"Providing there are any still alive."

"Stop being a calamity howler. Whatever Alexander may be, he's not a
butcher. He even loved a Lani once. You told me so yourself. And he
couldn't kill where he loved."

She nodded. "I suppose you're right, but I've never lost my fear of the
Man Alexander. He held the power of life and death over me. But if you
must go then I should go too. My obligation is greater than yours."

"Later," Kennon said. "You're not ready to return. It will be time
enough after you have learned some civilized habits."

Copper's face lengthened. "You mean like wrapping myself in cloth like
these people do?"

"That's part of it."

"Why can't they be sensible--or are they so ashamed of what the gods
gave them that they must hide themselves?"

"No, it's not that. At least not exactly. It's custom. And you must
learn to conform to customs--outwardly at least--no matter what you may
really think."

"Isn't that a form of lying?" Copper asked.

"I suppose so."

"Isn't that strange. Your society exalts truth, honor, morality, and
intelligence--yet you lie about your attitude."

"It's called diplomacy," Kennon said. "It's part of respect for others'
attitudes and beliefs, a necessary part of human relationships."

"Then you'd be a nudist on Santos?"

"Of course--even though I think it isn't proper, I couldn't inflict my
ideas and attitudes on the customs of an independent world."

"Oh--you think I'm doing that?"

"Yes--and it is a mark of barbarism."

"Sometimes you're not very nice," Copper said.

Kennon smiled wryly. "I suppose I'm not," he agreed.

"I'll try to be civilized," Copper said. "But if you go to Kardon--I'm
going with you."

"Perhaps," Kennon said. "We'll see how things turn out."

"You don't want me to go with you?"

"To be honest--no," Kennon said. "You're safe here, and until your
status is cleared by a Brotherhood court, I wouldn't care to place you
in Alexander's hands. And clearing your status is going to take time."

"You mean that I am still his property?"

"Yes. But there is a legal doubt that will prevent him from exercising
his claim as long as you stay on Beta. In the area where he has power,
that doubt might not hold. So until your status is definitely proven to
be human, you should not leave."

"And what happens if this court denies my claim?"

"Then we appeal to the Council. However, with the evidence we have, your
claim cannot reasonably be denied