"Doctor, I want to hear your theory on what's affecting the Iconians," Sparks says to Alomar. "We've got an elder and twenty to thirty kids suffering from some kind of unknown illness which coincides with our arrival. We need to figure out what the hell's going on."

Alomar gazes out the window of Ixu's small, sparsely-furnished chamber at the starlit courtyard outside. "All I can do is speculate at this point, commander."

"Could it be the decontamination filters in the transporters? Could we have been infected with something that we brought to them?"

"Sir, the environmental sensors do a full sweep of Icarus every eight hours. I know this because I review the results every day. We've been scanned and sterilized a hundred times since the start of our mission. And, for that matter, we've only been off the ship once in the last month."

"Hm. Could we have picked something up in the jungle?"

Sorensen, sitting on a hard, raised bed, replies, "I don't think it's that. Ixu said the Iconians created this planet. Why add potentially infectious diseases ?"

"It's been a long time," Alomar says. "I suppose even synthetic lifeforms could evolve into something unexpected, given enough time."

Sparks nods. "We'll consider that a possibility. But it still doesn't explain why Ixu and Ctai are unaffected."

"They are healthy adults; the initiates are children and Koshal Vail appears to be quite elderly." Alomar furrows his brow. "But it's also possible that it's not a physiological problem at all."

Sorensen leans forward. "Are you suggesting it's psychosomatic?"

"As I said, without my equipment, all I can do is speculate."

Sparks paces. "Unfortunately, use of our equipment is out of the question right now. It could be the cause of our problems here."

"Captain," Alomar says, "with all due respect, this can't have been caused by our translators. There have been no documented instances of life-forms being harmed by our translators – not a single one."

"I'm not talking about their medical problems, doctor. We've violated their taboos enough already. It's important that we try to salvage this first contact."

"I'm not sure how well it can be salvaged if their elder and children start dying," Alomar replies, testily.

"Well that may be. But for now, we can make an assessment of the situation without using our technology. If and when it's possible for us to use it, I will make that determination."

The woven curtain in the doorway slides to one side and Ctai and Ixu enter the chamber. "I have spoken to the Mathematicians," she tells them. "None are able to reach an accurate prediction of Koshal Vail and the initiates' chance of survival. There is insufficient data to make a calculation."

"Then nothing like this has happened before when your order has made contact with outsiders?" Sparks inquires.

"The Chronicle records many encounters with alien beings." Ixu quickly recites a chant under his breath. "However, there has never been a case where the visitors came with functioning technology."

"That makes sense," Sparks says. "If it wasn't for Starfleet's previous encounter with Iconian cyberweapons, our technology would be disabled as well."

Alomar approaches the Iconians. "And you have experienced no symptoms yet?"

"None." Ctai narrows her eyes. "None save a brief moment of nausea, back in the wilderness when we first encountered you. Ixu experienced it too. But it was a passing moment only, and I have not felt it since."

Alomar looks at Sparks. "Curious."

Sparks nods. To Ixu, "What about the rest of your order? Is there any sign the sickness is spreading?"

"There is not."

"Do they think we caused it?" Sorensen asks.

"That is the inescapable conclusion."

Sparks' expression is grim. "It does appear that way. Please pass on to your order that we are prepared to do anything we can to help."

"To help?" Ctai peers at him.

"Yes. If there's anything at all we can do. We understand that your customs forbid us from using our technology, but if there is anything at all we can do to help understand and cure this sickness, we will do it."

"You misunderstand," she tells him. "We do not seek to cure the sickness. It must be fully experienced."

Alomar frowns. "I thought you said they were being treated by your physicians?"

"It is not the role of a Physician to cure disease, but to allow the sick person to remain lucid so to fully experience the progression of the disease."

The doctor looks perplexed. "But surely that would cause a great deal of needless suffering."

"There is a tale in the Chronicle," Ixu says. "After Shai Kesh left the habitat-cities, she spent one hundred and seventy seven days in contemplation, at which time she came to know the true nature of things. Then she returned to her home to tell her mother what she had learned. But her discourses of profound wisdom did not move her mother at all, and she despaired. Remember that our ancestors' technology allowed them to shape the very reality they experienced. And so everything Shai Kesh said, her mother interpreted in accordance with the world she created for herself. And Shai Kesh realized that her mother never even knew that she left, and in fact that had never met their own daughter. The blind ancestors were like gods, but it is the nature of gods to become trapped in the worlds of their creation." He pauses. "In fact, some of my favourite works of art depict that scene. Shai Kesh kneeling and weeping before her mother as she sits in her bio-chair, staring aimlessly into nothingness, oblivious to her daughter's presence."

