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h huge；
muscular shoulders and arms； long…fingered hands； and a square face with a broad forehead and high cheekbones； but they were few。
The houses were like their owners…low； broad； and round； with thatched roofs and mud…and…wattle walls； painted in pinks； pale blues； mint…greens。
〃They still look so much alike；〃 Gar muttered。
〃Huh？〃 Dirk came out of a brown study； frowning。 〃What do you mean； 'still'？〃
〃Well； I've been here a month。 By now I should be seeing individual differences。〃
Dirk smiled bleakly。 〃Not really。〃
Gar turned to him； frowning。 〃Why？ How long will it take？〃
〃Your whole life；〃 Dirk said sourly； 〃and even then you'd make mistakes。 It's not just a matter of their all looking alike to you simply because you're from off…planet。〃
Gar scowled。 〃What else could it be？〃
〃That they do all look alike；〃 Dirk said sweetly。 〃I told you about the inbreeding； didn't I？〃
Gar stopped and stood； glowering down。 〃No； as a matter of fact。 You didn't。 Don't you have any taboos against incest？〃
〃Yes； a very elaborate set。 But they don't help much if you've all got the same genes to begin with。〃
〃That's impossible；〃 Gar said flatly。
Dirk shook his head。 〃Not if you have a small enough gene…pool。〃
〃That small a gene…pool couldn't survive。 Not just genetically…the original colony on this planet wouldn't've had enough people to build a self…sustaining society。〃
〃Nevertheless； it happened。〃 Dirk turned to look around the village。 〃Look it up in the official records…that's what we had to do； those of us who escaped off…planet You see； we didn't know our own history…the Lords were very careful about that。〃
Gar cocked his head to the side。 〃All right； I'll give you the straight line…what did the records say？〃
〃The original ship。。。〃
〃Ship？〃 Gar was restrained…only a little skepticism。 〃One ship； for a whole colony？〃
〃Only one；〃 Dirk confirmed。 〃You see； our lords and masters； in their infinite wisdom； decided not to take along any spare baggage； such as people who might not agree with them； so that one ship was limited to a very exclusive set of people who were sick and tired of not being able to have things their own way。 About two thousand of them…at least； the record said six hundred families。 Plus； of course； enough sperm and ova on ice to guard against too much inbreeding。〃
〃Of course；〃 Gar murmured。 〃And the churls？ Two thousand is a full shipload…or was； a few centuries ago。 Figure a hundred farmers to support each Lord…〃
'Two hundred；〃 Dirk interrupted sweetly。 〃You forget such essentials as butlers； cooks； maids； hostlers； and barbers。〃
Gar nodded。 〃About half a million。〃
Dirk shook his head。 'Twelve。〃
Gar held still； staring at him。
Dirk turned away； looking out at the villagers。 〃Have you seen what these people bear on their backs； under their clothes？ Have you ever seen one of them whipped？〃
〃I've seen it；〃 Gar grunted。 〃The capital letter 'C。'〃
Dirk nodded。 〃The brand of slavery。 They're branded with it when they reach puberty…you might call it our rite of passage； not that we chose it。。。〃 He broke off； brooding。 〃Of course； I don't have it I escaped before then。。。〃
He shook off the mood； looked up at Gar。 〃Do you know what the 'C' stands for？〃
〃Well 。 。 。〃 Gar scowled。 〃 'Churl；' I suppose。 That's the local term for the peasants； isn't it？〃
Dirk nodded。 〃It could stand for 'churl。' But it stands for something else； too…'clone。'〃
Gar stared down at him； appalled。
〃Yes；〃 Dirk said softly； 〃that's what they did。 They brought twelve servants along； only twelve…how they conned them into it； heaven knows。 As soon as they landed； they took bits of flesh from each of them； and made clones； then cloned the clones…hundreds of them； hundreds of thousands； until each Lord had as many servants and subjects as he wanted。〃 He stopped； took a long breath。 〃And that's how people came into being。〃
Gar turned slowly； looking at the villagers。 〃No wonder you all look alike。〃
〃Yes； no wonder。 Very efficient； isn't it？ You can tell a man's place in life just by looking at him。 The broad； stout ones are Farmers； like most of them here。 The occasional tall one； with the muscles？ He's a Tradesman； a blacksmith or carpenter。 They just drafted one man with a mechanical aptitude； and stamped out copies until they had enough to go around。 Then there're the Butler family； the Merchants； the Hostlers； the Soldiers； the Woodsmen； the Fishers…oh； and let's not forget the ladies： the Cooks； the Maids； and the Housewives…and that's it。〃 He gave Gar a saccharine smile。 〃Pretty； isn't it？〃
〃Inhuman；〃 Gar growled。
Dirk nodded。 〃That； too。〃 He turned away； his eyes roaming the street。 He stiffened。 〃Well； well； you get to meet another family…the Soldiers。 Along with a genuine Gentleman； represented by the local Squire。〃
Gar looked up。
Five men were trotting toward them on tall horses； four in steel caps and chain…mail jackets behind a short； slender man； with wavy golden hair dressed in pale…blue hose and a purple doublet。
〃You might call him a hybrid；〃 Dirk said softly。 〃You might； if you wanted to be polite 。 。 。 You see； the Lords brought along all the best aspects of the Terran aristocratic culture…best for them； that is。 Including the droit de seigneur； and the right to grab any churl woman and seduce her； or rape her if she's not seducible。 Anytime they want。 And the bastard offspring they call 'Gentlemen；' and make them knights and squires； to govern the villages。〃
Gar nodded。 〃What do they call the bastards from a churl man and a lord's woman？〃
〃Dead；〃 Dirk said； too brightly。 〃Her； too； usually。〃
The Squire came up； and drew rein。 His Soldiers did； too； but managed to let their horses wander a little； nicely surrounding the travelers。
Dirk watched them nonchalantly。 Then he turned to the Squire。 〃Good day； Squire。〃
〃Good day；〃 the Squire replied pleasantly。 〃You seem wearied； Gentlemen。 Has your journey been long？〃
〃Very。〃 Dirk wondered what the Squire would say if he knew just how long； then sobered as he realized the man might。 〃And wearying…we found no shelter this last night； and perforce kept walking till dawn。〃
〃A hard tale；〃 the Squire miserated。 〃May I ask your profession； good sirs？ What business is it brings ye abroad； on foot； in such unsettled times？〃
Dirk noted the 〃unsettled times；〃 though he saw no sign of it in the quiet； well…ordered village。 〃We're both younger sons。〃 He included Gar in a gesture。 〃Our Lord had no place for us； so we must perforce seek other positions。 We're bound for the King's Town。〃
He saw the Soldiers stiffen。 What was happening at Albemarle？
〃You have no employment； then？〃 The Squire hid his reaction much better than his Soldiers； he merely seemed wary。
〃No；〃 Dirk said slowly。 〃We thought to seek places in the King's Army。〃 He saw the Squire relax a little…but only a little。
The young man nodded。 〃Then of course； you'd be bound for the King's Town。。。〃
〃Sir；