a large cavern inhabited by a diverse collection of aliens. Guarded by Mentor's Overseers, they are engaged in mining activities. From their mindless behaviour, Helena recognises the aliens are suffering from a form of brain damage. They are shocked to discover one of the zombie-like miners is Torens. Reaching out to him, Koenig is repelled by force-field. An Overseer is attracted by the commotion; when shot with a stun-blast, the being changes into a stone slab. Picard speculates the guard was created from inert matter by molecular transformation. As they proceed, an image of Mentor blocks the tunnel. The alien warns them the hologram is surrounded by an impenetrable force-field. Hoping to overpower the barrier, Picard fires his laser rifle—but the beam ricochets back to atomise the Frenchman. When their stun-guns transformed into molten rocks, Koenig and company retreat, but are captured by another sphere of light. Koenig regains consciousness alone in a cell, startled by the lioness guarding the open doorway. When he backs away from the beast, Maya reverts to her normal form. As she and her father are the sole inhabitants of Psychon, the girl is eager to interact with the alien commander. Koenig then tries to exit the cell and encounters another force-field. Though Maya's apology is earnest, Koenig is enraged by what he feels is another Psychon trick. Maya is shocked when Koenig attacks Mentor's character by citing a list of his malicious deeds. Ignorant of her father's activities, she does not believe Koenig, thinking he is still disoriented. At the Grove, Mentor admits Koenig, but prevents a curious Maya from joining them. The room is dominated by a surreal artefact: a hexagonal dais from which dozens of glass conduits rise to penetrate the rocky ceiling. The conduits contain bubbling organic fluids of every colour, and the object hums and pulses with energy. With affection, Mentor introduces it as Psyche, a biological computer. Using its ability to manipulate matter, he plans to transform this dying world from a volcanic wasteland back to its former splendour. The alien scientist makes a gruesome revelation: Psyche derives its energy from the minds of intelligent beings. Like Torens, the brain-dead slaves in the pits have all been in 'rapport' with the machine. Koenig is appalled as the madman states the arrival of the Moon and its 297 human inhabitants should provide enough energy to make his world live again.