Chapter 10

Sheppard motioned with a head tilt which direction Felix was to walk with him towards the dining area and asked, "Are you like most Canadians — always polite?"

Felix chuckled and replied, "I'm far from polite, sir — you already saw that on the planet today. But I am polite to people that I can respect and who show others respect also, sir."

Sheppard said, "So explain Dr. McKay — he's Canadian."

Felix laughed and replied, "He's from Toronto, sir — they think they are the centre of the Universe and everything revolves around them."

Sheppard asked, "How can you tell McKay is from Toronto?"

Felix answered, "It's the way he talks and the inflection of certain words, sir."

Sheppard replied, "Well that explains a few things, then."

They walked to the dining area just as the line-up was starting; Sheppard nodded to few people that he knew. Felix took a tray and waited behind the officer and asked, "Everyone eats together here, sir?"

Sheppard looked over his shoulder and replied, "Yup — no rank here — I kind of like it."

Felix nodded and said, "It'll be a welcome change from ... what I was eating."

They got their food and drink and then Felix followed Sheppard to a table of John's choosing. They sat down and about 30 seconds later were joined by Lt. Cadman who asked, "May I join you gentlemen?"

Sheppard looked up in surprise as the gorgeous Lieutenant slid into the seat next to Felix and saw the Sergeant get a bit flushed in the face at the arrival of the young officer. He asked, "You okay there, Sergeant?"

Felix swallowed his mouthful and replied, "I normally don't have officers or beautiful women wanting to sit and eat with me and discuss ideas with me. Never happened in the past, sir."

Sheppard looked surprised and then replied, "Oh. Well, you better get used to it here because people sit with whomever they want to, and they discuss ideas all the time. You have to remember that this is civilian led expedition, not military led, so we are in the minority here."

Lt. Cadman looked at Felix and said, "First off, Sergeant, I just wanted to apologize to you for earlier. I was mad because of what you reminded me of and thinking about it I was wrong — so, I apologize."

Sheppard looked at Felix in amazement and said, "I'm impressed! You got one of my officers to apologize to you?" Then he looked at Cadman and said, "Lieutenant — I do believe you are slipping — an apology from you?"

She looked at Sheppard and gave a quick obnoxious face and replied, "Ha hah sir, very funny. Seriously though, he did have a lot of valid points and that's why I sat here tonight."

Sheppard remembered his manners and said, "Lt. Cadman this is Sergeant Felix Grey late of the 22nd LRRP; Sergeant Grey — Lt. Laura Cadman. She is our Explosives Officer and Weapons Officer as well. You two may have something in common there obviously."

Cadman asked Felix, "What's 'LRRP' mean?"

Felix replied, "Long Range Recce Patrol, Ma'am."

Cadman came back with, "Call me Laura, please — we're not too formal on rank here."

Felix replied softly, "Yes ma'am — I mean ... Laura."

Sheppard put in; "This is the guy that saved my gunner and I when our Apache was shot down in Iraq a few years ago. Not only did he find us when nobody else could, his team also drove us out of there like they were in the movie 'Mad Max'."

Felix smiled a bit at that memory and said, "That was a bit fun, wasn't it sir? I found it was more like 'Death Race 2000' myself. That or 'The Blues Brothers' where they are saying, 'It's 106 miles to Chicago, we're wearing sunglasses, we have a full tank of gas, we have a pack and a half of cigarettes, and it's dark. Hit it!'"

Both Cadman and Sheppard chuckled at the way Felix put it across to them as they also remembered the very funny classic movie.

Sheppard commented, "After we got back from your wild driving, my gunner didn't want to drive anywhere for a while. He said you scared the crap out of him with your driving on that trip. I will admit it did take me a day or two to readjust to normal driving. I had to learn that I didn't have to hang on to something for dear life when I was driving later."

Cadman was definitely interested in Felix and asked, "What else are you qualified, Sergeant — other than crazy driving and explosives?"

