Killer robots are rampaging across Kaldor City, and in the confusion, Uvanov and Iago have little time to ponder Carnell’s cryptic final message that they’re all being manipulated by some mysterious force older than humanity itself. On Uvanov’s orders, Cotton sends a squad of company security guards to secure Kaldor City Broadcasting and destroy all but two of the killer robots, while Justina holds down the fort at Uvanov’s private compound. Not all of the robots have become killers, as Taren Capel’s upgrades were carried out ten years ago, and other upgrades carried out in the intervening time have corrupted or cancelled out his previous instructions. Nevertheless, enough killer robots remain to pose a serious threat. Iago therefore edits together a new command from the surviving records of Taren Capel’s voice, modifies a killer robot’s secondary command channel, and broadcasts a command in Taren Capel’s voice ordering all killer robots to cease their rampage immediately. The instruction is picked up and broadcast to all robots who received the original instructions, and soon the rampage of killer robots is over. Now Uvanov must think up a cover story before Landerchild arranges for the board to pass a vote of no confidence in his leadership.

Blayes is becoming concerned about Paulus, who claims to be communing with Taren Capel’s spirit through the blank records that they stole from company central. Paulus pacifies her by claiming that he’s only speaking metaphorically -- but in fact, something is whispering to him from the static of the recordings and telling him what to do next. Paulus thus addresses the Tarenists, shows them the skull they acquired on the raid, and confirms that it is the skull of Taren Capel; however, he also claims that it’s proof that Taren Capel has transcended the limitations of the flesh to become a spiritual being. When the Tarenists perform “the ritual of twelve,” Capel will be reborn in a new host body to strike down the forces of evil. Even as Paulus speaks, Justina has slipped into a confused, dream-like state and is trying to leave Uvanov’s compound. She is prevented from leaving by Uvanov’s personal guard staff, and the force within Taren Capel’s skull therefore takes direct action, drawing on Paulus’ own mental energy to project slithering, snake-like creatures into the compound. Uvanov’s security guards are slaughtered, and Justina walks out amidst the chaos.

By the time company security responds to the alert at Uvanov’s compound, Justina is gone and Uvanov’s personal guards are all dead. The unnaturally rapid decomposition of their bodies suggests that the Tarenists have some terrible new weapon at their disposal. However, Uvanov is more concerned with the coming board meeting, especially when anchorman Daniel Packard, who was himself attacked by one of the killer robots, snaps in mid-broadcast and announces to the world that he’s been feeding them lies and propaganda for years. Iago covers by claiming that Packard and his producer were Tarenist sympathisers, and has Packard locked up and the producer killed. He also outs Blayes as the leader of the recent Tarenist attacks, and Blayes decides to flee, leaving Paulus and the Tarenists to their madness. Meanwhile, Landerchild discusses the situation with Cotton, but decides to wait until Uvanov is discredited before acting against him. In the meantime, Cotton visits Stenton Rull in hospital, but Rull has been considering recent events and has deduced that Cotton is working for Landerchild. Cotton tries to kill Rull, but Rull has smuggled a gun into the hospital with him, and he kills Cotton instead.

Justina walks through the Sewerpits to the Tarenists’ meeting hall, easily disposing of the rapists and murderers who confront her in the streets. The Tarenists gather about a pentagram as instructed, but none are prepared for what happens next. Paulus watches in horror as his followers are transformed into nothing more than food for the newborn creature: not Taren Capel, but the Fendahl, which once survived being dropped in the heart of a supernova and has grown stronger from it.

Shortly before the board meeting, Landerchild receives a mysterious package, and when he peruses its contents he discovers that it contains evidence, supplied by Carnell, that Uvanov is behind the recent Tarenist outrages. Landerchild presents his findings to the board, and calls for Uvanov to be ousted from office and placed under arrest for his crimes. Uvanov, however, then presents the board with a similar folder, also supplied by Carnell, containing evidence that it is Landerchild who has been funding the Tarenists. The board must decide whether to believe one, the other, both, or neither; are Uvanov and Landerchild guilty of appalling crimes, or is Carnell lying?