For which special apologies. Normally I'd post 2 or 3 chapters of this length at one time. However I did some major surgery on the following 2-3 chapters and rather than wait to get them finished I decided to post this short chapter on its own.
Yes, the story is still active, but a combination of natural slowness and press of other business has meant I have been posting very infrequently. I hope to do better in the future, but frankly the chapters are always going to be slow in coming.
--RR