The phone rang again in the comms room of Flight Cruiser Lexonus. Captain Cormitz answered it immediately.

“Hello, Captain Cormitz speaking,” he barked.

“Captain Cormitz, this is Eric Smythe from FOG. Nice to speak to you.”

“FOG you say? I have a bone to pick with you, it seems that you have been distracting our pilots.”

“How do you know that already? I was ringing to tell you.”

“Officer Howler. We don’t allow our fine soldiers to die in silence you know.”

“Oh… Officer Howler. He’s OK you know. We rescued him.”

“He’s OK? That’s great news! He’s one of our best, if not the best pilot in the Beagles. Where is he?”

“Ermmm… well I was ringing to tell you about your ships. I hear that you have lost contact with them all.” Eric Smythe thought it best not to tell Captain Cormitz that Officer Howler was actually flying to Crawk on a mission for FOG.

“That’s true.”

“Well don’t worry, I’ve been speaking to them. They are safe. They’ve just turned their radars off for a little while.”

“Turned them off? Whatever for?”

“I’ve got a plan…”

Eric Smythe explained his deception tactics to Captain Cormitz who was delighted.

“That’s an amazing plan Eric, thanks so much for calling!”

Captain Cormitz hung up just as Corporal Simm entered the room with their tea. “They’re ok, Simm!” he beamed. “All of them!”