The threat boards flashed red, prompting me to dive behind cover.

“Big Bird, we have a possible missile launch – repeat, missile launch from mine tunnel entrance.”
“Kurzweil, confirm that no missile was launched. That was an explosive decompression, not a soft-launched munition. Still worth checking out, over.”
“Copy that. Point of interest has line-of-sight to both rook pairs, Big Bird – we may be OPSTATUS compromised.”
“Weapons free, Kurzweil. Investigate the point-of-interest, destroy the enemy defensive structures. Expedite mission.”

I turned back towards the dull metallic glint of the antiship guns and ordered the drone pair into the mines. They complied with an almost gleeful acknowledgement, turning off towards the disused mine tunnel with machine precision.

What was going on here?