Pelorat said, "I think, Trevize, that she means Gaia is some sort of group consciousness."
Trevize nodded. "I gathered that. - In that case, Bliss, who runs this world?"
Bliss said, "It runs itself. Those trees grow in rank and file of their own accord. They multiply only to the extent that is needed to replace those that for any reason die. Human beings harvest the apples that are needed; other animals, including insects, eat their share and only their share."
"The insects know what their share is, do they?" said Trevize.
"Yes, they do - in a way. It rains when it is necessary and occasionally it rains rather hard when that is necessary - and occasionally there's a siege of dry weather when that is necessary."
"And the rain knows what to do, does it?"
"Yes, it does," said Bliss very seriously. "In your own body, don't all the different cells know what to do? When to grow and when to stop growing? When to form certain substances and when not to, and when they form them, just how much to form, neither more nor less? Each cell is, to a certain extent, an independent chemical factory, but all draw from a common fund of raw materials brought to it by a common transportation system, all deliver wastes into common channels, and all contribute to an overall group consciousness."
Pelorat said with a certain enthusiasm, "But that's remarkable. You are saying that the planet is a superorganism and that you are a cell of that superorganism."
"I'm making an analogy, not an identity. We are the analog of cells, but we are not identical with cells - do you understand?"
"In what way," said Trevize, "are you not cells?"
"We are ourselves made up of cells and have a group consciousness, as far as cells are concerned. This group consciousness, this consciousness of an individual organism - a human being, in my case..."
"With a body men die for."
"Exactly. My consciousness is far advanced beyond that of any individual cell - incredibly far advanced. The fact that we, in turn, are part of a still greater group consciousness on a higher level does not reduce us to the level of cells. I remain a human being - but above us is a group consciousness as far beyond my grasp as my consciousness is beyond that of one of the muscle cells of my biceps."
Trevize said, "Surely someone ordered our ship to be taken."
"No, not someone! Gaia ordered it. All of us ordered it."
"The trees and the ground, too, Bliss?"
"They contributed very little, but they contributed. Look, if a musician writes a symphony, do you ask which particular cell in his body ordered the symphony written and supervised its construction?"
Pelorat said, "And, I . take it, the group mind, so to speak, of the group consciousness is much stronger than an individual mind, just as a muscle is much stronger than an individual muscle cell. Consequently Gaia can capture our ship at a distance by controlling our computer, even though no individual mind on the planet could have done so."
"You understand perfectly, Pel," said Bliss.
"And I understand it, too," said Trevize. "It is not that hard to understand. But what do you want of us? We have not come to attack you. We have come seeking information. Why have you seized us?"
"To talk to you."
"You might have talked to us on the ship."
Bliss shook her head gravely, "I am not the one to do it."
"Aren't you part of the group mind?"
"Yes, but I cannot fly like a bird, buzz like an insect, or grow as tall as a tree. I do what it is best for me to do and it is not best that I give you the information - though the knowledge could easily be assigned to me."
"Who decided not to assign it to you?"
"We all did."
"Who will give us the information?"
"And who is Dom?"
"Well," said Bliss. "His full name is Endomandiovizamarondeyaso - and so on. Different people call him different syllables at different times, but I know him as Dom and I think you two will use that syllable as well. He probably has a larger share of Gaia than anyone on the planet and he lives on this island. He asked to see you and it was allowed."
"Who allowed it?" asked Trevize - and answered himself at once, "Yes, I know; you all did."
Bliss nodded.
Pelorat said, "When will we be seeing Dom, Bliss?"
"Right away. If you follow me, I'll take you to him now, Pel. And you, too, of course, Trev."
"And will you leave, then?" asked Pelorat.
"You don't want me to, Pel?"
"Actually, no."
"There you are," said Bliss as they followed her along a smoothly paved road that skirted the orchard. "Men grow addicted to me on short order. Even dignified elderly men are overcome with boyish ardor."
Pelorat laughed. "I wouldn't count on much boyish ardor, Bliss, but if I had it I could do worse than have it on your account, I think."
Bliss said, "Oh, don't discount your boyish ardor. I work wonders."
Trevize said impatiently, "Once we get to where we're going, how long will we have to wait for this Dom?"
"He will be waiting for you. After all, Dom - through - Gaia has worked for years to bring you here."
Trevize stopped in midstep and looked quickly at Pelorat, who quietly mouthed: You were right.
Bliss, who was looking straight ahead, said calmly, "I know, Trev, that you have suspected that I/we/Gaia was interested in you."
"'I/we/Gaia'?" said Pelorat softly.
She turned to smile at him. "We have a whole complex of different pronouns to express the shades of individuality that exist on Gaia. I could explain them to you, but till then 'I/we/Gaia' gets across what I mean in a groping sort of way. - Please move on, Trev. Dom is waiting and I don't wish to force your legs to move against your will. It is an uncomfortable feeling if you're not used to it."