”“How many of them?” I asked.“You saw, I’m sure, a company out in the field. A half-dozen officers in the house, eating our food, abusing ou... servants.”The girl came down the short flight of stone steps, turned sideways and entered the cellar, the awkward yoke still on her shoulders.“Chessie, oh Chessie,” the woman cried, rising to meet her, “what have they done to you?”The child stood, head bowed, while the woman tried to open the strap around her neck. She turned to me. “It’s bent closed.”I. If you want to survive, and not only that but thrive, you need to stay smart and stay sharp.It’s a very long tale, and one day I’ll be able to share more with you. Very briefly, and don’t ask me for details right now, but the history of the Earth is not what you’ve been taught. Many of the myths and legends of old have some basis in truth but often have been obscured or altered to hide reality. Atlantis, for example, was an authentic place, and it still is. It just never existed on Earth.. If we fire the 32s at their stern, they will likely both be thrown overboard. At least, he’ll be stunned. We might save her.”“How? We’ve no boat ready.”“I’m a strong swimmer, Sir. I could jump in with a Nº2 line, get to her and rope her. The hands can then pull her aboard.”“And you, Grey?”“I can swim back, Sir. The Marines can cover me.”“I see. Perhaps that’s not entirely harebrained. Well, get ready then! Where’s the girl?”“I’m here, Sir,” a small voice sounded from behind them.Benning turned. His mind had gone numb and unresponsive. He stared at the bright image in dumbfounded wonder. If the sun cheerfully decided to rise over the tree covered hills in the West, he would have been no more confused. He knew instantly, and instinctively the ramifications of what it meant, but his stunned mind refused to play along. Kayla’s hair was pulled up in two pigtails and her face still carried an adorable amount of baby fat. She looked to be all of thirteen years old in the photo. His rational.