cultural dominance, and perceptions of reality. "The Shobies' Story" is based on a crew of ten people traveling to test an experiment that transilience may be an element or agent of transilience. Culture is a factor since the crew members originate from different planets. Tai, Betton, Lidi, and Shan are from Terra; Oreth, Karth, Asten, and Rig are from Gethen; Gveter is from Anarres; and Sweet Today is Hainish-chiffewarian. There is a cultural dominance in the sense that each one believes they know what is best for the crew members aboard the ship. Another theme of the story deals with time dilation and how long the trip will take and when or if the Shoby ship will return to Ve in seventeen years. The story mostly deals with perception or how the characters take in the events that occur. Different characters perceive different events, like when Rig (a child) sees a brown planet and Asten (another child) doesn't see it. Characters Asten: Six years old; child of Oreth and Karth. Betton: Son of Tai. From Terra. Eleven years old. Gveter: He has more recent information and presumably a better understanding about their mission than the others, but it has to be pried out of him. Only twenty-five, the only Cetian in the crew, much hairier then the others, and not gifted in language, he spends a lot of time on the defensive. He often lectures the others about their propertarian habits; but he clings steadfastly to his knowledge, because he needs the advantage it gives him. For a while he speaks only in negatives and outdebates the others using his knowledge of certain physico-philosophico-techo-matter. He is from Annares and has a notable accent. Gveter has a mane on his head, a pelt on his limbs and body, fuzz on his feet and a silvery nimbus (of hair) on his hands and face. Karth: Gethenian; father of Asten and mother of Rig. Oreth: Gethenian; risk taker; mother of Asten and father of Rig. They left Terra when they were eighteen. Rig: Four years old; child of Oreth and Karth. Shan: Offers Betton fatherly-brotherly warmth, but he sought no formal crew relation with him or anyone. Also from Terra Shan is dark in appearance and an elegant dancer. He is interested in Tai, but she is non-responsive. Although friendly he can be controlling, and is the protagonist in the sequel Dancing to