In the distant future, humans live in a computer-aided society and have forgotten the fundamentals of
mathematics, including even the rudimentary skill of
counting.
The Terrestrial Federation is at war with
Deneb, and the war is conducted by long-range weapons controlled by
computers which are expensive and hard to replace. Myron Aub, a low grade Technician, discovers how to
reverse-engineer the principles of pencil-and-paper arithmetic from computers—a development which is later dubbed "Graphitics". The discovery is appropriated by the
military establishment, who use it to re-invent their understanding of mathematics. They also plan to replace their computer-operated ships with lower cost, more expendable (in their opinion) manned
ships to continue the war.
Aub is so upset by the
appropriation of his discovery for military purposes that he commits
suicide. As Aub's funeral proceeds, his
supervisor realizes that even with Aub dead, the advancement of Graphitics is unstoppable. He executes simple
multiplications in his mind, which gives him a great feeling of
power.
