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This show, along with hundreds of others from Caloroga Shark Media,
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is available commercial free on any player. Just look for
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the link in the episode or show notes.
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Calaroga Shark Media.
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Hello, and welcome to Romance Weekly. This episode is titled
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Pirates of New York, Part four, the final plunder.
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The year was seventeen eighty four, and the bustling port
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of New York was a far cry from the towering
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metropolis Kara had left behind. She stumbled onto the wooden dock,
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her head spinning from the jarring time jump. Beside her, captain,
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Rusty Cutlers, steadied himself against a barrel, his sea legs
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adapting quickly to the familiar surroundings. Welcome to me, world, Lass,
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Rusty said, a mix of pride and uncertainty in his voice.
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Kara's eyes widened as she took in the scene. Tall
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ships crowded the harbor, their masts reaching toward the sky
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like a forest of wooden giants. The air was thick
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with the scent of salt, tar and something decidedly less pleasant.
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Oh my god, she whispered, her hand flying to her mouth.
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We really did it. We're in the past. The reality
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of her situation hit her like a cannon ball. Gone
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were the comforts of modern life, no cell phones, no internet,
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no air conditioning. She was suddenly very aware of how
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out of place she looked in her jeans and t shirt.
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A group of rough looking sailors eyed her curiously, whispering
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among themselves. One of them, a burly man with a
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scraggly beard, called out, oi, captain, you've brought back quite
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the exotic wench from your travels. Rusty's hand went to
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his cutlass, his eyes narrowing. Mind your tongue, you bilge rat.
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This lady is under me protection, and you'll treat her
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with the respect she deserves, or you'll be swimming with
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the fishes. The sailors quickly backed off, but Kara could
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still feel their eyes on her. She moved closer to Rusty,
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grateful for his presence. Thanks, she murmured, I guess I
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need to work on blending in. Rusty nodded a thoughtful
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look on his face. Aye that you do. Come, let's
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get you some proper attire. The next few hours were
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a whirlwind for Kara. She was fitted for a new wardrobe,
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long skirts, billowing blouses, and a sturdy pair of boots.
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The corset, however, proved to be a challenge. How am
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I supposed to breathe in this thing? She gasped as
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Rusty's first mate's wife, a kind woman named Mary, laced
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her up. Mary chuckled, You'll get used to it, dearie.
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Just be thankful you're not expected to wear the fancy
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court dresses. Those will make you faint in this heat.
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As Kara struggled to adjust to her new outfit, she
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found herself facing numerous other challenges. The lack of modern
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plumbing was a shock to her system. Chamber pots and
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outhouses were a far cry from the porcelain thrones she
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was used to. I never thought I'd miss indoor plumbing
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so much, she muttered as she tried to wash her
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face with water from a bucket. Food was another adventure.
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The lack of refrigeration meant that everything was either fresh, salted,
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or pickled. Caraa's first encounter with hard tack, the staple
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food of sailors, left her wondering if she'd chipped a tooth.
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It's like trying to eat a brick, she complained to Rusty,
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who laughed heartily. Aye, it takes some getting used to,
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but it'll keep you alive on long voyages. Here tried
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dip it in your grog. It helps soften it up
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a bit. Kara took a sip of the grog and
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immediately sputtered. The strong rum mixture burned her throat, nothing
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like the cocktail she was used to back home. Despite
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the challenges, Kara found herself adapting surprisingly quickly. She threw
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herself into learning the ways of eighteenth century life, determined
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to make the best of her situation. Rusty was a
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patient teacher, showing her how to tie knots, read star charts,
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and even handle a cutlass. You're a natural lass, he
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said approvingly as she successfully parried one of his attacks
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during a sword fighting lesson. Kara grinned, feeling a sense
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of accomplishment. Maybe I was meant to be a pirate
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all along. As the days passed, Rusty noticed Kara's growing
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comfort with her new life, but he also saw the
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wistful looks she'd get when she thought no one was watching.
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One evening, as they stood on the deck of the
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Salty Wench watching the sun set over the harbor, he
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decided to broach the subject you're missing your home, aren't ye,
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he asked gently. Kara sighed, nodding. It's strange. I'm loving
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this adventure, but there's so much I left behind, My family,
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my friends, my career. They probably think I've disappeared off
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the face of the earth. Rusty took her hand, his
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calloused fingers gentle against her skin. Lass, I've been thinking,
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we need to find a way to get you back
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to your own time. Kara looked at him, surprised. But
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how we don't exactly have a quantum entanglement analyzer lying around.
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Rusty stroked his beard thoughtfully. No, but we do have
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something else. Legends speak of a mystical artifact called the
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kron Or Stone, said to have the power to bend
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time itself. Kara's eyes lit up. A magical time travel stone, Rusty,
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that's brilliant. But wait, if it exists in your time,
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why didn't you use it to get back to the
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future when you were stranded? Rusty chuckled, Because, my dear,
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it's not just lying about waiting to be found. The
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stone is said to be hidden on a mysterious island
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guarded by fearsome creatures and deadly traps. Of course it is,
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Car sighed. It wouldn't be a proper pirate adventure without
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a dangerous quest, would it. The next morning, Rusty gathered
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his crew to announce their new mission. The pirates cheered
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at the prospect of a treasure hunt, even if the
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treasure in question was a magical rock instead of gold
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and jewels. As they prepared to set sail, Kara found
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herself wept up in the excitement. She'd fully embraced her
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new pirate look, a billowing shirt, fitted vest, and sturdy boots.
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With a tricorn hat perched jauntily on her head, she
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looked every inch the pirate lass. You clean up nice, Caara,
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Rusty said appreciatively as she joined him at the helm.
