Setting
- The Oankali Ship: a vast ship acting as a satellite in Orbit around the Earth. Aboard this ship are the surviving humans and the Oankali
- Earth: The planet in the aftermath of a nuclear war
Characters
- Lilith
- Has been asleep for 250 years. The Oankali have the ability to put her to sleep. In such a way that the boy she was it, is now older as time have passed since she last saw him
- Humans: Humans aboard the ship were used by Oankali to learn biology, language , and culture. Oankali awakens them and lets them live on different parts of the ship.
- Oankali: A man-like alien with various head tentacles without any eyes, instead seeing wherever they have tentacles
- Kahguyaht aj Dinso (Jdahya) : A Oankali who observes Lilith
Plot
- Humanity in its attempt to destroy itself had made the world unlivable. Lilith survived and is now aboard the ship. She is being Observed and vetted by Jdahya, an Oankali
- Jdahya is preparing to take her outside for “Education and Work”
- In inquiring about the price of this help, Lilith learns from Jdahya that humans have something that the Oankali Value
