Notes to reviewers: Thanks again for any reviews, they are always appreciated, but as always, please just read and enjoy. If you do that, then my objective is achieved! I make no apologies for the first two BvTS quotes at the beginning, since they are both wonderful comments on the problems of immortals falling in love with mortals, which is relevant stuff for Gary and Kim. The last one just struck me as being about life, what happens and how you deal with it.
Ellfine: Thanks for answering my email setting my mind at rest and sending that poignant and wonderful email from someone who has seen things after Katrina firsthand. My thoughts are with everyone in that area now and for the foreseeable future. I have made a donation to the American Red Cross for those affected by Hurricane Katrina since I am so far away I can't offer more concrete assistance. The plights of all of those involved and trapped in New Orleans can't be ignored, although members of your own government are trying hard to do that.
Chapter 26 - In the lap of the Gods"Well... I guess I was kinda new to being around humans before... but now I've seen a lot more, gotten to know people, seen what they're capable of. And I guess I just realized how amazingly screwed up they all are. I mean really, really screwed up in a monumental fashion. And they have no purpose that unites them, so they just drift around blundering through life until they die. Which they- they know is coming, yet every single one of them is surprised when it happens to them. They're incapable of thinking about what they want beyond the moment. They kill each other, which is clearly insane. And yet, here's the thing - when it's something that really matters, they fight. I mean, they're lame morons for fighting, but they do! They never... they never quit. So I guess I will keep fighting too." - Anya (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"To be frank, I don't see any future in store for you two. You're immortal, and she's not. It's not easy. I married my wife Edna Mae in 1903 and I was with her right until the end. Not a pretty scene, those last few years. Wrinkled and senile and cursing me for my youth, it wasn't our happiest time. And let's not forget the fact that any moment of true happiness will turn you evil. What kind of life can you offer her? I don't see a lot of Sunday picnics in the offing. I see skulking in the shadows, hiding from the sun... she's a blossoming young girl. You want to keep her from the life she should have till it's passed her by and, God I think that's a little selfish. Is that what you came back from Hell for? Is that your greater purpose?"
- Mayor Richard Wilkins III (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"Bottom line is, even if you see them coming, you're not ready for the big moments. No one asks for their life to change, not really. But it does. So, what are we, helpless? Puppets? Nah. The big moments are gonna come, you can't help that. It's what you do afterwards that counts. That's when you find out who you are." - Whistler (Buffy the Vampire Slayer)
"What are you going to do now?"
Gary registered the Chief's matter of fact voice, but did not look up. "I have no idea." He said quietly.
"That's quite an admission coming from you." Olorin sank down onto the soft moss beside Gary and stretched his legs out in front of him. "Modern version or not, I don't think I've ever heard you admit to not knowing something."
Gary gave him a quizzical smile. "Are you trying to tell me that I'm a pompous know-it-all?"
Olorin chuckled. "If the cap fits…" He said slyly and ducked his head when Gary threw a twig at him. "Can he hear you? Or you him?"
"Now you're just changing the subject to something a lot more contentious." Gary lay back on the moss, folded his arms behind his head and stared up at the cloudless blue sky.
Gil-galad's battle group had stopped after a day's fast-paced march in order to recharge themselves. Advance scouting parties had been sent out to locate the Orc and his burden, but although they had reported finding his last hideout on top of a small hill not a league away from the earlier battle, there was no sign of him.
The scouts had tracked him as far as a stretch of open ground studded with sparse bush and long wiry grass. As far as they could tell from the signs and flattened grass, he seemed to have been making a run for it towards the Forest of Brethil which lay like a long low deep purple line along the horizon against a backdrop of a massive saw-toothed range of snow capped mountains. Once in the forest, it was possible he could lose his pursuers, for a while at least.
Of course, since Eonwe and the host of the Valar had only just resumed their own march, the chances of the Orc running into the rearguard of that army were also still very high and it was inevitable that he would have to go to ground again to avoid capture.
Eonwe, the Elves, Gary and the others had an advantage in that now, everything Gary knew, Eonwe knew and vice versa. There was a constant two-way flow of thoughts and feelings between the two and sometimes it was hard for either to figure out where one began and the other ended. So both knew that the Orc Thadak was on the run caught between two fierce armies and the marauding bands of his own kind and desperately needed to find a safe path if he was to achieve his objective.
It wasn't just Gil-galad's scouts he was in danger from, but also the scouts that Eonwe sent out to the rear.
