... 'cause we are going to full-draft edit/review tomorrow. Er, later today. Friday.

Phwoo. Good thing it's break.

---

        I stayed where I was, looking up at the fluffy afternoon 
clouds and thinking about this and that -
        - until suddenly the shape of a woman in a dark business suit
appeared over me, freakisly distorted by the extremely unusual viewing
angle, and said in a clipped English voice,
        "Caitlin Sanders, SIS.  Would you come with me, please,
Mr. Hutchins?"
        I considered the request for a moment, then replied, "No."
        She blinked.  "... I'm sorry?
        "I said no," I told her.  Keeping my tone pleasant and
nonconfrontational, I explained, "It's the opposite of an affirmative
response.  In this context, it means I do not care to go anywhere with
you or any other SIS sonofabitch at this time.  As it were."
        "Rather thought you'd feel that way, old boy," said another,
familiar voice.  I turned my head to see Brigadier Alistair Gordon
Lethbridge-Stewart coming briskly toward me at a Batman camera angle,
looking out of place in a civilian suit and a camelhair overcoat.  For
the first time I noticed that it was getting a little chilly, the autumn
afternoon gathering toward dusk.
        "Brigadier," I said, surprised.  "I didn't expect they'd send
you if they wanted to talk to me again."
        Lethbridge-Stewart smiled, opened the gate, and reached down to
help lever me to my feet.
        "Let's take a walk," he said; then, turning to the SIS officer,
he added, "Wait here, Sanders.  He won't say a damn thing to me if
you're hovering around."
        "Sir," said Sanders, though she clearly didn't like it.
        "Where'd you get -her-?" I inquired as the Brigadier and I
walked down the street toward Elm Park.
        "The Evil Queen of Numbers insisted one of her own people come
with me in case I got up to anything," Lethbridge-Stewart replied,
speaking the uncomplimentary nickname as if it were an official title.
"Don't worry; if she tries to follow us, I'm sure Sgt. Benton will
think of some way to keep her busy."
        I arched an eyebrow.  "... 'The Evil Queen of Numbers'?"
        Lethbridge-Stewart chuckled.  "My little nickname for
the new M.  Rather caught on around Headquarters, I understand, much
to her ladyship's chagrin.  Bloody beancounter is all she is; if she'd
been in charge of UNIT back in the day, we'd all be speaking Zygonese
now, I expect.  But I digress."

---

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Admin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

All this -AND- a visit from the Brigadier?

...man, Gryph, when you give people early christmas presents, you don't screw around!

Iiinnteresting, de gozaru.

“They planned their campaigns just as you might make a splendid piece of harness. It looks very well; and answers very well; until it gets broken; and then you are done for. Now I made my campaigns of ropes. If anything went wrong, I tied a knot; and went on.”
-- Arthur Wellesley, First Duke of Wellington

I'm confused - I thought Cammie was "M"?

t.
Trigger Argee
trigger_argee@hotmail.com
Manon, Maccadon, Orado, etc.
Denton, never leave home without it.

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." - HST

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-10 AT 02:54 PM (EST)
 
>I'm confused - I thought Cammie was "M"?

No no - Cammy is a field operative (code number 005). She works for M. She used to be detached from MI6 and worked day-to-day for UNIT's Delta Red Squadron under the Brigadier and Colonel Wolfman, but was abruptly tranferred to Double O and placed directly under M.; that's why Gryphon suddenly couldn't make contact with her any more in 05.

Looking at that bit of 05 now, I can see where the coincidence of the new M. also being a woman, and not referred to by name, might have given the impression that Cammy was M., but it's not the case. Basically, the "if this guy shows up, don't let him in" order came from M., and when he wouldn't leave, she ordered Cammy to go get rid of him. Which she did, because she's a soldier and she follows orders, but as both Zoner and Sakura noticed, she wasn't happy about it.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Admin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

>Looking at that bit of 05 now, I can see where the coincidence of the
>new M. also being a woman, and not referred to by name, might have
>given the impression that Cammy was M., but it's not the case.
>Basically, the "if this guy shows up, don't let him in" order came
>from M., and when he wouldn't leave, she ordered Cammy to go get rid
>of him. Which she did, because she's a soldier and she follows
>orders, but as both Zoner and Sakura noticed, she wasn't happy about
>it.

Clarity is good. I don't suppose M is Yvonne Hartman?

t.
because torchwood is always a good time

Trigger Argee
trigger_argee@hotmail.com
Manon, Maccadon, Orado, etc.
Denton, never leave home without it.

"I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me." - HST

>Clarity is good. I don't suppose M is Yvonne Hartman?

I am pretty certain that the current in-studio mental image of female M. is Dame Judi Dench.

	Philip J. Moyer Contributing Writer, Editor and Artist (and Moderator) -- Eyrie Productions, Unlimited CEO of MTS, High Poobah Of Artwork, and High Priest Of the Church Of Aerianne -- Magnetic Terrapin Studios "Insert Pithy Comment Here"

LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-10 AT 08:18 PM (EST)
 
>
>>Clarity is good. I don't suppose M is Yvonne Hartman?
>
>I am pretty certain that the current in-studio mental image of female
>M. is Dame Judi Dench.

Quite so. Lady Barbara Mawdsley, if you believe the shooting script for (and subsequent novelization of) GoldenEye, but she's never been named on screen as far as I can recall.

--G.
"In the old days, if an agent did something that stupid he'd at least have the decency to defect. Christ, I miss the Cold War."
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Admin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.

>Clarity is good.

I've adjusted the dialogue in that scene a little - hopefully it'll make it a bit plainer that the desk sergeant is talking about two different women there.

--G.
-><-
Benjamin D. Hutchins, Co-Founder, Editor-in-Chief, & Forum Admin
Eyrie Productions, Unlimited http://www.eyrie-productions.com/
Ceterum censeo Carthaginem esse delendam.