"Feeders of bloodsucking insects in animal hospitals that are operated by some other mahajan of some other caste—yes, I know, it’s all been tediously explained to me," said Jack, flinching as a centipede bit through the flesh of his inner thigh and tapped into an artery. "But those Swapak have been assured of jobs for so many thousands of years that they have become indolent. They make unreasonable demands of the Brahmins who run this place, and lounge around out front all day and night, pestering passers-by."