James, an IT consultant engaged in upgrading the computer system of the Brain Imaging Institute at Cambridge, discovers something strange in the institute's server - a number of encrypted titles of books. But before he can investigate further the institute's director is dismissed for appropriating institute funds to acquire a large quantity of beryllium fluoride from Russia for his own obscure ends. He disappears. Since James' company is engaged in nanotechnological research involving this substance he is more than a little curious to know what the director has been up to. A visit to the local library in order to track down one of the encrypted titles - "Christina's Book" - leads to an initial dead-end: no such book exists, although the title appears as an otherwise blank catalogue entry under the director's name. What does it refer to? James will finally discover - but only after a massive solar storm has undermined the intended results of an extraordinary clandestine experiment...