ction , ▁and ▁b ury ▁their ▁eggs , ▁making ▁them ▁impossible ▁to ▁er ad icate ▁without ▁lev ying ▁resources ▁un available ▁to ▁the ▁T zen ▁Empire . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁Empire ▁returns ▁as ▁planned ▁to ▁er ad icate ▁the ▁le apers , ▁they ▁retre at ▁and ▁begin ▁looking ▁for ▁a ▁creature ▁that ▁e ats ▁insect ▁eggs . ▁ ▁Rah m ▁is ▁selected ▁to ▁lead ▁a ▁team ▁of ▁T zen ▁from ▁each ▁cas te ▁to ▁find ▁such ▁a ▁creature . ▁ ▁When ▁they ▁set ▁up ▁a ▁pre - fab ric ated ▁building ▁as ▁their ▁base , ▁they ▁soon ▁discover ▁a ▁number ▁of ▁host ile ▁fl ora ▁and ▁fa una , ▁including ▁a ▁plant ▁with ▁to xic ▁th orn s , ▁Sp iders , ▁and ▁a ▁col ony ▁of ▁An ts ▁near ▁their ▁base . ▁ ▁Several ▁of ▁the ▁team ▁are ▁captured ▁by ▁the ▁An ts , ▁and ▁learn ▁that ▁they ▁are ▁intellig ent ▁and ▁capable ▁of ▁tele path ic ▁communication . ▁ ▁When ▁the ▁team ▁disco vers ▁a ▁suitable ▁creature , ▁they ▁round ▁up ▁as ▁many ▁as ▁they ▁can , ▁but ▁are ▁h ounded ▁by ▁the ▁insect s . ▁ ▁The ▁mission ▁cul min ates ▁in ▁a ▁battle ▁between ▁the ▁T zen ▁and ▁In sect s ▁at ▁the ▁base . ▁ ▁After ▁the ▁le apers ▁have ▁been ▁defeated , ▁Rah m ▁is ▁selected ▁to ▁lead ▁a ▁campaign ▁against ▁the ▁An ts ▁as ▁a ▁Planet ary ▁Commander . ▁ ▁The ▁mission ▁is ▁considered ▁almost ▁suic idal , ▁with ▁a ▁cas ual ty ▁estimate ▁of ▁at