"No. You are not speaking to a hypnotized Eakins. Nor are you speaking to a creature who is simply using Eakins as a mouthpiece. Nor are you speaking to the Eakins who was. You are speaking to many individuals who are one." "I don't get that," Drake said. "It's very simple," Eakins' voice replied. "I am the Quedak, the totality. But my totality is made up of separate parts, which are Eakins, several rats, a dog named Oro, a pig, an anteater, a cassowary--" "Hold on," Sorensen said. "Let me get this straight. This is _not_ Eakins I'm speaking to. This is the--the Quedak?" "That is correct." "And you control Eakins and the others? You speak through Eakins' mouth?" "Also correct. But that doesn't mean that the personalities of the others are obliterated. Quite the contrary, the Quedak state is a federation in which the various member parts retain their idiosyncrasies, their individual needs and desires. They give their knowledge, their power, their special outlook to the Quedak whole. The Quedak is the coordinating and command center; but the individual parts supply the knowledge, the insights, the special skills. And together we form the Great Cooperation." "Cooperation?" Drake said. "But you did all this by force!" "It was necessary in the beginning. Otherwise, how would other creatures have known about the Great Cooperation?" "Would they stay if you released your control over them?" Drake asked. "That is a meaningless question. We form a single indivisible entity now. Would your arm return to you if you cut it off?" "It isn't the same thing." "It is," Eakins' voice said. "We are a single organism. We are still growing. And we welcome you wholeheartedly into the Great Cooperation." "To hell with that," Drake said. "But you must join," the Quedak told them. "It is the Quedak Mission to coordinate all sentient creatures into a single collective organism. Believe me, there is only the most trifling loss of the individuality you prize so highly. And you gain so much more! You learn the viewpoints and special knowledge of all other creatures. Within the Quedak framework you can fully realize your potentialities--" "No!" "I am sorry," the Quedak said. "The Quedak Mission must be fulfilled. You will not join us willingly?" "Never," Drake said. "Then _we_ will join _you_," the Quedak said. There was a click as he turned off the walkie-talkie. * * * * * From the fringe of the jungle, several rats appeared. They hesitated, just out of rifle range. A bird of paradise flew overhead, hovering over the cleared area like an observation plane. As the men watched, the rats began to run forward in long zigzags. "Start firing," Drake called out. "But go easy with the ammo."