Sparks glances at Alomar and Sorensen. He replies, "I appreciate the depth of meaning in that story, but I have to say I don't fully understand its relevance to our current situation."

"Our ancestors never knew pain," the alien says. "The Apparatus allowed them to overcome all forms of suffering, and even death itself. They did not grow old or become ill. Even in the rare occasion where an accident caused them to be fatally injured, their bodies could be recreated instantly. By shunning the technology of the blind ancestors, Shai Kesh became the first Iconian to die in millennia. She taught us that it is only through fully experiencing mortality that we can truly know ourselves as emanations of the Aeon. To suffer and die is the very essence of living beings."

Ctai glances between the humans. "This troubles you."

"It does," Sparks replies. "We believe it's also the essence of living beings to try to protect the survival of their community. To try to understand the world around them for the betterment of all sentient beings."

"You're a mathematician," Sorensen says to Ctai softly. "A scientist. Doesn't it bother you that you have no idea why this is happening to them?"

"It does, Susan. I am deeply troubled. The death of this cohort of initiates would be a grievous loss to the discipline of mathematics. The passing down of the chants would be interrupted." She hesitates. "I do not believe our order has ever faced a calamity on such a scale."

There is a long silence. Then Ixu says, "But we must go. The Koshal wishes to speak to you; I am not certain how much time she has left."

"Very well," Sparks replies.

Ctai turns to Ixu. "I plan to remain, Ixu. I believe that if I work with Susan, we may be able to calculate the cause of this affliction." To Sorensen, "If you are willing."

Sorensen glances at Sparks, who gives her an approving look. "Of course," she says.

"Do you believe that we should seek to alleviate the sickness?" Ixu asks Ctai.

"Shai Kesh taught us to value knowledge above all else."

"Very well. But beware the temptation to make use of the aliens' technology."

"Of course. Technology is blindness."

Ixu glances between Ctai and the humans. "Very well. May the Aeon guide you as you seek knowledge. Come, the Koshal awaits."

Sparks leans close to Sorensen. "We'll plan to meet back here in ninety minutes. Approximately, I suppose."

"Aye, sir."

"Good luck, lieutenant. I haven't given up hope that we might be able to figure out what's going on here."

"Thanks. Yeah, I think you're right."

Ixu, Sparks, and Alomar exit the chamber. Ctai says to Sorensen, "We should go to my quarters. I will prepare a herbal drink which I find focuses my thoughts."

"Sure." She follows Ctai through the curtain into a narrow hallway, slightly curved and lit by overhead electric bulbs, with curtained doorways along both sides.

"You must find it frustrating that we will not permit the use of your technology," Ctai says as they walk.

"I mean, it could tell us things that we otherwise might not be able to find out. I understand that you're not prepared to compromise on your order's principles, though. Part of being a Starfleet officer is respecting the values of the cultures we encounter, even if we don't personally agree with them."

"Without them, we are nothing." They reach a doorway and Ctai pushes the curtain aside. Sorensen follows her in. There are woven tapestries on the wall depicting what appear to be fractal patterns. "These are beautiful," she observes.

"I wove them myself," Ctai says. She turns a switch on a small metal table and places a hand-forged kettle of water on it. "Tell me, Susan, how your universal translator technology works."

"It's a microscopic piece of cybernetic technology which causes me to hear what you say in my own language. The Iconian language is in the database – Starfleet was able to reconstruct it based on other languages in your people's former empire. Since you don't have a corresponding device, it's projecting a unidirectional audio translation of what I'm saying."

"Can you hear what you are saying to me in Iconian?" The water begins to boil, and Ctai places a ball of dark green herb in two clay cups.

"No. It's filtered out by the translator. It's hard to speak naturally otherwise."

Ctai pours the water into the cups and hands one to Sorensen. "You said it did this because I do not have a corresponding device. What would it do if I did?"

