Act 2, Scene 12 Summary

The setting is the Translation Center. Offstage, sounds of a party can be heard, as Maria stands at her desk, sobbing. Ballas and Column are confronting her. Ballas says that he promised Gross he wouldn't slack off on his first day and then asks whom the party is for. Maria tells him, and he and Column start to leave.

Gross comes in, excitedly shouting about the new language being developed and saying to Ballas that he thought they had an agreement that there would be no new languages. Ballas tells him that ending Ptydepe doesn't mean that there will not be any new languages. He says that the issue of communication efficiency must still be addressed. He goes on to say that he clearly sees Gross having difficulty in his job. He considers it his duty to intervene, and when Gross...