Beneath a factory floor lives an orphaned girl named Veda. Watched over by the diligent Assembly, a robot that works the production line, Veda discovers a unique power-she can speak to machines! Under the tutelage of Assembly, she learns the three laws of the machines . . . But it's the unspoken secret fourth law-avoid the Gremlin-that piques young Veda's interest and leads her down a dangerous and compromising path on a journey of self-discovery.