After the unexpected turn of events with the interview, Sarah had asked why Malachite had chosen the name. Colour Sergeant Grant answered with a slightly skewed smile.

“Malachite is spiritual it means the essence of joy. I believe the stone helps to bring personal growth and has benefits when a person decides to change.”

“That is a very personal meaning for you, and you are certainly beginning a major change. It doesn’t really fit with any military code, but then the ethos of the 48th doesn’t either. We will call you Malachite as soon as the transfer is completed.”

“Please send in a requisition for a workshop for you. I am sure that someone will quibble about the cost, but I will put it through on the Brigadier’s order. That should sort it out fairly promptly.”

“What do you expect to concentrate on when you are in post?

“I think I need to look at what weaponry is good for amphibious use and is light. I also need to look at the wide array of hand guns that are available throughout the world. Being light, and fitting into a woman’s hand comfortably is important, so re-gripping some existing weapons will be worth looking at but when an RM Commando changes to a woman, do their hands change size?”

“That is not a question we have been asked before. As far as I know all our members are comfortable using the hand weapons they used as men, so perhaps the answer is no, they don’t change. Their height does not change much either. It decreases by a couple of centimetres, but their bone structure is only a little lighter.”

“Are any of your staff naturally left handed, because that is important in making a choice of weapon for the group.”

“No, none are left handed, but there is no reason why a person that is left handed should not join the 48th.”

“ Do you think that any staff will benefit from laser sights. The pistol will show a red dot where the bullet will hit. Lasers can be built into the weapon, or can be added later.”

“Having that option would be useful, particularly for night deployments.”

Stocks are often interchangeable, but safety catches and so on are not necessarily alterable. The same with different designs of holsters. A heavy pistol that drags a woman’s skirt down in its holster is unappealing and uncomfortable. Having a holster in the armpit has its own problems for women, particularly when the weapon is being carried covertly.”

“Some pistols have a two-stage trigger for the first shot, and then a single stage or even a hair trigger for subsequent shots, and the magazine can hold different numbers of cartridges. Others have a single stage throughout.”

“I don’t think I need to question this, but I think 9mm will be better than a .38”.”

“All I think, is that we have chosen the best person to be our armourer.”

“Thank you, M’am. I am glad you are confident in me.”

Malachite, or Mal as she became known was nothing if not inventive. Hair grips soon doubled as detonators and small packets of plastic explosives were secreted in hidden pockets. Radios appeared in the heels of standard shoes, and sanitary products were not what they appeared to be, but then some items that looked like sanitary products actually were sanitary products!

A tube of lip gloss actually contained intimate lubricant and two small blue pills were included to enhance a victim’s sexual prowess when they seemed to lack sufficient enthusiasm.
After several months Mal had developed a bust that was much the same as all the other 48’ers and her nearly black hair and very dark blue eyes were really her only distinguishing features. She became known for the dark turquoise of her chosen name stone for most of her clothes when out of uniform. Her uniform was unique because of the RM 48 in red embroidery on her shoulder, and also the Colour Sergeant crown wrist badge together with the Crossed Hammer and Pincers armourer’s badge that was placed prominently on her sleeve above her wrist.

She was not available for deployment except when the whole of the 48th was on manoeuvres with one of the other commando groups or taking part with overseas allies in aerial and maritime rapid deployments.

Hers was also the responsibility to look after new entrants, and four new recruits arrived whist the rest of the 48th was overseas on manoeuvres. She was able to appear very fierce, but was kindness itself if a newly transformed person became distressed as their body changes were manifested.

As the nature of the 48th became known more widely, new entrants applied for the transgender opportunities more than the particular role of female commando. Dozens of enthusiastic, but ill informed men applied and were promptly rejected. Only four were selected in the second year from the hundreds that applied to enlist in the Royal Marines.

Mal and Major Tina Locke had sifted through all the files of suitable candidates. Age, experience, height and having passed the Commando selection test were crucial and the two women had almost given up ploughing through manilla folders before the four files came up very close to each other.

It wasn’t anything obvious, but the Commanding Officer had reported that each man did not seem to fit into the role of a typical marine. They were just a bit too individual, too flamboyant, too non-conforming for a military organisation, although there was no question about their skills or bravery.

Some war biographies concentrate on eccentric commanders who exist outside the mainstream and have devoted troops who would follow them to the ends of the earth and back. The same officers may be constantly irksome to their superiors.