Then, of course, there was Kim.
Both Gary and Eonwe knew exactly what Olorin was referring to when he asked what Gary was going to do now. Both versions also knew that this was no atmosphere in which to build a relationship properly. The very urgent nature of their situation and constant danger was not conducive to courtship.
Eonwe had never been one for flirting and girls; his position as the right-hand man of Lord Manwe Sulimo had put massive restraints on him and in any case there never seemed to be the opportunity to dally with some lovely female. Even when he had fallen for Arien, the never-ending tasks set him by the Valar had quickly put paid to the relationship.
Maia or not, Arien wanted to be wooed and romanced like any other woman, but Eonwe was continually dragged away at pivotal moments in the courtship to dance attendance on the Valar in the Timeless Halls. As a result she had become rapidly irritated with never having her potential lover to herself and eventually sought the company of Tilion who enjoyed chasing her across the sky and flirting with her and never had to rush away at the very magical moment when their lips were about to meet.
Eonwe had duly poured himself wholeheartedly into his work and ignored any of the blandishments offered him by fellow female Maiar or even amongst the Elven maidens who would hone in on him at festivals and spend the evening blushing, peeping through their eyelashes and flirting with him. For him, the act of loving and bonding was a forbidden fruit, something thought about and longed for in the dark reaches of the night, but ultimately not meant for him.
So as far as his future self's budding romance with Kim was concerned, he was bemused and a little alarmed by the strength of the growing emotional bond, but he realised quickly that in the persona of Gary Matthews he had a lot more experience in dealing with the opposite sex. Eonwe felt strangely embarrassed when he realised that as Gary, he had not only flirted, kissed and taken girls out on romantic dinners, he had also indulged himself in lovemaking, and enjoyed every guilt-free minute of it.
The plain and simple fact was, that because his memories of being the Herald of Manwe and a minor Ainur had been suppressed, he had no former emotional baggage to carry around and had therefore been able to do all of the things that a woman would expect from a lover. Now Eonwe was in the peculiar and intriguing position of being envious of the man he wouldn't be for another few-dozen millennia.
Olorin jerked his head in the direction of Gil-galad and his commanders who were in conference. "Shouldn't you be joining in with that?"
Gary chewed on the end of a long piece of grass and surveyed the heavens. "See how blue that sky is? There isn't a cloud in sight."
"Stop evading the issue Major Matthews." Olorin said in the Chief's most formidable tone, usually used to good effect on clerks below the rank of Corporal.
Gary laughed softly. "Spoken like a true Chief Clerk." He turned his head and smiled lazily at Olorin. "Are you presuming to tell the Adjutant and a superior officer what to do?"
"Superior officer my arse." Olorin rolled the last word round on his tongue with relish. He could get rather used to the delightful baseness and flexibility of this English language. "You're a buckshee major, one of a multitude. Everyone knows it's the Senior NCO's who run the British Army."
Gary threw back his head and hooted with laughter and immediately all Elven eyes rested on him. "Precisely my dear Watson. Which is exactly why I am not up there having a conference with them."
Olorin frantically accessed the Chief's memories until he found the reference to 'Watson', this being a fictional character in something Chief called a novel. Watson was Dr Watson, close companion of a brilliant detective called Sherlock Holmes. "I always thought it was 'elementary, my dear Watson'." He said slyly. "What are you going to do about Kim?" He asked in a gentler tone.
Gary heaved a sigh. "I honestly don't know. I know I'm falling in love with her, but we don't really know each other properly yet and it's not like I can take her out to a movie and dinner to get to know her. The deference with which the Elves are treating me is also going to dawn on her eventually. This whole 'being two people' thing is going to take a bit of explanation and to be honest, she is still so skittish and unsure of herself emotionally that it might put her off me altogether. I'm not even sure I should be kissing her under the circumstances; it's hardly the environment to conduct a romance in. I don't know whether to just risk it and come clean with her, or play dumb."
"I think it's time we had a serious conversation with Gil-galad." Olorin said quietly, jumping at the heaven-sent opportunity of introducing Lady Varda's suggestion. "The way I see it, we have two problems. Keeping Kim from being upset until we get you all back to the other time period so you can further your relationship and complete the task you have been set by Eru and getting the weapons back so that we can get you all back."
