Both teams made their way out of the mine. They sent their prisoners and their wounded back to the camp with a few of their men escorting them back. "Sergeant Jessica, this is Corporal Sherman, what's the situation?"

"We haven't spotted any Imps yet. Did you find the miners?"

"No."

"Damn. Hopefully one of the other teams will find them."

"Yeah, hopefully. Out."

Sherman pointed to the two soldiers closest to him. "You two, get to the mine's entrance. Let me know if you see any Imperials."

"Sir!"

"Understood."

Hidden in the foliage, two Gallian scouts watched for approaching Imperial squads. "I hope we get out of here soon."

"Yeah. My damn legs are cramping up from how long we've been here."

"Could be worse."

"Yeah. Yeah it could."

The next few minutes passed in silence. Until... "Hold on. I see something."

"Imperials?"

"Maybe. I can't really tell from here."

"Alright. Hold here. I'll get a closer look."

"Be careful."

He nodded and climbed out of the position. He slowly approached the position his partner had pointed out. He stopped when he heard a voice. He couldn't quite make out what was being said but the voice sounded annoyed. He heard someone shush and the voice went silent.

He started moving again. He stopped behind a fallen tree and moved to a crouching position. He grabbed his binoculars and looked. He could see six Imperials slowly moving through the foliage. Four of them were scouts while the other two were shock troopers. There were slowly closing in. He looked for something to distract them and found a stick close by. He grabbed it and threw it at a tree, it snapped when it hit.

"What the hell was that?"

"Sounded like a stick snapping."

"Think it was an animal?"

"Probably. No way the Gallians could get this close without us noticing."

"You sure about that? The Gallians know the land like the back of their hands."

"Enough. Let's focus on our mission."

The second scout continued to scan with his binoculars. He saw movement and tensed. He readied his rifle but relaxed when he saw the blue uniform. His fellow scout climbed back into their position. "It's a scouting team. Six Imperials in total."

"That means there's a squad nearby. We're going to have company soon."

"Looks like it." He grabbed the radio they were given and contacted Sergeant Jessica. "Sergeant, do you read?"

"What do you have private?"

"An Imperial scout team is making their way through the forest due East. There's probably an Imperial squad nearby, over"

"Understood. Keep me updated. Out."

Jess turned back to the map she had. On it, she had marked the positions where she had forward scout teams. She marked the latest contact report and checked her watch. She then marked down the time it was reported, the number of Imperials, and the direction they were heading. She had four more contact reports and they were all closing in on their position.

"Sergeant, this is team three. We had to pull back from our position; the Imperials were almost on top of us. Over."

"Understood. All forward scout teams, fall back to our positions. We're about to have company. Out."

At the entrance of the mine, the two scouts Sherman sent set themselves up in the guard towers. They scan with their binoculars but the dense forest makes it nearly impossible to see if any Imperials are heading their way.

A few minutes later, they see light moving through the forest. It looks to be moving along the road. One of the scouts quickly slid down the ladder and sprinted back to warn Sherman.

"Corporal Sherman! Corporal Sherman!"

"What is it?"

"We saw lights in the forest. I think it might be Imperials."

BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM! BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

"Sounds like your right! Let's move!"

"Armored car! Find cover!"

Said armored car crested the hill and opened fire. Its auto cannon killed any Gallian caught in the open. Imperials pushed up with it and covered its flanks.

Sherman turned to a Lancer who was close by. "Hit that armored car!"

"I can't get around behind it!"

"Then hit it from the front!"

The lancer nodded and waited for an opening. When its turret turned he popped out of cover and took aim.

FWOOSH! BOOM!

The lance slammed into the front of the car! Its turret rotated and fired pinning down Sherman and six more Gallians. The Imperials started moving forward.

A second lance flew from Sherman's right and smashed into the armored car! Its cannon stopped firing and the crew dismounted.

"Sherman sounds like we're missing the party. What's the situation?"

"At least one Imperial squad is attacking us! We can deal with them."

"Copy that Sherman. Good luck. Out."

Jess lowered the receiver, "Sergeant, Do you copy? Over."

"I read you."

"We have one Imperial squad advancing on our position. Requesting permission to engage."

"Granted."

Bang bang bang bang bang!

Ratta ratta ratta ratta ratta ratta!

"Well that didn't take long. Come on people! If those Imperials get past us they'll have clear shots at our boys in the mine!" She sprinted toward the front with half a dozen soldiers following her. It didn't take her long to reach the fighting and she dropped prone. To her left, a shock trooper and a scout traded shots with unseen Imperials. To her right, an MG team sprayed rounds while two scouts fired periodically. Directly ahead of her, eight Gallians were firing from a shallow trench.

