“But I thought you said it was only next door?” asked Officer Howler, getting more and more suspicious by the minute.

“It is!” insisted Captain Scheider. “But you cannot enter or exit HEDGEHOG through the front door. We operate the entire defence system of the Outer Galaxies and we don't want just anyone to be able to walk in off the street. That is why we always teleport people in and out. FOG have the same policy. They say it's because they have got lots of expensive equipment, but personally I think it's a bit frivolous.”

Officer Howler could see the logic behind HEDGEHOG's security system, but he couldn't help but feel something was up. Maybe it’s just time to roll with it and be grateful that I’m still alive, he thought.

Arriving in the FOG headquarters, he felt a little dizzy after his second teleportation in just a couple of hours.

“Here boy!” greeted Eric Smythe, a huge grin on his face.

“Ignore him,” apologised his personal assistant, Melissa, whom Eric had had a major crush on for years. “He's a bit drunk.”

Eric looked as if he was about to argue but, amazingly, kept his mouth shut.

“I was only joking,” he said, giving Officer Howler a questioning look. “I wasn't expecting our pilot to be a dog.”

“I'm a Rearguard Beagle,” explained Officer Howler. “We're all dogs, and we're the finest pilots in the universe.”

“A Rearguard Beagle?!” laughed Eric. “But they disappeared years ago!”

“We never disappeared, we just stopped associating ourselves with HEDGEHOG after they disrespected us in the last war. But considering there is a massive Crawkling invasion we thought we had better defend our home.”

“Well, whatever you are, welcome. I hope you are looking forward to flying to Crawk.”

Officer Howler paused, trying to think of a polite way to explain his concerns. He couldn't.

“To be honest, Sir, I don't really want to go. I don't see how weather forecasting is more important than going back to fight with my people. I don't wish to sound arrogant, but a pilot of my standing should not be wasting his skills on trivialities when there is a war on.”

“Weather forecasting?” Eric laughed again. “I always forget that's what we are to the outside world. Don't worry, your mission is far from trivial. You are flying to Crawk to capture their ringleader, Jake Spencer.”