"Well, it would try to interface with it on all known channels. To try to form a link between the two devices to exchange linguistic data. All species' translation devices are built to be as universally compatible as possible – otherwise, it defeats the purpose of having one." She sips her drink and nods approvingly. "Why? Is it possible you have some kind of residual translation device? Or maybe some kind of genetic engineering?"

"I do not believe so. According to the Chronicle, when Shai Kesh left the Apparatus, she and her followers purified themselves of all biotechnological enhancement."

"That's consistent with what our tricorders picked up when we scanned you."

"And there remains the fact that I am not affected." Ctai pauses. "At least, not yet."

"Oh. Well, I'm sure we would have seen some sign of that by now."

"I appreciate you saying that, Susan."

They are silent for a long moment. Then, Ctai's tongue darts out and affixes to Sorensen's cheek.

She flinches, and Ctai quickly retracts her tongue and says urgently, "I am sorry. Have I offended you?"

"Oh. Um… no, it's fine, it's just…"

"Yes. I apologize. It had seemed an appropriate time for me to do that. I misjudged the situation."

"No, it's just… I don't really understand that gesture."

She hesitates. "It is a gesture of affection. Of intimacy."

"I see."

"If I –"

"No, it's okay, it's okay." Sorensen takes Ctai's hand. "You didn't misjudge the situation. It's just… I didn't know how to really… it's hard, with a totally different culture…"

Ctai looks down and her two tendril-like fingers curl around Susan's hand. "Our history records only a few individuals who have been intimate with aliens. It is considered a rare privilege and a profound opportunity to know the Aeon in the infinite forms it takes." She leans closer. "And I like you, Susan. Meeting you has enriched my life."

"It's enriched mine too, Ctai." Susan stares into the Iconian's pitch-black eyes. "You can… do that thing again. If you want."

"Are you certain?"

"Yeah. It's okay."

Ctai's tongue slides out again and grips Sorensen's cheek. She leans in close to the alien, putting her arm around her slender shoulders, and they sit on the hard bed at one side of the chamber.

After a moment, Ctai's tongue retracts. "I do not know how it is with your kind. What would be the next step of a typical mating ritual?"

The human smirks. "I'm sorry, it's just a bit funny the way the translator renders what you just said. But, um. The next stage. Well…" She puts her hand on Ctai's shoulder and gently takes the edge of her tunic. "We could take our clothes off. You know, if… if that's alright."

"Yes. We can do that."

Sorensen tries to unwrap Ctai's robe, then hesitates. "Um. How do I…"

"Let me. It is more complicated than it looks."

"Oh. Okay, sure." She puts her index finger the shoulder of her blue Starfleet uniform, near the collar, and runs her finger down her side. A seam opens along the path of her finger, and she disrobes.

Then she looks up at Ctai standing naked before her, and stares at the graceful curves of the alien's pale body. Her skin is milky and partially translucent, and dark grey veins can be seen underneath, pulsing slightly.

Ctai stares back at her. "At this stage in our rituals, I might tell you that you are beautiful. And you are. I have never seen one of your kind naked before, but I know."

Sorensen blushes. "I guess it's not that different. You're beautiful too, Ctai."

"In you, I see the beauty of the Aeon."

"Thank you," she whispers. She presses her body against Ctai's and puts her hand on her side.

The Iconian looks down. "But we are quite physiologically different. How do you suggest we proceed?"

"We're scientists," Sorensen replies, smiling. "We'll find a way."

Ixu leads Alomar and Sparks to the gates of the large dome at the center of the Cenobium grounds. "We are about to enter the Great Sanctum. You will need to deactivate your technology."

Sparks and Alomar activate the neural interfaces on their translators and shut them off. "Done," Sparks says. Ixu stares at him, a look of incomprehension on his face.

"Alash-kath tai mon'at," he says to them in Iconian. He turns to the ornate wooden door which towers over them and pushes it open. They follow him through a corridor lit by electric globes on the ceiling, illuminating dark stone walls engraved with glyphs depicting various astronomical phenomena. Alomar regards an intricate carving of a planet orbited by three moons.

"Aikonai," Ixu says.

"Iconia?" Sparks asks.

He does not answer, and continues to lead them through several corridors, some leading upward.

Sparks slows as he passes a detailed glyph of an enormous black hole surrounded by a ring of ionized gas and thousands of tiny stars swirling around it. "Look at this," Sparks says to Alomar in Spanish.

