The last bit caused Charles to chuckle, though the sound was more rueful than actually amused.

"The Pentagon does appear to have a very limited sense of humor," he agreed, in a tone that hinted at the fact that he may have had personal dealings with that lack of humor issue.

"I'm afraid that in my world the idea of magic is more about slightly of hand and illusion," he admitted. "What advice would you give someone who has limited experience with such concepts?"

It couldn't hurt to hear, from someone more familiar with such things, what he might face or experience while trapped in this strange land.