R0Q-T357-Alpha (callsign: Rock) is a "Core Child," an irredeemably-crippled test tube baby modified and repurposed by an advanced U.S. military project to serve as the CPU for two-thirds of America's orbital defense systems. Though no one outside of the Pentagon has ever heard of him, he protected his homeland from three ICBMs, a Pacific theatre invasion fleet, and one rogue asteroid. Now, after twenty-seven years of distinguished service from "birth," he is being honorably discharged into civilian life. The only problem is that "civilian life" isn't exactly livable for a glorified brain in a jar. How does a couple pounds of grey matter surrounded by five tons of life support systems and enough co-processing enhancements to take over the planet enjoy an early retirement when he's surrounded by overzealous politicians, corporate spies, and foreign agents after military secrets? The real world isn't that forgiving.