“Well, we ain’t got no rads suits.” Plinth pushed forward, his eyes scanning the room, clearly looking for enemies. There were a dozen maintenance bots moving about, but no sign of anyone else. “So, let’s get this done, eh? I’ll watch the door and you guys get those bombs planted.”

Rivera nodded, pulling a satchel from his back.

“You got it, Corporal.”

*   *   *

“They’re running, sir. I’ve got the whole century pursuing now. We’ll get them, Praefectus.”

Millius was standing in the middle of the high plateau, facing the sea cliff a hundred meters away. “What are those troopers doing over there?” He had listened to the optio’s report, but his eyes had caught the activity along the top of the cliff.

The optio turned, looking now himself. “I don’t know, sir,” he admitted sheepishly. “I will find…”

“No…let’s both find out.” Millius walked quickly across the rocky field toward the cliff. “You soldiers,” he shouted as he approached. “What’s going on here?”

“Some of the enemy troopers climbed down the cliff.” The report was matter-of-fact at first, but then the soldier recognized Millius. “Sir!” he added sharply.

“Did any of them escape?”

The soldier hesitated. Letting enemies get away was not something a stormtrooper wanted to admit to a Praefectus.

“Answer me, soldier.” Millius’s tone was ominous.

“I believe one escaped, sir. Or two.” Another pause. “Perhaps three…”

Millius sighed.

I wish these troopers realized nothing angers an officer like this shit.

“Maybe they just ran here to escape, sir. Perhaps they couldn’t catch up with their fellows.”

Millius turned his head, looking the in the direction of the enemy retreat.

No, nonsense speculation angers an officer even more…

“No, Legionary, I don’t think so. If you look at our lines of advance and their initial position, they could easily have withdrawn with their fellows. No…they went this way for a reason…” His voice trailed off as he looked over the cliff toward the eerie glow of the massive structure looming along the coast.

“The refinery…” He took two steps closer to the edge of the cliff. The refinery wasn’t far, less than a kilometer.

Damn!

He spun around. “Optio…I want the refinery on full alert. Immediately.”

“Yes, sir…” The junior officer sounded confused.

Millius looked in the direction the Marines had run. “And call off the pursuit.” It galled him to let the bastards escape, but he had bigger problems than chasing down half a dozen enemy fugitives who had been nothing more than a diversion. “All forces are to move on the refinery at once.”

Millius was angry with himself. He’d allowed arrogance to dictate his thoughts. He hadn’t even imagined a few enemy troops would dare to move against the refinery.

And if you lose that production facility, you’ll have singlehandedly blown the mission.

“Now, Optio. All forces converge on the refinery now!”

*   *   *