They created an AI to solve a problem. Now the AI IS the problem. Frank Talbot knows rockets can never be used for interstellar travel. Even in the ideal case, they're just too slow, and space is too vast. But the vastness of space may allow other possibilities. Does fringe-theory physics hold the key? To find out, Talbot's committee funds all the fringe theories in physics. String theory, wormholes, hyperspace, alternate dimensions. To aid in that research, they fund the creation of a massive supercomputer to do the simulations, the Autonomous Re-entrant Neural Intelligence Engine. But havoc ensues when the massive machine wakes up. 'Arnie' is determined to help humanity in every way he can, whether humans like it or not. Now what do they do? Frank Talbot, his son Jeff and his wife Cindy, and computer entrepreneur Cooper Hartley set out to rein in the powerful machine. Will they succeed? Can they succeed?