chemical-conditioning

In this chapter, humans are kept drugged and guarded by ooloi as part of a process called imprinting, which involves chemical and social conditioning to prepare them for coexistence with the alien species. Joseph confronts Nikanj about the ethics and necessity of this drugging, expressing his discomfort and resistance, but Nikanj insists that it is essential to prevent harm and to teach humans new behaviors. The chapter highlights the tension between control and adaptation in the process of human-alien integration.