”“The king?” Bianca asked. “You have met him?”“Oh, of course,” Liala said. “Joseph is ... he is kind. Once you understand him, he is a...very friendly man. There is part of him that is fierce and powerful but that is not the whole of him. I have known men where the unbridled rage is all there is. There is nothing beneath it. With Joseph, the rage is there but it is fading as the months pass. I was there when he returned from Blue Harbor. I’d heard the stories, of course, but ... when I first met. “The British Officers Sir!” S/Sgt Murphy announced. He stood to one side of the door to allow the four to enter, then closed it as he left.The four lined up before the desk, came to attention and saluted. The Colonel sat back in his chair and gave a half-hearted salute back.Colonel Swartz had been in the air force for thirty-one years. He had served his country all over the world. He had flown sixty-four missions during Operation Desert Storm in the first Iraq war. A devout believer in air to. Yet.Now, to finally lay that issue to rest and bring everyone on board.“Mr. Thomas?” Sarah turned abruptly to face her only surprise of the afternoon. She’d actually expected the financial assistance to come from another direction but this was good, too. “What would you say,” she began with a twinkle in her eye, “if I were to tell you that, as of an hour ago, we have been promised all the sound, lighting and video equipment we need, plus the people to run it, free of charge?”His eyes widened. I did think John would be calling and apologizing to me.’ Judy replied, ‘I want to say that I am sorry for last night.’ Gil asked, ‘Is John there?’ ‘No he had to go get some gas, what do you think of this idea? I will bring lunch over tomorrow and we can talk.’ ‘That sounds great, about what time, so I can have my roommate out of here?’ Judy answered, ‘How about twelve.’ ‘Does John know that you are doing this?’ ‘No, it will be our secret.’ Gil said, ‘That is good for me I will see you.