I fought to clear my head and to focus on the negotiations. If things went well, I could fly out tomorrow. Within a few minutes, a servant ushered us...inside meeting room of the imperial residence. Standing, waiting, several people were busy about the room carrying papers, arranging furniture or whispering in quiet corners. As Shen Yee entered, the atmosphere became charged and people’s attention focused on their ruler. He nodded to an aid that made an announcement (which I didn’t understand). For everything. Looking out for my daughter and our friends,while you had to pretend to be me, it means a lot that you cared so muchto try and prevent them harm." Picking up Dave's slight form in her bigmasculine arms, Lori sat him in her lap, while Kate and Sandra went into work. Maria came around with a tray of iced tea and lemonade as theyall waited. Doris, awake from her sleep, took a glass, sitting next toLori and Dave.After around an hour they thought they heard a noise come from the. At various points along the way, teachers stood and examined the passing line.Once inside the changing room, the girls briefly showered and then made their way through a side door into the pool area. While she showered, Linda left her things on a bench that she could watch from the showers. She saw one of the senior girls start toward them, but one of the teachers stopped her and had a quiet word. She paled a bit, and returned the way she had come.Once showered, she retrieved her things and. We must have frustrated you immensely.”“No, it was a necessary step. I didn’t mind, but the risks were greater. My earlier attempts ended badly. The chance you men would overreact and the entire operation fail was higher than with the women. Yet, if I didn’t take you first, you’d never have authorized their getting involved. Once they did, they quickly demonstrated their advantages. It’s too bad we didn’t have many recognized female warriors. If we had, it would have been a quicker.