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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><font size="5"> </font><font size="2"><font size="5">Here is the next part. We see Bitt explore the regions history. This was inspired by a story of our own world's Levant</font>.<font size="5"> Which seems to have been invaded by just about everyone! Also it explores a serious problem of the empire - fragmentation, Parts of the empire just sort of drifting away.</font></font></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><font size="2"><font size="5"><br>
</font></font></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><font size="2"><font size="5">*************</font><br>
</font></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><font size="2"><br>
</font></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Being sent to the 76<sup>th</sup> was a
real experience in how the empire worked and didn’t work. I came as a recruit
from a far distance province and that raised immediate questions. In the past a
recruit raised in one province was routinely sent to a far distant one. But
that habit is long gone. Just as most of those serving in the 10<sup>th</sup>
came from </i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">Tirontach, Atrebatias or Valentia. Those
in the 76<sup>th</sup> are also locals. Sabinus was born less than a day’s ride
from the castrum he now serves in. A full third are the children of
legionnaires and are following in the family tradition. Some are third or
fourth generation! I am the first such transfer from outside the prefecture in
over seventy-five years.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>“More ominous is the segregation. For all their good training and
leadership this legion is divided. Predator and prey species do not serve
together. Long Ears serve in certain centuries and we Short Ears in others. Off
duty we go to separate taverns and even use different bathhouses! What’s worse
is no one seems to think it wrong! I’d heard it happening from veterans in the
10<sup>th</sup> who had served elsewhere but I was still shocked. This doesn’t
bode well for the future.<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>It divides
people in an artificial way. In these times of trouble when we need unity, this
creates more divisions.”</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>“And language. The most widely used language is Aramaic not Latine.
Latine is used to give orders and is the language used while on duty but most
spoke Aramaic at other times. Even the officers and centurions. One hundred
years ago this legion spoke only Latine and it was not a second language. But
that has changed. It shows in the Centurion who in the passion of battle gave
orders in Aramaic and the 75 Legionnaires under his care who followed those
orders without hesitation or need for translation. It shows in the legate who
has a slave who task is to write all his documents into Latine in the beautiful
handwriting she was famous for. When she gave birth to their first child
everyone joked that he wasn’t having a child. He was hiring another translator.
And I don’t doubt that when old enough he will join the legion. Like his
father.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Makes
me wonder if this is still an empire legion or just a local army in empire
uniforms. Whatever they are. These are good people doing a good job.”</span></i><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><i>Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The room was quiet. The rest of the
contubernium was asleep. Only Bitt was awake. Seated on his bed he was writing
on a small scroll of parchment. The only noise was the scratching of his pen
upon the parchment. The sole light came from a candle that rested next to the
fox.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Bitt,” Came a sleepy voice. “Go to sleep.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>The fox looked up at Tossius. The lion was
seemingly asleep in bed with his back to him. “Just doing a little writing.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“You are always writing,” the lion
countered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He went back to writing. “It helps me to
relax.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Now who are you writing to? Your Mom?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“No,” Bitt answered. “The Barone has asked me
some questions. What the people here are like. What the political and
diplomatic situation is.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Your Barone?” The lion asked. “He’s a full
two months journey from here. Why would he care about here?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“He says what happens here happens there,”
was Bitt’s explanation.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“He sounds ambitious,” the lion responded.
“Too ambitious. Maybe he wants to wear the purple.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Him?” Bitt said and laughed. “Be emperor?
Never. He’s ambitious but not a fool. His base of power is too far from the
capital.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Then why is he interested in us here?” the
feline asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“He’s worried about other people who want to
wear the purple.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><i>Scratch, scratch, scratch.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“They always cause trouble. Even for as far
north as where I come from.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“That’s all too true,” came the sleepy
reply. “And our Prefect is ambitious.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Too ambitious,” the fox added. “Our Barone
thinks he might take the legions here and head to the capital.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“I can see him trying that,” the feline
answered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“If he tried it,” the fox asked slowly.
“Would you follow?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>That earned Bitt several seconds of silence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Would your people?” Tossius countered.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Bitt gave a yip of laughter. “Of course not.
No one at home cares who rules in the capital.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“They don’t care about us in the capital,”
the fox said with more bitterness than he had intended to reveal. “Why should
we care about them?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“The legions task is to defend the empire and
it’s people. Not make some ambitious idiot emperor,” was the lion’s slow
comment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>There was several seconds of silence.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“What happens if it fails?” Bitt asked.
“What if the empire collapses?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“Something else will come along,” the sleepy
lion responded. “It always does.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“What?” Bitt asked. Confused.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“My people have lived here forever,” the
lion explained. “We were here when the foreigners who spoke Akkadian invaded
and said they ruled here.” The lion paused. “We couldn’t stop them so they
ruled. For a while.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><a name="_Hlk514613927">“The foreigners who
spoke Aegyptian came and drove out the ones who spoke Akkadian,” the lion
continued. “We rule here now – they said. And they did rule. For a while.”</a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“The
foreigners who spoke Median came and drove out the ones who spoke Aegyptian,”
the lion continued. “We rule here now – they said. And they did rule. For a
while.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><a name="_Hlk514613974"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">“The
foreigners who spoke Hurrian came and drove out the ones who spoke Medean,” the
lion continued. “We rule here now – they said. And they did rule. For a while.”</span></a></div>
<span style="mso-bookmark:_Hlk514613974"></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“The foreigners who spoke Latine came and
drove out the ones who spoke Hurrian,” the lion continued. “We rule here now –
they said. And they did rule. They still do. For now.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“And who will replace them?” Bitt asked.
“The Parthians?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“No,” The lion answered. “They have been
trying for over three centuries. They have problems all their own.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>“If not them than who? What?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Tossius turned and looked at the fox. He
shrugged. “Regardless. Life goes on. As it always has.” And with that he went
back to sleep.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Barone. You asked me if this region is stable now. Well It’s never been
truly stable nor fully at peace. But it is as close to those as it ever will
be. When it’s gone people will look back on this as a golden age and talk about
how good things were.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>Will it last?</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He turned at looked at the lion who had
gone back to sleep and pondered what he had said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes">
</span>No. It never does but regardless. Life goes on. It always does.</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>He paused for a moment before finishing. <i style="mso-bidi-font-style:normal">And Tossius people will be here all the
same.</i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif">********************</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif"><font size="5">End part 10</font><br>
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