Bel Moulay raised a callused fist, as if he intended to thrust it into the crackling fire. We have been told by men who call themselves 'righteous slavers' that they have no compunction against pressing our people into work. They claim we owe a debt to humanity because we refused to participate in their foolish war against the machine demons -- demons that they had created and thought they controlled. But after centuries of oppression, the people of Poritrin owe us. And that is a debt which must be paid in blood.
 
Aliid cheered, but beside him Ishmael sat uneasily. He did not agree with the approach, but was unable to offer an alternative. Since he was only a boy, he did not speak up or interrupt the meeting? He knew the tiger would be questing downward, claws raking the narrow passage where its body could not go!