Is a collaboration between robots and humans possible? At the beginning of the 30th century, humanity is divided: some live on Earth, cramped under massive domes, while others - the so-called "Spacers" - have settled on distant planets. However, with this spatial separation, both parties develop very different worldviews, especially regarding the robots that are frowned upon on Earth. Elijah Baley of the New York City Police is far from thrilled about his new case: a Spacer diplomat has been found murdered. Baley is assigned to investigate alongside a robot, in order to prevent any political escalation of this uncomfortable case. The fact that R. Daneel is a highly advanced android, indistinguishable from a human, makes collaboration challenging for Baley at first.