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Message: <blockquote data-quote="The Shaman" data-source="post: 2863779" data-attributes="member: 26473">Raffaele, Pyotr, and Normand...[sblock]Lt. Ferrand listens carefully to Raffaele, nodding as the legionnaire finishes his convoluted explanation for fitting the pipe for the goat pen into the wall of the cistern. “Why don’t you show us what you mean, legionnaire?” he offers helpfully.[/sblock]Marcel...[sblock]Sister Courcy offers a thin smile to Marcel. “If I took offense at every overly familiar soldier, leggionnaire, I wouldn’t last very long.” She finishes packing her gear and cleans up, nodding to Marcel for the cake of soap.After taking their leave of the family, Sister Courcy leads Marcel to the next mechta. As they walk along the hillside, she replies, “I’ve been part of Lt. Ferrand’s unit since September. His family owns a farm in Pézenas, in Languedoc,” she continues. “He grew up alongside Arab workers. He understands their way of life. I think that’s why he volunteered to return to active duty and chose the SAS.”“This is our second trip here,” the nurse goes on. “We’re responsible for twenty thousand Arabs in dozens of douars like this one.” She looks around the village, then at Marcel – she hesitates, seeming unsure of herself for the first time. Her voice is low as she speaks. “The FLN is active in all of these villages, légionnaire Fortier. About half of the men from this douar are moussebiline, irregulars. Several have gone off and joined the local katiba since the last time we were here.”She looks cautiously at Marcel. “The fellouze killed the caïd in this village over a year ago, for speaking out against the FLN. The villagers must support the fellouze to survive. Can you understand that?” Sister Courcy runs a hand over her face again. “If we expose the FLN in the village, these people will be killed for collaborating with the French, and if we don’t then they may be brutalized by the French Army for giving aid to the enemy.” She looks away.[/sblock]</blockquote>

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