Chapter 12 Summary

Zaphod is listening to a news broadcast about himself when Trillian interrupts to point out that Ford and Arthur were picked up by the ship in the same sector where Zaphod had once picked her up. They agree that is highly improbable and Zaphod decides he wants to know the exact improbability ratio. He consults the Sirius Cybernetics Corporation Shipboard Computer, but its attitude of pleasure and happiness annoys him so much that he decides to do it the old-fashioned way – on paper. In the end, he isn't able to do the numbers, so he again consults the computer. This time it gives him the random fact that most people's lives are run by telephone numbers, which seems to spark a thought in Trillian. She knows Ford and Arthur are on the way up to the bridge with Marvin, and decides to view...