Objective 1: Intercept Bentusi
Send out a Recon to intercept the Bentusi trading station. Locating the Bentusi trading station is the trigger for all of the events in this mission, so take the opportunity to gather the astonishing quantity of resources in your vicinity.

After you've stripped the field for all it’s worth, return to your starting point and get to work on the fields there. When all of the resources are gone, dock your Workers. Now, with a killer bank balance, you can get to work on the objective. Build a couple of large ACV squads (as many as your Command Ship can support) and set them to guard the Kuun-Lan.

Next, send a Recon toward the beacon marking the Bentusi Exchange. Follow at a distance with your Command Ship and its escorts. The Kuun-Lan should anchor near--but again, not too near--the Bentusi Exchange (about 25 km). The Recon should quickly achieve visual contact with the Bentusi.

Objective 2: Protect the Bentusi Trading Station
You receive word of an incoming Beast attack fleet at bearing 075. Before committing ships to defending the Bentusi, you must fend off this attack. First to arrive are a team of Acolytes. This easily quelled assault is followed by a much larger one: Acolytes and Ion Array Frigates.

Wait for this wave to reach the firing range of the Command Ship. Then, focus all fire on the Ion Array Frigates with ACVs in Sphere formation. The Command Ship will take care of the buzzing Acolytes. This objective will be ongoing until the Beast threat subsides or the Exchange falls.

Objective 3: Protect the Caal-Shto
You're no longer alone in this fight. The carrier Caal-Shto has arrived with a small armada that will substantially even the odds with the Beast. Still, the Caal-Shto and the Bentusi station need the support of at least one strong wing of ACVs.

Largely ignore the strike craft attacking the Exchange; if you stay with the Exchange's ion beam range, it'll take care of all of the small craft for you. Instead, attack any Ion Array Frigates in Sphere formation.

The Beast Heavy Cruiser will eventually, no matter what you've done, penetrate into firing range of the station and pound it with the infection beam. The Bentusi, however, sense the infection and defend themselves the only way they can, by self-destructing.

Objective 4: Destroy the Beast Fleet
The explosion of the Bentusi Exchange vaporizes most of the Beast fleet and leaves the Beast Heavy Cruiser near death. Encircle it with ACVs in Sphere formation and polish it off, concentrating on destroying the Beast Heavy Cruiser before it can infect your ships.

When the carrier is engaged, it spews forth its last batch of Heavy Corvettes, Missile Corvettes, and ACVs before jumping into hyperspace. As soon as the smaller ships are launched, abandon the attack on the carrier, switch to Claw formation and focus on the strongest corvettes.

Objective 5: Build Advanced Engineering Module
When the battle's over, enter your Build Manager and begin building this crucial module. Once construction is complete, the way is open to researching Micro-Ship Construction and, therefore, building Sentinels and (in part) Leeches. These tiny but powerful craft are crucial in the coming missions.

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