Persephone is a planet racked by class struggle and economic and political upheaval. Celinde Fortune is an entertainer - an illusionist who makes good money but plays the Empire Theatre, a venue that also books socially controversial bands who attract bomb threats. When she combines two advanced computer chips in a new way in order to sophisticate her act, the resulting form of computer life seems awfully like a true artificial intelligence. And this is beyond controversial - it could get her killed.