g. And if I had not, Copper would not have
become pregnant and forced me into these drastic actions. It's even
possible that I would have done nothing." He grimaced. "And when I left
Alexander's employment mnemonic erasure would have removed all memory of
the Lani's human origin." He shrugged. "I still am not certain that it
wouldn't have been the wiser course. Naturally, once I knew, I couldn't
do anything else than what I did."

"Naturally," Brainard said. "Humanity reaches the heights when it faces
questions of moral responsibility."

"To mankind," Kennon added heavily. "We have a convenient blind spot
regarding our moral responsibility to other intelligent races."

"A harsh fact, but true--and who is to judge whether it is right or
wrong? We achieved dominance of Earth by our moral responsibility to
family, tribe, and nation--and we nearly exterminated ourselves when
we forgot that this responsibility went beyond nations and embraced
all mankind. We learned that after the Exodus. As for the other
races--perhaps someday we will learn moral responsibility for all
intelligence--but we are not ready for that yet. That's too big a mental
hurdle." Brainard sighed. "We are what we are, and we change slowly. But
we change."

"True enough," Kennon said. "But it's hard to be philosophical about
it."

"You're young. Live a couple of centuries and you will understand
patience."

Kennon smiled.

"You know," Brainard said thoughtfully, "you still have plenty of things
to do."

"I know. I'll have to make a transcript of this discussion, have
it witnessed, and make a sealed record. I have to arrange for the
reposition of the evidence inside the Egg, and a complete recording of
the Egg itself."

"And to be safe you'll need several facsimiles, properly attested. The
arms of these outworld entrepreneurs are long, and unfortunately not all
Betans are models of honesty."

"I'd better get started then."

"Let me help you," Brainard said. "I have a little influence in this
area--and your cause interests me." He picked up the phone on his desk.

Kennon sighed. He had found an ally.

CHAPTER XIX

"What are you going to do with that girl?" Brainard asked.

"Formalize our mating as soon as she is able to get out of bed," Kennon
replied.

"She is an ignorant, untrained savage!" Brainard protested. "You should
hear the stories the nurses tell about her!"

Kennon chuckled. "You don't have to tell me about those. I've