In this chapter, they discuss the portrayal of planets in science fiction and how they tend to be depicted as monocultures. They also mention the lack of names for things in Star Trek and how it doesn't make sense. They then talk about the backstory and their overall enjoyment of the novel, as well as the presence of a Mimi-like character in the book. The chapter ends with the first line of the book, where Gideon Nav escapes from the house of the 9th.