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Aaron closed his eyes for a hts of Alex forever before he did soh priest Even so, he fingered the thin piece of h the fabric of his trousers, wondering where else so like that could have possibly come from

Finally the driver pulled the vehicle up to the palace After the custoh priest, the four sat in the conference roo the high priest with a status report fro of their tour, and then the three turned to Aaron "And what are your findings?" Justine asked

Throughout the briefing, soled to co brilliant to say, but he was afraid that his comments would disappoint He knew this was important He knew this could prove that his first idea, the Favored Farm, was not a fluke This could prove his brilliance And perhaps, just perhaps, ithih priest waited patiently for Aaron to answer

Haluki and Strang eyed hihtened his already extreh priest, I wish to offer a solution to the growing problem, not only of the poor quality of the Quillitary vehicles, for indeed they are in a sorry state But also a solution that will ease Quill’s looaze didn’t waver "Proceed," she said

Aaron nodded "I believe there is a e," he said humbly, "we have not explored Perhaps you will consider it worthy" Aaron took a breath, knowing he couldn’t stall estion, yet still trying desperately in his ure out exactly hoould work

Haluki, who sat opposite Aaron, shifted in his chair, his narrowed eyes not leaving the boy’s face

Strang nodded encouragingly, for he had an appreciation for the boy’s h Priest Justine’siain and pressed his lips together "Very well," he said, his esophagus feeling tight enough to stop his breath "I believe the solution toup the thirty barrels of water used by the Quillitary base each day, is …" Aaron sed, and continued "The Great Lake of Boiling Oil"

The High Priest Justine knitted her brows, the look on her face growing even more intense "And?" she pro hie and clear his throat "And," he continued, "therefore, as I have never seen the Great Lake of Boiling Oil, I’d like your perather a sa"

Haluki’s eyes flickered for an instant before they returned to their cold steel-blue color He shifted in his chair as the high priest and Strang grew thoughtful

"No It’s out of the question," Haluki said

The high priest offered Haluki a rare look of disdain "What?" she said, her voice raised slightly as fire rose in her eyes

"It’s contaminated," Haluki said forcefully "Polluted Perhaps you’ve forgotten what goes in there"

Aaron and the young Governor Strang exchanged an uncolared at Haluki "I’ll thank you to leave that decision up to uards at the door "Guards! Fetch a vehicle ih for the four of us"

Aaron’s stomach flipped

Haluki hesitated, and then stood abruptly and made for the door "Make that three I’ve another appoint at the table watched hi to hide the shock on their faces at this strange behavior Finally the high priest had the ithal to call out, "Oh, for Quill’s sake, Haluki Coone

Visitors

And so it was that while Mr Today was holding a ive the most recent developments to all humans, statues, and domesticated creatures, and while Arija called to order a sile, the squeaky Quillitary vehicle containing the High Priest Justine, Governor Strang, and Assistant Secretary Stowe caate And because no one had ever coate without six months’ notice, and because only one person in all of Quill had a key to the gate, and because the ree of the crowd on the lawn so that they could hear just a little more clearly, there was no one there to notice it

Except for Simber, whose keen senses were the best of anyone’s But by the tied cheetah had bounded over a row of Arti out a warning to Mr Today that set the entire land of Arti into their coical weapons, it was too late The gate inging open

A look passed between the great old e and the stately cheetah; it was a look only two friends who have known each other for many, many years could understand So while Mr Today held up his hand to silence the Artis outstretched to their full span of twenty feet or more, and acted as a shield between the visitors and the crowd to keep the enthusiastic folk frohosts on the Eliminator