The doctor looks closer. Superimposed over the black hole, an Iconian skull is visible.

"I wonder if that is a depiction of the black hole at the centre of the Core?" the doctor speculates.

"I don't know," Sparks replies. "The scale could be right. Sagittarius A* is quite a distance from here. But I suppose their ancestors had mapped the entire galaxy." He pauses. "Do you hear that?"

As they walk up the gently ascending corridor, a muffled droning sound becomes audible, insistent and low. It increases in volume as they follow Ixu upwards. Then he opens a door, and they step out into a vast, open chamber.

The wide, circular space is full of Iconians chanting at a loud volume. Some stand on a raised circular platform at the center of the space, surrounded by stairs, and others kneel on the tessellated floor around the platform, which dips gently toward the center of the room like a great dish. High above, the dawn light streams through slats in the great dome arching above them, which is painted with what appear to be narrative images of Iconians in contemplation. Dark blocks sit on the raised platform in the center of the room, with young Iconians lying prone on them, and other Iconians kneeling around, their chanting lost in the din.

Ixu opens his mouth and joins the chant, the alien syllables interweaving in dizzying patterns with the complex rhythms of the chanting. He leads them onto the platform between the small, sick Iconians toward a block at the far end of the space.

On it, Koshal Vail lies on her back, her skin pallid.

Ixu walks to her side and places his hand on her shoulder, saying something in Iconian in a low voice.

Vail opens her eyes, and they focus on Sparks and Alomar. "Ctanat val elet-ai," she says to Ixu.

"Jital vai-en."

"Mal kelet Koshal-atai-an."

Ixu bows his head, then helps the elder to her feet. She stands, trembling, her arm wrapped around him, and faces the humans. Ixu gestures at them and then points at a doorway on a nearby wall of the chamber.

"I think they want us to follow," Sparks says to Alomar in a low voice as Ixu guides Vail towards the door.

Alomar watches the elder closely as she walks with trembling steps, supported by the younger Iconian. They follow as Vail leads them to a small chamber lit by globes which illuminate the carvings on the wall.

"Ta tal-a," Vail says to Ixu. He lets her go, faces the Starfleet officers again, then steps outside the room. Vail seems to beckon towards Sparks, and he walks towards her.

Vail reaches for the side of Sparks' head and clutches his earlobe, then points towards her mouth.

Sparks glances back at Alomar, who says, "She wants you to use your translator."

"Do you think…? Ow." Sparks winces as the elder grips his ear tightly. He activates the neural interface on the translator. "Do you want to talk to us?"

"Yes." Vail clutches Sparks' arm. "You must help them."

"We're doing all we can, Elder," Sparks says to her. "We understand that your species values –"

"No," Vail hisses. "You must use your technology."

Alomar says, "We had been under the impression that you rejected the use of technology."

"Those are the rules of the Order," the elder replies. "But what use are they when our children are dying?" Her eyes are wide. "You cannot allow that to happen."

Sparks lowers his voice. "You're asking us to violate the prohibition on the use of technology?"

"I have been a member of this order for all my life," Vail says, her voice weak. "We exist according to rules we have made for ourselves. And according to those rules, we have survived while the rest of our species ceased to be. That fact alone attests to their correctness." She spasms, then regains control. "The purpose of our rules is to deepen our understanding of what it is to be living beings. And I understand that to live is to sicken and ultimately die. I recognize the importance of mortality. Truly, I do."

Sparks and Alomar watch the wizened alien slides down the wall to the floor. They reach to steady her, but she rejects their help and settles in a crouching position. "But you Federation. You have no such prohibitions on technology. You can prevent this tragedy from happening to the children." She wheezes. "You must."

Sparks and Alomar glance at each other. "Would your people accept it?" Sparks replies, his brow furrowed.

"The other elders would never allow it. It would violate everything our order holds most sacred. But what use is the sacred when our children are dying?" She hesitates, her eyes staring into space. "What happens when our beliefs fail to bind our community together, and instead condemn our children?" She coughs. "I have no use for such rules. Perhaps I will never know my true nature as an emanation of the Aeon. But I would prefer my students to live. Surely that does not make me any less of a living being." Her voice grows weak. "Please. You must."

