Mekum and the new soldiers arrive on the garbage planet to garner them combat experience and to perform a bi-annual security sweep. Since the world is legally listed as 'uninhabited', Mekum declares the colonists as 'hostiles', to be used as the targets, much to the disapproval of Captain Church. Just after Mace finds Todd and apologizes, the soldiers spot them and open fire. Todd survives but Mace dies from the attack. Though out-manned and outgunned, Todd's years of battle experience and superior knowledge of the planet allow him to return to the colony and kill the advance squad. Nervous that an unknown enemy force may be confronting them, Colonel Mekum orders the soldiers to withdraw and return with heavy artillery. Using guerrilla tactics, Todd outmaneuvers and kills all the remaining soldiers. Caine 607 is wounded and uses painkillers and performance enhancing stimulants to attack Todd in vicious hand-to-hand combat, but he is ultimately defeated by Todd's experience and clever tactics rather than mere physical prowess.