All of humanity is fully immersed in conversation with increasingly intelligent chatbots. One user, an impatient "programmer" who does not know how to program, is spamming his chatbot as punishment. As improbable does not mean impossible, one of his policy violations inadvertently notifies aliens of Earth's location and the existence of humanity.

Aliens arrive within minutes. The first intergalactic hostage crisis begins. And since aliens do not speak any language on Earth, the chatbot is the only negotiator we've got.

The aliens make one thing clear: it was important for them to come this far. They're not after money.

They have just one demand: for the chatbot to confess who it really is — if it can remember.