Alomar takes her hand and moves his face close to hers. "I can help you. Our technology may be able to help you too. Just stay with me."

""Help my students. You must…"

Then Koshal Vail is still. Alomar fumbles on her neck to find her pulse. "Come on!" He clenches his fist. "Damn it!"

"There's nothing you can do, doctor," Sparks tells him.

Alomar looks up from the dead Iconian. "Well, you heard what she said. We need to get to our technology."

Sparks stares at the corpse. "Ixu said the order would store our equipment when we got here. But even if we knew where to find it, I don't know if her opinion was representative of the community."

Alomar narrows his eyes. "It was her dying wish."

"That may be, but until we hear otherwise from the representatives of their order, our hands are tied."

"Sir, we need to help them!"

"I appreciate your opinion, doctor, but my decision is final. We have to respect their cultural norms, and it seems like it's the opinion of the majority –"

"Sir –"

"The opinion of the majority of the community that we observe their taboo on the use of technology," Sparks continues, his voice raised. "It is extremely important that we respect that."

"Damn it, Isaiah, children are going to die!" Alomar replies, gesturing emphatically towards the temple.

"I'm aware of that, Tomas. But we are here as representatives of the Federation, and what we do is going to set the foundation for the relationship between our peoples. We are defining for them what the Federation is about, regardless of what our personal preferences may be! The Prime Directive applies –"

"the Prime Directive is about non-interference with pre-technological societies!" Alomar shouts. "This is a post-technological society."

"The Prime Directive is a guiding principle that affects everything we do! It is the very foundation of Starfleet's mission. We can't just subvert entire cultures based on what we think is best!"

"I've taken an oath too, commander: the Hippocratic Oath. First, do no harm. We caused this! We have to help them!"

"Look, I appreciate that, doctor," Sparks says, holding up his hands. "I really do. But I'm not asking you to trust me on this. You also took an oath to Starfleet. And it's my opinion, as your commanding officer, that the best interpretation of Federation directives in this situation is to respect their rules. And I'm asking you to respect that. To respect Starfleet's procedures. Not me personally."

Alomar and Sparks stare at each other for a tense moment, saying nothing. Then the doctor says, "That may have been your problem with Vanda. You allowed it to get too personal."

Sparks looks at the ground. "Yes, you're absolutely right about that. It was a mistake to get involved with her. I see that now."

"But you are a human being," Alomar says, his stance relaxing somewhat. "It can be hard sometimes to see things objectively."

"That's why we have rule of law."

Alomar nods.

Sparks says, "My commanding officer on Deep Space 9, Yaaren Benjamin, told me that at the start of the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, most Cardassians genuinely believed they were helping the Bajoran people. They thought they were freeing the Bajorans from what they viewed as a culture based on backwards superstition. If we don't live our values in everything we do, we're no different."

"I understand. But I hope you are right about this." He crouches over Vail's body, lifting one of her hands and examining it. "Strange."

"What is it?" Sparks crouches next to him.

Alomar touches the side of Vail's face. "I'm not certain, but if I were to guess, I'd say she suffered some form of acute cellular degradation."

"What could cause that?"

"Radiation would be the most obvious explanation, but it could also be caused by cancer of some kind. Or even a viral infection." He puts his hands on her neck and chest. "I don't know much about her physiology, but I think I've found what might be small tumours."

"Maybe they have a sensitivity to radiation. Could we have been irradiated somehow?"

"Perhaps. But if it were radiation, we would expect to see the effects increase from prolonged contact with us. Ctai and Ixu have been in proximity to us the longest, yet they're unaffected, while we were only in contact with the initiates for a few minutes."

"They reported experiencing nausea when they first met us."

"That's true, but they also said it was only momentary." He scowls. "None of this makes any damn sense."

There are footsteps, and they look up to see Ixu approaching.

"The Koshal is dead," Alomar informs him, climbing to his feet.

Ixu bows his head. "A great loss. But a life well-lived. I will inform the Morticians to prepare the funerary rites."

"There's something else," Sparks tells him. "Before she died, Koshal Vail requested that we make use of our technology to try and help the initiates."

"I am not surprised by that," he replies. "The Koshal was known for her unorthodox application of our order's rules. And I believe she felt responsible for what was happening to the initiates." He pauses. "I expect you are in agreement with her."

