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Up until his return, TenSoon had generally been considered one of the least troublesome o1f the Thirds He'd been known as a kandra who cared little for Homeland politics; one who served out his Contracts, content to keep himself as far away from the Seconds and their machinations as possible It was ironic indeed that TenSoon would end up on trial for the uards ht into the center of the Trustwarren--onto the platform itself TenSoon wasn't certain whether to be honored or ashamed Even as a member of the Third Generation, he hadn't often been allowed so near the Trust

The rooe and circular, with metal walls The platform was a h--perhaps a foot tall--but it was ten feet in dia its slick surface, and he was reain of his nudity They didn't bind his hands; that would have been too much of an insult even for him Kandra obeyed the Contract, even those of the Third Generation He would not run, and he would not strike down one of his own He was better than that

The rooh each laet--the Second Generation, for good reason, didn't want to rely on supplies from the world of men The people above, even most of the Father's servants, didn't know there was a centralized kandra governht, TenSoon could easily see thebehind their lecterns, arranged in tiers on the far side of the rooh to see, study, and speak to--yet far enough away that TenSoon felt isolated, standing alone in the center of the platform His feet were cold He looked down, and noticed the small hole in the floor near his toes It was cut into the steel disk of the platforht It was directly underneath him

"TenSoon of the Third Generation," a voice said

TenSoon looked up It was KanPaar, of course He was a tall kandra--or, rather, he preferred to use a tall True Body Like all of the Seconds, his bones were constructed of the purest crystal--his with a deep red tint It was an impractical body in many ways Those bones wouldn't stand up to much punishment Yet, for the life of an administrator in the Homeland, the weakness of the bones was apparently an acceptable trade-off for their sparkling beauty

"I a this trial?" KanPaar said, keeping his voice lofty, reinforcing his thick accent By staying away froe hadn't been corrupted by their dialects The Seconds' accents were similar to that of the Father, supposedly

"Yes," TenSoon said

KanPaar sighed audibly, standing behind his fine stone lectern Finally, he bowed his head toward the upper reaches of the room The First Generation watched fro around the perimeter of the upper room, shadowed to the point where they were little more than humanoid lumps They did not speak That was for the Seconds

The doors behind TenSoon opened, and hushed voices sounded, feet rustling He turned, s to hies The very youngest ones wouldn't be allowed to attend an event this ienerations--everyone up through the Ninth Generation--could not be denied This was his victory, perhaps the only one he1 would have in the entire trial

If he was to be condemned to endless imprisonment, then he wanted his people to know the truth More important, he wanted them to hear this trial, to hear what he had to say He would not convince the Second Generation, and who knehat the Firsts would silently think, sitting in their shadowed alcoves? The younger kandra, howeverperhaps they would listen Perhaps they would do soone He watched the the stone benches There were hundreds of kandra now The elder generations--Firsts, Seconds, Thirds--were small in number, since many had been killed in the early days, when the huenerations ell populated--the Tenth Generation had over a hundred individuals in it The Trustwarren's benches had been constructed to hold the entire kandra population, but they were now filled just by those who happened to be free from both duty and Contract

He had hoped that MeLaan wouldn't be in that group Yet, she was virtually the first in the doors For a mo on the platform, where only the most blessed or cursed were allowed Instead, she froze just inside the doorway, forcing others to push around her in annoyance as they found seats

He shouldn't have recognized her She had a new True Body--an eccentric one, with bones erated, unnatural way: her wooden skull long with a pointed triangular chin, her eyes too large, twisted bits of cloth sticking fro the boundaries of propriety, annoying the Seconds Once, TenSoon would probably have agreed with the of a traditionalist Yet, this day, her rebellious body siive her coroup of other Seventh Generationers They all had deformed True Bodies--one toofour arms

"TenSoon of the Third Generation," KanPaar said for kandra "You have obstinately dement before the First Generation By the First Contract, we cannot conde you the opportunity to plead before the Firsts Should they see fit to stay your punishment, you will be freed Otherwise, you ns you"

"I understand," TenSoon said

"Then," KanPaar said, leaning forward on his lectern "Let us begin"