Intermission 17 Page 4

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“So what do you think you’re going to do now?”

“Oh… I don’t know.”

“I’ll be staying at the manor for the immediate future, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“I was a little bit worried about that, yes.”

“It’s true that I’m not really… comfortable with the way we live. The danger of it all keeps me awake some nights.”

“But… I understand now.”

“I understand why the rest of you feel safer doing what we do than you did living in the Empire.”

“And I’m grateful for how patient you all were with me.”

“But it’s too soon for me to really know what to DO with what I’ve learned.”

“That’s okay. You don’t have to figure everything out at once. I think you already figured out plenty today!”

“And you can stay with us for as long as you want, until you have it all sorted out.”

“Thank you, Ricki.”

“Although…”

“Heh, are you sure you don’t just want to keep me around for my cooking?”

“Haha! Oh noooo, caught me!”

“Hehe.”

The group begins the long journey back home.

…REALLY long. Like three months.