The occupied Territories, Maramanakama.

The party had been going on for a few hours and it was still a jolly time in Ahmaiano’s apartment and considering that the apartment was small, overcrowded with people and thanks to their recent actions against the empire, smelling along with the rest of the street like a latrine that was no small accomplishment!

“Can I talk with you for a second?” Tubarin said to Ahmaianos, at which he nodded and they both went to a secluded corner, away from the party.

“What is it?” Ahmaianos asked.

“I say we get as far away as we can from that ‘n.o.body’ clown.”

“What do you mean, didn’t he helped us?”

“Oh, come on Ahmaianos, can’t you smell just how fowl the whole thing actually is?”

“Well, the sewer pipe we blew up is making things rather intolerable.”

“Not that! I mean what happened today, you know everything is hunky dory, until Mr Trouble comes in to town, and he starts making everything unbearable and no matter what you do you can’t stop him, until finally you scream for all the world to hear ‘ I’ll do anything, follow anyone, juts please help me!’”

 “And then Mr Salvation comes along, and he ask you for this and that and you give him want he wants and more because he stops Mr Trouble, but what you don’t know is that after the whole thing is over and their not in public Mr Trouble and Mr Salvation turn out to be friends and split what they earned fifty-fifty.” Tubarin told him.

At this Ahmaianos was silent for a moment while he contemplated his answer before replying with:

“It may very well be a sting operation, I wouldn’t put it past the Empire to be this s.a.d.i.s.tic, but I’ll be honest with you, there might be a chance that it’s a genuine anti-Imperial group that we had just had contact with, we should be cautious about this, but not all together dismissive.”

“All right, but I still think it’s too good to be true, though I’m surprise you’re this opened minded!”

“Well, I know a lot about scams and cons, half of my neighbors from before the war where the best con artists and thieves in Tolina.” Ahmaianos told him.

“What! Who the h.e.l.l did you live next door to?”

“Guess.”

“Mafia dons, loan sharks and smugglers?”

“Lawyers and stock brokers.”

At this, they both shared a laugh which helped to lighten the mood between them.

“Have you shared your thoughts with any of the others?” Ahmaianos whispered to him as they look at the other members of their small group who were still celebrating.

“Nah, I may be a jerk but I’m not a big enough jerk to spoil a party, maybe I’ll run it by them tomorrow after they sober up. Besides, we’ve lost so much in these past few years, our country, our pride, our livelihoods, our friends, so much so that we barely have any reason to be happy, so any excuse for a party, even a stupid one is good enough to shut me up!” Tubarin replied with a smile.

“I’ll remember that!” Ahmaianos teased him, and Tubarin playfully punched him in the chest and they shared another laugh before returning to the party.