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　pep　you　up　for　the　landing；〃　he　said。　

Stoic；　Shevek　swallowed　the　thing。　The　doctor　fussed　with　his　medical　kit　and　suddenly　began　to　speak　very　fast：　〃Dr。　Shevek；　I　don't　expect　I'll　be　allowed　to　attend　you　again；　though　perhaps；　but　if　not　I　wanted　to　tell　you　that　it；　that　I；　that　it　has　been　a　great　privilege　to　me。　Not　because　—　but　because　I　have　e　to　respect　—　to　appreciate　—　that　simply　as　a　human　being；　your　kindness；　real　kindness—〃

No　more　adequate　response　occurring　to　Shevek　through　his　headache；　he　reached　out　and　took　Kimoe's　hand；　saying；　〃Then　let's　meet　again；　brother！〃　Kimoe　gave　his　hand　a　nervous　shake；　Urrasti　style；　and　hurried　out。　　After　he　was　gone　Shevek　realized　he　had　spoken　to　him　in　Pravic；　called　him　ammar；　brother；　in　a　language　Kimoe　did　not　understand。

The　wall　speaker　was　Matting　orders。　Strapped　into　the　bunk；　Shevek　listened；　feeling　hazy　and　detached。　The　sensations　of　entry　thickened　the　haze；　he　was　conscious　of　little　but　a　profound　hope　he　would　not　have　to　vomit。　　He　did　not　know　they　had　landed　when　Kimoe　came　hurrying　in　again　and　rushed　him　out　to　the　officers'　lounge。　The　viewscreen　where　Urras　had　hung　cloudcoiled　and　luminous　so　long　was　blank。　The　room　was　full　of　people。　Where　had　they　all　e　from？　He　was　surprised　and　pleased　by　his　ability　to　stand　up；　walk；　and　shake　hands。　　He　concentrated　on　that　much；　and　let　meaning　pass　him　by。　Voices；　smiles；　hands；　words；　names。　His　name　again　and　again：　Dr。　Shevek；　Dr。　Shevek。　。　。　。　Now　he　and　all　the　strangers　arouad　him　were　going　down　a　covered　ramp；　all　the　voices　very　loud；　words　echoing　off　the　walls。　The　clatter　of　voices　thinned。　A　strange　air　touched　his　face。

He　looked　up；　and　as　he　stepped　off　the　ramp　onto　the　level　ground　he　stumbled　and　nearly　fell。　He　thought　of　death；　in　that　gap　between　the　beginning　of　a　step　and　its　pletion；　and　at　the　end　of　the　step　he　stood　on　a　newearth。

A　broad；　grey　evening　was　around　him。　Blue　lights；　mistblurred；　burned　far　away　across　a　foggy　field。　The　air　on　his　face　and　hands；　in　his　nostrils　and　throat　and　lungs；　was　cool；　damp；　manyscented；　mild。　It　was　not　strange。　It　was　the　air　of　the　world　from　which　his　race　had　e；　it　was　the　air　of　home。

Someone　had　taken　his　arm　when　he　stumbled。　Lights　flashed　on　him。　Photographers　were　filming　the　scene　for　the　news：　The　First　Man　from　the　Moon：　a　tall；　frail　figure　in　a　crowd　of　dignitaries　and　professors　and　security　agents；　the　fine　shaggy　head　held　very　erect　（so　that　the　photographers　could　catch　every　feature）　as　if　he　were　trying　to　look　above　the　floodlights　into　the　sky。　the　broad　sky　of　fog　that　hid　the　stars；　the　Moon；　all　other　worlds。　Journalists　tried　to　crowd　through　the　rings　of　policemen：　〃Will　you　give　us　a　statement。　Dr。　Shevek；　in　this　historic　moment？〃　They　were　forced　back　again　at　once。　The　men　around　him　urged　him　forward。　He　was　borne　off　to　the　waiting　limousine；　eminently　photographable　to　the　last　because　of　his　height；　his　long　hair；　and　the　strange　look　of　grief　and　recognition　on　his　face。

The　towers　of　the　city　went　up　into　mist；　great　ladders　of　blurred　light。　Trains　passed　overhead；　bright　shrieking　streaks。　Massive　walls　of　stone　and　glass　fronted　the　streets　above　the　race　of　cars　and　trolleys。　Stone；　steel；　glass；　electric　light。　　No　faces。

〃This　is　Nio　Esseia；　Dr。　Shevek。　But　it　was　decided　it　would　be　better　to　keep　you　out　of　the　city　crowds　just　at　first。　We're　going　straight　on　to　the　University。〃

There　were　five　men　with　him　in　the　dark；　softly　padded　body　of　the　car。　They　pointed　out　landmarks；　but　in　the　fog　he　could　not　tell　which　great　vague；　fleeting　building　was　the　High　Court　and　which　the　National　Museum；　which　the　Directorate　and　which　the　Senate。　They　crossed　a　river　or　estuary；　the　million　lights　of　Nio　Esseia；　fogdiffused；　trembled　on　dark　water；　behind　them。　The　road　darkened；　the　fog　thickened；　the　driver　slowed　the　vehicle's　pace。　Its　lights　shone　on　the　mist　ahead　as　if　on　a　wall　that　kept　retreating　before　them。　Shevek　sat　leaning　forward　a　little；　gazing　out。　His　eyes　were　not　focused；　nor　was　his　mind；　but　he　looked　aloof　and　grave；　and　the　other　men　talked　quietly；　respecting　his　silence。