"You three! Reinforce the left flank!"

"Ma'am!"

"You three! Reinforce the right flank!"

"Got it! Let's move!"

Jess stood up and dived into the trench! She fired a burst before having to duck down as a hail of MG fire flew over her! Two Gallians next to her were killed. When the MG fired slackened she fired another few bursts before having to reload. A lance flew over the trench and smashed into the ground some distance behind her. Another hail of MG fire kept her and the other Gallians in the trench pinned.

"Anyone got eyes on that MG!?"

"Negative ma'am!"

A scout grabbed his binoculars and searched for the MG. Bullets slammed into the dirt and the trees kicking up dirt and sending splinters flying! The scout ducked back down, took a deep breath, exhaled, and peaked back over. He kept himself as close to the ground as possible as bullets whizzed by! Muzzle flashes seemed to appear from everywhere as he searched for the MG. He saw a long burst of tracers and tracked them to the MG which was set up on a fallen tree.

"I see the MG! There!"

The scout next to him looked to where he was pointing and fired!

Bang! Bang bang!

"Short!"

Bang! Bang!

"More to the left!"

Bang, bang! Bang! Bang!

"A little short!"

Bang! Bang, bang, bang! Bang bang!"

"You got'em!"

"Hell yeah!"

"Imperials are pushing up!"

"Shit! Another squad coming up on our right flank!"

"Fall back! Fall back to the next positions!"

Newman and his team exited the mine. "Find cover!"

He spotted Sherman and sprinted to him! "Sherman! What's the situation!?"

"One Imperial squad is attacking us sir!"

He nodded, "Sergeant Jessica! What's your situation!?"

"Two Imperial squads are engaging us sir! We're falling back!"

"Hold them off as long as you can!" He looked behind him, "How much time!?"

"Three minutes sir!"

He nodded. "Sherman! You're with me!"

"Sir!"

"You three! With us!"

"Sir!"

"Right away!"

Newman lead them further to the left. Three Gallians were engaging five Imperials. A lancer fired but instead of a normal lance it was some sort of motor round that arched through the air and slammed into the Gallians killing all three instantly.

"Kill that fucking Lancer!"

Sherman and a scout crouched and fired; they hit the Lancer and he fell. He stood up, fired, and vaulted over his cover. He hip fired as he moved forward and ducked behind a piece of cover. The scout pushed up to him and fired.

To their left, Newman leads the other two soldiers forward. He took cover behind a dirt mound and tossed a grenade. It exploded a few seconds later and he pushed forward with the soldiers following him. Sherman noticed this and laid down covering fire. They killed the five Imperials and reached the top of the hill. Two Imperial scouts spotted them and fired!

Newman and the two scouts dropped prone! The scout on his left was killed and Newman himself was hit in the shoulder. Sherman and the scout moved up and took cover. They fired catching the two Imperials off guard and killing them. They looked to their right and saw the Imperials pushing forward. They fired killing multiple Imperials before they were spotted. Newman moved up and took cover next to him.

"Sergeant Jessica, do you copy?"

"I hear you sir. Over."

"What's your status, over."

"We've fallen back to secondary positions. Just waiting for the Imps, over."

"Roger. Do you have any snipers with you?"

"Two. Where do you need them?"

"On the edge of the cliff. Out."

Jess lowed the receiver, "Private. Bring our snipers to me."

"Ma'am."

A few minutes later, he returned with the two snipers in tow.

"Thank you Private. Lieutenant Newman has asked for sniper support. I need you two to set up on the cliff edge."

"Ma'am."

"Understood."

They turned and jogged toward the cliff edge. The trees started to clear as they neared the edge where they laid prone. They saw their squadmates trying to escape by punching through the Imperial's flanks. "If you see any Imperials with a red helmet, kill them first."

"I know."

Two shots rang out.

Parker ducked as bullets whizzed by and landed all around him! To his left, a medic was treating two of his squadmates. Lewis dove into cover next to him and fired hitting an Imperial. To their right, eight of their squadmates were trying to push forward but an MG had them pinned. The gunner's head jerked to the side with a spray of blood. The assistant gunner suffered the same fate and his squadmates pushed forward.

"Can they move!?"

"Yes! But he would need help!"

"Alright! Can you move him up to there!?"

The medic looked, "Yeah! But I'll need covering fire!"

"Tell us when you're ready to move!"

"...Ready!"

