[ And anything the commander decides is as good as God's commandment. But sometimes those orders are tests, too. And Pope so rarely gave them breathing room without some kind of cost. ]
[ There's a lot of ways he could take this. He could simply impose his authority, which is expedient but leaves a certain acrid distaste in his mouth. He could push further that he deserves it. But Harold, having been forced to face his own demons, finds himself rather more ruthless about everyone else's. ]
[ There's a long pause. Carver wars with two conflicting impulses. The first, that Harold is the closest thing there is to a commander here and the commander cannot be disobeyed without cost. And the second, that Leah is the commander and Pope before her, and speaking of their methods and means to an outsider is a sin, too. Possibly a worse one. ]
Get really fucked up Or find a lot of food somewhere We don't get leave anymore
[ Harold's not going to contest anything his previous commanders told him; he's not that foolish or shortsighted. He'll reserve that to his own thoughts, and possibly to what he says to John afterward. ]
From what I know, you're under extraordinary circumstances at home. Until and unless that occurs here, I encourage you to take reasonable amounts of leave, at times when you aren't needed. You aren't needed right now.
[ Uh-huh. Harold isn't a fool. But he also has resolved not to challenge his prior commanders' orders, which means he has to be more subtle. ]
Are you still willing to indulge me in joining me in bird-watching? I'd appreciate it very much if we could at least pretend to be without a command structure on that outing.
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Or the enemy is dead
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[ That -
That's not supposed to happen. Carver nearly sputters, trying and failing to think of a response. ]
Is this a test
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[ And anything the commander decides is as good as God's commandment. But sometimes those orders are tests, too. And Pope so rarely gave them breathing room without some kind of cost. ]
I haven't done anything to earn three days
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What would you need to do in order to earn it?
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Get really fucked up
Or find a lot of food somewhere
We don't get leave anymore
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From what I know, you're under extraordinary circumstances at home. Until and unless that occurs here, I encourage you to take reasonable amounts of leave, at times when you aren't needed. You aren't needed right now.
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Okay
[ He will not get drunk. He will train relentlessly, as if Pope himself were breathing down his neck. ]
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Are you still willing to indulge me in joining me in bird-watching? I'd appreciate it very much if we could at least pretend to be without a command structure on that outing.
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Yeah
I can do that
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Splendid. Is tomorrow morning acceptable?
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What time?
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