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“Because it’s bigger?”

Stick laughs “That’d probably be enough of a reason for the generals,” he admits

“We’ll knoe know,” Jillion offers in a soft, almost-inaudible voice

“But when?” Tilo cries in exaggerated despair, ar tin can ashtray onto the floor

“You in a hurry?” Cat asks him

“I don’t like not knowing It gets on my nerves Back and forth, scuttlebutt and et this war over with!”

“I’m happy to let someone else win it,” Rio says “I’m happy just to sit here in the desert I can have ”

“Right,” Jack says “Knitting”

He can’t even iine me as I am back home He’s never even met that Rio He doesn’t know me Not me

And that’s when a half dozen exceedingly drunk Gouressive

The Gou the Allies They are Muslim, so they are not allowed to drink, but like the many Baptists equally forbidden to drink, they have suspended some rules temporarily They are dark-skinned, fantastically bearded, dressed in loosely belted, open-front robes of sorts, like bathrobes, ide vertical stripes of tan and sun-bleached burgundy They wear last-war French hels and carry what appear to be daggers very much like the one Rio purchased

“I thought towel-heads didn’t drink,” Tilo says It is unlikely that any of the Goulish to understand his words, but they see the challenge in his eyes and then see that he is in company omen

One of the Gouainst Rio Stickup his hands, pal voice

The Gourins, and launches himself forward

And the bar fight begins