Thus, Marines Gerald Stone, Philip Palmer, Henry Cutler and William Haigh stood to attention in front of Major Locke and Mal.

Mal, gave them the ‘Stand at Ease’ order in a fetching contralto, and Tina said that they should ‘Stand Easy’ … then they were asked to sit at the desks with their bundle of papers.

Major Tina stood.

“You have been asked here because you have been through a very rigorous selection procedure, that unknown to you. This has lead us to believe that you may be suitable candidates for the 48th Commando.”

“No one who applies directly for the 48th has ever been selected. Our criteria are both different to the rest of the Royal Marines and highly unusual, although we train with the rest of the Marines, and with similar groups from overseas. Our staff are trained in the whole range of skills needed for deployment in any of the land, sea or air theatres of war with the rest of the Marine Command, but like the other Commando units, we have areas of special expertise.”

“I am not going to ask you what you have heard about the 48th. The grapevine may be accurate or inaccurate in this case, but in a few minutes I am going to tell you exactly what we do. Until that I need you to sign the enhanced Official Secrets Act. This is a more severe form of the declaration because everything you do with us is marked as Top Secret.”

“The form is the one on the top of your bundle. If you don’t want to sign it, you may leave now.”

All four signed.

“Welcome to the 48th. You are not part of us yet, but within the next an hour and a half or so, you will become members if we and you agree.”

“The 48th consists of nearly 30 women. All are highly trained in standard military procedures, all are markswomen, trained in the use of explosives and are black belts in various forms unarmed combat. We can be deployed to sabotage military supply lines, or to gather information. All the women are trained as seductresses and will kill if necessary, but may be called upon to support children or distressed women in chaotic situations whether caused by war, civil unrest or natural disasters.”

“I have already said that all the members of the 48th are women. What you may have heard through the grapevine or elsewhere, is that with the exception of our Colonel, none of the enlisted staff were born as women. The government feels that it is both necessary and even essential, to pay the huge sum necessary to transform healthy young men who don’t quite fit the mould, into very able, attractive women. They need to be able to work independently, or in groups of up to four for months at a time to serve the needs of King and Country.”

“One of the criteria used is that entrants have no close ties to parents, or other close relatives. On entry all are given new names with the surname Smith and a new set of documents. All entrants have to be fluent in three languages as you all are.”

“If you agree, it will take a year for your transition to be completed, and the minimum period of service is five years, so you would have a minimum of four years more. If your current enlistment has less than that then it will be extended, and if it is more then it will remain the same, although you will be given an opt out after five years.”

That, in a nutshell, is what is on offer.

You may leave now, if you wish. If you stay, then each of you will move on to an hour’s interview with a psychologist. This interview is not reported. Nothing you say or ask will be recorded unless you ask for that to be done.”

“If you wish to proceed after the hour, then there are a number of forms that need to be completed.”

One of the candidates, whose ‘Palmer, P’ name badge was prominent raised his hand.

“Yes, Marine.”

“M’am may I ask about the process of transformation.”

“Certainly. The process takes almost a year, but the signs start after about three months. It is painless and consists of a number of hormonal implants, oral supplements and some very special blue light treatments that penetrate deep into the tissues.”

“Let me say, finally, that all active members of the 48th are promoted to Sergeant, as a minimum. This will cut any time needed to reach Marine Sergeant by a number of years. The reports I have received from your commanders are not enthusiastic about your prospects of promotion during your current enlistments.”

“Please choose one of the doors on the left here. Your psychologist is waiting. Please be as open as you can. Holding anything back might make you regret either signing or not signing up for the 48th.”

Mal just said, quietly, “Stand to attention and dismiss”.

The four men looked at each other and chose a door at random. They knocked, and each was welcomed in by a female psychologist in an RAMC uniform.

“I am Captain Fiona Gill, I work with the Defence Clinical Psychology Service. I am here to answer any of your questions, and to explain anything further that you need to know. The 48th as you will realise is a highly specialised unit with a very high skill base in all sorts of both familiar and unfamiliar areas. Either you can ask me questions, or I can explore the role of the 48th more. If at any time you feel that this placement is not for you, then there is absolutely no pressure to complete the process. No one will know that you have declined the placement unless you say so, and if you release any classified information you will be arrested.”

“This is all a bit of a shock. I passed my section tests for the marines well, but never felt really one of the boys. I suppose I am a bit of a loner when it comes to being part of a very close knit military family. Will being part of the 48th be any different?”

