### 271

Hurriedly you disentangle yourself from the bodies of your slain foes, but when you scramble to your feet and turn towards the cannon, you find yourself staring at the black claw of the Agarashi commander. There is a sudden flash of blue light, and in a terrifying instant you are paralysed by a freezing blast of energy. As consciousness ebbs and fades, the last sound you hear is the commander’s cruel, alien laughter.

Tragically, your life and your mission end here.