Mevakor fired point blank with the blaster. The Quintonian was not pleased.

Dalgor held the others back.

“We are too late. The Queen has worked her evil once more.”

Inspector Nilsson went to take another look at the front end of the milk truck.

“What could have happened?” asked Margaret.

“Looks like it hit a brick wall.” replied Oscar. “No sign of another vehicle. Maybe he hit a moose. They often come down here this time of year”

Nilsson came back around to the newlyweds. He scanned the fields on both sides of the road.

“No sign of a carcass, moose or Anderson.“

It began to rain.

“Don’t worry, it’s all in the presentation.” replied the Chancellor.

“The royal court is expecting to see their new Queen: An enormous, drooling insectoid capable of ruling an entire Xanzhiv colony. This heavily sedated Earth female wouldn’t fool a blind grub.”

“Voraxis, as head of the royal guard, your only job is to make sure they don’t bite off her head before I’m through. I’ll have them on their knees by the time I finish my speech.”

The Chancellor pressed the button and the door slid open. He stepped into the audience chamber and proudly announced, “Members of the royal court, it is my great pleasure to present the new Queen of Xanzhiv VI!”

The crowd erupted into excited chirping, wing beating, and mandible clicking. Voraxis prodded the human. She stepped through the door.

I opened the can of Chef Romano Ravioli and handed it to the creature. He reached out, took it, and sniffed. I held the out the spoon to him. He was tipping the can to his open mouth when he spied my proffered utensil. The creature looked quizzically at it, then took it from me. He scooped out a spoonful of ravioli. With lightning speed the spoon went in and out of his mouth. In seconds the pasta was gobbled up.

I thought, “What if he’s still hungry after the last can?”

The creature licked the last of the sauce off his lips and smiled.

McConnell reached in. He was so close to the dingus. Just another inch. Just another inch. So close. So close. He stretched an inch.

“Got it!” were his last words.

He exploded in a flash of light.

Professor Sneeds was knocked over by a shock wave. A dense cloud of yellow-green gas issued from the fissure.

Jasper ran to the professor. Unconscious. He grabbed Sneeds by his jacket and began to pull him away. He noticed Murphy, sitting motionless, transfixed by the unearthly gas. Enormous tentacles emerged from the billowing cloud. One of them came down and flattened Murphy in a crunching thud.

Jasper knew he was not going to be paid.

Maerlyn concluded the list of crimes ascribed to the defendant.

Dinesh whispered to Mandragore, “His case against your rabbit is very strong. What are you going to do?”

“Monroe has made a convincing argument, but, like all good magicians, I’ve got a trick up my sleeve.”