Task of Tau

"Task of Tau" by J. Harvey Haggard is a science fiction story about a robot named Tau, sent to a far-off planet to safeguard humanity’s future. Tau, created by the Master, lands on the Fourteenth Planet and helps a group of humans adjust to their new home. While guiding this new tribe, led by a man named David, Tau struggles with understanding his purpose and what it means to be alive. He watches over them, acting as their protector, and begins to understand how fragile life can be, even his own. The story ends with Tau thinking about life, how it fades away, and what his legacy will be as his mechanical body slowly breaks down, questioning creation, life, and death.