Gary rolled over and got to his feet in one fluid motion. "Well, it's plain to me and my other self that the weapons are a far higher priority at this moment in time. A great deal rests on us getting them back, not least the peace and harmony of Middle-earth." He proffered a helping hand to Olorin who took it with his good arm and allowed his fellow Maia to help him up. "How's your arm feeling?"
Olorin gingerly touched his carefully bandaged forearm. "It's felt better."
Gary grinned at him and the dimples peeped out. "I'm sure it has. Mortal bodies aren't all they're cracked up to be are they?"
Olorin frowned. "I don't know which is more scary. Being in a mortal body which can be hurt or killed, or listening to the uptight, anal Herald of Manwe speak in the modern vernacular, complete with slang words."
"You'll get used to it." Gary/Eonwe patted him on the arm soothingly. "I'm quite sure that the Chief has forgotten more bad modern language and slang than either of us will ever learn in a whole mortal lifetime. Let's go talk to Gil-galad. And Olorin…" He looked back at Olorin, who raised an eyebrow in question. "We will speak later about this 'uptight and anal' matter."
"Oh joy. I can hardly wait." Olorin muttered under his breath.
The Timeless Halls of the Valar, Aman
Manwe looked across at Varda and there was a stricken expression in his normally unclouded blue eyes. "Eonwe pushed aside his own needs and desires to serve us." He whispered. "He thinks that happiness and love are forbidden to him."
"So it would seem."
"Why did he not speak of this to anyone?"
Varda sighed. "And what would you have had him say? That he was sorry, but he could not carry out our wishes because he was too busy wooing the love of his life?" She sat next to Manwe and placed a comforting hand over his. "Eonwe knows well where his loyalties lie. Like our own, his duties were set down before any of us sprang from the music. The fault does not lie with him, but with us. We spent so much time on other pursuits, such as bringing the Eldar to Valinor, bringing light when the Trees were destroyed, and the Silmarils. Even Middle-earth has had a large part of our attention." She rose to her feet gracefully and walked over to one of the unglazed windows. "We were so busy casting our vision elsewhere, that we neglected the hurt and suffering that lay right under our noses. We neglected to notice Eonwe's pain and we did the same with Feanor and look what happened there."
"He never seemed to let anything disturb him." Manwe said mournfully. "He is always there when he is needed and has ever done our bidding without question. We have failed him…I have failed him."
Varda turned from the window and gazed intently at her sorrow-filled husband. "Yes, and it seems that sometime in the future Eru himself will seek to repair our omissions. Have you noticed how much more contented his future self is? He smiles and laughs a lot more. He is not afraid to openly show his love for the young mortal woman." She sighed again. "We have overlooked things which should not have been overlooked and over thought things which should have had lesser attention. We were too busy trying to organise the bliss-filled lives of the Eldar here and gave no thought to the suffering on Middle-earth and now we send an army, but to do what? Alleviate suffering by causing more in the name of ridding ourselves of Morgoth? Would that we had taken heed of Tulcas when he said that Melkor should not have been freed. Nearly all of our ills have been from bad management of Arda's affairs and still we look to our brave Herald to make it right in our name. I wonder what will be our epitaph in times to come? That we failed miserably in our charge to take care of Arda in the name of Eru Iluvator?"
A soft voice interrupted their conversation. "I think our epitaph is more likely to be the fact that the Middle-earth Eonwe will inhabit in the future will no longer remember us or what we stood for. I for one can think of no worse fate than to sink into obscurity so complete that none alive remember the Valar, the Eldar or their deeds, good and bad." Namo, Lord of Mandos stood at the entrance to the audience chamber, his dark robes and sombre features made a startling contrast to the sparkling white of the marble walls and floor.
Manwe shuddered. He rose from the marble bench he was seated on and faced the Feanturi. "Have you come to tell us that this doom is what awaits us?" He demanded of the Doomsman of the Valar.
Namo did not even so much as blink at the mildly hostile tone in Manwe's voice. "My guest tells me that, apart from a few tales written by another mortal, nothing remains of any of the achievements of our kind. Devotion that should be granted to Eru has been pushed aside and devotion to wealth and success has taken its place. Although some do still remember the act of Creation, something called science has provided more believable explanations for the mass of mortals than blind belief in a greater plan or in the music."
Manwe made a noise of disgust and joined his wife at the window. "Then why do we continue this charade?" He asked grimly.