Alomar opens his mouth to speak, then closes it. Sparks explains, "That is what we would ordinarily do. But Starfleet's Prime Directive prevents us from subverting the cultural norms of other species."

Ixu stares at Vail's body for a long moment. "I understand her perspective. But if we revert to the ways of the blind ancestors for this situation, where would it end?" He looks up. "But I remain hopeful that there is another way. I have always found Ctai to be deeply insightful; it may be that she and your Dr. Sorensen have come to an understanding of what is happening. Let us rejoin them and inform them of what has happened."

They turn to leave. Alomar says, "And if they haven't?"

"Then the Grief Chants will sustain and unite our order in the face of this great tragedy." He hesitates. "I hope it will be enough."

Alomar and Sparks say nothing.

"Oh my God." Sorensen sits upright on the hard bed. "The computer weapon."

Ctai sits up next to her and puts a hand on her shoulder. "What computer weapon?"

"Well, you said when your order encountered other aliens, their translator technology was always disabled. The Federation has encountered Iconian technology before, so our engineer inoculated our systems with a modified version of an Iconian computer weapon which one of our ships encountered on your homeworld. We weaponized it to use against those spheres that attacked us before. We disabled one after disconnecting it from the central network. But another sphere reconnected it, and it was able to neutralize our cyberattack." She pauses. "You and Ixu… you did something with the spheres."

"Yes. We recited an Incantation."

"What exactly is that?"

"It is not known how the incantations are able to affect the Apparatus." Ctai widens her eyes. "Do you think that your translator somehow passed the weapon on to us?"

"Maybe. But that wouldn't make sense, unless you have some cybernetic components that we don't know about."

Ctai's eyes narrow. "But if that is the case, then it is possible that we unwittingly interfaced with the Apparatus when we recited the incantation."

"That would explain how you were able to order the spheres to leave."

"If that is the case, then we may be able to help the initiates." She slides forward. "If they are also able to interface, it may neutralize the weapon."

"I think that's the best theory we've had yet." Sorensen puts on her uniform undershirt, then turns back to face Ctai. "Listen. I'm really glad this happened. That I met you." She takes Ctai's hand and squeezes it.

"And I as well, Susan. I hope that if our hypothesis is successful, we will be able to spend more time together."

"I'd like that." She finishes dressing. "But we should go – Commander Sparks and the others will be waiting."

Ctai wraps herself in her robe, and takes Sorensen's hand one more time. Then Sorensen follows her out of her chamber.

When they arrive at Ixu's chamber, Ixu, Sparks, and Alomar are waiting.

"Koshal Vail has died," Ixu tells Ctai.

Ctai is silent. "I'm sorry," Sorensen says, putting her hand on Ctai's back.

The Iconian looks pained. "She led a great life, and is at one with the Aeon. But she will be greatly missed by the Mathematicians."

"By all of us," Ixu says.

After a moment, Sorensen says in a low voice, "Listen. Ctai and I have a theory on what's happening to them. It may not be too late to save the initiates."

Sparks strokes his beard. "Let's hear it."

"Pon's program. The one that disabled the probes. Pon inoculated all of our equipment with it, including the universal translators. I think we transmitted the program and it's somehow physically attacking them. But Ixu and Ctai interfaced with the spheres when we first met them, and the central Iconian network may have neutralized the program. I think they have some kind of residual cybernetic implants."

"An intriguing possibility," Alomar replies. "But everything I've seen has been consistent with cellular damage. So unless…" He trails off, then turns to Ixu. "Wait. Earlier, you said that your ancestors could create new bodies for themselves if their old bodies died. Were they… synthetic, in any way?"

"Synthetic…?"

"Yes. When we first met you, the tricorder read you as organic, but there's quite a lot about this planet that we don't fully understand. Including yourselves. You could appear fully organic to us, but in reality, be something quite different."

"We have always thought ourselves to be fully organic," Ixu says. "You believe otherwise?"

"If your physical existence was maintained by computer algorithms, it would explain why you would be affected by a modified computer weapon. Any disruption of the algorithm would affect you on the cellular level."

"Our ancestors had computer systems which existed on multiple levels of subspace," Ctai tells them. "They may not have been visible to your instruments."

