Cador looked out from the bell tower of one of the few churches left standing on this little Tau settlement. Reports had been intercepted of a cult uprising within several of the Gue'vesa colonies.
"Fitting that this used to be a mining colony. This genestealer cult could have been here for years before the Tau arrived." Paragon Luriel spoke as he joined Cador.
"Indeed Paragon. Musings aside, anything to report," Cador asked, turning to Luriel.
"Our headhunters have reported a scouting party of one ridgerunner and a small squad of jackals with a wolfquad. Our Heavy Archangels are awaiting your command," reported Luriel.
"Tell them to hold their fire. We can't let them know we're here. Have them pull back to the ambush point and set up in the buildings. Let our infiltrators know they need to set up a wire trap. The Eliminators are to keep us updated on the scouting party." Cador ordered, picking up his custom bolt carbine.
"Aye Captain. Anything else?"
"Make sure they can't retreat. If a single one of them makes it back, well, our force won't be able to hold out long enough for reinforcements to make it."
Cador could hear the engine of the ridgerunner and it's escort. They were well organized. The jackals were at the front, with the ridgerunner and wolfquad pulling up the rear.
"Targets sighted captain" one of the Eliminator sergeants reported.
"Michael squad ready and waiting Captain"
"Uriel squad have the killzone covered Captain" reported the Archangel squads.
"Infiltrators have finished setting up the traps and are ready for combat Captain." Silus whispered next to Cador.
"Charges are set on the rockface. As soon as the first one falls, their egress route will be cut off" Luriel reported.
"All Acknowledged. Stay low and wait for the signal," Cador ordered. Every squad sent a green ping to his HUD.
Five minutes went by as they waited. When the first jackal came into view, Cador shouldered his carbine. The jackals were in a wedge formation, speeding down the street of the abandoned mining village. Behind the lead jackal was the wolfquad, as expected, then the ridgerunner.
The jackals ran straight into the wire, throwing them from their bikes, the leader slamming into the driver of the quad, knocking him off. The ridgerunner pilot slammed onto the brakes, skidding to a halt. Behind them, Luriel activated the charges, causing a rock fall that blocked the path. That was the signal.
"ALL UNITS, OPEN FIRE! FOR THE EMPEROR!" Cador commanded as he opened fire on the Jackals.
Within a span of several seconds, the scouting party became bloody ruins on the streets. The Archangel squads' accelerator autocannons rapidly and mercilessly pumped round after round into the ridgerunner, one finding the ammo box and another the fuel tank, sending it in into the air, a ball of fire. The jackals didn't have time to reach for their weapons, the infiltrators had them pinned from two sides and were slowly moving in, moving while they reloaded. When the smoke and dust settled, Cador's vanguard stood surrounding the remains, lit only by the burning ridgerunner.
"That's one path cut off for them, and we found the scouting party that was harassing the Tau," Silus commented, kicking one of the Jackals over and spitting on it, "filthy mutants."
"Aye, but I'm willing to guess not their only path," Sergeant Wilhelm of Michael squad mused "Naturally there are other paths, but this is the closest, most concealed way of getting to our lines. It's also the only path, as we know of, that can accomadate their larger vehicles. Captain, how would you like us to proceed?"
"Our job is done here. Soon enough our brothers shall advance into this sector. We'll hold here until they arrive." Cador spoke with a hint of worry.
"Something troubling you Captain?" Silus questioned.
"Something says we'll need to prepare some defenses. This isn't a scouting party, but rather a forward element. We may have company soon. Have Tula pull her squad back to our position and help prepare for the coming storm," ordered Cador.
