Prelude and Chapters 1-4 Summary

When Emilio Sandoz paces nightly, wishing to die, Edward Behr reminds him that healing takes time and advises Vincenzo Giuliani, the Jesuit Father General, to go slowly with getting Emilio to confront his horrors. Chapter 1 sees Giuliani take Emilio to a family baptism that overwhelms him as he is befriended by four-year-old Celestina. Riding home, Vincenzo speaks of training men for a new mission to Rakhat and Emilio exchanges his linguistic skills for security, sound analysis systems, and a research assistant, but refuses to return to the planet. Later, Vincenzo resumes writing the Pope about Emilio's recovery, summarizing how he alone among eighteen voyagers survives and is unfairly treated by the media. Rakhat has two sentient species: the placid Runa and carnivorous Jana'ata. By misunderstanding the former's voluntary offering of their aged and children as meat, the...