“Undoubtedly it will be different. All women groups are more empathetic, able to embrace each other mentally and physically when needed. You would often be deployed in ones or twos and a maximum of four. I think that might appeal to you. The reports on you are unequivocal in that you are excellent in many spheres, but you do not come across as a team player. I don’t think you have ever enjoyed team sports like Rugby or Soccer.”

“No, I was always better at individual sports like Cross Country, or Target Rifle shooting where I could excel.”

“How complete is the transformation that is being offered?”

“The Corps does not need women to be able to be mothers, so the choice of going the whole way with the potential of motherhood is left to the member of the team. On the whole, the existing members have chosen to become women fully, but there are those who have not taken the final step. They say that being women in every sense makes them feel more like women and their vulnerability in being able to become pregnant makes it easier to solicit and seduce target men.”

“I have never felt confident with women, and have never had a girlfriend, or boyfriend for that matter. I don’t know how to commune with either gender.”

“That is quite common. Most of our recruits feel liberated in their new gender and make much better women as girlfriends and eventually, mothers as they did as men.”

“Can you tell me anything about the sort of placements the 48th is asked to complete?”

“I can in general terms. The most basic is to assist groups of women and children from various ethnic and religious groups where men are not acceptable. Then there are deployments where the 48th joins other Commando Units in boarding ships or making covert landings in hostile territory. Here you would be little different from any other Royal Marine except that the 48th has exceptional language skills. Finally there are the deployments which are covert and involve the seduction of senior military and diplomatic personalities. The operative gathers information which may lead to that person being discredited or arrested. In some cases the operative is required to terminate the target if there is no other way of removing them.”

“I have no idea how to seduce a man.”

“Don’t be concerned. After your transition you will be beautiful, and have a considerable experience in dressing well, makeup and dancing for instance. Mannerisms and verbal forms will be drilled in until you are confident. The arts of seduction will be taught by experts and the variety of weapons carried by 48th Commandos will be explained and practiced before you are deployed. It will take the whole year to transform and train you. The cost for the first batch of trainees was considered to be £1,000,000 each. I suspect that it will have increased with inflation.”

“I heard some while ago the muffled sound of tears. I suspect that one of you may have found this conversation troubling, but you seem to be comfortable with the idea.”

“Yes, I think I am. I have been looking for some part of the Royal Marines where I would have job satisfaction. I can do the bit set out by the training manual, but this resonates for me and I will go with it.”

“If it is any help, I think you are doing the right thing. Now what is your feeling about the transition? Going the whole way, or only as far as functionality is needed by the Service?”

“I think that I need to think about my life after my time with the 48th., and there seems very little point in being a sterile woman. No the full treatment please.”

“What about a name?”

“All the trainees to date have chosen the name of a gemstone, and Smith.”

“What names are available?”

“Aquamarine, Zircon, Spinel, Tourmaline, Olivine, Carnelian and Agate are the ones listed here.”

“Olivine, is very similar to Peridot in colour, and there is already a Peridot. If you don’t mind sharing a very similar colour in your ballgowns, and other girl clothes then that would be fine, but I wonder if you wouldn’t like Zircon. Zircon Smith has a certain cachet I think.”

“Yes, I agree with you. Zircon it is. Your records will no longer show Henry Brian Cutler, but Zircon Smith. You can add a middle name in time if you wish.”

“The mother I never knew, was called Melanie. She died when I was a baby. Please add Melanie as my middle name in memory of her.”

“I have registered that for you. That will not be a available for the others. Zircon has a range of colours including a colourless version that looks like diamond. You will have lots of choice, but pale blue may be your colour if I am any judge of these things. It will go with your straw coloured hair and blue eyes.”

“If there are no more questions, I can welcome you to the 48th., and you will be called for your first treatment this afternoon. You should keep your current uniform although the shoulder flashes will be replaced, that is, until it no longer fits, of course. Please return to the seating area outside. The gong for lunch will sound soon.”

Zircon was soon joined by Citrine Smith.

“Citrine was not one of the names I was offered.”

“No, I suggested it. I was told that there had been Citrine, but she had died in one of the earlier deployments. I wondered if it might be bad luck to choose the name of a dead colleague, but decided that it would do her honour to re-use her name. I hope the rest of the 48th who knew her approve.”

