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The troll at the gate was a palace troll and almost human Palace trolls were bred like that because they worked in the palace and cauardians Patrol trolls came into contact with ordinary people and werepeople under control

Palace trolls were always polite and well dressed They perfor The troll at the gate was checking the passes of people entering the Biodiversity Resources Bank He was of slight build, exceedingly polite and dressed in a white coat with a red sash A machine would have provided a far uardians liked to see flesh-and-blood servants rather than mechanical ones

Crispin presented his pass and the troll bowed

'Your royal highness will be inspecting which collection?'

'The grass seeds and their derivatives,' Crispin replied

'We are honoured, noble prince'

The troll bowed and waved theh

It was the ridiculous sort of encounter that occurred whenever he went there Crispin never ceased to be amazed by the lack of security All he had to do was present a pass showing he was a member of the royal family and he would be let in The troll was there for show The idiot was so overawed by the royal presence that it failed to ask Peter for his pass All Peter had to do was tag along behind Getting into the Forbidden Zone was as simple as that

They passed through the gate and entered a covered garden with orange trees It was there for show and the enjoy building stood at the far end The boys mounted the marble steps and entered an exhibition hall with elaborate displays illustrating life on the planet before The Fall

Ie anirassland Creatures with long necks nibbled at leaves high in the branches of trees Crispin marvelled at what had been lost and what could have been saved if more care had been taken

Numerous attempts had been made to preserve the incredible biodiversity of the past The Seed Bank was an exae so fro to control the world's food supplies In their quest for power, they eradicated everything that competed with their products

The exhibition hall had been built as a tribute to these people But, as so often happened with the guardians, the good intentions of the past were soon forgotten The Seed Bank and its priceless treasures were allowed to decay The hall was still lected