Philip Hart writes: >>> Thanks, you know these things so I don't have to. I have to retreat to "more like 20 Earth-years than 10" (which I don't think really changes the argument, esp. the Sethra part). I assume Z gets out after 17**2 years, thanks in part to Vlad giving the J a whupping they won't forget. <<< You don't need to say "Earth-years". Earth years and Dragaeran years are the same length: http://cracksandshards.com/time.html#clock -- Mark A. Mandel http://cracksandshards.com a Steven Brust Dragaera fan website [This text prepared with Dragon NaturallySpeaking.]