Sparhawk couldn't help himself, the slight smile slid into astonishment as he stared at her. While he sometimes thought that his views were heretical (though Knights of the Church were supposed to think like that sometimes), what Doctor Brennan just said would have most members of the Elene Church in fits.

Until he can think of something coherent, and non aggravating to say, he settles for addressing the second part of her answer. That's confusing enough as it is for the hard-bitten knight.

"The scientific study of humans," he echoes, turning this over in his mind. "Surely all humans are different though? Elenes like myself are different fron Thalasians, who are different fron Rendors."