"Harming and other violences," Twice Grown replied. "The wishing to kill, to inactivate. I we have read Beowulf, and I we have read Macbeth. I we have also read The Pit and the Pendulum."

"Physical conflict is important in fiction," Martin said. "It plays a much smaller role in our everyday life."

Erin gave him a look that as much as said, Always the politician. "Some humans are capable of violence," she said. "Sometimes, when we're frightened… "

"This fear emotion, when you wish to flee or hide," Twice Grown interrupted, "it is different from we our fear. You not only wish to flee and hide, but to destroy the thing which causes fear."

"That makes sense, doesn't it?" Carl asked.

"But I we do not know this fear emotion. Is it akin to wishing to flee, or is it akin to a wish to do violence?"

"It's part of getting ready to run or fight back," Carl said. "An urge to protect oneself, or one's family and friends."

"But is it also awareness of the unknown? We we find the unknown powerful, like a stimulant. We we willingly sacrifice to the danger of unknown for experience in knowing, understanding. You do not?"

"We've had people willing to do that," Martin said.

"But they've been rare," Erin said. "Mostly, we try to conquer or protect ourselves against danger."

"That is difficult," Twice Grown said. "Are new friends not unknown? Do you wish to conquer new friends?"

"I think maybe we should put together a discussion group later," Martin said. "We need to think through our answers and not give wrong impressions."

"Need for more thinking, yes," Twice Grown said. "For looking at humans, there is a mystery not like looking at we ourselves; a wondering if perhaps there is death here, without cause, like a sharkness in the waves."

Erin's eyes widened. "Oh, no," she said. "Fiction is a way of letting off steam."

"What?" Twice Grown asked.

"She means, releasing personal and cultural tensions," Paola said. "I think Martin's right. We should think this over and let humans and Brothers debate and ask questions. We're just making things muddier."

Twice Grown grew still and tightened his coils. His odors had dissipated; Martin could smell nothing now. "I we would enjoy such a debate," he said. "To rid of the mud."

A snake mother and a mom awaited Martin, Paola, and Ariel, and two Brothers—Stonemaker and Eye on Sky—in empty quarters along the boundary between human and Brother territory.

Paola Birdsong seemed surprised that Martin had chosen her for this meeting, but Martin had grown more and more impressed with her skills in dealing with the Brothers.

Ariel was quiet, alert, and slightly nervous. Neither asked why they were chosen; he did not volunteer to tell them.

Martin had conferred with Hans about the meeting; he had been a little surprised when Hans had decided not to attend.

"I'm sure I'm a little tainted right now, having worked with Rex too closely," Hans had said. "You go. Ask some pointed questions." He had seemed subdued, even sad.

Martin put that from his mind as the snake mother and the mom settled themselves before them. Stonemaker and Eye on Sky sat in formal coils, rustling faintly. They emitted no scents Martin could detect.

"We may begin," the mom said.

"We have important decisions to make," Martin began. "But first we have to agree on overall strategies. And I think we have to… clear the air a little."

He hadn't meant to bring up the problem of trust; but now there was no way to avoid it.

Stonemaker said, "It is good we all we meet now. But for we us, clear air is ominous. Can you explain?"

"The more we learn about Leviathan, the more confused we become," Martin said. "It looks like a thriving stellar system."

"Like a shoreline marketplace," Paola said by way of enhancement for the Brothers.

"Yes," Eye on Sky said.

"We haven't seen visitors come from outside, so perhaps it's an isolated market," Martin continued. "But there's evidence many different races live there. If this isn't another illusion, or if we can't penetrate the illusion from this distance, what are we going to do next?"

"Do you ask us?" the mom inquired.

"Not really. I'm just throwing the question open."

"We we are opposed to passing judgment without conclusive evidence," Stonemaker said.

"So are we," Martin said. "But we're also fairly convinced this is another blind the Killers are hiding behind."

"We all we must be more than fairly certain to condemn these worlds," Eye on Sky said.

"I think we're in agreement," Martin said. They still have no scent; what's going on? "So we have to design the mission accordingly. How many ships can we make out of Dawn Treaderand the Journey House?"

The mom said, "As many as are required. How many do you contemplate?"

"At least three. Humans have talked about entering the Leviathan system in disguise, as visitors. Could we create a different kind of ship, something that doesn't look at all like a Ship of the Law?"

"Yes," the mom said.

"Would it be within the Law for the ships' minds to help us create such a disguise?"

"An interesting question, I we agree," Stonemaker said.

"It would be no more inappropriate than providing you with the original Ships of the Law," the mom said.

"I think we should assume Leviathan is not what it seems," Martin said.

"A reasonable beginning," Stonemaker said.

"Just to be cautious," Martin added.

"Agreed."

"Acting under such an assumption, we also should assume that the beings behind the disguise are Killers…"

"Agreed," Stonemaker repeated.

"And the Killers probably have some knowledge, perhaps extensive knowledge, of the civilizations in this vicinity, and what they're capable of," Martin said.

"You wish to design a ship that might come from such a civilization," the mom said.

"Yes. A ship that couldn't be destroyed without interstellar repercussions," Martin said.

"You are assuming," Eye on Sky began, "that this disguise is meant for senses other than we all our own. That the Killers of worlds assume they are under scrutiny from others besides we all ourselves."

Martin nodded.

"He means yes," Paola said.

"It is remarkable insight," Stonemaker said. A faint smell of peppers and baking bread: interest, perhaps pleasure for one or more of the Brothers. "I we see this is related to your literature, as a fiction or strategic lie. Would all this joined Ship of the Law be part of play-act?"

"Hans and I believe the ship should divide into several parts," Martin said. "One part will enter the system, disguised but essentially unarmed, to investigate; the other two will orbit far outside. If a guilty verdict is reached, weapons can be released by the ships outside. We can try to finish the Job. If the Killers no longer live here—"

"Or if we can't hurt them without hurting innocents," Ariel said. Martin cringed inwardly. Yes, but what if?

"Or if we can't find them or recognize them," Martin amended, "then we'll rejoin and change our plans."