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[ornithologist]

Comments

[fortitudosalutis]

General labor. It's vague. Means people don't notice me.

[ There's opportunity there. Access. ]

[ornithologist]

Lovely. I'll keep that in mind.

In the meantime, your job is to keep yourself and Ms. Shaw alive, and anyone else you possibly can as well. Understood? No one's ever been punished for not completing a mission, only not rewarded.

[fortitudosalutis]

I'll keep her alive.

[ He hasn't been sleeping much. He is, maybe, losing his mind a tiny bit. But those are not mission critical details. ]

[ornithologist]

And yourself?

If I have to use this bullet, I will be very upset.

[fortitudosalutis]

I'm fine.

[ Sleep deprivation's going to catch him sooner or later. He wonders if Shaw warned Harold about that. ]

I've been deployed under worse conditions.

[ornithologist]

Have I somehow given you the impression I want to be compared to the United States military?

What do you need? I'll send supplies.

[fortitudosalutis]

Weapons.
I'll sleep better if I'm armed.

[ It doesn't occur to him to ask for food. They're not on starvation rations. ]

[ornithologist]

Very well. Anything else?

[fortitudosalutis]

Don't need anything else.

[ It's a sin to be greedy. Nothing else is mission critical. ]

[ornithologist]

You can expect Mr. Reese, in that case.

[ And it's Harold so he's sending him with food as well. Because of course he is. ]

[fortitudosalutis]

Good. I'll back him and Shaw.

[ornithologist]

Thank you.

[fortitudosalutis]

Don't have to thank me for that, sir.

[ornithologist]

And yet I am.

[fortitudosalutis]

Not generally how this part works.

[ornithologist]

Please desist in trying to anticipate me.

[fortitudosalutis]

Just making an observation based on prior experience.

[ornithologist]

[ Oh, that's better. Harold is reassured by the low-level snarky comeback. ]

You'll have to let me know how well I fit the expected pattern of behavior.

[ He's expecting it to be basically not at all. ]

[fortitudosalutis]

Copy that, sir.

[ Maybe he’s fucking with Harold. Just a little. ]

[ornithologist]

[ God bless the breath of normalcy.

Nonetheless, Harold does not deign him with a reply. ]