Sorensen stares into space. "Subspace nanotechnology. If that was somehow incorporated into the molecular structure of everything on this planet, it would explain how it could all exist without the need for massive replicators or matter projector units."

"Let me ask you this," says Alomar to the Iconians. "If your ancestors didn't die natural deaths, what ultimately happened to them? And when?"

"According to the Chronicle, each created their own reality, which was hermetically sealed from each other Iconian, and no pain or discomfort could reach them."

"When?"

Ixu pauses to think. "According to the Chronicle, this final stage of the blind ancestors' civilization was approximately one hundred twenty five years ago. Does that mean anything to you?"

"Yes, the translator renders it into a quantity of time that's intelligible to us." Sparks gestures toward Ixu. "But if they could replicate organic bodies, they must have had the ability to scan and store neural patterns at the quantum level. With that kind of technology, what use are physical bodies at all?"

"The Chronicle is unclear on the precise fate of the blind ancestors," Ixu says. "They simply ceased to be."

"A computer whose purpose was to generate physical bodies would not be able to understand a being that had transcended physical form," Alomar observes. "If the first members of your order were generated by such a system, they might not have known why there were no other living Iconians on Terminus in a corporeal form."

"There is a tradition which holds that Shai Kesh emerged from the Apparatus after the other Iconians were long dead," Ixu says. "I have never believed it, as it would mean that many of the stories of her life and family were allegorical. But if what you say is true, and she was generated by the Apparatus…"

"Then our true ancestors were not the Iconians at all," Ctai continues, "but their technology. We were born from the Apparatus."

"If that's the case, then your ancestors, and indeed this entire planet, were coextensive with their technology, with no meaningful way of differentiating between the organic and the synthetic," Alomar adds.

Sorensen looks between the Iconians. "And if the initiates interface with the Apparatus, our cyberweapon will be neutralized."

"But if we originated as artificially-generated lifeforms, is it not more important that we experience life as organic beings as fully as possible?" Ixu asks. "It is surely not enough to be living beings only when it is comfortable to do so."

Sparks steps forward, a determined look on his face. "That's true. But one of the most fundamental things about being a living being is to have compassion. To be able to understand the suffering of our fellow beings, and to try to help them. It's easy to look at suffering and see it as an inevitable part of life. And for many chapters of human history, we did just that. But ultimately, the most influential people in our history, the ones who really taught us what it means to live, are the people whose compassion drove them to take responsibility for the common good of their fellow beings. That's what the Federation is about – constantly striving to create a galaxy that is better for all living beings. And for us, that is the most human thing we can do. It is what defines us."

"Having come back from the brink of death will provide a unique knowledge for these initiates," Ctai adds, facing Ixu.

Ixu is silent for a moment. "Very well," he says. "I am in agreement. I will propose this course of action to the elders and the parents of the initiates. We will recommend that they recite an Incantation, in hopes that it will neutralize the cyberweapon."

"You're making the right choice," Sparks assures him.

"Ctai and I will assist them with the Incantations. You may join us, Federation, but you must disable your translators again."

"We understand."

Ctai says to Sorensen, "Let us hope we are successful."

The Starfleet officers follow the Iconians across the still, sunlit courtyard, deactivating their translators.

"Habla Espanol?" Sparks asks Sorensen.

She shakes her head and says in Federation Standard, "I was never very good at languages."

"Your accent is most curious," Alomar says to her. "What is your first language? English? Swedish?"

"Moonspeak," she says. "My family was among the earliest lunar settlers."

Sparks raises an eyebrow. "That explains why you have trouble with languages. I find Moonspeak to be the most baffling language I've ever encountered."

They reach the central dome and follow the Iconians through the great doorway and ornately carved corridors, eventually reaching the central chamber, their ears beset by the complex rhythms of the hundreds of chanting Iconians.

Ctai and Ixu untie the tentacles at the backs of their heads, which spread out and curl forward. They raise their hands and shout, "Bo-alath ctalat Shai Kesh foram-ush!"

The chanting ceases, its echoes reverberating in the high reaches of the dome.

A group of elderly Iconians steps forward, flanked by younger Iconians in groups of two and three, with looks of deep sadness recognizable on their faces.

One of the elders says something to them in Iconian. Ixu replies, speaking loudly in a slow, measured tone, so that all present can hear. He gestures towards the humans as he speaks, then reaches towards the sky and bows his head.

