The rumble echoes up and down the tunnel, confusing Euphrati - it's difficult to tell where the sound's coming from, even with the aid of the two new arrivals, but, whatever it is, it's getting louder.

Then, it rounds the corner. A light tank - all angles, planed-off faces, and red armour, polished until even the metal underneath gleams - rounds the corner, moving at breakneck speed, but screeching to a halt as its commander sees you in the tunnel. It comes to rest some thirty meters from you, and from its armoured command turret, an autocannon is trained on you. Slowly, cautiously, a figure rises from top hatch, holding a pistol that looks comical compared to the weapon next to it.

Y o u !___Y o u___t h r e e !___ D r o p___y o u r___w e a p o n s___a n d___h a n d s___w h e r e___w e___c a n___s e e___t h e m !

The voice is hollow, metallic - obviously from a vocaliser unit, but, even beyond that, somehow distant and distracted.