<P> The Bistromath arrives too late at the gate to stop the robots, so its occupants transport to the planet to attempt to negotiate with the Krikkit people . To their surprise, they find that the people seem to lack any desire to continue the war, and are directed to the robot and spaceship facilities in orbit about the planet . With Zaphod and Marvin's help, the group is able to infiltrate the facilities . Trillian deduces that the Krikkiters have been manipulated, reasoning that the people of Krikkit could not simultaneously be smart enough to develop their ultimate weapon--a bomb that could destroy every star in the universe--while also being stupid enough not to realise that this weapon would also destroy them . </P> <P> The characters discover that the true force behind the war has been the supercomputer Hactar . Previously built to serve a war - faring species, Hactar was tasked to build a supernova - bomb that would link the cores of every sun in the Universe together at the press of a button and cause the end of the Universe . Hactar purposely created a dud version of the weapon instead, causing his creators to pulverise him into dust, which thus became the dust cloud around Krikkit . However, Hactar was still able to function, though at a much weaker level . Trillian and Arthur speak to Hactar in a virtual space that he creates for them to explain himself . Hactar reveals that he spent eons creating the spaceship that crashed on Krikkit to inspire their xenophobia and incite them to go to war, also influencing their thoughts . However, when the Slo - Time envelope was activated, his control on the population waned . As he struggles to remain functional, Hactar apologises to Trillian and Arthur for his actions before they leave for their ship . </P> <P> With the war over, the group collects the core of the Heart of Gold and the Ashes, the only two components of the Wikkit Gate not destroyed by the robots, and returns Zaphod and Marvin to the Heart of Gold . Returning only moments after the robots' attack at the Lord's Cricket Grounds, Arthur attempts to return the Ashes, but is suddenly inspired to bowl one shot at a wicket that is being defended using a cricket ball in his bag . However, in mid-throw, Arthur suddenly realises that the ball he had was created and placed in his bag by Hactar and is actually the working version of the cosmic - supernova - bomb, and that the defender of the wicket is one of the Krikkit robots, ready to detonate the bomb once thrown, all this causing him to trip, miss the ground, and allow him to fly . Arthur is able to throw the ball aside and disable the robot in mid-swoop . </P> <P> In the epilogue the characters are taking Arthur to a' quiet and idyllic planet' when they come across a half - mad journalist . He tells them that he was at a court case and a witness there was given too much of a truth drug and started to tell all truth, which was driving everybody there mad . They go to the courtroom in the hope of learning the question of Life, the Universe and Everything from him . They discover he is finished (there was little truth to tell) and he has forgotten it all, except that knowledge of the Ultimate Question and Ultimate Answer is mutually exclusive . He then attempts to tell Arthur where God's last message to His creation is, though dies seemingly before Arthur is able to memorise the location . </P>

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