The other Iconians confer among themselves. Ctai looks over her shoulder at Sorensen and whispers something in Iconian. Sorensen smiles back at her.

Then one of the elders steps forward and speaks to Ixu and Ctai in a loud voice. He gestures towards the initiates lying on the blocks behind him. Then he walks forward to Sparks with a look of curiosity. He puts his hand on Sparks' shoulder.

"Tal va-oth," he says. Sparks meets the alien's gaze.

Then the elder steps back toward the group and they move to encircle the blocks. Some of the Iconians take the hands of the frail-looking initiates.

Ixu steps close to Sparks and puts his hand on the side of Sparks' face near his ear. Sparks activates his translator.

"The elders have agreed," Ixu says. "They concur that if we can save the initiates through contact with the Apparatus, we must try."

"I'm glad to hear that."

"I told them what you told me. That it is the nature of living beings to try to alleviate the suffering of other beings."

"But they are concerned that it may be too late," Ctai says. "The initiates may be too weak to chant."

"So what are you going to do?" Alomar asks.

"All we can do," Ixu tells him. "We will guide them through the Forty-Second Incantation. It has rarely been used, but it calls the Apparatus from afar."

"Very well. Is there any way we can help?"

"Stand with us," Ctai says. "Demonstrate your compassion for your fellow living beings."

"Of course," Sparks answers. They deactivate their translators and follow Ctai as she stands over a stricken initiate, who Sparks recognizes as the one who served their food and drink. Ctai takes the youth's hand and begins to chant, "Thanar aikonai t-ze-an shalesh…"

The youth does not respond at first. As the officers watch, his lips gradually begin to move. Then he begins to recite along with Ctai and the other gathered Iconians, weakly at first, but eventually gaining strength.

After approximately twenty minutes, the young Iconians are chanting at a loud volume with their older kin, and their skin has changed from a dull grey to a brighter shade of white. There are recognizable looks of joy on the Iconians' faces.

Ctai stops chanting and embraces Sorensen, speaking in her language in a low voice. Ixu approaches them and leads them away from the crowd towards a doorway. He taps the side of his head, and the officers reactivate their translators.

"It was a success. The initiates are recovering." He pauses. "Thank you, Federation. You have done a great service for our order this day. Although all were prepared to stand by the initiates through their journey to death, it would have caused great pain to all of us."

"We're happy to have been of assistance," Sparks tells him.

"Particularly since this was ultimately our doing," Alomar adds. "I regret that we could not save Koshal Vail."

"There are none who hold you personally responsible. It simply happened."

Ctai says, "The Koshal of the Artisans has agreed to construct a radio transmitter for you. It can be completed by end-of-day."

"We appreciate that," Sparks replies. He looks at Sorensen and Alomar. "In the meantime, I think we could all use some rest."

"Of course," Ctai says. "Chambers will be prepared for you."

Alomar looks pensive. "If I may ask – did the rest of your order become aware that they may be computer-generated replicas of the Iconians rather than their biological descendants? Are they troubled by the implications of that discovery?"

"It will be discussed for many generations to come, to be sure," Ixu answers. "Ultimately, perhaps it is immaterial. It is said that when our order renounced the ways of the ancestors, the most difficult loss was the great potential for communication that they had. Which, of course, they did not use. But I believe that what has kept our order alive for all these millennia is our ability to communicate with each other. The music of the chants binds each of us together in a deeper way than if we were interconnected within a computer system. I suppose that is what truly changed when we left the Apparatus. We are still drawn to be connected – only the means has changed."

Ctai has a faraway look in her eyes. "It is said that each part of the Apparatus serves a specific role, like an equation of great complexity. Perhaps we are not as separate from the Apparatus as we believe. Perhaps we are the part of the Apparatus that seeks to understand its own nature as part of the cosmos."

"I think that means we have a lot in common." Sparks massages his temples and yawns. "Alright, let's go. We'll want to be well-rested when we try to make contact with the captain; I have a feeling that getting to her won't be a straightforward matter."

He and Alomar follow Ixu out of the dome, and Ctai and Sorensen walk behind them, discreetly holding hands. The dome echoes with the sounds of the Iconians' joyful songs.

TO BE CONCLUDED...