Max and Kalket regarded Marc for some moments after he'd told them all he and Dinah knew. Finally, Kal said, "So we've no real idea what they are like at this point."

"I think the ones we spoke to are probably humanoid. But given the cocoon references I'm thinking they metamorphose into something else entirely," Marc replied.

Max frowned. "Was there any hint as to whether it only affects the one form? Or has it affected their other, more humanoid form?"

"It wasn't clear to me. And there is some sort of feedback loop, so I don't think we can assume it will only affect the one form. There was the reference to the dreaming being something needed by the infants."

Kalket nodded. "Right. Well, give us an hour and we'll collect all the analysis equipment that is small enough to transport with us, but we might need to bring back samples to test."

"Yes," Marc replied. "I asked for DNA and biochemical analysis. They were reluctant but I think they'll allow that. But they also insisted we four are the only ones who go down to the planet and that we not tell anyone in the ship's company anything we learn from there."

Max looked over at Dinah. "And if we need help with research? Generally speaking, finding a handle on a disease quickly is an imperative."

"I would think that so long as we don't share details as to who they are or where, if it was needed they would allow it," she said slowly.  "Ultimately they will do what they have to do is the sense I get."

Max nodded. Kalket was already up and packing some equipment. Max joined him and Marc and Dinah left them to it.

"Well, obviously," Marc said once Dinah and he were alone, "there's a lot they aren't saying. Like why the dreaming is so important and the fear they showed that it might stop. And the promise made to McGee that they would do all they could to continue doing something with it."

"When I was listening to them," Dinah said, "I kept thinking about Ian and his out of body activities.  Maybe the dreaming is a form of that, that frees them from physical reality."

Marc frowned as he thought it over. "Yes, it does sound similar. Also a bit similar to how I used the CE rig in the past, to project a body and interact with other planets and species. But here we seem to be dealing with some sort of biological imperative to dream. The dreamers do something that is needed and other things they said leads me to believe they must dream to survive, and that it is almost perhaps autonomic."

"Is there a way to monitor to see if we can pick up their consciousnesses while they're dreaming?"

"To get an idea of what they're dreaming you mean?" Marc asked.

"Or anything else we can find out, like what the dreaming really is, what's happening when they dream and where they go, if in fact they go anywhere.  Eden said they returned from the dreams and are sick, like they picked it up during the dream from something that happened or that they did.  And they talked about two things, dreams and the Dream, if you see what I mean."

"Yes, I see what you mean. But until we actually know more, I've no idea what the answer might be to whether we can follow them, or sense them in some way to see if we can understand how they are infected."  Marc's eyes were unfocused as he thought about it. "I also wonder if they would even agree to such a thing. Max might, using his magical talents, connect with a Silka in dream state. I don't know.   If they delve into them in the natural healing process perhaps Kal or Max will be able to sense that."

"So, loathe as I am to even whisper such a thing, you couldn't with the CE Rig?" she asked.

"Not sure. Depends on what level of consciousness or physical plane this is happening. If it is something physical they can do while dreaming then yes, I might be able to do it."

"Would they know you were looking?"

"Also unclear. That would depend on how aware they were of their surroundings while they're doing this 'dreaming' which, thinking about it, seems not like dreaming at all, more like creativity."

"It does?" she said dubiously.  "How did you get there?"

"Well, it was something McGee said that made me think of it. As if the mere fact the dreaming might cease was a physical threat of some sort, and not to them but to others. They promised McGee they wouldn't stop. Why do that unless there is some physical component to it?"

"Good question," she said.  "On a list of a hundred good questions."  She walked over and put her arms around him.  "I'm really glad you're so excited by all this."

"You don't mind the distraction of this from our quest with regard to the dragons?"

"No and they, by the way, seem pretty okay with it too, all things considered.  They don't like not knowing what's going on and not being able to check out the planet, but they seem like they understand."

"Yes, I've noticed with Cola. They seem to be more patient about this than I expected. Which I find rather worrisome. I just hope they aren't up to something."

"Morrigan and Lev are keeping an eye on them," she said.

