3TC's astro-yacht was more than comfortable. Aboard, one of the stewards accompanied Eve to her room: "Dinner is scheduled for eight o'clock." Eve scanned every mind around, but those in charge donned their thought-blockers. As to others they were worried: "The Body Bank! OMG, not the Body Bank!" Eve looked at the hedonistic Jacuzzi and decided to take advantage of it. They were watching her, she knew it, but the journey with Badu had left a feeling of filth on her. She needed a purifying bath. When she returned to the bedroom her clothes were gone, but on the table there was a gift-wrapped box. "A little gift. With paternal affection, E." the note said. Eve looked at the handwriting. The letter E written with fluttering penmanship was refined and decadent, "and evil", she thought. Everybody behind her abduction was wicked. Period. At dinner Lady Lou Cyfer rambled on about fashion and food, wine and music. "This dinner is the most perfectly hypocritical thing I have ever seen." Eve thought, but decided to play along as JS had taught her. It wasn't easy. The conversation was frighteningly banal, but Lady Lou spiced up her babbling with a ill-concealed malice as she couldn't hide the fact that she considered JS the cause of her misfortune and loss of status. Since 3TC was gazing at Eve with unabashed interest, Lady Lou chattering become more and more waspish and Eve decided the woman was going to be as much a problem as 3TC or Badu. Eve soon realized 3TC's small talk was a way to know where JS was, but she didn't rise to his baiting. He smiled: "One day I'll get it out of you." His cruel smile made Eve feeling a sickening rush of sheer fear. After dinner 3TC organized a party on the aft deck furnished so that the guests could believe they were on a real yacht sailing on the blue waters of the Caribbean Sea, on the Earth. Eve might have been lulled by the deception if it weren't for Badu's presence. The hoodlum enjoyed attacking her with his lustful thoughts. Eventually Eve decided to close her mind shut, since it was evident she wouldn't learn anything until her arrival. The astro-yacht landed on a small alien world within the Grays' space as Eve was able to figure from the thoughts of the crew. The surface of the planet was covered by gigantic translucent domes in which there were buildings and lush fields. As they landed, she saw that all labor were lower rank Grays, strange people, cyborgs and robots. The shuttle took them to a building with a rather unique architecture. "It's a castle!" Eve thought. She had seen buildings like that only on Galattypedia or Shishfirr. The large front door overlooked a large peristyle dominated by a majestic staircase. "Eve!" a man shouted coming down the stairs as fast as his age and his limping allowed him. "It's so good to have you here, my child!" From the loggia a Gray lady leaned over to look at them and a Gray duke came down the stairs. 3TC pointed Eve to the old man: "You see, she's here safe and sound!" "She's safe! that's important!" the man exclaimed. "Child, your mother will be so happy to see you. We brought her here, so she is safe too!" Eve suddenly felt her mother's mind. She had a bad feeling that someone had removed the thought-blocker at that very moment to build up a stronger emotional effect. "Where is my mom?" asked Eve. The old man gushed his greetings over her but Badu's grin betrayed the courteous words of her host. "She's here," the old man said giving up hugging her in front of her obvious rejection, "but let me introduce myself: I am Eros Flaw." Eve looked at him, then the others, one by one. Everyone was smiling benevolently, even the Grays, but pure greed exuded from their smiles and minds. There were no sexual overtones in their greed, it was greed in its purest form. -- Thanks!