"It's disgusting," she confided. "It's supposed to break down the proteins before they stick to your teeth, but the taste isn't worth the results."

She earned those proteins, and she wants to enjoy every one!

Anwei's mouth shaped a silent O, and she pulled out an elaborate flashlight and shone a glaring light on the box. She leaned close, carefully examining its rough surface without touching it. Then she turned off the light, turned to Howard and just beamed.

"It is. It is, it's a Ninth Empire storage box! Howard, you're wonderful! Can I have it? Should I open it now?" She kept grinning all through this quick-fire interrogation in a slightly unsettling way.