"Right," Morran said. They walked together, along the dark path of the planet that was different from all other planets, soaring alone around a sun different from all other suns.
"Up here," Morran said. The legends were explicit. A path, leading to stone steps. Stone steps to a courtyard. And then—the Answerer!
To them, Answerer looked like a white screen set in a wall. To their eyes, Answerer was very simple.
Lingman clasped his shaking hands together. This was the culmination of a lifetime's work, financing, arguing, ferreting bits of legend, ending here, now.
"Remember," he said to Morran, "We will be shocked. The truth will be like nothing we have imagined."
"I'm ready," Morran said, his eyes rapturous.
"Very well. Answerer," Lingman said, in his thin little voice, "What is life?"
A voice spoke in their heads. "The question has no meaning. By 'life,' the Questioner is referring to a partial phenomenon, inexplicable except in terms of its whole."
"Of what is life a part?" Lingman asked.
"This question, in its present form, admits of no answer. Questioner is still considering 'life,' from his personal, limited bias."