Lilith awakens to the sound of Nikanj and Kahguyaht speaking. Nikanj tells Kahguyaht to go since Lilith is regaining consciousness. Lilith is sore, but not in great pain. Nikanj tells her to be still, as she is healing.

Nikanj says that it did not know that Paul would behave the way he did. Lilith answers that keeping Paul away from human women prevented him from maturing. Nikanj replies, “It wasn’t necessary. His family took care of him” (97). Lilith feels hopeless about being able to truly communicate with Nikanj, that it is too alien from herself.

Nikanj tells Lilith that Paul’s Oankali family had expected her to “share sex” with Paul at least once. Lilith asks if they expected her to become pregnant as well, but Nikanj says that she has been made temporarily unable to conceive. When she is ready, at a time of her own choosing, that contraception will be undone. Lilith asks if it’s true that Paul’s genetic material was used to create 70 human children. Nikanj says it is, that Paul’s Oankali people, the Toaht, needed more humans to “trade” with since their people would stay aboard the ship.

Lilith asks if her genetic material has been used also; Nikanj says it has not.