.. that he had a unique capacity to help people put difficult life crises into perspective.Shortly after becoming his secretary, just before noon on a...Wednesday Cross said on the intercom, “Call Joyce in Mary, I’m taking you to lunch.” Joyce was her replacement when she needed to leave her desk. Mary wondered what it was all about. Nobody at Angus Meat above her station had ever asked her to go to lunch. She usually ate in the cafeteria.As they walked to the restaurant around the corner from. "I… I… um, kinda." What are you looking for?" I asked directly.He hesitated then said, “Not really sure… just… company… or something.” It was the sound of the “or something” that betrayed him."Done this much?"He shook his head no, then quietly said, “Not with guys, but I promised her I would never cheat with another girl. And no, I’ve only been with a guy once or twice… a bit, not everything. It was… nice… different…” He trailed off. I got the gist.I smiled. “Would you tell her what we do, if. This was the work of the Old system, no doubt.Another report coming from fleet dock 5583 confused at first. One of the battleships was independently moving and all attempts of its sub-control consciousness to identify the unit and regain control were unsuccessful. There was an 89 percent chance that this was a disguised intruder. The Mora ship design was known to many for thousands of years. The intruder had to be neutralized.While He-who-guards-the-Crucible issued instructions to neutralize. Grunting with the effort the druid lifted off the copper dome as his strong voice echoed out the hall; “Your tribute my king” and blinking in the light of a thousand candles the beautiful pale girl was revealed, to stunned gasps from the assembly. The druid bent to cut the rawhide binding Her and Her skin glistening with honey in the light, She rose elegantly like a cat stretching itself upright after snoozing. Every eye in the hall was on Her, feet stamped and hard fists beat in rhythm on.