What Inhabits Me?

"What Inhabits Me?" by Robert Moore Williams is a science fiction novel written in the early 1950s. The story revolves around the return of the deep-space ship, the Andromeda, after twenty years of absence, and it explores themes of loneliness, ambition, and the encounter with an alien race that possesses a dark secret. The narrative is set primarily within Pluto Station, a remote outpost on the edge of the Solar System, where scientists and military personnel await the ship's return with both excitement and trepidation. As the Andromeda arrives back after two decades, the crew appears healthy and spirited, but old resident Adam March senses something sinister aboard the ship. As curiosity and celebration ensue, suspicion grows about the true nature of the Andromeda's crew; it becomes evident that the crew is under the control of a mysterious alien entity known as Filo of the Sorodromes, who possesses the power of immortality. March, once a ship designer, now a janitor, recalls critical knowledge about the spacecraft that could save his companions. Alongside scientist Craig Randall and his love interest Mary Kirkham, he uncovers the alien threat and ultimately sacrifices the ship to prevent the Sorodromes from infiltrating the Solar System, revealing deeper layers of human resilience, sacrifice, and the cost of immortality.