In the future, on the planet Libra, two male humans, Pugh and Martin, wait for a ship to land. From the ship’s hatch come five young men and five young women, all with the same face: they are a tendone of clones, all created from and called John Chow. Clone teams – like this tendone – are likely to solve problems identically and don’t need to explain themselves to each other, facilitating teamwork. They are made from the “best human material.” Pugh and Martin have discovered a uranium mine. They show the tendone the mine. In five days, the Johns are set up and opening the mine. Two stay back to work on math and paperwork, which leads to conversations about identity and differences between them and Pugh and Martin. One day, five large quakes occur while the Johns are working. When Pugh and Martin get to the mine, they realize it has collapsed. Only one had survived: Kaph. He is in deep shock, and starts dying their nine deaths one by one. Kaph recovers slowly, eating a little more and helping with tasks occasionally. Pugh and Martin teach him manners such as saying goodnight, but he does not understand because in his tendone he had never said it: it would be like saying goodnight to one’s self. The day before Pugh and Martin are due to leave, Martin leaves for one more trip to the fault line, when an earthquake strikes. Pugh leaves in a hurry to check on him. Communication is lost with Kaph in the ship, but they both ultimately make it back safely. As they are all getting ready for bed, Pugh invites Kaph to come with he and Martin on their next mission. Pugh tells him good night, but does not hear Kaph answer him.