Pakt sighed a little and settled himself back in his chair. He motioned Nolan forward with one hand, so Nolan took the seat opposite Pakt’s lab table. “Colt’s completely a product of his upbringing. As is Melina, as are you, as are we all. His upbringing tells him there is something repugnant and even dishonorable about one woman taking another as a lover. It would not happen in his own society, not at all, not ever. He can’t accept it. He can’t even overlook it.”

“But there’s nothing wrong with it. I know a lot of women—my sister, even—”

“Please. I don’t want those details. I have to admit, my emotions side with Colt on this one, even though my brain tells me it is an irrational prejudice brought about by a cultural schism. But I don’t like to think about it.”

“But among the gulden, there are men who—well, what the men do with each other is even worse than what the women do!” Nolan burst out.

Pakt smiled faintly. “Now, to me, a male homosexual is an understandable and acceptable individual. Many of them are the orphans, the young men with no father or uncle to take them in. But many of them are the most powerful clan leaders in Geldricht, who do anything they choose and dare anyone to question them.”

Nolan felt queasy at the very images the talk conjured up, but he continued to listen; he wanted to understand. “Why would it be like that,” he asked, “jahlas among the indigo and—and whatever you call those men among the gulden?”

Pakt shrugged and spread his hands. “The anthropologist Anton Solvano said that women are always drawn to power. Among the indigo, the women have the power, and among the gulden, it’s men. Those with the power have the women.”

Nolan was fascinated but still unsure. “And men? What are they drawn to?”

Pakt laughed. “The availability of sex. If it were not such a cultural taboo, believe me, you would have homosexuals among the indigo. Indigo men profess to despise all guldwomen, but who are the customers for the gulden whores? Most of them are blueskins, did you know that? They’re drawn by the availability of sexual favors. But blueskin whores don’t entertain gulden men. Even a low-caste blue-skin woman has more prestige than a guldman, and a woman does not engage below her station. First law of the species.”

Now Nolan’s head was beginning to ache. “The law of the indigo species?”