Thorny ivy vines and white pulsating mounds of needlepoint spikes also cleared the annular path around the tower as they approached. Ekela breathed a ...eavy sigh of relief as they entered the tower and the door sealed behind them.Following the discoveries of previous expeditions, the three walked halfway around the donut-shaped control room. The great inner core of the solar tower formed the inner wall of the room. Opposite their entrance door, Mayoni applied the X-tree chemical to the inner. Killing that turd was nothing.”“Oh. Sorry, love. It didn’t occur to me.”“Well, get used to it. You have plenty of wives, so some more of us are bound to get this sickness, but it is unpredictable.”“I am sad for you, Numa dear. Does it happen much longer?”“Can vary from a short time to several moons. As I said, unpredictable. Let’s try not to step in my vomit in the dark.”“Right. Tempo, please lead the way.”There was enough residual moonlight in the sky to allow some travel with care, and as it. Thehallway was empty. I went to the elevator and pressed the button. Itarrived and a woman from the hotel was on it. I stepped on, nodded helloand turned away. She responded, saying "hello."Then out I went into the lobby. Nobody said a word, although therestaurant hostess nodded hello. Did she realize anything? Did she care?Then I went out the front door of the hotel, and guess what, I felt arelease of tension that was so palpable it was as if an anvil had beenremoved from shoulders. Next, I. But, I don't have much more than that. I was hoping you could give me a little background, something that I could use for a sidebar to the main story about the trouble they're causing here." You mean things like the president of the organization drives a Mercedes, and the VP-Treasurer lives in a million-dollar house in Malibu?" Not that sort of thing, necessarily," Mike said. "What I'd really like is to find someone in authority saying on record that the group is a scam." Dream on, Mike," Andy.