My Troopers fought bravely and well. Enabling the killing blow,” I replied.“That they did. Now we need to find out why it happened as it did, as I...suspect finding one of those aliens on a ship will not be easy.”“No sir, I doubt it will. But if we could duplicate whatever happened artificially...”“Exactly.”‘The Corsuuli has gone dark,’ the senior Master lamented.‘Disaster, that his light can only remain in memory,’ the other masters replied in sorrowful tones.‘Do we know how?’ a junior. Eleanor sipped her tea, making a noise that wassomewhere between a slurp, a hiccup, and a sob. From what the HighDefinition camera in the opposite wall could show me, her eyes werevery red now."Thank you for coming to see me, Eleanor," Susie said, her voice fullof sympathy. "It can't have been easy." I didn't want there to be bad blood between us, My Lady..." Oh, please call me Susie!"Eleanor smiled. "Thank you, Susie, and I'm so sorry about my horriblebrother. All he thought about was. It didn't stay out of her mind, of course, every time she saw Tom reading one of his magazines she thought about it.Over the next year the idea had come and gone dozens of times and it was never given any serious thought until one night at a birthday party at a friend's house. She had been hitting the martinis pretty heavy and was feeling no pain when, on a trip to the bathroom, she had stumbled and almost fallen. Larry, an old friend of Tom's had been coming toward her and had managed to catch. Clearly, a lot of people had turned up for tryouts.Clearly, a lot of people were going to see him there. This wasdefinitely going to be a long and difficult morning.His mom pulled into a vacant spot and turned off the engine."Grab your bag, Jess, and come along," she said. "We need to get youregistered."He sat frozen in his seat."Do I have to go in right now? Can't I just wait here until it is,like, my turn?" he pleaded, desperately."Don't be silly, Jess. Of course, you have to go inside. Now,.