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Show trailed off, and he grew pensive. "Erica helped there most of all, for she is most wonderful at TourneySport. She kept us practicing full hard in the clearing, while the older boys stayed home, running the Hold. "By that time we'd grown into a fair sized colony up here, covertly working on this great plan for BauerWorlde. Then, just a few days ago, the Brown Mole broke the code." Dr'Igor smiled widely under his magnificent mustaches. "He told me that he was near,- full near, early in the blessed spring. Then he gave us this little p l u m . . . . " Dr'Igor beamed on the relic Constitution lighting up the visual-by then deserted, since the others had gone back to their terminals-and on the single sheet of hardcopy lying in its basket in front of the printer. Then he turned abruptly to Dr'Anya and changed the subject. "Erica's been a good partner," he said to her earnestly. His tone was warm, kindly, with just the right apologetic touch. Dr'Anya looked back at him, startled at a subject brought up so preciptately by Dr'Igor that had never been spoken of betwixt them before. To her acute embarrassment, tears sprang to her eyes, whilst Janni's face turned red with exasperation. Dr'Igor turned back immediately to the Dooley. "Then in FifthMonth," he went on, as though anxious to get back to business, "we discovered the Four Kingdoms armed to the teeth and at our very doors. So Erica and I conferred to see what could be done about holding them off until we completed the takeover. I bethought myself privately-thou seest?-of nipping the Provincial plans fair in the bud, as sort of a dry run for the future, in case there be. . .ah. . .dissension in the. . .ah. . .Commendiums. . • ." 251 |