“Capture?!” squawked Rosemary, quiet up until this point. “Don't you mean rescue? And I don't know how many times I have to tell you this, he is not the ringleader. He is innocent!”

Eric sighed. “Officer Howler, meet Rosemary. She will be accompanying you on this mission to Crawk.”

Officer Howler looked questioningly at Eric. If this really was his mission, he wasn't entirely sure what an old lady who wore her dressing gown and slippers in public could offer to such a mission.

“She's Jake's Mom,” Eric clarified.

“I am,” she confirmed with an obvious pride that only Jake's mother could ever have for him. No-one else, including Jake himself, had had any pride in anything he had achieved for years. “You will help me clear his name, I am sure.”

Officer Howler had no fear in battle, even after he had been shot down and death was staring him in the face, but an angry mother was a completely different matter. He nodded vigorously.

“Officer Howler,” continued Eric, “it is important that you begin this mission as soon as possible. We will find you a ship and a crew today, and you will fly to Crawk first thing tomorrow.”

Officer Howler now knew why a Rearguard Beagle was needed for this mission. A peaceful ship in Crawk would be in some danger whether in wartime or not. A ship with the intention of infiltrating Crawk defences to find and capture their war hero and talisman would be bound to attract plenty of unwanted attention.

“OK,” agreed Officer Howler. “Now I see why this is more important than going back to war. I just have one question though. What's this got to do with the weather?”

Eric laughed and explained the actual function of FOG, or FSIOG if you knew about the Secret Investigation bit, as they walked along the corridor towards the canteen. Eric hadn't been rude for at least ten minutes, he was definitely in need of a beer.