He nodded, then rested his chin on the top of her head. "I don't suppose I could talk you into staying aboard Aaru."

"Why?"

"We don't know how virulent this disease might be. If it can jump species," he explained.

"Only if you're willing to go down without me in full containment and keep it on."

"My genetics are self-repairing. I don't think it could do me any lasting harm. Whereas you..."

"That's the deal," she said.

"All right, I'll take it."

"That includes canned air, rubber space suit and the like.  Plus, you probably ought to think about some sort of decon for all three of you, regardless of your genetics," she said, pressing closer.

"Yes, I agree. Although I'd sort of figured we wouldn't be running back and forth, but would stay there until we had a pretty good handle on what it was and how it worked."

"I am not sleeping alone so if you're staying there so am I," she said.

"But you agreed..." Marc reminded her.

"You didn't tell me you were planning on staying indefinitely."

"Well, not indefinitely exactly. I figure we'll at least have a handle on things within 12 hours."

"Read my lips.  I am not sleeping alone.  So either you're here at bedtime or I'm there."

He eyed her, his lips pressed together. "Give me 12 hours."

"Okay.  Just don't forget to stay in touch," she said.

"Promise," he said, and she could see the relief in his eyes.

"You worry too much," she said.  "Fortunately I love you anyway."

"Only about you.  Sad, isn't it?" he replied sadly.

"Now why is that?"

"I limit you and I'm sorry for that."

"Ah."  She tilted her face up to him, smiling.  "You don't really, you know."

"Yes, you indulge me. And I appreciate it."

"No, I don't indulge you at all.  I love you and that's different."

The four of them ported to Ther'lin, Marc, Max and Kalket all with biohazard gear, and carrying a ton of equipment.

"Dinah insisted," Marc replied to the unspoken question.

"Oh," was all McGee said.  "I see."

"Well, it could be contagious, so we'll just make sure it isn't." Marc sounded a bit defensive.

Dinah bit her lip and held her tongue.

"A very good point," McGee said.  "Are you ready?"

"Yes, you two?" Marc asked checking with Kalket, who towered over everyone, and Max who looked tiny beside the warrior.  They both nodded.

Marc turned to Dinah. "I'll see you as soon as I can," he said to her, cupping the side of her face with his hand.

"Twelve hours," she said softly, putting her hand over his.  "Remember how much I need you and be careful."

"Piece of cake," he told her with a grin. And with that they were gone.

Kle'klit was waiting for them when they appeared.  He made no reference to the bio-gear beyond the flick of his eyes over them.  Then he turned his attention to the pile of equipment surrounding Max and Kalket while McGee made the introductions.   After the formalities of courtesy were completed he said, gesturing to the building around them, "This is where we've been treating those who are infected.  Because of the illness,"  he went on after a short pause,  "you will see them as they are."  He looked for a moment like he wanted to say more.  "They're this way," was what he settled for as he led them down the hallway.

Max, Marc and Kal hefted the equipment and followed the Silka.  Their own eyes were studying the building and the furnishings and the signs of technological sophistication that they bespoke. Marc in particular looked everywhere.

Then they were entering a room that looked nothing whatever like they'd expected.  The side they entered was like the rest of the building, but only served as a bridge. Carved out of stone, the second half was an entry into a cavern whose surfaces were worn smooth and rounded by centuries of use.  Dimly lit, the shadows in the interior framed its doorway.  McGee looked from the cavern back at the building.  The sense of leaving one world and entering another couldn't have been stronger.  Ahead of him Kle'klit had stopped at the entrance and turned back to them.  McGee met his eyes and nodded slightly. 

Kle'klit hesitated and then nodded back, stepping forward into the cavern.  As he did so, he blurred suddenly and the humanoid image of him disappeared, fell away revealing an incandescent ovoid form, a face whose eyes and mouth were the only things that were the same as what had been Kle'klit.  From the interior of the cavern M'nala bent down and lifted him carefully, tenderly, in her arms.  "The others are this way," she said.

The three did not react to what they'd seen. They simply followed. Marc's eyes were glowing he was so fascinated by it.