"Because we must. It is what we undertook to do for Eru when the music began and because there is still hope. Eru would not have sent Eonwe to a future Middle-earth unless he thought there was hope." Namo's voice was calm and washed over the troubled Manwe like a healing balm. "We are in obscurity in their time, this is true, but we are not totally forgotten by many. They merely believe that we are characters from some epic tale."
"Then Eonwe's task in the future is to do with this?" Hope had replaced the look of dread in Varda's starlight-filled eyes.
Namo nodded. "I believe he is there to…ah…how shall I put it? Put the magic back into Middle-earth. Chief Knowles' words, not mine, but no less appropriate for all that. In their time Arda has been bereft of the presence of the Ainur for far too long. Eru decided that it was time to remind them of what they have long forgotten."
Manwe cast his vision eastwards towards Middle-earth; with the presence of his wife beside him he could see much further than usual. He watched the light banter between the modern people in that ancient world and for the first time in days a light smile touched his lips. "If there are more mortals like them in their time, then perhaps all is not lost." He said softly, almost to himself.
Namo allowed a frosty glimmer of a smile to reach his lips. "Indeed not. Trust your future Herald as you trust him now. I think that some good can come from Morgoth's interference in Middle-earth's affairs. It has brought the future Eonwe together in a union with someone who will at last give him the peace and love he deserves and it will allow our Eonwe to understand that he is allowed to let go of his duties sometimes. I think they will learn much from each other."
"What of the orc with the weapons?" Enquired Manwe.
"His path is not clear to him." Namo's dry tone held a note of distinct amusement, but he said nothing else.
Manwe laughed. "Your doing I suppose? Shame on you for interfering Namo."
The Lord of Mandos raised one delicately arched dark eyebrow. "I? T'was not my doing Manwe. I am merely playing a game called chess with my unexpected guest."
"Game is it?" Manwe shook his head in mock despair. "Using what as the pieces might I ask?"
Varda could have sworn that the usually sombre Namo actually winked at Manwe before leaving the Timeless Halls without another word crossing his lips.
He seems to be learning some remarkably bad habits from his mortal guest, or perhaps it was just a trick of the light. She mused to herself.
If Gil-galad was astounded by Gary's sudden fluency in Sindarin, he certainly didn't give any sign of it. Instead he sat behind the table and listened without comment as Gary brought him up to date with the situation. His intent gaze never once left the Maia's face.
Beside him sat Cirdan and Celeborn, both of whose expressions revealed nothing either. Glorfindel leant casually against a wooden chest, his arms folded across his chest and a laconic smile on his face. His sky blue eyes had flickered quizzically from Gary across to Olorin and back again. Olorin merely sat with a faint smile on the face that did not belong to him and completely ignored the looks. Celebrimbor sat on another wooden box and watched Gary with grey eyes that shone with a lambent light.
Gary finally sat back and cast a glance around those present. "Comments, opinions and thoughts gentlemen?" He asked softly as though he was seated in the briefing room in a modern military base.
Finally Cirdan spoke. "How much of what Eonwe thinks and known is known to you and how much do you remember of your earlier existence?"
Gary hesitated a moment and then gave him the swift beautiful smile that had mesmerised Rion and generally set Kim's heart to fluttering. "We are one and the same Lord Nowe." He said mildly. "Our thoughts were initially separated by a thin veil which clouded my memory, but I remember everything now. I remember commanding the host and I can recall each and every action that I took…with the exception of some of course. Everything he does, I know about and vice versa." He rubbed his smooth chin ruefully.
A smile tugged at the corners of Cirdan's mouth. "It has been a long time since anyone addressed me by that name…"
Celeborn stood up and came to stand directly in front of Gary. "If what you say is true, then you know the outcome of this war and much more." He interrupted.
"Are you asking me to tell you what is in your future?" Gary spoke softly, but there was a sudden steely edge to his voice that wasn't lost on anyone there. Olorin glanced sharply at him, but there was no ire in the Maia's eyes, just firmness. "You know I cannot do that. What would it serve? In any case it would cause the very troubles that Eru and now Lord Manwe and my other self are concerned about. In the modern world my presence has a name. A modern scientist would call my being here at the same time as my earlier self a 'paradox', and anything I do here could cause the future to alter completely including mine in that future time."
Gil-galad frowned. "Paradox? I am not familiar with such a word. It is not Sindarin or Quenyan or even Westron."
