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meaning. It seems to me that every single thought of these people is controlled by the structure of their language."
    "I thought that's how all languages worked," Trip said. "We're always trying to overcome our preconceived notions as expressed in our language."
    Archer raised an eyebrow. Occasionally Trip dropped his rough-edged Southerner exterior and showed the intelligence that lurked beneath. He usually didn't realize when he'd done it.
    "Yes and no," Hoshi said. "Most languages adapt to change quickly-inventing new terms or adopting them from other languages. I'm not even sure this one can do that. The Fazi language structure, from what T'Pol and Reed have discovered, also carries through to every detail in the Fazi world. Right?"
    "It does seem that way," Reed said. "The roads are uniform. The cities are perfectly laid out, and the patterns of repetition of services are everywhere. Even their broadcasts are exact and very structured."
    "And in all the broadcasts we've listened to, and that we have scanned," Hoshi said, "we haven't found one word about art, or one note of music, or one mention of a sport."
    "How dull," Reed said.
    "No kidding," Trip said.
    "You'd think they'd play games," Archer said. "Games are structured."
    "But the outcomes are not," T'Pol said. "My research shows that this culture believes in control and precision. An unexpected outcome violates their sense of structure."
    "So unless it was planned to look at this exact location in the sky, no one would do so?" Archer asked.
    "That would be my guess," Hoshi said.
    "Makes Vulcan society look downright free-form," Trip said, then laughed at the blank stare from T'Pol.
    Archer sat back and stared at the images of the planet rotating past on the screen. "Seems we're about ready for a first contact."
    "I would strongly advise against it," T'Pol said.
    "Why?" Archer asked, glancing back at the Vulcan subcommander.
    "For precisely the reasons we discussed," T'Pol said. "A first contact might violate their sense of structure."
    "They've got to be able to deal with surprises," Archer said. "No one's life can be planned to the nanosecond."
    "You are making an assumption," T'Pol said. "We do not have enough information to make such a contact successful."
    "What more do we need?" Archer asked. "We know they are not threatening or dangerous in any fashion. They are starting to work toward real spaceflight by testing warp engines. And we know they love set structure in their world. It would seem to me that your people didn't know much more about us."
    "I'm afraid, Captain," Hoshi said, "I have to agree with T'Pol. I'm just not secure enough on all the details of the Fazi language to guarantee success."
    Archer stared at Hoshi, then back at T'Pol.
    "All right," Archer said, sighing and turning back to sit facing the big screen. "You've all got another twenty-four hours and I'll decide then, if they haven't already spotted us before then."
    "Perfect," Trip said. "I got three different tests I can run."
    "Just make sure to keep us ready to move if we have to," Archer said.
    "Oh, trust me," Trip said as he headed for the lift, "we're more than ready to move."
    The sound of licking came from the floor below. Porthos was no longer asleep. He was finishing the stew in Archer's bowl.
    "Porth-oh, never mind," Archer said. After all, he'd set the bowl there. As far as Porthos was concerned, anything on the floor with food in it belonged to him. Archer had never disabused him of that notion.
    Archer looked back up at the planet. He wanted to go down there so badly he vibrated with it. However, for the moment, it made more sense to trust his officers and their judgment. But controlling his own excitement about making a first contact with the Fazi was becoming harder and harder.
    He picked up his bowl. Porthos looked at him expectantly. "Come on, boy," Archer said. "Let's go for a walk. I think we both need it."
    As he left the bridge, he glanced at the other officers. All