"Yes, please."

Pop.

"That went really well," he says cheerfully.

"If you say so."

"Maedhros didn't burn the boats."

"He did not."

He sits down. "He didn't burn the boats."

"I really wanted to tell you."

"Why does he make everything so complicated?"

"Maybe so he's at the greatest possible navigational advantage."

"I am going to tell my father."

"I know you are."

"I understand why he wouldn't want that, but everyone deserves to know and it's relevant."

"And I'm not going to see him for probably ten years." He sighs. "Tell him that his father apologized for the ships."

"I will. Although first I'm taking the adopted orcs on a field trip."

"Fun. Have you explained the orc religion to them?"

"In passing. 'These orcs were rescued as adults so I had to do this complicated thing, it wouldn't work again, when they say 'Melkor' they actually mean this entity worshiped in my galaxy more commonly called One-Above-All'."

"I hope all's well and everyone has a lovely time."

They do have a lovely time! They have orc peers and are extremely excited about meeting them, and compare stories about their lives, and worry about the war, and it's a bit awkward when Elves come up but only a bit.

Remember kids we say 'Quendi' instead.

Yup. Quendi. Those Quendi are very Quendi about everything, aren't they?

Soooooo Quendi.

Some of the orcs want to stay, can they stay?