- Ben finds Otto in Techno World, but they are tracked by Spy Boy. Katherine speaks to Betti and tells Veronica, in code, that Ben is still alive. Otto tells Ben the purpose of the Reading Room.
- Ben and Katherine form a plan. Since Betti is on the prowl for Katherine and thinks Ben is dead, Ben will go looking for Otto and Katherine will remain in the Guardian's hut and monitor the Stave. Francis Zapmeister also has a mission - to interrogate the various Mrs Daweses about the Reading Room.
In Techno World, things have changed. A town meeting is being held, led by Mrs Dunkly and Enforcement Officer Garcia, extolling the virtues of the new, more peaceful Werrinup. A few voices ask why so many citizens have disappeared, but nobody really cares to listen. Moving through the crowd at the meeting is Otto, who is being stalked by Spy Boy. Una spreads the word via the Franciscam and Ben arrives shortly after. He loses sight of Otto when the townspeople recognise him as the hero who conquered the Krellicks and drag him up on stage. Ben eventually manages to track Otto down, where Otto explains that he'd seen Spy Boy outside Ben's house and decided to lead him away' He came to the blandished Techno World figuring Betti wouldn't look for him here. Before Ben can ask about the Reading Room, Otto heads off, leaving Ben with a cryptic clue about where they can meet later.
Betti contacts Katherine, eager to get her niece onside. Betti outlines her plans for creating peaceful, harmonious worlds, and for a moment Katherine believes that Betti may have a logical plan and that her ideas may have some merit. Melinda quickly points out that Betti's ideas would lead to the death of individuality in the Parallax and Katherine denies she faltered. When Betti calls again Katherine demands to talk to Veronica. Katherine, choosing her words carefully, manages to convey to her mother that Ben is alive and that they are working on the message in her pots. Fortunately, Betti doesn't realise what has been said.
Ben solves Otto's riddle, which leads him to the top floor of a skyscraper. The janitor of the skyscraper is the local Mrs Dawes, which suggests there is a portal close by. Ben meets up with Otto, but Spy Boy has followed him. They overcome him with the aid of a plate full of scrambled eggs and force him to surrender. To get this threat out of the way Otto announces that he'll be escorting him to a far corner of the Parallax. As they are leaving, Ben asks Otto about the Reading Room. At the same moment, Francis finds out the answer from Katherine's Mrs Dawes...
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