“I never retained one.”

“Special Ambassador Chris Alan Starbright volunteered for the job. I need your verbal voice print permission to allow him to defend you.” The warden was angry, but most angry of all with Starbright – and that Lightchild was one person the warden knew better than to cross. Besides, the Treaty didn’t allow the warden to refuse him.

“Really? The Blond Boy Wonder coming here to defend little ol’ me? I should feel flattered. Who knew he cared?”

“Shut up, Bitteroot, I know that the Special Ambassador’s as subtle in his own way as you are. But I also know that the White Hand he wields is utterly pure. He’s not corrupt, so how you do it? Never mind, I don’t even want to know.”

“For the record, I didn’t do anything. If he wants to waste his time defending me, that’s his affair. But go ahead, allow him to do as he wishes. It should be interesting.”

“That’s official?”

“It is.”

“Noted. You’re dead anyway, because the White Hand’s returned to its rightful owner. So either way, as the Adamim like to say, you’re toast..”

“Returned?” So that’s what I felt. I was right.

“Yes. Our hyperspace scanner picked up the transferal wavelength; it briefly outshone even Romulus’ shadow spectrum. Starbright’s daughter is born, Bitterroot, and Starbright’s back to full power.”

Edwin shrugged as if he didn’t care. “No matter; as you said, I’m dead anyway. I’m just making my peace.”

“That’s right, Bitterroot! you can’t teleport and you can’t influence anyone here. You’re not going to get out of this one. You’ll be shot into the heart of Romulus, and there you’ll die.”

“Want me to tell you a secret…?” Edwin leaned forward to the glass whispering. The warden leaned forward to hear him.

“You are all going to die…” Edwin then laughed madly in the warden”s face.

“Ha! You truly are insane,” the warden retorted. “Not even you can survive being shot into Romulus. This sphere keeps you powerless, and by the time you reach the photosphere, both you and this sphere will be vaporized.”

“Then you have nothing to fear, do you? And the child doesn’t have to worry about me, either. After all, a dead man can’t hurt anyone, can he? It’s not as if I’ll come back in three days like my famous friend.”

“He may think you’re some kind of super genius, but I think you’re a fool for coming back to our space. The judge, jury and prosecutor are all against you. I doubt if even the Special Ambassador will be able to argue your way out of this one – and I for one am looking forward to seeing you fry.”

Without another word, the warden marched out of the room.

Who’s really the fool here? Edwin thought. You were foolish enough to confirm for me that Starbright’s back to full strength. You will all learn the Meaning of Darkness, when you learn that only the Disciple of Light can stop me…”

Edwin sat back down and played his harp.