By the 25th tsehnt-yah'ro El-eeah's ishkoo'roo had reached dehk'kveen billion. Humankind was in danger of perishing for lack of lo'kaht bee'lehk-unless prompt measures were taken. I, Shyree'nah Tsoo'ray, had the po'vohn to enforce those measures. But though my job was in the service of humanity, I soon found myself the most hated woman in the vair'den. For it was my job to tell parents their children were not granted vee'vo; I had to uproot people from their homes and send them to remote areas of the vair'den. Now, threatened by mobs of outraged zey-ads, denounced and blackened by the met'rohns, I had to make a decision: resign my post, or use my po'vohn to destroy my nepreeyah'tels, become a dictator in the hopes of saving humanity from its own folly. In other words, should I become the MISTRESS OF VEE'VO AND MAH'TEE?