mand a reply, so Kennon kept discreetly
silent as Alexander crossed the room to the two doors flanking the
couch on which the Lani had sat. He opened the left-hand one revealing a
modern grav-shaft that carried them swiftly to the uppermost level. They
walked down a short corridor and stopped before another door. It opened
into a suite furnished with stark functional simplicity. It fitted the
entrepreneur's outward personality so exactly that Kennon had no doubt
that this was Alexander's quarters.

"Sit down, Kennon. Relax while you can," Alexander said as he dropped
into a chair and crossed his sandaled feet.

"I'm sure you have many questions, but they can wait."

"You might as well get some rest. You'll have little enough later. The
Family will probably put you through the meat grinder, but remember that
they don't control this business. You're my man."

Kennon had hardly seated himself in another chair when the door opened
and a plump pink-skinned Lani entered. She was considerably older
than the silver-haired one he had seen earlier, and her round face was
smiling.

"Ah, Goldie," Alexander said. "I understand Man Douglas has been giving
you quite a time."

"It's high time you came back, sir," she said. "Since Old Doc died, Man
Douglas has been impossible. He's been culling the staff and replacing
them with empty-headed fillies whose only claim to usefulness is that
they can fill out a halter. Pretty soon this place will be a pigsty."

"I'll take care of that," Alexander promised. "Now I'd like you to meet
Old Doc's replacement. This is Dr. Kennon, our new veterinarian."

"Pleased, I'm sure," Goldie said. "You look like a nice man."

"He is," Alexander said, "but he's just as hard as Old Doc--and he'll
have the same powers. Goldie's the head housekeeper," Alexander added.
"She's an expert, and you'd do well to take her advice on assignments."

Kennon nodded.

"Have a maid bring us a light meal and something to drink," Alexander
said. "Have a couple of porters take Dr. Kennon's things to Old Doc's
house. Find Man Douglas and tell him I want to see him at once. Tell the
Family that I've arrived and will see them in the Main Lounge at eight
tonight. Tell Blalok I'll be seeing him at nine. That's all."

"Yes, sir," Goldie said and left the room, her tail curling buoyantly.

"A good Lani," Alexander commented. "One of the best. Loyal,
trustworthy, intelligent. She's been running Alexandria for the past ten