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Ready for your first real pirate adventure, Kara grinned, feeling
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a thrill of excitement. I I captain the Salty Wench.
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Set sail with the morning tide, leaving the familiar shores
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of New York behind. As they ventured into open waters,
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Kara marveled at the vastness of the ocean. Without the
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constant hum of engines or the glow of electric lights,
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the world seemed both larger and more intimate days turned
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into weeks as they followed cryptic clues and half remembered legends.
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Kara threw herself into the life of a pirate, surprising
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herself with how quickly she adapted. She learned to navigate
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by the stars, to predict the weather by watching the
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clouds and sea, and even to climb the rigging with
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the agility of a seasoned sailor. Their journey wasn't without peril.
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They outran a British naval vessel, navigated through a treacherous reef,
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and narrowly escaped a kraken, which Kara was pretty sure
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wasn't supposed to exist outside of myths. But hey, time
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travel was real, so why not see monsters through it all.
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Kara and Rusty grew closer. Late nights spent pouring over
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maps turned into long conversations about their hopes and fears.
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Rusty opened up about the loneliness of command, while Kara
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shared her dreams of making a difference in the world.
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You know, lass, Rusty said, one night, as they stood
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at the rail watching phosphorescent creatures dance in the ship's wake,
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I'm starting to think finding this stone might not be
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such a good idea, after all, Kara looked at him questioningly,
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Why is that Rusty took her hand? His expression serious,
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Because the thought of sending you back to the future, well,
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it's tearing me apart. Kara's heart skipped a beat. Rusty I,
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but before she could finish, a cry came from the
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crow's nest.
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Land ho.
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The mysterious island loomed before them, shrouded in mist and
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looking every bit as foreboding as the legends suggested. Jagged
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cliffs rose from turbulent waters, and an eerie glow emanated
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from the dense jungle that covered the island's interior. Well Lass,
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Rusty said, squeezing Kara's hand, Shall we go find your
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ticket home? The landing party consisted of Rusty, Kara, Pegleg, Pete,
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and a few of the hardiest crew members. As they
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made their way through the jungle, Kara couldn't shake the
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feeling that they were being watched. Their path was fraught
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with danger. Quick sandpits, poisoned dart, shooting statues, and carnivorous
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plants all tried to impede their progress, but with Kara's
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knowledge of movie tropes, guys don't step on that suspiciously
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flat stone, and the pirate's resourcefulness, they pressed on. Finally
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they reached the heart of the island. In a clearing
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stood an ancient temple, its weathered stones covered in strange
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symbols that seemed to shift and change as they watched.
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This is it.
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Rusty breathed the resting place of the Kronos Stone. As
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they entered the temple, the air grew thick with tension.
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Ancient mechanisms whirred to life, and the floor began to shake.
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In the center of the main chamber, floating above a
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pedestal was a glowing blue stone no larger than a fist,
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the Kronos Stone. Kara whispered in awe. Just as Rusty
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reached for the stone, a booming voice echoed through the chamber.
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Who dares to seek the power of time itself? Spectral
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figure materialized before them, a bearded man in flowing robes,
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his eyes glowing with other worldly power. I am the
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guardian of Time, the figure intoned to claim the kron
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Or Stone. You must prove yourselves worthy. What followed was
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a series of riddles and tests that challenged not only
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their intelligence, but also their hearts. The final test came
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down to Kara and Rusty to claim the stone. The
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Guardian said, one of you must sacrifice your chance to
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use it. Only through selfless love can the power of
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time be mastered. Kara and Rusty looked at each other,
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a silent understanding passing between them in unison. They both
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stepped forward. I'll stay, they said together. The Guardian's stern
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expression softened into a smile. Well done, you have proven
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yourselves worthy. The kron Or stone floated down into Kara's hand.
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As she touched it, she felt a surge of power
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coursing through her. The stone will grant you one journey,
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the Guardian explained, use it wisely. As they exited the temple,
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victorious but subdued, Rusty turned to Kara, Well, lass, I
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suppose this is goodbye. Kara looked down at the stone
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in her hands, then back at Rusty. She thought about
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her life in the future, her job, her family, indoor plumbing.
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Then she thought about the adventures she'd had, the wonders
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she'd seen, and the man standing before her. With a smile,
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she handed the stone to Rusty. Actually, I think I'll
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stick around for a while. The future will still be
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there later, but right now, I've got some pirating to do.
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Rusty's face broke into a wide grin. He swept Kara
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into his arms, spinning her around as the crew cheered.
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As they sailed away from the mysterious island, Kara felt
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a sense of excitement for the unknown future ahead. There
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would be more adventures, more dangers, and undoubtedly more time
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bending shenanigans. After all, with a magical timestone in their
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possession and the vast ocean before them, the possibilities were endless.
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The pirate and the time traveler had many more stories
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to tell, and the world past, present and future had
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better watch out, so Captain Kara said, adjusting her tricorn
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hat with a mischievous grin. Where to next, Rusty laughed,
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pulling her close wherever the wind takes, As me dear,
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the adventures only just begin in And with that, the
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Salty Wench sailed off into the sunset, ready for whatever
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time twisted tales awaited them on the horizon. The crew
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raised their tankards in a rousing cheer, celebrating not just
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their victory but the promise of count us adventures to come.
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As the ship disappeared into the golden glow of the
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setting sun, one could almost hear the whisper of time itself,
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acknowledging that sometimes the greatest treasures are not gold or jewels,
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but the bonds forged in the fires of adventure and
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the love that transcends the very fabric of time.
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Romance Weekly is a production of Calaroga Shark Media executive
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producers Mark Francis and John McDermott. Portions of this podcast
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may have been created with the assistance of AI.
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Calaroga Shark Media