“Yer man got a broomstick up his ass or somethin'?" Jackie whispered.<br/><br/>“Naw,” Sam replied, watching Erik head into the hall. “It’s jes’, well, Jews get a lotta shit heaped on ‘em by folk, an’ he gets tetchy ‘bout it.”  She shrugged. “But he wouldn’t let me kick th’ crap outta th’ last jerk that popped off about it. Said it weren’t worth it.”<br/><br/>“Last sumabitch talked shit ‘bout<i>Jackie</i>,” the other Sam muttered darkly, “carried his teeth home in a sack.”<br/><br/>“Right!  Right!” Sam agreed, grinning broadly. “Ah knew y’all‘ git it!”  She leaned forward, eyes flicking from Jackie to the other Sam and back. “Ah wonder who gets it worse?  Indios o judíos?”<br/><br/>“Reckon it depends on where you are,” the other Sam laughed. “Now, y’all gotta tell me how y’ended up in Berlin. Ah mean, me an’ Hackie done talked ‘bout head in’ west - California, or even Hawaii. How’s Berlin happen?”<br/><br/>“Jes’ lucky,” Sam replied. “See, after México signed on ta th’ League, they was asked ta supply a few agents fer th’ Meridian Society.  Ah was one o’ four Rangers selected fer...”<br/><br/>“Wait,” the other Sam interrupted. “Yer a<i>Ranger</i>?  A<i>Texas</i>Ranger?”<br/><br/>“Sure am,” Sam agreed.<br/><br/>“When did that happen?” The other Sam demanded.<br/><br/>“Shoot,” Sam laughed. “Ain’t nuthin’ new There. Been female Rangers since ‘03, when Mexico incorporated them into the Policía Federal Preventiva.”<br/><br/>“Mexico did what now?” The other Sam demanded.<br/><br/>“Ain’t nuthin’ new there, neither,” Sam laughed. “Happened when th’ Yanks an’ Cassies were tearin’ themselves up durin’ their second civil war.”<br/><br/>“Their<i>what</i>?”<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr bbc-hr--3"/><br/>“Well,” Algernon said, making a show of reaching an inescapable conclusion as he stared at the mistletoe, “I suppose it would be churlish of us to fail to participate in the spirit of the season.”  Despite the seriousness of his voice there was a playful twinkle in his eye as he drew Anne Marie into his arms. He lowered his mouth to hers, feeling her lips like silk on his skin.<br/><br/>Then he jerked back, heart hammering in his chest as he heard the door of the Schmitt family residence open.  He wheeled in Erik, seizing the younger man’s hand and shaking it vigorously. “Chag Chanukah sameach!” he declared cheerily. “Und Fröhliche Weihnachten!  And how are Sam and young Gideon this fine winter evening?”<br/><br/>He could heat conversation from deeper in the house as he entered the hall. “We aren’t the first to arrive then?” he asked, assisting Anne Marie with her coat. “Excellent. Friends of Samantha’s, from the sound of it. “  With that, he strode into the drawing room and stopped cold. There, seated on the couch to either side of an Indian woman with an infant was...<br/><br/>“My god,” he murmured. “There’s two of them.”<br/><br/><hr class="bbc-hr bbc-hr--3"/><br/>“So, let me get this straight,” John said carefully, looking at his wife before turning to face the pirate crew that had come to their aid. “You want us to abandon our duties and go sailing off across unknown waters to hunt down some guy who - in a world where devils crew ships - you say is evil?”<br/><br/>“Yes,” Faye replied in a level voice.<br/><br/>John shrugged. “Sure. Why not?”  He looked at Jenny. “Fancy a bit of devil hunting, love?”<br/><br/>“Wait a moment,” Quentin interrupted. “We only came with you to see how this, this<i>wooden ship</i>could sail in<i>space</i>. Kaydia and I have our own work to get back to.”<br/><br/>Jack laughed. “Looks like you’ve been pressed, my boy. Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate’s life and all. Let’s...”. He tensed as the Jedi’s hand closed around the hilt of his weapon.<br/><br/>“Aren’t you a knight?” asked an older, dark-skinned man.<br/><br/>Quentin glanced at him. “A... well, yes.”<br/><br/>“Well, where we come from, a knight is pledged to uphold certain ideals.”  Senzang paused and ostentatiously packed the bowl of his pipe. “Although many only give lip service to the ideals of chivalry, you and your lady have the look of knights who believe in them.”  Lighting his pipe, he puffed thoughtfully. “Will you ignore a call to confront evil?”<br/><br/>“Exactly!” Jack declared. “Just like he...”<br/><br/>Yusef laid a hand on Jack’s shoulder. “Do you always talk this much?”