"If I can do something you're scared to do, who's the coward?"

Vrian said, "We're not scared to die?"

"No," said Valleroy, "you're scared to live, miser!"

Fury building visibly, Vrian stared at Valleroy. Suddenly, Nashmar moved to Varian's door and pulled it open as if it had never been locked. Wordlessly, the channel watched the captive as if waiting for some sign.

Out of the corner of his eye, Valleroy saw Loyce take up a position between Nashmar and Vrian, but a little to one side. Behind him, Klyd faded back toward the outer door while the confrontation grew ever more tense.

Some signal must have passed between Nashmar and Loyce, for just when Valleroy thought Vrian would attack the channel, Loyce took the Gen hand and joined it to the Sime's, sliding his own hand from between the two with a peculiar caress.

A moment later, Nashmar made full contact. Vrian endured that embrace as if paralyzed. Nashmar was almost as tall as the Gen, but only about half his weight. Nevertheless, as Vrian began to struggle, it was obvious the Sime was the stronger. It was only at Nashmar's will that the contact ended.

Vrian staggered back, suddenly off balance. He fetched up against the doorjamb and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his overall. He couldn't take his eyes off the channel, who stood impassively before him. "I didn't feel a thing. Why didn't you do it?"

"I did. You may go now."

"What?"

The cafeteria is now serving dinner. If you ask him nicely, Naztehr Hugh will show you the way."

"I'm not going anywhere without my brothers!"

"Where they go is up to them," said Nashmar, turning to the third brother, the silent Prins. "You want to try it now?" Without waiting for assent, Nashmar pulled open the door and stepped into the room beyond. There was the sound of a few footsteps and then silence. Prins was the youngest of the three and, thought Valleroy, had probably been willing all along.

Presently, Nashmar emerged followed by Prins, who stood before Vrian, head hung like a little boy caught in mischief.

Now the channel stood before Grenel, who still scowled fiercely. "Not me!"

Vrian shoved Prins aside and confronted his captive brother. "Shut up, Grenel! You want to spend the rest of your life in there?"

They glared at each other for a moment. Then Nashmar pulled open Crenel's door. Grenel backed away, crouching like a wrestler looking for a hold. Nashmar threw the door shut with a clang. "All right. If that's the way you want it, we can do without you."

"Grenel," said Vrian, "don't be a fool!"

Grenel straightened, coming back to the bars. Nashmar opened the door to let him out. Smoothly, Loyce interposed himself and made the contact.

From the first instant, Grenel struggled, but against a Sime he had no chance. When he was ready, Nashmar let the big Gen go. From these unwilling general-class donors, a channel drew selyn only very slowly and only from the very shallow, surface levels. Thus, he could reduce their field to the comfort range while not causing the donor any sensation at all. Even so, the selyn thus gleaned was sufficient to support an ordinary Sime for nearly a month because the channel's method wasn't as wasteful as the kill.

"You see," said Vrian, "now we can all go." It was obvious even to Valleroy that Vrian had something other than dinner in mind. Nashmar seemed to realize this. "Even Gens of the Householdings aren't safe out there. Your bills are paid, and you are now low-field. You're welcome to try your luck. But why don't you come upstairs and have some dinner first."

Prins nerved himself to speak. "I don't know about you, but I'm hungry. I'd rather not get caught on an empty stomach."

Using this as assent from all three of them. Nashmar herded his recruits through the outer doors. "Good. I'm sure you'll like us much better once you get to know us. After dinner I'll take you all on the grand tour, and..." The doors closed behind them.

Valleroy turned around to find Loyce watching him closely. "Naztehr, that was brilliant! We guessed from your accent you must be a specialist in their psychology..."

"Oh, it was nothing."

"Far from it. Now I can see the real purpose behind your gambit on the road... the way you flirted with danger when you knew that Klyd and Nashmar were so busy masking the captive's gradients that they couldn't protect you! I can see why Zeor prizes you so highly!"

"Uh... thank you," said Valleroy, totally non-plussed by this interpretation. It gave him a lot to think about, but Loyce didn't allow him a moment.

"But we're glad you haven't been at Zeor long enough to have absorbed all their ways."

"Oh?"

"Yes, because I can see you're going to have a night ahead of you."

"I am? "

With an eloquent shrug, the dark-haired, coffee-skinned Companion gestured toward the hall beyond the double doors. Valleroy could just see Klyd leaning against the wall waiting. The back of his head was against the wall. He seemed to be examining the ceiling intently.

Loyce put an arm around Valleroy's shoulders and walked him slowly toward the double doors. "Entran is no joke. Oh, I know you two have been doing one of those famous Zeor denial exercises. You people get to be pretty good at it, and I suppose it really is the source of the Zeor excellence. But I'll tell you this. I'm glad I'm not the one who's changing his name to Ambrov Zeor!"

"Oh, I don't know... you performed very competently just now."

Loyce chuckled dryly. "I thank you, Naztehr. Zeor is rarely so generous with compliments. But Loyce Ambrov Imil is good enough for me."

"Actually you're right that I haven't been at Zeor very long." At that moment he recalled how carefully Klyd had avoided using Valleroy's last name. Since only the Farris family retained their last name within the Householding, everybody had, no doubt, assumed that Valleroy had already pledged Ambrov Zeor. He tried it out for flavor. Hugh Ambrov Zeor. It felt very strange.

They reached the doors. Loyce stopped, turning to Valleroy. "Perhaps you won't feel offended if I offer some professional advice?"

"Isn't the sign of a true professional the ability to take good advice no matter where it comes from?"

"Yes, well, as I was saying, entran is nothing to fool around with... especially for a Farris. And you know how stubborn Klyd gets. But... he's Sectuib. The whole of Zeor depends on him. You owe it to Zeor to make him behave sensibly even if he doesn't want to."

"You know about how far I'd get?"

"Don't I! We tried all day yesterday to get him to work an hour in dispensary... or something... anything. He wouldn't, and now look at him! Just watching Nashmar functioning has tied him in knots. How long do you think he can go on like that?

"I couldn't guess."

"How long do you think you can stand it?"

Not knowing what he was supposed to be enduring, Valleroy made a noncommittal noise.

"I know what you mean. Listen, Hugh, you're his Companion. You have ways of dealing with him that nobody else does-"

"Oh, I'm not-"

"I know, it's not exactly ethical. But there are times we have to take certain liberties. They always thank us, afterwards, don't they?"

Valleroy squirmed uncomfortably. "I'm not that-"

"It's about time you learned to be, then. Just look at him! How long were you intending to wait?"

"I wasn't-"