Seeking escape from the cold and the constant fighting, the group discovers a massive city buried under an ice canopy—the ruins of Denver. They take a much-needed break to explore. During this respite, the attraction between Stick and Aisha grows, while the relationship between Rey and Houquet becomes more strained. Their peace is short-lived. An Inbit prince, Batra, tracks them down and launches a surprise attack with his new Gamo mecha. To survive, the team collapses the city's icy shell on top of the Inbit forces. As they flee the crumbling ruins, Jim triggers a final, massive explosion, destroying the city to ensure no enemies escape.
