Four scientists and a human cargo of thousands - They were headed toward a planet circling the far distant Tau Ceti - a ripe Eden world waiting to be plucked for the future of the human race. But three-fourths of the way through the Solar System, their ship failed: its propelling engines, three all-powerful human brains had suddenly, quite inexplicably gone mad.They were trapped in space, at the mercy of the ship, and there was only one possible solution for survival - to create a "conscious" mechanical brain able to guide them to their destination.But would there be enough time before they plunged into oblivion - for they were working with limited resources, under unbearable pressure... and against impossible odds.