physical-healing

In this chapter, Lilith navigates the shifting social dynamics among the Awakened humans, particularly focusing on Peter's physical healing by the Oankali and his resulting fear and hostility. The Oankali, represented by the ooloi Kahguyaht and Nikanj, make a significant and controlled appearance to the humans, using drugs and calm interaction to manage fear and resistance. The chapter explores the tension between human distrust and the Oankali's efforts to prepare them for integration, highlighting individual responses to alienness and the delicate balance of power and survival.

In this chapter, a heavily scarred man visits Smitty's Conditioning Parlor seeking intense heat treatments to combat the effects of alcohol poisoning. During his massage, an old bullet wound becomes infected and bursts, revealing a Civil War-era minie ball, and simultaneously, the man's extensive scars mysteriously begin to fade and disappear, baffling the attending doctor and masseur. Despite the doctor's insistence on further medical examination, the man refuses and leaves, leaving his miraculous healing unexplained.