Chapter 1: Babel-17
* Summary: The story introduces Dr. Richard Ames, a linguist tasked with analyzing a mysterious language called Babel-17, which is incapacitating Earth's pilots and compromising their missions. Ames suspects the language is being used as a weapon.
* Example: Ames examines a transmission from a downed fighter pilot, filled with incoherent gibberish that seems to defy translation.
Chapter 2: The Rosetta Connection
* Summary: Ames travels to the Rosetta Base to enlist the help of the renowned linguist Dr. Janet Baines. Together, they delve into the complexities of Babel-17, noting its strange symbols and unusual grammar.
* Example: Ames and Baines encounter a hieroglyphic-like symbol that seems to represent the concept of "time reversal," suggesting the language's ability to manipulate perception.
Chapter 3: The Man from Cockaigne
* Summary: Ames and Baines investigate a downed alien spaceship and discover a seemingly harmless creature called the Wasp. The Wasp communicates in Babel-17, providing Ames with valuable insights into the language's true nature.
* Example: The Wasp explains that Babel-17 is a "rainbow language" that can change its meaning depending on the speaker's perspective, making it a formidable weapon in the hands of the enemy.
Chapter 4: The Embassy
* Summary: Ames and Baines visit the Gorean Embassy, where they encounter Ambassador Korah and his assistant, Anya. Korah reveals that the enemy, known as the Centaurians, are masterminds of genetic engineering and have created Babel-17 as a psychological weapon.
* Example: Anya, a trained Babel-17 speaker, demonstrates the language's power by inducing hallucinations and altering memories.
Chapter 5: The Man from Babel
* Summary: Ames and Baines travel to Babel, the planet of the Centaurians, hoping to find a way to neutralize Babel-17. They encounter Dr. Kurt Lindstrom, a rogue scientist who has defected from the Centaurians.
* Example: Lindstrom explains that Babel-17 is not a language but a virus that infects the brain and alters its neural pathways.
Chapter 6: The Final Battle
* Summary: The Earth forces launch a counterattack against the Centaurians, using a device created by Ames and Lindstrom that can decode and neutralize Babel-17. Ames confronts Ambassador Korah in a battle of wits, using the decoded language to expose his treachery.
* Example: Ames uses Babel-17 to order Korah to surrender, causing him to experience an overwhelming sense of guilt and remorse.
