<P><B>Chapter 4 - A Fateful Meeting
<P>"But I can hardly complain when I see, for example, how the butcher across the street fares. He's barely brought in his supplies when they're snatched away and the nomads are all over it...Who knows what the nomads would be capable of if they didn't get the meatfor that matter, who knows what they're capable of even when they do get meat every day."
<P>-Franz Kafka, An Old Leaf
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<P>He sat very still as the translator carefully removed the bits of lead that had burrowed their way into Tiberius's skin. The medical kit contained a few basic implements, but luckily there hadn't been any major wounds inflicted. Unfortunately, there wasn't much in the way of anesthetic either.
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<P>"Ow! Damn it, could you be a little more careful!"
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<P>"I cannot," replied the translator. "I am doing the best I can with the equipment I have, but there isn't very much that I can do to reduce the pain. The bleeding is quite minimal, and the wounds should be better in a few days, provided there is no infection."
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<P>"What are you, a doctor?" Tiberius winced again.
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<P>"Yes. Though it has been some time since my services in that area have actually been called on." He pulled the last piece from his patient's side. "You are very lucky that those men were not good shots."
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<P>"They were pretty slow on the draw, too. It was the sniper that worried me the most."
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<P>"It is surprising that a gang in this area has even been able to get its hands on a rifle like that. The report that Doctor Carson had made regarding this city and its dangers suggested that the gangs were very limited by a shortage of money."
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<P>"With the power going out sporadically, they've probably been doing some looting. How does Carson know so much about Tokyo, anyway?"