Internal Memos

[Capt. Henry Morgan]

Ambassador Ogden,

In your deliberations about the Custodi's ultimatum, I ask that you give serious thought to this bit of ancient Earth poetry.

It is wrong to put temptation in the path of any nation,
   For fear they should succumb and go astray;
So when you are requested to pay up or be molested,
   You will find it better policy to say: –

"We never pay any-one Dane-geld,
   No matter how trifling the cost;
For the end of that game is oppression and shame,
   And the nation that plays it is lost!"

If you don't understand it the first time, reread it until you do.

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