“Sensory arms, we call them in English. They’re more than arms -much more- but the term is convenient.” It focused its attention on Lilith and spoke in Oankali.

“Do you think it would help if he saw a demonstration?”

“I’m afraid he would be repelled.” she said.

“He’s an unusual male. I think he might surprise you.”

“No.”

“You should trust me. I know a great deal about him.”

“No! Leave him to me.”

Reading this passage, made me think a lot about what Nikanj had to say about Joseph that he was hiding from Lilith at the time I read it. I wonder what more to Joseph’s back story there was to it. Perhaps she knew as well but she wanted to forget about what might have happened in the past and try to mold him into a better more suited person than what he was in that community with the others. She did get info on the guy, but how much necessary? The whole point is to gather the best kind of people in order to survive on earth, Not everyone liked Joseph and Lilith when the rest was awakened, that sometimes they got into fights and no one was trusted that easily. Perhaps the unusual part of Joseph is that even though he’s scared of the Oankali at first, he automatically accepts what’s needed to be done, and gets it done quick.