The spaceship is the Halo Genera. Its occupants, which include four humans, two bio-engineered synthetics, and an obstreperous robotic assistant named Larry, represent mankind's last-ditch, desperate but bold attempt to save the human race from extinction. Their destination: Despond 5, a planet light-years away from what was once home. But, as so often happens when manned spaceflight is matched with cutting-edge exploration, things don't go according...