OUTSIDE THE BASE, CARRIE saw with grim satisfaction, was the wreckage of the staple remover. The Unity attack had reduced it to scrap metal. Nearby were pieces of paperclip and other bits of placktoid she didn’t recognise.
“Good t’ see ye made it.”
Carrie spun round. It took her a moment to spot the squashpump halfway up the entrance wall. “I’m glad to see you made it, too.” Her fears had been greatest for this small officer trainee. At any moment it might have been spotted scaling the wall or searching for and releasing the mechansim that held the marsoliie captive. The placktoids would have picked it off easily. And once the attack started, it could have been hit at any time. She’d had the protection of the building at least. “You were so brave.”
“Och, there wasna much chance of yon p