She led them through the main passage and into a side tunnel the ballooned into a large room dimly lit and noticeably warmer, circled with row upon row of tiered ledges.  The tiers were lined with depressions shaped and filled with padding like nested beds, about two thirds of which were filled with forms like the one M'nala held.  She laid Kle'klit in one of the nests and then turned to McGee.  "Six moths ago they were all filled.  The ones who are sick are this way," she said leading the way back to the main passage.  "We separated them into one of the cocoon rooms," she explained, moving aside a heavy curtain that was across another branching passage.  Like the cave they left, the walls were lined with nests, about ten in all.  But these were much larger and deeper. Three were filled with what were obviously dreamers like Kle'klit, dwarfed by the size of the nest.  Two held what could only be called a massive chrysalis.

Marc walked forward and looked down at them. "Mental man. Casting aside the body in search of pure mind, no distractions. And here it is, I assume, occurring naturally? Or did you bio-engineer this change?" he asked M'nala.

"We have a three stage life cycle," she said.  "Its third stage is as you see.  We did not seek this. It's the price we paid to avoid extinction."

Marc eyed her after that remark but shoved it back into his memory to worry about later.

Max and Kal were unloading their equipment and already running tests on the Silka.  "I'd like bodily samples from both healthy and ill Dreamers," Kal asked, all business. "And it would help if you could give me a detailed description of just what happens when they fall ill. So if you could gather your thoughts with regard to that I'll ask detailed questions a bit later."

Marc looked back at McGee. "You should see Kal in his normal state."

Kal grinned. "Morrigan fixed me.  With luck I can fix them."

"Is there anything besides luck that will help?" McGee asked.

"Skill and determination?" Kal suggested. "Now, just stand aside and let us work."

They scanned and took samples from cocoons, healthy and not, samples of secretions from both healthy and ill Dreamers and Max and Kal began speaking in tongues - well in the tongue of healers.

Then, when everything had been gathered that could be, and M'nala had given them a detailed explanation of the changes inherent in the illness, Max touched one ill dreamer and began to reach for a healing trance.  Kal watched carefully, ready to intervene if anything went wrong.

"Her name," M'nala said quietly, 'is Cor'tre.  She sickened first a few weeks ago.  We've been keeping her from spinning a new cocoon for the last few days.  Each time it is harder to bring her back."

Kal nodded, as he monitored Max.  Max dove downward into the consciousness of Cor'tre. It was alien territory indeed. But the healer wasn't interested in making sense of what he saw and sensed, only in finding and identifying what was out-of-phase or otherwise wrong in the mind of the Silka.  He dove down to the basic components of what made the Silka sentient and alive and studied the structures, looking for tears or malignancies or other signs of disease.  He found none and without an understanding of the non diseased structures he couldn't identify any other types of abnormalities. 

McGee shifted his attention to the other three as the one in the center started to stir.  "M'nala," he said.

She turned at the sound of her name, and saw what he saw.  The dreamer's eyes had opened as its flesh seemed to ripple.  McGee took a small step closer, realizing the movement was being caused by the fine hair that covered him as it began growing, shaping itself to the body.  In seconds the dreamer's skin was hidden beneath the hair, and still it kept growing, as incandescent as the body it covered, gleaming, lighting up the cavern.  M'nala shoved McGee out of the way as two others entered.  They lifted the dreamer from the nest, placing him on the table in the center of the room.  Then one held him still while the other began combing the hair away, shaving it off.

"He was beginning a cocoon," Marc said, as he watched. "You remove what he can use. And this helps?"

"If we stop it in time he can't enter the dream and he lives," she said.  "For now that's all we can do."

"Does the spinning of the cocoon change? Is it the same for the healthy ones? The way it starts and how it is formed?" Marc asked.

"It happens faster," she said, "resulting in a greater luminescence .  All of which means he is expending more energy  than he would ordinarily and it weakens him."

"Something like a fever perhaps," Kal was saying, watching as well. "But the body seems to believe it needs to spin the cocoon, as if it is the way to save itself and yet you say it is not. So the body is working against itself."

