We were in the tunnels beneath Castle Byalgrad. Our NPC kobold allies had gotten us an urgent message that Silver Legacy, one of Proxima's foremost teams, was making an attempt on the fourth boss in their raid. That would put them at the top of the race. I wanted to take them down a notch.

I rounded up everyone who wasn't already busy. We had six different teams by now that were capable of camping outside someone's outpost and ganking enemy miners as they came out. Another four squads rotated around, keeping an eye on our crafters and counter-ambushing anyone who tried to get in their way. Frank was leading one of our boss attempt disruption squads in another instance. He had Sage along with him, as well as most of my old Team Ragtag friends, so I just took whoever I could.

Grandpa remained behind at the base, strategizing with Juana and Arjun. "You've got this," he told me, not even bothering to look my way as I grabbed my hat and coat and ran for the portal. "Don't overextend. One wipe is not going to deter Silver Legacy."

"No, but putting a black eye on Proxima will be worth it.”

Since the bosses had 24-hour resets between any one team's attempt on them, stopping Silver Legacy now would win us more time to decide how big a threat they really were.

Captain Kobold saluted us. "Very busy tunnels today," he said, cheerfully. "It's good to have so many new friends and allies. Good luck, friend Shad."

I waved back as my team of 15 arranged into three squads of five and raced for the connection to Silver Legacy's boss. It was in a raid I had not myself been part of yet, but I'd heard from those who were that it was a little far out there. One of the bosses was Candyland-themed, and the other was all bright pastels and cheerfulness. Apparently, they didn't even bleed when hit, just dribbled little hearts with sad faces on them all over the floor. I had no idea what the system was drawing inspiration from on that one. You'd think with 87 instances it would have had a hard time coming up with variety, but nope. Every one I encountered was distinct.

As we charged down the tunnel, I heard footsteps up ahead. Frank's team must be done and heading back. I prepared to greet them, and then all the lights went out.

I shouted a warning. It felt like someone had put a bag over my head. I floundered around as someone shoved a knife into my back. My gun was in my hand. I fired. I couldn't target anyone, so I just hoped that my bullet hit an enemy.

I heard shouts and screams from my team. “What the hell —” “Help! I just lost my—”

Someone whispered in my ear. “Been looking forward to this, Williams. Got a message for you personally.” A second knife-strike dropped my hit points down to less than half. Pain racked me, burning through my veins like the knife was coated in acid.

What's going on? Juana was asking in chat. We just got a big squawk for help, and three of your team respawned back here at the base. Shad?

I didn't have time to answer. I was flailing around trying to find the hand wielding the knife. I caught a sleeve. It ripped from my grasp and another blow landed on me. A moment later, the darkness gave way to bright sunlight. I was standing back in our square, surrounded by most of the rest of my team.

Instinctively, I reached for the node, intending to jump back in. Then I caught myself. "Hold on!" I shouted. "Anyone know what just happened? They were waiting for us, how?”

"We got ganked big time, that's what!" Javier shouted angrily. Veins stood out in his neck. The normally mild-tempered tank was furious.

"Who? How? Why?" My team were confused and angry, milling around beside our portal.

I caught my breath. "Nobody should be able to get into those tunnels except us. I need to find out what's going on."

"We need to find out what's going on," Juana corrected me, emerging from our headquarters building, her clipboard in hand. "But not you, Shad. You have zero stealth abilities. Constance, Ray, get in there and find out what you can. I'm warning Frank's team that the tunnels are not safe. Be alert coming back."

Two of Juana's best farmers, currently on downtime between collect missions, slipped into our portal and disappeared.

I growled and paced in front of the portal as Juana looked on. A moment later, we got a report back.

The tunnels are full of enemies. At least two dozen of them. They're all human, trying to make IDs right now.

“Right,” I said. “I’ll take —”

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Juana reached out and grabbed my arm. “Hold on. We need to know what’s going on. All that happens if you go back in there now is you get killed again.”

“I don’t fucking care. I’ll take a bomb and clear the corridors,” I snarled.

“Shad Williams! This is not a you thing, this is an all of us thing and we need to figure it out together.” She turned to the other miners. “All operations are shut down, right now. Go take a few minutes to calm down and get something to eat. We’ll be with you in a few.”

I forced myself to take deep breaths. She was right. She was keeping me from making a big mistake, and I needed to listen to her.

Then I got a message request. My blood ran cold.

"No need to make an ID," I said. I stepped into the headquarters. Grandpa looked up from a table. "Major Waters wants a word with us. He asked if he can visit our outpost."

"I don't want that slime anywhere near us," Grandpa said at once. "It'll take weeks to get his stench out of the carpet."

