Note: Contento reports that this is a fix-up novel based on:

• Asylum
• Research Alpha
• The Proxy Intelligence

There is no evidence of this in the DAW publications. The copyright page just states “Copyright ©, 1977, by A. E. van Vogt.” The story is divided into three sections that may map to the original stories.

• Page 11 (chapter II) says “Begin I.Q. Rehabilitation.”
• Page 63 (end of chapter XI) says “First Stage I.Q. 10,000 Rehabilitation Completed. Begin Second Stage.”
• Page 111 (end of chapter XXII) says “Second Stage I.Q. 10,000 Rehabilitation Completed. Begin Final Stage!”
• Page 173 (end of chapter XXXVII) says “All Ability Channels Open. All 143 perceptions at maximum. I.Q. 10,000 Rehabilitation Completed.”

Chapters I to XXII and the Epilogue consist of both the 1942 story "Asylum" and the 1968 story "The Proxy Intelligence", modified slightly to refer to the laboratory and characters from the 1965 story "Research Alpha". Chapters XXIII to XXXVI consist of the 1965 story "Research Alpha", changed slightly to refer to William Leigh and the Dreegs of the "Asylum" story. The Prologue and the last Chapter XXXVII have been added.