Utopia takes place five years into the reign of Alvar Kresh as the governor of Inferno, who is now married to roboticist Fredda Leving.

The issue is complicated by the fact that the plan calls for the comet to land essentially on top of the new law robot city of Valhalla.

Dee confirms that Davlo's plan, if successful, stands a good chance of repairing Inferno's ecology.

As the impact approaches, Simcor Beddle and Jadelo Gildern develop a plan to use a burrowing bomb, normally used for geological surveys, to destroy Valhalla before the new law robots have time to finish evacuating.

On the way there though, Simcor's aircar is attacked, his robots killed, and a demand, to stop the comet and deliver money into a bank account or Beddle will die, is written on the door.

He contacts robots in the area, who begin performing a search, and tells Dee that she is being lied to about the simulation.

While flying there, Caliban sends out a hyperwave message to tell the other robots that are searching to go back and that the situation is under control.