"We don't know. We don't have the people to do the research. Listen, I've given you the bad news. Now, let me give you the worse news. We suspect that the viral agent that unlocks the herding capacity is already so widespread in the human species that for all practical purposes it's transparent. We're all infected. Did you see the news this morning?"

"You mean the cleanup of the Capetown riots?"

"Mm hm. There was no reason for that madness-all that rage. It was as if all those people just went berserk at the same time. Could that have been another effect of the same virus? We don't know. I'd love to do a dozen autopsies, but with the political situation the way it is-anyway, you get the point, don't you?"

"We could all fall into herds tomorrow, couldn't we?"

She nodded. "Just waking up human is a victory."

"So... what you're saying is that if I go into the herd, you don't know that you can bring me back, right?"

"That is the risk," she admitted. "Do you still want to go-?"

"Wait a minute. I thought this was all theoretical-"

"Then you don't want to go?"

"I didn't say that either. You've already got this approved, haven't you?"

She nodded. "We have conditional authorization, if we can find a suitable volunteer." She looked at me pointedly. "Someone who understands the real nature of the problem.

"Here's what we realized last night. The whole question of sentience is premature. We can't even consider it until we know if our two species are compatible. Can humans and bunnydogs even herd together? Forget communication until that question is answered. "

"So, you were already planning a dance-?" I said.

"None of this was in your briefing book because I wanted to talk to you about it privately. I know your sensitivity to the herd, James. This whole thing could be very dangerous to you personally. "

"I came to you, remember?"

"James-I'm not trying to talk you out of it. I want you to go. I argued for this opportunity all last night. But it has to lae your choice. Before I can authorize this, you have to know what all the risks are, so you can choose responsibly."

"I know the worst that can happen," I said. "The bunnydogs could be the worm predators. I could get eaten. But I have to deal with that possibility every day I get out of bed."

"The worst that can happen," Fletcher said, "is that we can lose you to the herd."

I stopped my reply before it fell out of my mouth and reconsidered what she'd just said. I looked at her thoughtfully. "You've put people in the herds before, haven't you?"

Fletcher nodded. "And we've lost some of them too."

"How long can a person stay in the herd before he's lost?"

"It varies. It happens fast. Four or five days is the maximum safe time. Even that's pushing the margin. The experience is too intense. It's a mindwipe."

"All right-so all I want is two days. A day and a half. I'll go in tomorrow morning, spend the day getting acclimated, spend the night and participate in the next day's gathering. You can pull me out around dinner time. That'll give me a day to debrief and the weekend to assimilate the experience. Monday, I can get back to work on the mission."

She switched her clipboard off and put it back on her desk. "You're clear this is what you want to do?"

"I'm clear this is what I have to do."

"All right," she said, picking up her phone. "Jerry? It's a Go for tomorrow. Right. No, not at all. Thanks." She hung up and turned back to me. "Okay, we've got a lot of work to do this afternoon."

"Huh?"

"I'm going to train you."

"Train me? How do you train for a herd?"

"There are exercises we can do that will strengthen your sense of self. It might help."

"Meditation?"

"Mm, not really. Call it soul-centering. It's something from the Mode training-"

"I thought you were down on the Mode training."

She shook her head. "Nope. Only some of the people. I don't like what they're doing with it. But the training is one of the most valuable things I've ever done. It was the thing that kept me ... rational ... during the worst part of the plagues. I think it's what keeps me rational today. The truth is, I don't know if it will help or not. I just want to give you every advantage I can."

"I'll be fine," I said. "Really." She didn't answer.

"What's the problem?" I asked.

"I know you're confident. I know you've thought this out carefully. So have we. But I'm still scared. I know how easy it is to miss something. And I really would hate to lose you too... ."

"ALL RIGHT. I'm going to activate the collar," Fletcher said. She turned to the monitor in the back of the jeep and typed something into the keyboard.

The collar around my neck beeped. Loudly. "How's the signal?" I asked.

"It's good," she said. "So's your heartbeat and your respiration. All right, I'm going to lock it on." She stepped over to me and did something under my chin, I couldn't see what.

When she stepped back, I tugged at the collar experimentally. It was locked and operating. There was no way I could get it off or turn it off. Not until I was retrieved.

I had the feeling that there was something she wanted to tell me, but when I looked at her she glanced quickly to her watch. "You'd better get going."

"Yeah," I said. I took a breath. I began pulling off my shoes and socks. The herd was already starting to form in the plaza. It was going to be a warm day.

I was wearing shorts and a T-shirt. Was that too much? I wondered if I should take the T-shirt off. I glanced to the herd again. There were far more naked bodies than I remembered. I decided to take my cue from the group; I pulled my shirt off and wondered if I should abandon my shorts now too.

I glanced at Fletcher. She looked pensive. "You okay?" I asked.

"Uh huh," she said.

"You don't look it."

She shrugged. "I was just thinking."

"About?"

"I wish we'd had more time."

I took her hands in mine. "I'll be all right," I said.

"I know you will. I guarantee it."

"No, I mean in here." I tapped my head with my forefinger. "I won't get lost. I promise."

She squeezed my hands and searched my face. "You'd better be right, because I'll break your leg if you're wrong."

"I'll remember that." I glanced over at the herd. Too much nudity. Modesty prevailed. I'd keep the shorts on. For now, anyway. "Well..." I said, "I guess I'd better. . ."

"Yeah," she agreed. Suddenly, she put her hands around my neck and pulled my face down to hers. Her lipstick tasted of roses and apricots and sunshine.

I broke away, embarrassed. Her kiss had been a little too intense. I turned away quickly to face the herd. If I didn't do it now, I never would.

The herd was a great milling mass of humanity. They were so dirty, I could smell them from here.

I started walking. The dry grass was scratchy under my feet. The sun was hot on my back. My mouth was dry.

I stopped just before the fringes of the herd. And studied.

I didn't know what I was looking for yet. Some clue. Some cue. Something that would tell me how to act.

A group of young bulls was posturing on the lawn. Two of them were casually wrestling. Some of them glanced over at me. There was a knot in my stomach.

I knew this feeling.

It was the first day of kindergarten all over again. The first time having to shower naked with the other boys. The first time with a girl. The first time I saw a worm.

It was the feeling of walking into a roomful of strangers and having them all look at you. Only, it was worse than that. I didn't know if these were animals or people.

They looked like people. They acted like animals.

Apes.

If I could act like an ape, the right kind of ape, they'd accept me.