XXX

      "Is that all that will prepare me?"

      Twas already a Cliché, and was beginning to nauseate her. She was really vexed with him. She was already acquainted with how annoying humans could be. How gracefully they can prune doubts and elevate interest. She simply looked over him and at one of the gladiators she'd been espying since the very first day she'd bothered the earth of the fort with her sassy soles. He wasn't like other gladiators. He had the come-for-me-kinda-look and would try him out some other time. She had her chances but that was not enough. Business was calling, and that was all that mattered.

        She made an effort of hewing her words properly. There was no difficulty by the way. She was simply conscious of the best answer which would suit the contention of Ja Lia. He wasn't so stoic as he'd appeared. And