and
crystal, floored with thick carpets, and hung with rich drapes, had
something of the appearance of a Sarkian harem. Although there were only
five of the Alexander family present, there were at least twenty
Lani whose costumes ranged from the black G string and halter of the
household staff to the utter nudity of Douglas's playthings. They were
all female, and Kennon wondered for a moment what a male was like.

Besides Alexander, there were two men and three women: Douglas, still
with his sulky expression, an older man in his late nineties who looked
like Douglas's eider brother, two mature women who could be any age from
fifty to three hundred, and a girl. She might have been thirty--perhaps
younger, perhaps older, a lean feminine edition of Alexander, with the
same intriguing face and veiled predatory look. There was a hardness
about her that was absent in the others. Kennon had the feeling that
whatever this girl did, she didn't do it half way.

"My sister Eloise," Alexander said in a low voice. "Watch out for her.
She's as deadly as a puff adder and she collects men. The other man is
Douglas's father, Henry. The plump redhead beside him is his wife, Anne.
The other woman is my mother, Clara, even though Eloise and I don't look
like her. We take after Father."

"Where's he?" Kennon whispered.

"Dead," Alexander replied. "He was killed twenty years ago."

"I'd like to present Dr. Jac Kennon, our new veterinarian," Alexander
said into the hush that followed their entrance. The introductions that
followed were in proper form, and Kennon was beginning to feel more at
ease until Eloise sent one of her Lani with a summons. He looked around
for Alexander, but the entrepreneur was the center of a three-cornered
argument, hemmed in by Douglas, Henry, and Anne. Henry's voice was
raised in bitter protest that Alexander was exceeding his authority. He
shrugged. There was no help there.

"All right," he said, "tell your mistress I'll be along in a moment."

"Yes, Doctor," the Lani said, "but the Woman Eloise says for you to
come, and she is not accustomed to being disobeyed."

"Tell her what I said," Kennon replied. "I shall be there directly." He
crossed to the table and examined it, selecting a cluster of odd purple
fruit which looked more interesting than it tasted. When he had finished
he walked leisurely over to where Eloise sat.

She looked at him angrily. "I am accustomed to being obeyed by my
employees," she