From Captain Ver’Asa, Salamanders 2nd Company
Colonel Dray,
News of your battle group's work here at Bein-Telu has reached my ears, and I am pleased to hear of a commander whose loyalty is unquenched by the mist of Chaos. The time is coming when we must do what we came to do.
Several renegade Space Marines are preparing a summoning ritual at a dark altar. These targets must be identified and purged. Coordinates to follow. Your thoughts on the best way to eliminate these nascent traitors would be most appreciated.”
Ver'Asa
Captain, 2nd Company
*******End Transmission**********
The com-tech studied the secured message. This was potentially very good news, but the young ensign also knew that their hard-nosed Colonel had issued uncompromising commands that NO other military units other than their own were to be trusted.
Ensign Relvick shuddered at the thought of the Colonel sending some troops to face a firing squad just a few days ago. The dark talk of chaos, and their commander’s recent encounter against traitorous Space Marines have left the men restless. The only comfort they took was that their commander had inflicted heavy casualties upon the chaos forces attempting to slow up their army’s advance.
Well, it was time to face the music, mused the young ensign. So, he copied the information into a portable data pad and headed off to find Colonel Colwyn Dray.
Colonel Colwyn Dray was in his mobile command bunker, a pre-fabricated structure that imperial guard supply ships carried to allow hastily set-up military encampments. Inside, he was discussing the issues with his staff. Lt. James “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin was listening intently to his commander. There were disturbing reports of two xenos factions of Tau that were actually fighting against each other. The Colonel insisted that it was as his forces had encountered with the Inquisitor’s ambush; One faction was turning to the call of chaos and the other was moving to intercept them.
“It’s bloody fratricide!” the colonel yelled to his men, “that these…..xenos bastards would actually turn on each other with such threats around here as the traitorous Astartes warriors and that rotten bastard Inquisitor Aki running around here on this cursed rock!”
Ensign Relvick approached the doorway, greeted by the Colonel’s personal body guards, checking him at the door. The ensign told the sergeants that he had an important message for the Colonel.
Lt. Barask was speaking up at the time. “Sir, perhaps I should lead an expedition to investigate the xenos threat. Perhaps I could….”
“Oh no you don’t!” , Colonel Dray interrupted the young Lieutenant. "You left your post early when the Inquisitor attacked. You also left us early in the Valkyrie, when we could have used some more fire support against them Chaos sons-of-bitches!”
The young officer started to defend himself when he was saved further reprimand when Sgt Dalgos, one of the Colonel’s body guards, interrupted.
Hearing the man clear his throat, the Colonel stopped in mid sentence, knowing that his most trusted guards would only dare interrupt him if it was important.
“What is it Sergeant?” The Colonel asked.
Sgt. Dalgos held out the data pad, “Important message for you sir, it just arrived”.
Colonel Dray sat down in his chair for a moment, taking a minute to review the message from the Salamander Space Marine Captain Ver’Asa.
Colonel Dray frowned. He Looked around at his men and read the message aloud to them. When he finished, he gave them a moment to digest what they had to think.
“Sounds like a set up to me, but I’m willing to hear what the rest of you have to say.” The Colonel opened the discussions….
Lt. Gavin was first to speak up. “I’d have to agree with you Colonel, it does sound like a trap, as you would always say. We should be extremely cautious”.
Lt. Barask was much more optimistic. “Colonel, but pardon my comments here. These are noble Astartes warriors. Surely they are above the call of the darkness. They are requesting our aid. This could be exactly the support that we need.”
Colonel Dray was not so convinced. He was starting to tire of Barask and his cowardice. He suspected that Barask was just hoping that perhaps the Astartes warriors would want to just take over the operation and allow the 17th Cadian to depart.
Captain Fawkes, the Master of Ordnance spoke up, adding his insight. “Sir, he is requesting fire support. Perhaps a small detachment of artillery would be able to provide assistance, and if scouts determine other wise, we could always pull our forces back.”
The Colonel liked this idea, and said so. “Fawkes is right. We can’t ignore this potential call, but we can’t accept it with open arms either.” Turning his attention to the ensign, the Colonel instructed him to take down a message to transmit back.
Be sure to send this priority ensign.
Captain Ver'Asa,
We are honored that you have called upon us to aid you. It is refreshing to hear that there are indeed some loyal Imperial forces upon this rock of chaos.
We have encountered some distrubing resistance since responding to the Inquisitor's call for aid. In fact, the renegade Inquisitor Lord Aki himself had requested our planet fall, only to attack my forces and unleash strange, hellish beast of the warp upon my men.
Shortly after that, my forces were again beset upon by traitorous marine forces and machines of chaos. We managed to inflict some rather heavy casualties upon their units before making good our escape.
You will understand, tactically I hope, that my forces are now ordered to proceed with extreme caution. The taint of chaos is all around us, and I for one will not allow my troops to falter in our unswerving loyalty to the Emperor of Mankind.
I will be dispatching forward sentries to scout out the coordinates you indicated so as to better identify the target threats. I will follow with as much artillery as I can muster and seek to eliminate these threats as swiftly as possible.
As the reputation of your Chapter precedes you, I would like to think that your forces are prepared to assail the foe with high powered, short range weaponry, such as melta guns and flamers. We can provide ample cover for your troops and coordinate our efforts to eliminate any threats that exist.
Colonel Colwyn Dray, 17th Cadian Recon Division.
After sending the message off, the Colonel turned to his advisors again. “Okay men, let’s plan this attack”.
Captain Fawkes looked at the Colonel quizzically, “Colonel, why did you suggest the close range fire support for the Astartes troops?”
The Colonel cracked a wry grin. Something he hadn’t done since landing upon Bein-Telu. “Simple Captain. I don’t trust any of them. If some of their forces are admittingly turning to the dark forces here, we can’t trust any of their forces. We will simply provide long-range artillery and fire support”
Lt. Barask looked confused, and spoke up. “Excuse me Colonel, but which ones will we know to attack? How will we determine which foes are friendly or not?”
Colonel Dray spoke in a flat, dry voice. “Easy. We shoot the green ones. If they are loyal to the emperor, than they will find a way to survive the death we plan to rain down upon them. Just shoot them all. May the light of the Emperor sort them out.”
Seeing their commander’s wisdom, the staff all nodded in agreement. Lt. Gavin spoke than, “Colonel, do you want me to lead forward forces in for recon?”
The Colonel waived him off. “No Lieutenant, we won’t be bothering with that this time around. I think your services are going to be better applied to sending out scouts to track down these Xenos forces that we’ve heard about. I would like to hear a full report of what you find when we return.”
Lt Barask looked at his commander, realizing he was again going to be led into another fight. “What do you require of me, sir”, the defeated officer offered.
Looking at his subordinate, the Colonel softened his tone just a tad. “Lieutenant, you will be mobile command for infantry. I want you in a mechanized unit and able to coordinate supporting fire. We don’t plan on getting to close in on this one until they are nicely softened up. Captain Fawkes and I will lead fire support and artillery support.”
Looking around at his men, the Colonel called out last minute details and ordered his men to prepare to move out within 18 hours. This was going to be one bloody mess.
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