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“I have an idea why Come, I’ll show you”

Francesca rose froh torchlit hallways to a large bedroom She reached into a chest and pulled out a battered and scarred aluminum case She set it on top of her bed, then opened it Inside was a jumble of broken wires and circuits

“This was a o into the technical

details, but if you pour seawater in on this end, the salt is extracted and fresh water comes out here”

“A desalting process?”

“Yes It was a revolutionary approach unlike any devised before It took me two years to perfect The problem with desalination has been its cost This process would transforallons for only pennies At the say” She shook her head “It would have turned deserts into gardens and allowed people the benefits of power”

“I still don’t understand,” Paul said “Why would so made available to the world?”

“I’ve asked myself that question many times in the past ten years and still have no satisfactory answer”

“Was this your only model?”

“Yes,” she said sadly “I took everything with me from São Paulo All , she said, “I was able to putjust sitting around being adored all day I’m virtually a prisoner They hid me from search parties after the crash The only place where I am truly alone is this palace Only those who are invited can enter My servants were handpicked for their loyalty Outside the palace I’uard”

“Being a white goddess isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” Paul said

“An understatement Which is why I’ht you rest Toe, and ill start planning”

“Planning for what?” Gamay said

“Sorry, I thought that was obvious Planning to escape”

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