on to display.

And what of Copper? How would she behave under the double strain of
knowledge that she was human and knowledge of the spaceship? Women
weren't noted for their tight-lipped reticence. Would she tell the other
Lani? Would she crack under the pressure? Did she have the qualities of
a good conspirator?

As it turned out, he didn't need to worry. As a partner in crime, Copper
was all that could be wished. Everything was normal. She was still
obedient, helpful, and gay as ever. To watch her, no one would ever
think that her bright head was full of knowledge that could rock Flora
to its foundations. Never by look or word did she betray the slightest
trace of strain or guilt.

And in her other moments she was ecstatic in her love and helpful with
the repair work on the Egg whenever Kennon could get time to visit the
old spaceship.

"You amaze me," Kennon said as they eased the cover of the spindizzy
in place and spun the bolts on the lugs that held it to the outer
shielding. He picked up a heavy wrench and began methodically to seat
the bolts as Copper wiped the white extrusion of the cover sealant from
the shining case.

"How?"

"The way you hide your knowledge of this ship from the others. I know
you better than anyone else on this island, and yet you would fool me."

"We Lani are used to hiding things. You men have been our masters for
centuries, yet you do not know our redes. Nor do you know what we think,
We obey you, but there are parts of us you do not own. It is easy to
hide a little thing like this."

Kennon nodded. It figured. He seated another bolt. Three more and
the drive room would be restored and they could start on the control
circuits. "I wish you were as clever about adopting human customs as you
are about hiding guilty knowledge," he said.

Copper laughed. "You mean those silly things you have been teaching me?
Why should I learn them? I'm happy as I am. I love you, you love me, and
that is all that matters."

"It's not all that matters. Can't you get it through your head that
civilized customs are necessary in a civilized society?" He gave the
next-to-last bolt an extra-vicious wrench. "You'll have to know them if
you expect to get along on Beta."

"But I will never see Beta."

"I am going there when my duty here is over. And you're going with me."

"When will that be?"

"Three years."

"So long? Well--we can think of it then, but I don't think Man Alexander
will let you