As a plot to kill both of them, Reinhard von Müsel and Siegfried Kircheis are dispatched by their superior to reconnoitre deep into the planet Kapche-Lanka for Free Planets Alliance activity all by themselves. Before their departure, Reinhard and Kircheis' tank is tampered with to ensure that they will not have enough fuel to make it back to base. It is nightfall before both of them realise that act and they are forced to halt and figure a way to get back to base alive. By chance, they encounter an Alliance tank advance unit and decides to ambush it for securing fuel.