“And I think I know why,” I said, folding my arms over my chest. “If you take me back to your ship, I will try my best to get all your women pre...nant.”I heard a giant, “WHAT!!!” that had to be hundreds, if not thousands of minds crying out at the same time.“I don’t mean that I’m going to do it all myself,” I stammered out. “I wouldn’t mind doing my part, but if I am right about what I think is happening, I may have a way to solve your problem.”Several more gray men shimmered into existence. ‘What’s so funny? I didn’t get to the punch-line yet?’ Firearon Loke asked when, for the fifth time in a row, Majgen’s sense of humour started bubbling too early in one of his tales. Majgen didn’t know how to reply without revealing how much she could sense from his emanations, but one of Loke’s own assumptions came to her rescue. ‘You knew of this incident from Hiro before I came?’ To this Majgen could honestly nod yes. She had absorbed Baglian’s memory of that particular story too. She had. We eventually docked two days later in Palma where we had to give our statements once again, this time to the Spanish police. They thankfully decided that the conclusions drawn by the ship's captain were correct and the incident had just been a tragic accident that happened occasionally on cruise ships when someone had partaken of far too much alcohol. All-in-all I couldn't have planned things better if I'd tried.So that's it really. The end of my story about how I committed the perfect crime. Of all the changes in the past months, the greatest was his discovery happiness could be found, could even be purchased. The thought cheered him, but the joy was fleeting. Yes, happiness could be purchased. But the cost. The cost was always a factor. The doubt chewed at his confidence, and his new tic surfaced, his tongue darting across his lips. He touched each small, rough crescent briefly, reminders of his hard-fought knowledge.No! Clenching his fist around the moist bills, he straightened.