and Jesse agreed that Russ had theslight edge.Doyou want to do it? Jesse asked, casting a doubtful eye on themachine.Notreally, Henry admitted. I dont care whos stronger.Well,its you, obviously, Jesse said. But I dont really care,either.Canwe try the punching bag, Sir? Martin asked. He and Russ bothlooked very eager.Youcan do whatever you want, Henry told him. Ill just watch.Henryleaned back against an lung tester and Jesse stood beside him andthey watched as Russ and Martin took turns, one holding their coatswhile the other one punched.Ivemet a few other Ganymede companions, Jesse remarked, and theyseem the most rigorously-trained of all. Is that your experience,too?Henryonly knew his friend Alberts Stuart, Russ and Martin, and hehadnt thoughtfully compared them to one another, much less tocompanions as a whole category.Ireally havent paid attention, he admitted. Im verypleased with Martin, obviously, though. He blushed, heat risingfrom his collar, and did not look at his cousin.Thereare a few others in my class with Ganymede slaves, and to me theGanymede boys seem far more invested in their masters happinessthan the rest. Comparing Russ to Owen, for instance, Ganymede toApollo, Russ is fixatedon things being exactly right for me, always, and beats up on himselfif Im the least bit inconvenienced. If we ever actually fought,hed be devastated. Owen, on the other hand, does his best and thenjust shrugs if Eli is unhappy.Thisfit the idea Henry had of Owen, to be sure.Ithink Owen is a perfectly good slave, Jesse continued. Hesobedient and makes Eli happy, which is all he needs to do, after all.But Russ is an excellentslave, and he wasnt even top tier at Ganymede. Its eeriesometimes how good he is at being servile, like a humancouldnt actually be that devoted. Its not that I think theressomething wrong with him,but maybe theres something wrong with doing whatever the House didto make him this way.Henryhad had similar hazy thoughts in the past. Martin is somewhere inthe middle, maybe, he offered. Hes very obedient, but healso has very strong opinions about the right way to do things. Hecant seem to hear some of the things I tell him because all histraining prepared him for his master to behave differently.Recently, of course, Martin had been much more receptive to Henrysdeclarations, but Henry was not prepared to share that information.Hes also sort of crazy about rules, and he worships my fatherand Timothy like theyre gods.Ifeel so close to Russ, Jesse said, but sometimes I wonder ifhes only like this with me,or if he would have been this committed to anyonewhod taken him at auction.Iworry about that, too, Henry admitted.Buteven so, even if hed have been this way for anyone whod boughthim, I still want him to have whatever happiness he can get. Dontyou feel that way?Well,of course Henry began.Bybeing born slaves, theyve missed out on everything. They wonthave families of their own. They wont follow their dreamstheywont havedreams, most likely, since their training discourages it.Martinhas dreams, Henry insisted. Martins dreams seemed very modest,however, and not in keeping with his considerable potential. Martinwas much better-suited to be the scion of an industrial empire thanwas his