on nose and a loose-lipped sensual mouth. There was an odd expression of defiance overlaid with fear on h

sical elegance. They moved with a co-ordinated grace that made Douglas look even more clumsy by contrast. And they were identical, twin cream-and-gold works of art. They were completely nude

Alexander's amused smile told him that much. Wi

look before, that liquid introspective look in the velvet eyes of cattle. He shivered. For a moment he had been thinking of them as human. And somehow the

y're a special case, a very special case." He glared at his cousin. "Damn your

lip. "You can't talk to me like that,

!" Alexander's voice didn't

fight you-yet." He turned to the human

quickly. Somehow Kennon got the impr

five years. I can vote my shares then-and then I'll fix you. You won't be so high and migh

They wouldn't have anyone else but me handle the finances. They love money too

curiously-"Who's the oddball?" He ge

terinarian,

! Now you

id with ironic emphasis. "I hope he cuts you off from the Lani. He'

I'm an ow

ce until you reach legal age. And that brings me to the reason I brought you here. Just when did you gain the rig

t his lip. "Do we have to go in

oldly, "and he might as well learn ab

d bitterly. "You'll make me do it. You always do. Do you want

. "Several times. You need a lesson. I won

you going to

o more damage. As of tomorr

d uneasily as he watched Alexander's granite face. "Y

oke about

! I'll tell the Family

od all you like. Master of life and death on a two-acre island. No one will mind. You can also go to work. No one will mind that, eith

ousin

f the sight of you

oughly deflated and he seemed more frightened than before. Ob

is a thoroughly unpleasant specimen, and incidentally quite typical of the rest of the Family." Alexander sighed and spread

the Quiet Treatment, brainburning, transorbital leukotomy, lobectomy-all of the products of that diseased period of humanity's thinking when men tampered with the brains of other

enile. He died a year later. You'd think a man would be ashamed to keep things like that around-but not Douglas. He likes them."

ldn't like to work for a ma

ee years there have been no dockings, no mutilation

Kennon said. "I didn't t

i are the height of stupidity. Just because someone wants a pet that is an exact duplicate of a human being is no reason to risk

alking physical. Naturally they would be dangerous property. Anyone attempting to sel

st over a million. Grandfather found that out. Sure, there are differences between Lani and humans, but a smart lawyer can make them seem trivial until the final test and that would drag on for nearly two years

ed in human history. As a result, the tail serves as a trade-mark-something that can be easily recognized by any

"Yes," he admit

ls. And on this island they're treated as what they are-no more, no less. They are a part of our economics and are bred, fed, and managed according to sound livestock principles. Despite some of the things you may see here in Alexandria, don't forget that. Y

ed. "But the physical resemblance is so

'll accept it in time. Now I think