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“Please tell us on,” she said, trying to keep the nervousness out of her voice If they had lost the final Trial, the consequences to the Earth would be dire

“Well, I’ive it to Lord Torrid and the lovely Lady Tabuu,” the Director said regretfully “They were just a bit more, ah, creative than you two I hout the entire Trial, while they moved all around so much it was difficult to keep track of I think at last count, they had tried sixteen different sexual variations”

“Seventeen” It was Lord Torrid hies They were holding hands and looking unbearably sht bitterly

She couldn’t believe that she and Rarev had gone through so ether with a tie that would be incredibly painful to break—just to lose in the end It was too awful—too heartbreaking

To her horror, she found she was beginning to cry again What rong with her? Where had her steely outer deone? Where was the icy composure she was so famous for back home? She see her emotions, no matter how desperately she wanted to keep them private

“Oh,her tears “I’m so sorry—I knohat a disappointment this loss must be to you”

“A disappointment?” Em cried “A disappointment? You don’t understand at all My planet…” she whispered, as Rarev put an arm around her and pulled her close to comfort her “My planet is doos will strip it bare And if you think they’ll stop with Earth, you’re very much mistaken They ruined Rarev’s entire universe!” She looked up at the big Monstrum, who nodded

“My people can never go back,” he growled “The Darklings have overtaken our entire ‘verse”

“Oh, well…” The Mining Director looked taken aback “It’s just that—”

“Excuseabout this and we think we have a solution” Lord Torrid caht if we subcontracted just the rights to the Yillium to Minister Oxley and Chief Coes “It’s a useless mineral to us and it appears to Tabuu and myself that these two badly need it”

The Mining Director frowned

“Well, we’ve never had the Mineral Rights subcontracted in any way, but I think we could make an exception in this case…let us confer”