The lady of the house was right. He nodded. "Your words have me at a loss, Mrs. Hoopenlicker," he replied. "Some things are meant to be and I cannot d...eny I am aroused by the opportunity you are offering me. Let us have our way with each other and hell be damned."And so began the strange affair between the landlady, Mrs. Hoopenlicker, and her lodger, Mr. Johnson.***"What a magnificent appendage, Mr Johnson," gasped Mrs. Hoopenlicker as she admired the young man's sex as it hung down from his. "Dino glared at him. "And all the while, I thought maybe there was a second chance waiting for you in all this." What if I like the chances I have right now?" Joey sneered. "Sure looks like the odds are in my favor, handsome."There was blood running down Dino's face. He was angry as the two men hauled him off towards the house. He swore at them in Italian. The dogs barked in the distance as they approached. Joey walked behind, holding the gun steady as he moved close behind him. He looked calm. Maybe, if they want to make an example of us, a full division. We're going to need every man on the lines from the start."We need to have some sharp eyes up here," the brigadier went on. "We can't let them flank us to the east. I know the brambles make that almost impossible, but 'almost' isn't something I'm comfortable with. They are to report any trace of smoke or dust they see out there."There were a few more minor questions, and then Brigadier Markos gestured at Legios. "Ensign, are you up. “She gestured towards the projection.“While you were on your way to here, the Assembly has not stopped talking about this.“She looked at it herself.“To put it bluntly, the Union is pissed. It will take very little for the Assembly to call for war.”“I have a few ideas. Lia is a Bassett, so I start at Bhrama port and see if I can pick up her trail. I also think an outfit called ‘Harlequin’s Jokers’ might be involved.”“He and his merc outfit are slick as stainless steel, he is officially a lawful.