“I am sure your motives in re-using the name are laudable enough. There may be some questions asked, but there is a very limited range of gemstones that exist with suitable names. I asked and was told that it had already been decided that when a marine leaves at the end of their term, then the name will be reused.”

There was no trace of the other two candidates. They had either opted out when all the circumstances of their transfer had been made clear, or had been advised to do so.

In the minutes that followed, a Corporal from the Office staff came out with orders for both of them.

“After lunch you will attend the medical centre in the floor above here. The first parts of many treatments will take place, then you will be encouraged to stay overnight to see that there have been no adverse reactions. (There never have been). Tomorrow morning you will have a week’s leave to close up your affairs at your old accommodation. New documents, such as Drivers Licences, Passports and so on will be delivered once the changes are apparent in you. We don’t recommend changing bank accounts and so on for the time being. You are ordered to return here next Monday morning at 11am for your placement to begin.”

Zircon and Citrine were both excited about the changes in them, and Citrine seemed comfortable putting her hand on Zircon’s forearm to emphasise some point or other in the discussion.

“Would you have done that previously to another male candidate?”

“You know, I don’t think I would. Strange isn’t it how easily one slips into a new role like this.”

Malachite came and sat with the two new entrants. She again emphasised her supportive role and she would be both their mother and their father until they were fully trained. She showed each their rooms in the barrack block, and where to get new uniforms from the quartermaster as their shapes changed.

She guided them to the medical suite and two hours later the two recruits emerged feeling little different except of four small incisions where hormone implants and other tablets had been inserted and those spots were a bit sore.

The intense light treatment made their skin slightly itchy, but not unpleasantly so. More stimulated, than itchy. Citrine couldn’t help but stroke her arm gently as she enjoyed the sensation of it.

The rest of the 48th was still on manoeuvres the following morning, so Zircon and Citrine left by train and completed their business before reporting the following Monday at the Bickleigh Guard House. Neither had anyone to say goodbye to, and only one of their contemporaries noticed that they were leaving. The departure of Citrine, triggered a something in the imagination of a marine called Gordon Brittain. He asked Citrine about his new placement. All Citrine could say was that the placement was with 48 Commando and was covered by the Official Secrets Act. They did however share a coffee at the base café and Gordon explained a little why he had asked. Citrine could not say any more.

Citrine drove down from Scotland and met Zircon at Catterick, the garrison town, and they drove down together to Devon.

Both of them believed that their chests felt a bit puffy even after a week, and Zircon was sure that she hadn’t had to shave quite as much, but it might well have been imagination.

Citrine spoke to Malachite on their return.

“There is a marine who is based in based in Faslane who might be suitable for the 48th. We had a chat before I left. I think he recognised something in me that resonated with him. I could say very little of course, but he is clearly thinking about what he wants to do with his life. He is currently part of the Royal Marine 43 Commando Fleet Protection Group. His name is Gordon Brittain.”

“I will follow up on him. With the two other marines who attended selection with you not having made it through, we could do with some more recruits.”

Malachite made a report to Major Tina, and the Major carried the report to Colonel Lauren. Colonel Lauren interviewed Citrine as to why Gordon Brittain might be suitable. She was convinced and sent a report to the Brigadier who drew up orders for Gordon Brittain, a singularly uninspiring marine who most people would say ‘Who?” when he was mentioned. He performed everything he was asked to do, but only adequately.

No one could explain why an insignificant marine would receive individual orders from a Brigadier, but Gordon Brittain dutifully and bemusedly arrived at Bickleigh Barracks at 09:00 as ordered the following Tuesday.

As soon as they returned, Zircon and Citrine joined the 32 Commando for their three months placement, and then on to the two remaining placements for pilot training, and work with the SBS. They would learn about seduction and assassination in the last three months of the year, but the training was ongoing and each time Malachite came up with a new idea, it was put to the group for a trial.

Gordon embraced the options he was presented with, and he blossomed in every sense. Obsidian Smith, as he became, was supremely confident as a seductress. Flirting became second nature and it was thought that she could seduce a celibate priest, given half a chance. Eventually her list of men who had died of heart attacks or other natural causes in flagrante delicto was notable, and she was not reluctant to ease the path of others to their particular Hell.

Malachite settled down to a week in her workshop away from the routine enquiries that were also part of her job. A badge for the front of a green beret was being 3-D printed which contained a lot of electronics. It was a covert camera linked by fine wires to a Bluetooth 5 antenna and rechargeable battery. The equipment was 20g now and made the wearer’s beret move suspiciously, but Malachite hoped to get it down to 15g before it could be deployed with the 48th.