Parker and Lewis laid down fire as the medic moved across open ground. The wounded shock trooper moved next.

"They're across. Parker! You're next!"

"Okay."

"You ready?"

"Yeah."

"GO!"

Parker jumped up and sprinted while Lewis covered him! He got into cover and waved Lewis forward. He covered him as he sprinted until he dived into cover next to him. To their right, their fellow squadmates were using a small road that dipped beneath the terrain to flank the Imps.

"Lewis! How are you doing on ammo?"

"Two spare mags left. You?"

"Three."

"Here." The medic handed two spare mages to Parker. "He can't fight so they'll serve you better."

Parker put the mags in his ammo pouches. "Thanks."

"Dammit, doc, I might... need those."

He shook his head, "You can spare two magazines."

"Ugh, fine."

"We're going to push up to their position. You ready to move?"

"Yeah. Ok, come on. We're moving."

He helped the wounded scout up and moved. Parker, Lewis, and the other shock trooper provided overwatch. Once he reached the position, the shock trooper moved followed by Parker and finally, Lewis. The new position revealed that the Imperials had committed all of their soldiers to the attack leaving no one guarding their back.

"If our squadmates can push through they'll have a clear route out of here."

"Well, let's make a hole!"

"Ma'am, we have eyes on the Imperials."

"Well, let's give them a warm welcome."

She nodded to the gunner who opened up with the MG! The Imperials at the front were killed and their squad dropped prone or dived behind trees. Grenades went out from both sides shortly afterward. Dirt exploded upward and splinters, along with deadly shrapnel, flew through the air.

A lance slammed into the tree Jess was using for cover! The shockwave knocked her into her back and she felt pinpricks of pain across her body. She pushed herself to her feet and saw the gunner get shot in the head. She got on the gun and opened up! This had the side effect of pointing her out to every Imperial and soon, rounds starting whizzing past her.

She ducked her head down but kept firing.

BOOM!

Another explosion knocked her down. She blinked a few times and saw that the MG had been destroyed. Pieces of it were scatted around her.

"Ma'am! Are you alright!?"

She pushed herself up, "I've been better! What's the situation!?"

"Imperials are pushing us back ma'am! We can slow them but we can't stop them!"

"Understood! Lieutenant! Imperials are pushing us hard! We're going to have to fall back soon!"

"Just hold them back a little longer Sergeant. We've almost blown a hole in the Imperial line."

"We'll delay them as long as we can but try to make it quick sir!"

She looked to the scout, "We just have to hold'em off a little longer!"

Ratta ratta ratta ratta ratta!

Bang bang bang bang bang!

"Imperials pushing our right flank!"

"Fall back!"

"To where!? This is our last defense line!"

"Fall back to my position! Cover those who are falling back!"

"You heard the Sergeant! Lay down covering fire and fall back to her position!"

They fell back in an orderly fashion and took up their new make-shift defensive positions. The Imperials moved forward with the shock troopers in front. A lance arched through the air and landed in front of the Gallian defensive position quickly followed by a second landing behind their position.

"Anyone see those motors!?"

"No! Even if we did we couldn't do anything about them!"

Another lance slammed into the ground behind them killing two and wounding three.

"I don't think those are motors!"

"What the hell are you saying!?"

"Their arc is too flat! Whoever is firing is closer than we think!"

"Well that's great but if we can't do anything about it it doesn't help us!"

"Sergeant. We've broken through the Imperial squadron at the mine. Just hold out a bit longer. Out."

"Imperials pushing our right flank hard! They're trying to get behind us!"

"Drive them back! We have to hold them off!"

Jess reloaded and killed three Imperials charging her before she had to reload. The Gallian directly to her right was killed and a shock trooper jumped in right beside her! She sprayed him down only for a second Imperial to appear above her! He raised his gun but his head jerked backward and he fell. More Imperials jumped in on her right and she killed two before having to reload.

Two Imperial shock troopers jumped in and killed four Gallians, a scout, Fletcher, killed both of them. He turned back to his front and fired three more rounds killing two more Imperials.

"We're being overrun!"

"Pop smoke and fall back!"

Fletcher climbed out of the small trench and fired killing another two Imps who were charging. Smoke grenades started to explode creating a cloud of white smoke blinding both sides.

"Fall back! Fall back!"

"Lieutenant! Imperials have overrun our position! We're falling back!"

"Understood Sergeant. We've escaped the mine and are heading back to the camp. Lose the Imperials and get back. Out."

"Our job is done here! We lose the Imperials first and then we get back to camp!"