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protested.
    “Lay that broom down, lady, and step away from it,” the trooper demanded.
    “I’ll lay it up side of your head,” she threatened. There was a sizzling sound and a thump and no more from the housekeeper.
    I hope they just stunned her,
Ronan said.
    Murel hoped so too, because she knew that not only was Mrs. Fogarty loyally defending Marmie’s property and privacy, she was also providing a distraction. Murel had never been stunned. She hoped it didn’t hurt.
    “Search the grounds,” the officer in command said. “Look for the kids, the animal, or any fresh sign. Our orders are to remove all personnel, including children.”
    “Right, Captain, sir. Uh—permission to ask a probably dumb question, sir?”
    “Granted, but make it snappy.”
    “If we remove all personnel, who’s going to run this thing? It’s a valuable piece of property.”
    “Very astute of you, Private. You aspire to company management, do you?”
    “Sir, no, sir. There is no higher aspiration than to serve the Corps, sir.”
    “Damn straight. In answer to your question, however, Private, I don’t suppose you happened to notice that ship that docked a short time after we did?”
    “No, sir.”
    “Filled with qualified Corps-trained station maintenance personnel. Now round up those kids and that animal so we can load and lock the prisoners up and leave. Is that clear?”
    “Sir, yes, sir. One more thing, sir?”
    “Anything for you, Private,” the officer said through what sounded like gritted teeth.
    “Signs, sir?”
    “Sign what?”
    “You said to look for fresh signs? Sir?”
    “Sign, Private, sign. Where’s your sergeant anyway? Sergeant Montgomery!”
    A distant voice barked in a tone that would have done credit to the twins’ seal cousins. “Here, sir!”
    “Kindly explain to your man here what looking for fresh sign means in reference to our current mission,” the captain called back.
    “Otter shit!” the sergeant barked back, as if he were swearing.
    Otters are not messy,
Sky said.
Also, otters do not leave signs when they have not eaten for a long time, and I have not eaten since we left the deep sea otters.
    Glad to hear it, Sky,
Ronan said.
Too bad nobody here keeps a dog. I bet most of these Corpsmen wouldn’t know otter poo from doggie doo.
    I wouldn’t be so sure of that, Ro,
Murel told him.
The one in command sounded like he knew what he was talking about. Remember, the company gets a lot of its recruits from worlds like Petaybee and Halau. Maybe that soldier and even some of the others are from places where people and animals live close together. For all we know he could be as good as Aunty Sinead.
    Aunty Sinead would never track down kids—unless it was to help them, of course—or use stunners on ladies like Mrs. Fogarty. And I’ll bet Mum never in her entire career in the Corps did anything like they’re doing.
    Probably not. We don’t really know what she did, though, do we? Or much about her. I never read that journal she wrote for us, did you?
    Nope. I was too mad at her for sending us offworld. I wish we had the journals now.
    I’m going to read mine first thing when we get home,
Murel vowed.
    Me too. I wonder what she’d do in our place now,
Ronan said.
I’ll bet she’d have infiltrated the com center, neutralized the guards, and sent the message already. Or maybe taken over command.
    I don’t think so, Ro,
Murel replied.
I think she’d probably be doing pretty much what we are. What worries me is what she’s doing at home now.
             
    T HE SNOW WAS so heavy that the invaders of Kilcoole could not see their hands in front of their faces. They put lanterns on their helmets, but the light bounced off the sheets of white and cast a glare even their goggles could not dispel.
    The wind blew scarves from their necks and mittens from their hands, and knocked over the smaller men and women. Master Sergeant Missoni rescinded the order to burn the village for fear the wind