A Jesuit biologist and priest named Ramon Ruiz-Sanchez sits reading when he hears the door slam. One of the members of his team, a man named Cleaver, just arrived back to their base from the jungle. It takes Cleaver a few minutes to remove his jungle suit so Ruiz-Sanchez continues to read.

Cleaver calls for Ruiz-Sanchez and explains that he does not feel well. His mouth is full of sores and his limbs are infected. According to Cleaver, he was exploring and saw a pineapple-like plant that jabbed him. Ruiz-Sanchez explains that it will take several days for Cleaver to heal. Cleaver rests in a hammock while Ruiz-Sanchez fixes the torn jungle suit and thinks about the bacteria in the jungle. The planet they are on is called Lithia and his team was sent there to see if Lithia could be inhabited by humans. The Lithians are very clever individuals who have made their own discoveries--discoveries paralleling those of the Greeks.

The other individuals in his team are mainly scientists. As Cleaver rests, Ruiz-Sanchez decides to look around their temporary home. Nearby, the capital of the planet is a city called Xoredeshch Sfath. In the earliest discoveries of Lithia, explosions rocked the planet and destroyed many homes. However, the Lithians were able to create buildings of ceramics that did not explode. Ruiz-Sanchez writes a sign on the door saying that there is illness in the home, that way the Lithians know not to enter. Then he goes to the center of the city where there is a structure called the Message Tree. He goes to the Message Tree in hope to send a message to his fellow team members--Agronski and Michelis--who have been away. However, as soon as he begins to send his message, a Lithian named Chtexa stops him. Chtexa explains the messages are very complex and part of a ritual. Ruiz-Sanchez responds and says he needs to send a message to his friends. Chtexa leaves to send the message. Ruiz-Sanchez thinks about how Agronski refused to learn the Lithian language because he deemed it useless to him while Michelis ended up learning it. He also thinks about how Cleaver calls the Lithians "the Snakes."

Chtexa returns and explains that he sent the message. However, there are no humans in the city that Ruiz-Sanchez asked the message to be sent to. Ruiz-Sanchez finds this somewhat concerning, but knows his team members will find their way back soon. Chtexa invites Ruiz-Sanchez over to his home and he decides to go, knowing Cleaver will be fine on his own.

Later on, Cleaver is woken up by two individuals. The two men end up being Michelis and Agronski who are concerned for Cleaver's well-being and are also confused on where Ruiz-Sanchez has gone. They notice that Cleaver is very sick and wonder why Ruiz-Sanchez would leave, since he is the only one with medical knowledge. Cleaver is still slightly in pain as he wakes up. He hears the conversation between the other two, who are trying to determine whether or not Ruiz-Sanchez has died or simply disappeared. Cleaver has a short dream about testifying to the United Kingdom. He dreams of seeing Ruiz-Sanchez and pointing to him.

When Cleaver wakes up, the two men are still trying to determine what to do. They signal for a helicopter to pick them up, despite the winds. The three men hear footsteps and see Ruiz-Sanchez enter the home, somewhat tired but safe and alive.

Prior to this conversation, Ruiz-Sanchez enters Chtexa's home and Chtexa shows him the furniture, which is similar to those on Earth. Also, there are numerous Lithian scientific tools. The two talk about their discoveries as well as things they are interested in. They discuss things such as bacteria, soil-sampling, and most interestingly (to Ruiz-Sanchez), death. He asks Chtexa about whether or not his people die. Chtexa explains that his people die, but it is not considered an evil thing. Rather, it is something that happens and it allows for development and progression of life. Furthermore, Ruiz-Sanchez asks Chtexa about birth. Chtexa explains that the women lay eggs and the males fertilize them. Children are born in the sea and Ruiz-Sanchez calls them "lungfish."

Ruiz-Sanchez returns to the home to see Cleaver, Michelis, and Agronski waiting for him. Michelis and Agronski are initially mad that Ruiz-Sanchez left a sick Cleaver alone and that Ruiz-Sanchez never contacted them. Cleaver is currently in a coma, but seems to be doing well. Ruiz-Sanchez gives him an IV drip and then makes breakfast for the other two. After breakfast, Ruiz-Sanchez reads his book and notices Chtexa outside his door. Ruiz-Sanchez forgot to remove the illness sign from the door, but he invites Chtexa in. Chtexa explains that he received a message back from other humans and that their time on Lithia was nearly up.

Before they leave, the men wait for Cleaver to wake up so they can vote on whether or not to tell those on Earth that Lithia is habitable or not. Cleaver suddenly wakes up and explains that he is feeling better and able to vote. Cleaver says that he is frustrated that his run-in with the poisonous pineapple was not beneficial, but Ruiz-Sanchez explains that it was better that they knew about it to tell those on Earth to avoid it later.

Cleaver's explanation for Lithia being habitable is that the material on Lithia is useful for creating bombs. The UN can create weapons out of the materials and this will make their expensive mission to Lithia all worthwhile. Michelis and Agronski both agree with Cleaver. However, Ruiz-Sanchez argues against it, saying they should close the planet and move on. Ruiz-Sanchez explains that Lithian people have no money system so they wouldn't be able to pay them for using their planet as a bomb factory. Additionally, the Lithians are very knowledgable about their own planet and shouldn't be enslaved--which Cleaver said they should be. Also, the lithium on the planet is very expensive and there wouldn't be a way for the humans to pay them back. Ruiz-Sanchez then says that he votes to seal Lithia from all contact with humans because he wants to protect the planet and those who live there. The civilization is so complex and the people have strong morals. Their concept of death and birth is one that should be protected from the plagues of human invasion. Michelis becomes very frustrated with Ruiz-Sanchez because these concepts are discoveries that could pay a lot.

The vote is cast within the members and will later be cast on Earth. As the group packs up to leave, Ruiz-Sanchez sees Chtexa, who gives him a gift of a beautiful vase. Inside is a fertilized living egg of the Lithian species. Chtexa explains to Ruiz-Sanchez that it is his child and that he wants it to grow up on earth with the priest. Chtexa leaves and Ruiz-Sanchez turns to walk into the ship, the door slamming close behind him.