An hour later, Grandpa and I were sitting across from Waters in Mama Grace's restaurant. Rosa brought out a platter of homemade cornbread, slammed it down in front of us, glared at Waters before turning on her heel and stomping away. Waters stared after her.

"I don't know what I did to her," he said. “She’s never even been inside a portal, has she? No need to get all grumpy. I’ll take it out of her tip.” He chuckled.

I was working really hard on not rising to Waters' bait. Juana had asked me to keep a cool head, so I picked up a piece of cornbread and took a bite. I don't know where Mama Grace found butter and honey, but the cornbread was slathered with both, and absolutely delightful.

"So," Grandpa said, "you've decided to stick your nose into other people's business again."

"I could say the same to you," Waters replied. "You're the ones whose reckless actions are about to get a million or so of our fellow earthlings sent unfathomably far away."

"Oh, no, you don't," Grandpa snapped. "You are not playing that 'look what you made me do' game with us. Whatever Alabaster Sky does is on them.”

“We aren't going to stop," I growled. We actually hadn't made up our minds yet about Veda's offer, but I wasn't going to signal weakness in front of Waters.

"And they are not going to roll over and let you have all this without a fight," Waters replied.

"Thought that was what Alabaster Sky was doing, giving up, pulling out," Grandpa said. He rested his elbows on the table and glared over at Waters. "They're behind this new effort of yours, I take it?"

Waters shrugged. "I don't intend to talk about who I'm working for. That's not why I'm here. I want to talk about you and what it is you're doing. I'm here to give you a warning, Twofeather, you and this idiot boy of yours. The conglomerates are done playing games. They've had their lawyers and game masters looking over the rule set, and they know how to break you. Calling in the contracts, that was one step. That little tunnel action, that's another step. They've got plenty more. They've got deep pockets you can't even imagine. You're not going to push them out of this game economically, and that's your only chance of winning, isn't it?" Waters said.

I bit my tongue. I would not rise to his bait. I wouldn't.

"So let me see if I have guessed how it is you got into our tunnels, Waters," Grandpa said. "Since they're only accessible to members of Team Tunnel Rat, I can see two options. One is you found a way around the system's restrictions. The other is you joined Team Tunnel Rat, and since I don't think you're clever enough to have come up with a way around the system yourself, I'm guessing it's the second, and I'm also guessing you weren't the one who came up with that strategy. Some of those lawyers and game masters you talked about told you exactly how to do this, didn't they?"

Waters clenched his teeth together. I could tell Grandpa had scored a hit.

"How many are with you?" I asked, leaning forward. "How many traitors to Earth have you managed to recruit?" Only other Earthlings were eligible to join Team Tunnel Rat, after all. He must have convinced a couple of disaffected miners to take galactic coin and make our lives miserable. "It doesn't matter. You kill us, we just respawn. There's no cost associated. We're back in it in minutes."

"Sure," Waters said. "And what happens when I have two thousand miners clogging your tunnels, physically preventing you from getting through?"

"You just showed me that we can target each other," I said. "I have no qualms about mowing you down. As many of you as it takes."

"But every time we delay you from taking out an opposing team, they get a chance to move ahead on the board," Waters said. "How's that change your calculus?"

Unsettled, I sat back in my chair. He was right. They only had to interfere with our attempts a few times, and we'd be up a creek without a paddle.

"Just think about it," Waters said. "To answer your question, I have several thousand miners who have agreed to have their contracts transferred to me instead of leaving with Alabaster Sky in exchange for facing you and your team down. The Galactics are playing for keeps, Twofeather. Get with the program. You aren't going to win."

"Get out," Grandpa said.

Waters' eyes flickered around the room. "What?"

"I've heard everything I want from you, so get out. There's nothing else that you can say to me. I know who you're working for. I know what you're working toward. We're not going to reach a deal. Get out of this restaurant. Out of my life. I don't ever want to see you again."

Waters rose. He looked furious. “I’ve dealt with pissants like you and your grandson before, Twofeather. You think the rank on your collar means you know how to run a major operation. Well, you don’t. You don’t have the vision for long term goals. You’re going to charge in merrily, swinging your tomahawk and taking scalps, and meanwhile the real powers are bringing in nuclear bombs and weapons your primitive mind can’t possibly comprehend and by the time you figure out what a moronic, selfish, primitive prick you’ve been, it’ll be too late. Earth will burn and you’ll be to blame.”

Grandpa crossed his arms and grunted. “You go back to your masters and tell them the savages are too stupid to know they should trade their homeland for trinkets. But get out, because I can’t stand having your stench in my nostrils for one more minute.”

Waters stormed out. When he was gone, I looked at Grandpa and Juana, who was clutching the back of the chair in front of her so hard her knuckles had gone white.

“What now?”