Felix rolled his eyes to ceiling as if trying to remember and then replied, "Oh boy, let's see ... MFP — that's freefall, a number of driving courses - I can drive or maintain about 30 or 40 different vehicles, Recce, Sniper, Combat Diver, Demolitions, Combat Intelligence, Comms, Small Arms Instructor, Advanced Winter Warfare, Desert Warfare, Jungle Warfare, Pathfinder, JM, First Aid Instructor ... that's all that comes to mind right now."

Sheppard and Cadman had stopped eating and were looking at Felix in wonder at what he just told them. He realized what was happening and said, "What? You asked and I told you; look — in the Canadian Army we don't have enough people to specialize in just one job. So we cross train in the Army and make do with what we have — or don't have."

Cadman replied, "That makes sense. Have you used any other of these courses that you rattled off?"

Felix replied, "Oh yes, quite a number of them and I manage to keep my hand in so I'm current. I also have put through several courses teaching recruits, Phase 3 and 4 officer training, um ... various driving and weapons courses — stuff like that."

Sheppard asked, "So you could do a formal class on say ... weapons use or explosives as examples?"

Felix shrugged nonchalantly and answered, "If you wish me to — I guess so, sir."

Sheppard looked at Cadman and asked her, "What do you think, Lt.?"

She replied emphatically, "Yes — definitely! We could use all the help we can with that sort of thing."

Sheppard looked over at Felix and asked, "Sergeant — what do you think? Can it be done?"

Felix swallowed his mouthful, which allowed him time to consider his answer and replied, "Don't you have to run that by the boss lady, Dr. Weir — and get her okay?"

Sheppard smiled and said, "Yes I do, but this particular thing is something I feel that she will agree to. If it is something that can enhance our chances for staying alive, I think she'll go for it."

Felix replied, "Okay sir, how about the day after tomorrow we start with whomever you send my way. That way I can get in-clearance done here and get that tour of the facility that Dr. Weir said she would take me on."

Sheppard replied, "Good idea — in the meantime you will be working with Lt. Cadman here as her assistant and advisor until we can further see how you fit this place."

Laura Cadman spoke up suddenly and said, "Colonel - how about I show the Sergeant around the complex — just the necessary areas for now? You know how busy Dr. Weir is most of the time, so why don't I do that?"

Sheppard nodded his agreement and said, "Probably be a good idea — she sometimes forgets to schedule sleep and has to be reminded. What are your plans for tonight, Felix?"

"Me sir? Well, as soon as I'm done growlies here, I was going to ask that I be allowed access to my weapons so that I can clean them and have them ready for the morning. After that, I believe you just gave the beautiful Leftenant here permission to show me parts of the city. So that would probably fill the evening right there; unless there was something you wanted me for tonight, sir?"

Upon hearing the one word in Felix's reply to Sheppard, Lt. Cadman blushed to the roots of her hair and became very interested in her food. Sheppard looked at the young officer and asked, "Lieutenant — is this going to be a problem — you showing Felix around the complex?"

She raised her head and replied, "No sir — I'll be fine — and I can take care of myself, so this won't be a problem, sir. I just hadn't heard a guy be so ... forthright around me before. I intimidate them all or so I'm told. We'll be fine sir — really we will — won't we Sergeant?"

Felix managed to stammer, "I ... guess so, ma'am. Uh sir, is this allowed — officer and NCO working together like this? Because back at my old base..."

Sheppard replied, "Felix — here is not your old base but I do expect you to respect Lt. Cadman in all aspects and remember that she's your superior officer. I hope you don't have a problem having a woman as your boss — do you?"

Felix smiled and replied, "Shit no sir! I've had a couple of course officers that were female and I had no problems with them. I find I agree with how you put it sir: if we respect each other — where is the problem?"

Sheppard replied, "Okay, then I'll leave you in the Lieutenant's capable hands for part of the evening. Just so you know, I'll be reading your Pers file tonight and then I'll talk to you if I have any questions for you. All right?"