, it's getting too hot. I don't think we can get any more increase. Thermal 14. Radial flux 10. No, no, Max. It won't work. I see it now. We're absorbing too much heat in the tube. We're not channeling out. Thermal 16. I'm afraid, Max. I'm afraid. Max, Max is shooting heat rays. Max! Turning on solar energy. With this machine alone, this laboratory model, we could power a hundred factories. Heat to high. Yes, yes, I checked the thermal drums. The heat is too high, but we can fix that. Take a little work, but we can... Jack is... Jack gone. Yes, yes, you told me that, but where? I suppose he skipped out. He's been threatening that for a long while. Fine time to do it, though. That's human loyalty for you, and he used to say you couldn't be trusted because you had no feelings. Nothing would stop you from finishing a job, no petty human considerations. Checked audio box. Yes, yes, good idea, Max. I want to hear the steps in this experiment. Chance to get anywhere arguing with a machine. Yes, that's Jack. I'm retired, no emotions, no feelings. After this test, I'm through. Dr. Ferris, I know I'm walking out. Yes, just as I thought. Good riddance. Set real stop control. Just a minute, just a minute. I don't want to hear any more of this. Don't worry, Max. I'll get you another assistant. Nobody worthy of you, I'm afraid. Just another human being like Jack. But you'll be able to use his arms anyway, won't you, Max? Yes, master. Sally, I appreciate the chance to work with your father, but I just couldn't take orders from Max. Philip, I think you're wrong. I really do think that this time you're wrong. Listen, why do you think Jack quit? Besides, your father never liked me, and this is his opportunity to make a fool of me. But Daddy was very disappointed in Jack. This is your chance to make good in his eyes, patch everything up. Oh, I don't know. Besides, the work is so important. You keep telling me yourself how brilliant Daddy is. Yeah, sure. When this work is completed, Philip, it will mean all sorts of honors for you. Will you listen for a minute? It can be the making of you as a scientist. Oh, for my sake, take the job. You make it very hard to refuse. Then don't refuse, Philip. I can call Daddy back. All right, darling. For your sake, call him back. Now, Philip, the one problem we had was the excess of heat vibration in the thermal cube itself. I checked over Max's new formula to decrease that, and I think he's got it. I've given him instructions based on that new formula. I want you to follow Max's orders completely. I'm jetting out to the Capitol again with a member of the National Thermal Committee, and I'm sure you can handle the work in my absence. Well, I don't see why not. The way it looks and only be an extra pair of hands for Max. Just so. A very apt bit of phrasing, Philip. Well, Max and I might as well get to work. Fine, fine. Max will show you how to regulate the thermal drums. Good luck. I'm afraid we've been keeping you from concluding your experiments, Dr. Ferris, having you report to the Capitol so often. On the contrary, Dr. Larkin, I'm in the fortunate position of being able to place my work in even more capable hands than mine. Oh. I don't suppose you've heard of Max. Max? Primary field, 23. Primary field, 23. Secondary field, 19. Coil, 64. Secondary field, 19. Coil, 64. Sir, conference, 20 degrees. Can't be serious. Rain like that is a monstrosity. It's inhuman. Of course it's inhuman. That's the grandeur of it. No feelings or emotions, nothing to distract it. Just pure scientific thought at the service of humanity. But a thing like that cannot serve humanity, Dr. Ferris. It's wrong somehow. We've always used mechanical servants, Dr. Larkin. But it's very jet-shipped. Oh, no, no, no. Not to make decisions for us. It's a mistake to grant free will to any mind un-tempered by feelings and emotions. There's something immoral about it. Well, but that's just the beauty of it, Dr. Larkin. Precisely because he has no feelings, Max can never make mistakes. Sorry, I don't believe it. No machine in the world operates to perfection. But Max isn't a machine. Max is pure brain, self-corrected, undistracted. Here, here, let me show you. Just look at the perfection of his latest formula. 22. Ohm 22. Omega 1-4. See? So he bases his new rheostat setting on Ohm 22, Omega 1-4. Omega? By Omega, Dr. Ferris, isn't that a similar ratio? Good Lord. Good Lord. What's the matter? Oh, no, no, no. Larkin, Max has repeated the same mistake. It's his higher ratio as the other. It'll build heat rather than dissipate it. If Philip goes near the thermal control with that formula, he'll be cremated, burned to an ash. Oh, Dr. Ferris, are you sure? Unfortunately, I'm very sure. That's what happened to Jack. He was... Oh, no. Larkin, I've got to go back. I've got to get back in time. If we don't get there in time, I'll be a murderer, Larkin. You hear? A murderer. Control. Rear-stat control. Thermal. Set thermal panel. Well, Max, this is the big one, isn't it? We're all set to drag in the blazing sun. You know you're not half bad to work with after a fellow becomes used to your infernal arrogance. Set thermal panel. And you're infernal driving. There. All right, Max, old boy. Fire away. We're under glory. Increase, raise. Thermal, eight. Radial, flux, six. Thermal, eight. Radial, flux, six. Oh, this certainly builds up heat. Thermal, 12. Radial, flux, nine. Thermal, 12. Thermal, 14. Radial, flux, 10. Thermal, 14. Machines awfully hot, Max. Max, listen. I don't know about this. It's getting on your ferris. What's wrong? A shooting thermal raise. You'll be cremated, burned to an ass into the control room. Quick. Easy. Now, now, stay there. The insol glass walls will seal you. Stop him. No. No, Max. Max, listen to me. Your new formula was wrong. Wrong. Thermal panel. You'll be destroyed. Stop, Max. Do you hear me? Not if you've made a mistake. Now, stop, Max. Not just the machines. You'll stand there. Now, Max, listen. Your formula is wrong. You'll destroy yourself. Everything you've accomplished will be destroyed with you. Not stop. Not stop. He's found the switch. Dr. Ferris, come in here quickly. Oh, the idiot, the idiot monster. Dr. Larkin was right. It is something immoral, an inflexible electronic brain. No soul, no reason. It's my bald mind. Dr. Ferris, look out. Suspense. You've been listening to Doom Machines starring Leon Janney as Dr. Ferris and written especially for suspense by Edgar Marvin. Suspense is produced and directed by Bruno Zorato Jr., music supervision by Ethel Huber. Featured in tonight's story were Cliff Carpenter, Elaine Ross, Bernard Grant and Eugene Francis. Listen again next week when we return with The Shades You Lose written by Robert Arthur. Another tale well calculated to keep you in suspense. The singing is easy on the Richard Hayes Show weeknights on the CBS Radio Network.