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Shortly after returning from the Asteroid Belt, David "Lucky" Starr learns that there is trouble on Venus. His Science Academy roommate Lou Evans had been sent to investigate, but the Council of Science office on Venus has requested that he be recalled and investigated for corruption.
As Starr and John Bigman Jones are being shuttled down to Venus, their pilots suffer an episode of paralysis, and Starr is barely able to keep their craft from smashing itself against the surface of the Venusian ocean. Afterwards, the pilots have no memory of the event.
Upon reaching the Venusian dome city of Aphrodite, Starr and Bigman meet Dr. Mel Morriss, head of the Council of Science on Venus. He explains that Venusian scientists are perfecting strains of yeast that can be processed into luxury foods for export. However, for six months there has been a growing series of incidents of bizarre behavior among the human colonists, like the episode Starr's pilots experienced. Morriss believes they are being telepathically controlled by an unknown enemy. Evans was sent to Venus to investigate, but he has been found with stolen data concerning a secret strain of yeast, and is under arrest. When Starr confronts him, Evans admits to having stolen the data, but refuses to say why. While Starr is still questioning him, word reaches them that a man is threatening to open an outside airlock, which will allow the ocean to flood Aphrodite.
Starr, Bigman, and Morriss go to the airlock to deal with the crisis, where they meet the city's chief engineer, Lyman Turner. Turner is the inventor and owner of the only laptop computer in the Galaxy, which he carries with him everywhere he goes. While Bigman makes his way through the ventilation ducts to cut power to the airlock door, Starr realizes that the airlock crisis is a feint. He races back to Council headquarters, but is too late: Evans has escaped custody and left Aphrodite in a submarine.
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