The characters belong to Eoin Colfer, the towel belongs to Douglas Adams.
And Another Thing...
A highly trained bodyguard willing to sacrifice his own life to save his principal was undeniably comforting. Captain Short's skill with a Neutrino was undoubtedly an asset in life threatening situations. But for real security there was nothing like a towel for protecting a brain the size of a planet.
Author's Note: Google the two authors and the title of this piece. Or go to the BBC's news website and enter it there to find out what this is about. It might be bad news, we'll see. Just goes to show how prophetic the title to chapter 22 was!