What　was　the　thicker　darkness　that　flowed　along　endlessly　by　the　road？　Trees？　Could　they　have　been　driving；　ever　since　they　left　the　city；　among　trees？　The　lotic　word　came　into　his　mind：　〃forest〃　They　would　not　e　out　suddenly　into　the　desert。　The　trees　went　on　and　on；　on　the　next　hillside　and　the　next　and　the　next　standing　in　the　sweet　chul　of　the　fog；　endless；　a　forest　all　over　the　world；　a　still　striving　interplay　of　lives；　a　dark　movement　of　leaves　in　the　night。　Then　as　Shevek　sat　marveling　as　the　car　came　up　out　of　the　fog　of　the　river　valley　into　clearer　air；　there　looked　at　him　from　the　darkness　under　the　roadside　foliage；　for　one　instant；　a　face。

It　was　not　like　any　human　face。　It　was　as　long　as　his　arm。　and　ghastly　white。　Breath　jetted　in　vapor　from　what　must　be　nostrils；　and　terrible；　unmistakable；　there　was　an　eye。　A　large；　dark　eye；　mournful；　perhpas　cynical？　gone　in　the　flash　of　the　car's　lights。

〃What　was　that？〃

〃Donkey；　wasn't　it？〃

〃An　animal？〃

〃Yes；　an　animal。　By　God；　that's　right！　You　have　no　large　animals　on　Anarres；　have　you？〃

〃A　donkey's　a　kind　of　horse。〃　said　another　of　the　men；　and　another；　in　a　firm；　elderly　voice；　〃That　was　a　horse。　Donkeys　don't　e　that　size。〃　They　wanted　to　talk　with　him；　but　Shevek　was　not　listening　again。　He　was　thinking　of　Takver。　He　wondered　what　that　deep；　dry；　dark　gaze　out　of　the　darkness　would　have　meant　to　Takver。　She　had　always　known　that　all　lives　are　in　mon；　rejoicing　in　her　kinship　to　the　fish　in　the　tanks　of　her　laboratories；　seeking　the　experience　of　existences　outside　the　human　boundary。　Takver　would　have　known　how　to　look　back　at　that
eye　in　the　darkness　under　the　trees。

〃There's　leu　Eun　ahead。　There's　quite　a　crowd　waiting　to　meet　you。　Dr。　Shevek；　the　President；　and　several　Directors；　and　the　Chancellor；　of　course；　all　kinds　of　bigwigs。　But　if　you're　tired　we'll　get　the　amenities　over　with　as　soon　as　possible。〃

The　amenities　lasted　several　hours。　He　never　could　remember　them　clearly　afterward。　He　was　propelled　from　the　small　dark　box　of　the　car　into　a　huge　bright　box　full　of　people　—　hundreds　of　people；　under　a　golden　ceiling　hung　with　crystal　lights。　He　was　introduced　to　all　the　people。　They　were　all　shorter　than　he　was；　and　bald。　The　few　women　there　were　bald　even　on　their　heads；　he　realized　at　last　that　they　must　shave　off　all　their　hair；　the　very　fine；　soft；　short　body　hair　of　his　race；　and　the　head　hair　as　well。　But　they　replaced　it　with　marvelous　clothing；　geous　in　cut　and　color；　the　women　in　full　gowns　that　swept　the　floor；　their　breasts　bare；　their　waists　and　necks　and　heads　adorned　with　jewelry　and　lace　and　gauze；　the　men　in　trousers　and　coats　or　tunics　of　red；　blue；　violet；　gold；　green；　with　slashed　sleeves　and　cascades　of　lace；　or　long　gowns　of　crimson　or　dark　green　or　black　that　parted　at　the　knee　to　show　the　white　stockings；　silvergartered。　Another　lotic　word　floated　into　Shevek's　head；　one　he　had　never　had　a　reference　for；　though　he　liked　the　sound　of　it：　〃splendor。〃　　These　people　had　splendor。　Speeches　were　made。　The　President　of　the　Senate　of　the　Nation　of　AIo；　a　man　with　strange；　cold　eyes；　proposed　a　toast：　〃To　the　hew　era　of　brotherhood　between　the　Twin　Plas；　and　to　the　harbinger　of　that　new　era；　our　distinguished　and　most　wele　guest。　Dr。　Shevek　of　Anarres！〃　The　Chancellor　of　the　University　talked　to　him　charmingly；　the　First　Director　of　the　nation　talked　to　him　seriously；　he　was　introduced　to　ambassadors；　astronauts；　physicists；　politicians；　dozens　of　people；　all　of　whom　had　long　titles　and　honorifics　both　before　and　after　their　names；　and　they　talked　to　him；　and　he　answered　them；　but　he　had　no　memory　later　of　what　anyone　had　said；　least　of　all　himself。　Very　late　at　night　he　found　himself　with　a　small　group　of　men　walking　in　the　warm　rain　across　a　large　park　or　Square。　There　was　the　springy　feeling　of　live　grass　underfoot；　he　recognized　it　from　having　walked　in　the　Triangle　Park　in　Abbenay。　That　vivid　memory　and　the　cool　vast　touch　of　the　night　wind　awakened　him。