Since the operational staff of the 48th all had the same chest and bust measurements, she had a bra in mind that the cups could contain two Shuriken or Ninja stars, but this was under development as the blades on the stars would penetrate the fabric of the bra if the woman was punched in the chest. The result would be disastrous!

She was exercised over the vulnerability of the women when they were naked in bed with their intended target, or victim; but had to accept that the martial arts were their only weapon under these circumstances. The group were surprised how many of the target men were masochists and allowed themselves to be tied up and ‘punished’ before they were summarily dispatched. Malachite had some ideas of developing urethral beads that provided exquisite stimulation if used correctly, but these particular beads leaked a neurotoxin and reacted to the powerful magnet used to draw the beads up the man’s penis. It took took too long to kill the man, so more development was needed.

Another idea was to have an anal dildo that would shatter if used in a particular way. The glass or hard plastic shards would sever several important blood vessels in the man’ rectum and he would bleed to death quite quickly, but unfortunately the flaws in the glass would be obvious at post-mortem.

Partial strangulation proved to be a successful means of dealing with men who enjoyed it as part of sex play, but the garrottes hidden in the women’s bras were made of wire, and were too obvious a means of killing in the bedroom. Often the woman could claim that the deaths of their victims were the result of overenthusiastic sex play when a leather belt was drawn up too tight for instance and the matter was hushed up to protect the man’s reputation. It was, after all a fine line between engendering euphoria and an euphoric death! The marine, would be secretly moved out of harm’s way, and she would make her way back to base ready for the next deployment.

Malachite felt it intensely when one of the women of the 48th did not return from a deployment, but all the marines knew it was a possibility. Protecting the Nation was why they were being employed, and protecting the Nation carried risks.

Zircon and Citrine were introduced to the rest of the 48th when they returned from manoeuvres, and were welcomed as sisters. They were soon happy racing around in helicopters and fast boats to check on ships from various ghost fleets that might have been up to no good. To say they became just one of the boys in the sense of being part of a team was right, but their bodies were blossoming and their curves were unmistakeable after their first three month placement. Both made the trip to the quartermaster with their male uniforms and the next time the 48th were on parade, all the women were all similarly attired.

Sarah Smith had been asked to return to address the whole of the 48th over the long term effects of the treatment they had all received. Even the Colonel came.

“The primary concern of the Government was to produce military personnel to fill a gap in the service we can provide as a nation. By all accounts the service the 48th is providing has and is filling that brief most excellently. The question you are asking very reasonably, is what are the long term implications of what has been done to you, and would it be dangerous to either you or any unborn children for you to become mothers.”

“The treatment affects fast growing tissues that are present in both genders. The nervous system is largely unaffected. This is why we need recruits that have an inclination towards feminine traits who seem to be on the fringe of the camaraderie that is important in all male regiments. The candidates need to be men with female brains. Something that used to have quite a high profile some years ago, one hears about it but less recently.”

“Other areas that are unaffected are tissues like the digestive system, skeleton and musculature.”

“The first thing that is affected is the skin. It was found by chance that a strong burst of blue light at a highly precise wavelength can switch skin and hair to a female distribution rather than a male one. This light seems to cause a switch in the Malpighian Layer just under the surface of the skin, and all cells produced subsequently show a more feminine format. That is why you all had to be completely naked and spreadeagled when you had your light treatment.”

“Secondly, it must be appreciated that all men have all the genes in their cells to make a woman’s body, just as women have to have all the genes to make the bits of the body that are specifically male. They have to have these in order to be able to pass those genes on to their children. It is just a matter of switching on some genes and switching off others.”

“So there we have it. Men with high levels of fitness and intellect, but female inclinations remain men in all the cells that are slow growing and are replicated slowly, but in tissues like testicular tissue, skin, ovarian and uterine tissues are fast growing and the hormone and other implants effectively switch off the male functions and enhance the female ones.This, as you know can take up to a year.”

“The next part of the process takes the very fast replicating cells in the man’s testicles and selectively deletes the small Y chromosome, and the X chromosome is duplicated to make the normal XX configuration of a woman. We are not entirely sure how this happens but the ovaries of transformed mammals treated this way become fully female in weeks or months.”