"Yes, I suppose that's a good way to put it.  When they dream, the cocoon protects the body, insulates it both in terms of body temperature and in preventing outside stimuli from interfering with the dream.  The cocoon itself is used by the body for nourishment, and hydration."

"A natural CE rig," Marc was saying to himself. "In normal circumstances, how long do they dream?  And are they aware of you? Can they, if necessary, stop the dream if you interrupt it?"

She considered him for a moment, clearly deciding whether or not to answer him.  "It depends on the dreamer.  The more adept, the stronger they are, the longer and more powerful the dream.  When they are healthy, they control the dream, they are aware of of both the dream and us.  It is necessary to what they do.    And no one is allowed to dream alone until they can control their dreams.  It is one of the first things those who can dream are taught to do.  Uncontrolled, undirected dreams are too dangerous.  With a Master Dreamer, like Kle'klit, it would be extremely difficult to interfere if he did not want it.  What they do is too important."

Marc considered her carefully then asked, "And can they change reality? Open doorways to other dimensions?  Can they manifest a physical projection in this reality or into others?"

She studied him again and then glanced at McGee who made a motion indicating it was up to her.  "Yes.  You are really asking, aren't you, why we dream?  What purpose does it serve?"

"I'm not asking just to ask. I'm trying to understand the dynamics so we can discover what has gone wrong. From what little I know, you believe the dreams are important, or even perhaps essential to something far beyond the welfare of just the individual dreaming. If that is so, then there is more to the process and more complex consequences to be considered."

She sat down in a chair she pulled away from the table.  "Our earliest legends say that we were dreamed into existence.  Who's to say if that's true or not.  Your species is gifted with the genetics to support the development of what you call psi and also what you call magic.  Both probably having the same root.  We have neither of those.  What you do with those things we, those of us who can dream, in many ways we do them within the dreams.  There are minor dreams and then there is the Dream that we dream for the First Ones."  She paused for a moment, faint color staining her cheeks.  "There is also the Life-dream, without which we would have no more children.  When we come out of the dream the cocoon disintegrates, leaving behind what our newborns need to live during the first stage of our life cycle.  I myself am in the early part of the second stage."

Marc sat opposite her and regarded her, obviously giving consideration to what she shared. "So you have two separate sorts of dreams. Those that you as a species need, or at least which fulfills your needs, both mentally and physically, with a usable byproduct, and then there is something else outside your own species which you have agreed to do for the First Ones. This is the one that concerns you and is why you cannot just keep stopping the dreams?"

"We can not stop dreaming because if we do not only will we have no infants, those we do have will die of starvation.  But in the sense that I think you are using it, there aren't two sorts of dreams.  There is only one sort.  We do many different things because the content of each dream is unique, the creation of the dreamer.  Some give their lives, like Kle'kit has, to keeping the promise we made to the First Ones.  Others do other things as they are able and gifted and interested in doing.  We create tangible things, it is true, like this building.  But we also create the intangible, the cultural and intellectual sorts of things.  In the dream we can do what we can't outside of it."

"So essentially you convert biological energy into the physical realm, in one way or another, much as a creator or a mage can do in our species. The investment of biological energies being, I would guess, dependent on the complexity of the dream creations.  Have you tried having them limit their physical expenditure of energies in the hope that it is the stress and exhaustion inherent in more complex dreams that exacerbates the disease?"

"No we haven't.  It is an interesting suggestion."

"Until we can come up with a better suggestion, why don't we try that. If nothing else it may slow its progression down," Marc suggested thoughtfully.

She nodded.  "We'll try anything.  I'll let them know.  In the meantime is there anything else I can tell you?"

"I don't believe so. Is there a room where we can work?" Marc asked, seeing the signs that Max was coming out of his healing trance."We need to put the data together and do some brain storming."

"Yes, we prepared an apartment for you.  We didn't know what you might need so if there is anything, just ask.  Someone will always be available," she said as she stood up.

"Thanks," Marc replied. Max, looking a bit tired after his attempt to look into the Silka nodded gratefully.