After the Butlerian attack on his laboratory, Ptolemy leaves behind the smoldering ruins of his home and research facility. He decides not to correct his family’s belief that he died in the violence, because the destruction of his work and the murder of his partner have destroyed his former faith in reasoned society.

Ptolemy reflects that he once dismissed the Butlerians as ignorant mobs whose superstition could be overcome by knowledge and logic. The attack proves to him that rational argument is useless against fanatical violence, and his grief hardens into a vow to use his intellect not for detached research but for vengeance against Manford Torondo and the Butlerian movement.

Using the last of his laboratory funds and misappropriating additional research money from the Zenith Council, Ptolemy books passage to Kolhar, the headquarters of Venport Holdings. He believes Directeur Venport, who openly challenged Manford at the Landsraad, will understand both his skills and his desire to resist antitechnology extremism.

On Kolhar, Ptolemy finds VenHold in intense activity, with ships gathered and supplied for an undisclosed mission. After five days of persistence, Ptolemy presents his credentials through multiple underlings and finally reaches Cioba Venport, whose judgment and perception gain him an audience with the Directeur.

In Venport’s office, Ptolemy tearfully recounts his meeting with Manford, his offer to provide prosthetic legs, and the Butlerians’ answer: the destruction of his lab and the death of his partner. Ptolemy offers his services to defend civilization, and Venport, after a silent exchange with Cioba, welcomes him to VenHold. Venport promises him access to a secret research facility on an uncharted planet, where scientists can work freely with vast resources against Butlerian ignorance, and Ptolemy accepts with relief.