“There you have it. Your bodies are what are known as chimeras. The slow growing tissues remain male, but with female inclinations, and the fast growing tissues become female. Your height, physique and mental faculties are unchanged but your reproductive, skin and hormonal tissues become female.”

“For those of who who have chosen to become functional women, your ovaries now only produce fertile eggs with a normal single X chromosome and the second X or a Y chromosome will be provided by the man you choose to be your partner or husband.”

“It is possible that your wombs may be slightly smaller than normal, and your hips will stay narrower than for a person born as a girl, but not exceptionally so. Nevertheless we would expect all of you to need a Caesarian Section to give birth safely.”

“Are there any questions?”

One hand went up.

“If the process involves the duplication of the X and deletion of the Y, there are various conditions such as Turner’s syndrome with X0 and Kleinfelter syndrome with XXY, or various trisomy forms that make the foetus non-viable? Could this happen to us?”

“The occurrence of those conditions and also Trisomy 21, which causes Downs syndrome occur in the general population at known rates. There is no evidence that any of those syndrome are any more or less likely in children you may have.”

“The fact that you are all thinking about what happens at the end of your time with the 48th. is very creditable. If you agree to it, the RAMC will keep a watching brief over you after your service is finished, and if you choose to have children, then the Corps will offer assistance in your perinatal care. We expect you will be in safe hands.”

“Will we be able to breastfeed?”

“Absolutely. It is to be encouraged. It is much the best way to feed a newborn infant and the colostrum that is produced first is essential, but there are some women who either cannot breast feed, or choose not to for various reasons, and in those cases there are excellent substitute infant formula products on the market.”

“If we get pregnant during our service, do we get the same terms as personnel born as women?”

“Yes, pregnant service women do not go on deployment, and are give up to 52 weeks of maternity leave before having to make the decision to leave or to return to finish their enlistment. The first 26 weeks is with full pay, and the second 26 week is at statutory rates.”

“The nature of the work here means that we will almost certainly be exposed to various sexually transmitted diseases.”

“Those of you who have already been deployed will know that on return after deployment, you will be given a blood test to treat anything of that sort.”

“Can we take the pill, and will we be able to take HRT in later years?”

“Yes, it is essential that you take the pill so that pregnancy during deployment is avoided. Nothing is known about HRT as no transformed personnel have reached that age, but it is not anticipated that it would be a problem. If you are faced with very challenging symptoms during the menopause, then you might ask to be referred to a military hospital, and you would need to see a consultant that is at least a Lieutenant-Colonel. They will have the clearance for you to reveal your origins that were and will remain Top Secret. When you leave the service you should receive a card with a code on it which your consultant can access. Your civilian medical records have been altered to show that you have been female from birth.”

“What about injury overseas. Will doctors in hospitals be able to see things that do not look quite right if we are examined?”

“Certainly your skeletons will look androgynous to some extent, but that could easily be a matter of normal variation. If you are injured in a military setting then you should memorise the code as you do for your service number. Any doctor at Lt.Col. of above will be able to use that code to treat your specific needs.”

The group fell silent.

“Thank you doctor. I think your help has been very useful to all of us. I have certainly learned a lot, and it makes me even more admiring of the women in my command. I only wish that one day their bravery and endurance in the service of our nation could be known more widely.”

“Room. Attention.”

“Everyone stood to attention.”

“Room dismissed.”

Everyone drifted off to the bar and the chat was about the Sarah’s talk and the future. On the whole everyone seemed positive about life after the Marines.

“I wonder what the next job will be, and which of us will be asked to do it?”

“I think it may be Beryl and Amber, or Sapphire and Ruby.”

“I think it will depend upon which languages are needed. Garnet said. I have got a novel to finish before bed, so I shall wish you all goodnight.”

“Are you all going to the dance tomorrow night?”

“Unless I have been deployed, then certainly. We don’t get much chance to dress in our ball gowns and I need more practice dancing in stilettos without shredding my partner’s feet. I think it looks wonderful when all of us dressed in a kaleidoscope of colours to swirl round a dance floor with the men in full dress uniform.”

“Yes, wonderful but who would have thought that only a few months ago we would have been horrified to have to spend three hours at the hair stylist, have our nails and makeup done professionally and have a full body wax to get ready for a ball?”

“…but you enjoy all that pampering, really.”

“Yes, I cannot deny it, and as long as the Royal Marines continue to pay for it, I shall enjoy it even more.”