"No." Gary smiled faintly. "Its origins are in an ancient language called Latin. Few people, other than scholars and academics, actually speak it in our future time although it is still often taught in schools."
"What does it mean, this paradox?"
"It has many meanings. It can mean a statement that seems contradictory on the surface but often expresses a deeper truth. The comment, "All men destroy the things they love" is a paradox. In the case of my being here it is an apparent break in temporal causality where cause of an event follows or appears to follow the event itself." Gary explained. "My very presence here breaks the laws of temporal causality, as does the presence of my companions. Everything we do here, every word we speak puts your future and the future of Middle-earth in question and jeopardy. It is imperative that we go back to where we belong as soon as we can and that means recovering our weapons."
Gil-galad sat for a moment, only the deep frown creasing his brow revealing his attempts to absorb this strange information. After a while of pondering he finally sighed and got to his feet. "I think I understand. This is why Lord Eonwe wished you to be contained and to come into contact with as few people as possible."
Celeborn had paled. "Those weapons…if Morgoth gets his hands on them." His voice trailed away.
"Then it will be end of the Host of the Valar." Gary said quietly. "They deal death at a furious speed, not even the armour would stop their path. The field outside of Thangorodrim would be strewn with the dead. The healers of this time are the best of their kind, but they are unused to dealing with the kind of injuries that projectile weapons make in flesh and bone at high velocity. Even the modern military doctors had to develop their own treatments and surgeries for such injuries."
"Then our path is clear." Gil-galad said heavily. "We must re-double our efforts to regain your weapons and with that in mind, this, I believe, belongs with you." He gestured to Celebrimbor who reached down and reluctantly handed the weapon Erestor and the others had found to Gary who took it.
The Elves watched with fascinated interest as Gary automatically made the weapon safe and handed it to Olorin who rested it across his knee. Gary turned to Celebrimbor. "Are you as talented a smith as your grandfather?" He asked with a smile.
Celebrimbor's light silvery laughter bubbled out of him. "You do not speak of him with anger in your voice." He said wryly. "I take this as a promising sign for the future. Yes, I can smith with the best of them, although my grandfather had a special talent. He was not named the Spirit of Fire for nothing."
"Then if I recall correctly there was a small Elven settlement west of here with a forge."
Celebrimbor nodded. "I remember it well. It was used many times as a sort of way station for travellers to rest and mend their weapons. It has been long abandoned though. The Elven smith who ran it was forced out by the bands of marauding Orcs and headed for marginally safer northern climes near the coast."
"Could you make the forge usable?"
Celebrimbor shrugged and nodded. "I imagine so, although it is in quite an exposed spot."
"With Lord Gil-galad's leave I can post warriors there with you to defend it." Glorfindel spoke for the first time.
"It shall be so." Gil-galad said firmly. He looked at Gary. "But only if you tell us what you intend Celebrimbor to do."
Gary felt in his pocket and took out a small torpedo shaped brass object. "If I tell you what the components are of this, I need to know if we can obtain them and whether you can craft more of them."
Celebrimbor took the object and stared at it in wonder. "It is one of the projectiles that fits the weapon is it not?" His voice was laced with excitement.
Gary nodded. "That it is." He lifted up the weapon. "This is an L85A2, 5.56 calibre assault rifle, the standard weapon for British soldiers. It fires something that is called a round or perhaps more commonly known as a bullet. There is a very simple composition behind the round itself and it shouldn't be beyond Elven talents to come up with something similar. The method for propelling the projectile is equally simple and I think Olorin will be able to help with the substance that provides the charge." He looked at Olorin questioningly.
"Indeed." He murmured. "I will need to find potassium nitrate, sulphur and carbon. At least these are the names Chief Knowles has for the substances, I believe I know them by other names. It can be done, but the casting of the bullet must be accurate or it will not fire through the barrel."
Celebrimbor straightened proudly. "And you will find me equal to the task. I will not let you down." He grinned at Gary and held up the small inoffensive looking brass cased round. "May I take this to examine it?"
Gary laughed. "Please do, we can talk about it a little later."
"You have still not told us why you want this." Gil-galad interposed quietly.
"Although it is fairly clear to me that you wish to make the weapons usable. But we cannot use them. Eonwe was quite clear in this and I agree with him."
"As do I." Gary smiled grimly. "You cannot use them, but we can. All of us, even Jim, are trained in weapons. We can use them with impunity and to good effect. This weapon has an effective battle range of eight hundred metres, much further than an archer can fire accurately. All we need is to find Thadak and either Olorin or I can take him out and retrieve the other weapons."
