“What does that mean?” Copper asked.
“Forget it,” Kennon said wildly. “Leave me alone. Go put on some clothes. You embarrass me.”
“I’ll go,” Copper said, “but you’ll have to be embarrassed. Only household Lani wear cloth.” She frowned, two vertical furrows dividing her dark brows. “I’ve never understood why inhouse Lani have to be disfigured that way, but I suppose there’s some reason for it. Men seldom do anything without a reason.”
Kennon shook his head. Either she was grossly ignorant, which he doubted, or she was conditioned to the eyeballs.
The latter was more probable. But even that was doubtful. Her trenchant remark about civilization wasn’t the product of a conditioned mind. But why was he worrying about her attitudes? They weren’t important—she wasn’t even human. He shook his head. That was a sophistry. The fact that she wasn’t human had nothing to do with the importance of her attitude. “I suppose there is a reason,” he agreed. “But I don’t know it. I haven’t been here long enough to know anything about such things.”
She nodded. “That does make a difference,” she admitted. “Many new men are bothered at first by the fact that we Lani are naked, but they adjust quickly. So will you.” She smiled as she turned away. “You see,” she added over her shoulder as she left the room, “we’re not human. We’re just another of your domestic animals.”
Was there laughter in her voice? Kennon wasn’t sure. His sigh was composed of equal parts of relief and exasperation as he slipped out of bed and began to dress. He’d forgo the shower this morning. He had no desire for Copper to appear and offer to scrub his back. In his present state of mind he couldn’t take it. Possibly he’d get used to it in time. Perhaps he might even like it. But right now he wasn’t acclimatized.
* * *
“Man Blalok called,” Copper said as she removed the breakfast dishes. “He said that he’d be right over to pick you up. He wants to show you the operation.” “When did he call?”
“About ten minutes ago. I told him that you were at breakfast. He said he’d wait.” She disappeared in the direction of the kitchen.