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"You can't think that anyone is pleased with it, Marcus," Durias pointed out "Theas they don't do it where everyone is drinking"

Durias smiled and shook his head "The Canim resent it, you know"

Fidelias sion shieldwalls and Legion Knights are holding their flanks"

Durias grunted "You think we can win this fight?"

"No," Fidelias said "But I think we can survive it In the long terhtfully and eyed hi up"

"Better now," Fidelias told hiing it, slacker," Durias said "You're going to rinned easily "That's a long ti soionare have a turn on horseback"

Durias sniffed "Rank has its privileges," he said piously "I go letting soionare ride while the First Spear takes his place, I'ion Bad for morale Totally irresponsible"

"Good, kid," Fidelias said "You'll rinned "Take that back"

A Tribune of the Free Aleran rode up to theion lorica, was old and worn, if obviously currently in good nia whatsoever "First Spear"

"Tribune," Durias said, returning the salute "Report"

"Four more contacts with the enemy, all of them with the wax spiders We also burned out another half a dozen patches of the croach They like to start it around the edges of a pond whenever they can They're getting easier to find"

"That means that the well-hidden patches will be that much more difficult to spot," Durias said "Don't ease up on theh "Not bloody likely" He eyed Fidelias "How's he doing?"

"He feels like a new man," Durias said

"He looks like a lazy man" The officer leaned a bit to one side to peer around Durias at Fidelias "Story is you shot at the vord Queen"

"Didn't shoot at her," Fidelias said "I shot her With a balest, no less The bolt bounced right off her"