"This is my plan for world domination," the alien queen gloated. She was clutching a wrought, wooden box with a curved edges and a small iron handle. I reached out to take it, but the queen wrenched it from my grip, enraged, fury spreading across her face.

"You-you dare," she spluttered, "t-touch the sacred weapon?" A jet of blue fire roared out of her palms as she let go of her anger. I jumped in the air like a scalded cat. But then, all of a sudden, she opened the lid. The box was empty. What a surprise!