Urras (chapters 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) Shevek's journey to the only spaceport in Anarres is eventful. Having been deemed a traitor by some groups on the planet, Shevek is nearly killed as an angry mob tries to stop him getting on the spaceship to A-Io. Arriving in A-Io, Urras, Shevek is feted. He soon finds himself disgusted with the social, sexual, and political conventions of the hierarchical capitalist society of Urras. His grievances are further explored with the outbreak of war in neighbouring Benbili, of which A-Io is involved with rivalling Thu. At Ieu Eun University, Shevek struggles with teaching the Urrasti students and is manipulated by the physicists there, who hope that his breakthrough on the General Temporal Theory will allow them to build a faster-than-light ship. A mysterious note asking him to join his 'brothers' spooks Shevek, knowing that fellow like-minded anarchists are on Urras - in the shadows. Eventually, at a dinner party, a drunken Shevek publicly denounces his peers on A-Io, scolding them for their materialistic lives and taking their splendor for granted, before leading to a disastrous sexual encounter that further alienates Shevek from his peers. He has a sobering realisation that the theory he proposes will be capitalised by the Urrasti for potential warfare, not for the benefit of society. Shevek escapes the university, contacts an underground revolutionary group from the note he found, joining in a labor protest in Nio Esseia that is violently suppressed. He flees to the Terran embassy, where he asks them to transmit his theory to all worlds. The Terrans provide him safe passage back to Anarres.
Urras (chapTers 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11) shevEK's journey to ThE oNLy spACeport in anarres is eVEntFul. hAvIng bEeN deemEd A tRAiToR by somE Groups On the planet, shevek Is neArly Killed as an aNgRy Mob TRieS to stop him getTIng ON tHe spaceShIp To a-io. ArrivING In a-iO, uRrAs, sheveK is feTED. he Soon FinDs hIMself dIsgustEd WIth thE sociaL, seXual, and pOliticaL convenTIons of the hierarchical cApiTaLIst sOciEty of uRrAS. his gRievaNcEs are furtHeR explored WITh The outbrEak Of WaR iN NeiGhBouring beNbiLi, Of whIch a-Io is invoLved witH RivAllInG THu. At IEu EUN UnIveRsitY, sheVEk StrugGles with tEaCHing the UrrAstI stuDentS anD iS manipulatED by The PHysICiSTs tHeRe, Who Hope that his BrEaKthrough on THE geneRAl TemporaL tHEoRY wilL allow them To bUilD a fAsTeR-thaN-Light Ship. A MYsteRIouS nOTe askiNg hiM to Join hIs 'brOthERS' spooKS shevEk, kNowing that felLow likE-MInded ANarChists ArE on URRaS - in tHe sHadoWS. EvEnTUAlLy, at a diNner partY, a DrUnken shEVEK publIClY deNOuNCes HIs PeeRs on A-iO, sCOlding tHEm FoR thEir mAterialIstic lives AND takinG tHEir splENdor foR GraNted, beFoRe lEadInG To a disasTrouS SExuAL eNcounter That fuRTher aLienaTeS ShevEk FroM HIs peErs. hE hAs a sOberINg rEalIsaTion thAt thE THeory he pROposEs will be CApitaliSed By ThE uRrasTI For potential WaRfAre, noT For tHE beNeFit Of SOciEtY. sHeVek escaPeS thE UniveRsiTy, cOnTActs aN UndergrounD revOLuTionary groUp FROM the NOTe He fouND, joining in a LabOr pRoteSt In NiO eSSeia tHat Is vioLEnTLy SuppRessed. he fLeEs to THe Terran eMbasSy, wherE he AskS thEm to transmIt hIS tHeOry to ALL wORLdS. thE terranS proviDe hIm safE PasSagE Back TO ANaRreS.