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"How did you get pointed down the wrong path?" Morwin looked ready to tap a point-toed boot

"You asked us to write on the econoot sidetracked on Cloudsong, and I’m afraid I wrote about the economic iotten sidetracked Cloudsong was now destitute, with none willing to bail it out

"So, you found the insect in the sugar cake, did you?" Morwin’s lengthy eyebroiggling again "Cloudsong ensured its ruin when it attempted to reinterpret its laws to perfor prince?"

"Yes" Tory nodded, still not looking at his tutor "I listed the laws and how they were bent so Cloudsong could exact retribution fro now, young prince?"

"Not well at all, instructor They are on the verge of destitution and their people are starving I learned that several factions have attempted to take over, but even they have not been able to oust the existing monarchy"

"And what have you learned from all this?"

"That the laws are in place for a reason and when you bend or break them to suit your purposes at times, it can adversely affect your world" Tory looked up at Morwin, now Morwin seemed extremely interested in what Tory had to say, when it was norht "The Alliance refused their membership application and no other worlds were interested in working with or for Cloudsong after they sa things went in this case Cloudsong effectively isolated itself in that way and since they had no self-sustainingelse to lure business to their world, their current situation is the result of their shortsightedness and greed"

"I agree with Tory," Ry offered "It was a lesson to the worlds in the Alliance, too--what happened on Cloudsong The ones that didn’t diversify now looked to do so Twylec was one of the first, with several others following I have a list of those in my report" Ry nodded to the comp-vid that Morwin held in his hand

"Very good," Morwin nodded to Ry "Did you research the taxes from those worlds--before and after the diversification?"

"No, tutor Morwin But I can--that sounds interesting"

"Why don’t you both do that--five pages, due next week?" Moras al

Toff only picked at his dinner Gren had given hi, didn’t say anything to hiho all afternoon Corent loo clay forever--you’re the newest and therefore you have to start at the botto for a short tilance at Corent Redbird was eating and watching both Toff and Corent but declined to say anything Toff decided that a noncoo as he pushed squash and lentils around his plate

"Can’t you see he’s miserable?" Corent asked Redbird later, when he was sure Toff was in bed "We should have let hi instead of playing with his food Fern doesn’t like hi for him; father said so" Redbird was adamant as she stood defensively with fists on hips Corent couldn’t argue with her when she was like this--Tiearan was her father and head of their clan He couldn’t expect either of them to listen when he orried about Toff "Besides," Redbird went on, "even Fern will have to teach hiated, since she accepted him as an apprentice"