Another sun was setting. Another day had gone to join the fruitless ones preceding it. The expedition among the trees had told him nothing. Everything was the same as Tsu had explained several times before. His alerted senses found no discrepancy. He was disappointed, and he said as much in his evening report to Commander Spliid.
"It adds up," Spliid said encouragingly.
Rowley felt a glow.
"You get it?"
"No, frankly. But top rating must have the right slant. Where does percipiency leave off and old fashioned imagination begin? You're functioning like a percie, even when there's nothing to perceive."
"I thought you weren't satisfied...."
"I'm not a percie, Cliff. Any dissatisfaction I may feel is aroused by the conflicting reports of the field men. Anyway, we can probably clear that up in the correlating department."
Rowley's heart sank. "You are satisfied!"
The speaker hummed. Spliid said, flatly, "I've got to be. Everybody else is ... except you."
Rowley grunted. "Six days! I'll try to uncover something."