"Olorin can?" Glorfindel's golden brows met his hairline.
Olorin sighed and chuckled. "Aye, I am afraid 'tis true Lord Glorfindel. The peaceable, gentle Maia whose deadliest weapon is his curiosity and love for living things has become what the people of the future call a 'sniper', someone who kills others accurately at great distances. I am learning many things from Chief Knowles and his memories. Some of them pleasant and others not so pleasant."
"As much as I deplore the use of these weapons here in Middle-earth, I believe that you have the right of it Lord Eonwe. We would have to come quite close to the Orc to kill him and although I cannot see that this task is beyond our warriors, I do feel that it is rather more fitting if you and your people take care of it. We will, of course, provide whatever support you require, on the understanding that we will act on our own account if necessary."
Gary smiled at the young High King. "Agreed, but I do have a request to make of you."
"Of course. What is the request?"
"It may sound strange, but I would prefer it if you referred to me by the name given to me for my task in future Middle-earth. Gary or Major Matthews will do, but I would prefer Gary. I find it in myself to wish to keep my two selves as separate as possible and this would help greatly."
A wide grin split Gil-galad's face. "It shall be so. I must admit to feeling uncomfortable about calling you Eonwe. Garee it shall be."
"What of the three warriors from the host?" Cirdan interposed smoothly. "They are confused as it is. Do you intend to explain the situation to them?"
Gary pursed his lips. "It's unfortunate that they have become involved to the extent they have, but that is more due to extenuating circumstances than any kind of error. Eonwe…my earlier self…has obviously had to make a judgement call on this whilst not in full possession of the facts. " He pondered for a moment whilst the Elves looked on silently. "I think the best thing would be for me to speak with them separately and explain. It may be that they then choose to travel back to the host and continue on north Thangorodrim." He turned to Gil-galad. "What are your feelings on this?"
Gil-galad gnawed at his bottom lip. "I can find no other more sensible solution. Speaking with them directly would seem to be the best idea. I will send for them now and we will ensure that you are not disturbed. In the meantime we will arrange for Celebrimbor and a small group to travel back to the unused forge." He looked at Celeborn. "Do you remember that small band of Dwarves who were resident in Sirion when we left?"
Celeborn nodded, he could see where this was going. "I will make contact with Galadriel to see if they are still there. Do you want her to ask for their assistance? We will probably need to send an escort for them. They are at least two days' march from here, so the sooner the better, although if they meet with Celebrimbor at the forge that will only be about one days' march."
Gil-galad nodded. "Please do so. I think that their expertise will be invaluable when Celebrimbor starts to manufacture your… bullets or whatever they are called Garee. They should also be able to assist Olorin in finding the substances he requires."
"I will send out more scouting parties." Cirdan also stood up.
"Lord Cirdan." Gary's soft tones stopped the shipwright and he turned to look at the Maia questioningly. "Make the scouting parties smaller and more of them. Get them to cover a wide area right up to the Forest of Brethil. I have reason to believe that the Orc has not been able to leave the immediate area out of fear of being apprehended, not just by us, but by his own kind."
Cirdan gave Gary and searching look and then nodded and left without further question.
"Do you need to be at the forge as well?" Gary directed his next question to Olorin who nodded.
"I imagine so. If I have read Chief's thoughts correctly we will need to render down and purify the Potassium Nitrate and this will need great heat. Once the forge is fired it will provide sufficient heat for the purpose, not to mention carbon. In addition, if the dwarves are going to be there, then it will be easier for me to discuss the other substances with them." He smiled at Gary. "With your permission sir, I will accompany Celebrimbor and the escort to the forge."
Gary grinned. "Permission granted Sergeant Major, but I'd like you and I to talk with Jim and Kim before you head out okay?"
Olorin chuckled and threw up a sketchy salute, made more awkward by the fact that he did it with his left rather than his right hand. "Yes sir.
"Remind me to offer you some instruction in paying compliments to officers WO2 Knowles as well as a lecture as to why you shouldn't call an officer uptight and anal." He said with mock severity. "I don't know how they did things in the Royal Marines, but the Fusiliers do it differently."
Olorin winked and smiled broadly. "Well, what can you expect from people who wear chicken feathers behind their cap badges?"
"I'm going to pretend I didn't hear that, Chief."