[ Sauron takes a seat at the other end of the table and helps himself to the meal, spooning a corned slush of brains onto his plate as he picks at bones, the marrow stuffed with roasted vegetables (he is not against greens, you see). Dipping each bone into the pate, he crunches down. ]

My dear captain, take this as a gesture of apology. I have let you have too much freedom, too highly vaunted for your deeds, and you thought running a realistic option. It never was.

That was my fault.