The story I wish I had submitted, part 2

[Fulminata]

Several command-detonated mines were buried along the path the Tau skimmers were traveling and several missile teams were concealed around the kill box. Captain Bentley held the detonator switch and waited for Sergeant Hadrion to give him the execution signal. The Tau forces were forced to move materials and equipment via ground routes instead of through the air because of the same heavy storms, but it did not seem to effect their schedule at all. Sergeant Hadrion studied the maps and various routes to the bases the Tau were using and selected this site as the best ambush site. The ravines and gullies would force the Tau into a tighter formation, which worked to Hadrion's advantage. It also provided cover and concealment for the ambushers. Several missile teams were concealed around the kill box as well, with instructions to wait until the initial detonation before they attacked. Each gunner was instructed to target the engine nacelles first to cripple the skimmers before targeting weapon systems or troops. Hadrion had placed his team members with squads of Imperial Guardsmen to boost their morale and efficiency.

A quick double-click over the vox told him the Tau convoy was about to enter the killbox. He didn't have to inform his team, they all knew what the brief communiqué meant, but he turned to Captain Bentley and gave him the ready sign. Captain Bentley primed the detonator and looked up to Sergeant Hadrion for the detonation signal. The rain continued to pour drowning out all. Captain Bentley could hear nothing else, but Sergeant Hadrion could barely make out the hum of the anti-grav engines. Several more coded clicks over the vox informed him the number of vehicles and what types they were. The first two come into view were two Devilfish troops transports. Each Devilfish could carry up to twelve Fire Warriors and two gun drones riding in the front faring. The next click over the vox told him a Hammerhead Gunship was next in line, about ten meters behind the two lead vehicles. He could see its main armament was the deadly ion cannon. Sergeant Hadrion selected that as his target vehicle as the most deadly to the ambush.

The first two transports glided over the mines, Capt Bentley looked at Sergeant Hadrion for the signal, but none came, his hand still poised over the plunger. As the Hammerhead glided closer to the mines the next two Devilfish came into view around the bend. That brought the total potential Fire Warriors up to forty-eight. Still not insurmountable for the Killteam and Guardsmen awaiting in ambush. Following close behind the second pair of Devilfish was a Sky Ray Missile Platform. This was the second most deadly vehicle in the Tau convoy so far, but Sergeant Hadrion knew the missiles would have to be targeted by either infantry or the two intregal markerlights for the missiles to hit their mark. As long as the teams didn't remain stationary, the missiles would do no good. Another set of clicks indicated two more Devilfish bringing up the rear of the convoy. Seventy-two Fire Warriors. The fight would be bloody, but Sergeant Hadrion was still convinced his smaller force had the advantage. As long as the vehicles were immobilized.

He turned slightly towards Captain Bentley and gave him the signal, the Captain pressed down the plunger and a moment later a massive explosion ripped through the underbelly of the Hammerhead gunship. The deluge of rain did little to dampen the fire and flame that erupted from the skimmer, a huge pall of dark black smoke billowing from the two halves of the vehicle. Within seconds of detonation, Hadrion could hear the familiar snap-whoosh of rocket launchers. He secreted teams were striking right on cue.

In the front of the column one missile exploded against the left side of the Devilfish, penetrating the armor but missile the engine nacelle. The explosion surely killed many of the fire warriors inside, but did little to cripple the skimmer. It accelerated to bring its burst cannon to bear as the two guns drones detached from their cradles and began strafing the dunes where the team had fired from. Smoke billowed from the wound in its side, but no fire warriors emerged to lend their weight of fire.

The second Devilfish was struck on the right engine nacelle, the explosion destroying jet-propulsion system. The pilot increased power to the remaining engine to bring it about, the skimmer sluggishly began to turn as the back ramp opened. The burst cannon opened fire, spraying the muddy dunes with high-energy plasma rounds. Where the bright blue lances struck, the mud turned to a dark glass. Again the gun drones detached from their cradles, they exchanged fire with the Guardsman. One of them was struck in its engine housing and crashed into the ground.

Like a coiled snake, Brother Khyros burst into the killing field just as the Fire Warriors were egressing from their stricken vehicle. His bolter blazed, taking out the first two xenos warriors to emerge with chest shots, the next two died in similar fashion before they were able to bring their weapons to bear. Several pulse rounds struck his shoulder pads, but Khyros ignored the fire and charged into combat. As his bolter scythed down two more Fire Warriors, his sea lance punched through the chest of another fire warrior, bursting through its back in a wash of alien gore. He ripped the weapon out and swung it in a wide arc, deacaptitaing yet another xenos. The five that remained tried to establish a firing line, but they were still shaken from the explosion, and their shots were either wide or exploded harmlessly off his small combat shield affixed to his right forearm. The five fire warriors were no match for the fury of the Iron Snake. Another was ripped from shoulder to groin from the whirling chain bayonet affixed to his bolter. Another lost its legs to a swipe of his sea lance, and was stomped to death by his head. Within seconds of starting the melee, nine of the twelve fire warriors were dead, the death of the remaining three were a certainty.

[deathspectersgt7]

Iron Snakes

[Fulminata]

Unlike ground traveling vehicles which could get boxed in during a vehicular ambush, the Tau skimmers could adjust their ground clearance to avoid obstacles or traps. That is exactly what the Sky Ray Missile Platform tried to do, and exactly what Metriculon Stihl calculated it would do. He instructed the Guard missilier to adjust his aim, and to his credit the missile seemed to be tracking, but before the missile struck home, it exploded to no affect. Stihl registered a disturbance on his auspex in the magnetic spectra indicating some sort of defensive mechanism. He sprung into action knowing if the vehicle escaped the killbox it would bring its deadly missile cargo to bear on the strike force and it could very well turn the tide. In one swift motion, Metriculon Stihl stowed his auspex and drew his graviton gun. Few chapters utilized the ancient weaponry, even fewer able to maintain such archaic weaponry. The Sons of Medusa, much like their brother chapter the Iron Hands, had a closer affinity with technology then many chapters, Metriculon Stihl was no less adept at maintaining this weapon than the techmarines of his chapter and knew how and when to employ the weapon to deadly affect.

As he charged he aimed the weapon carefully at the left read nacelle and squeezed the trigger. The gravity well left a circular tunnel through the pouring rain, and instant later the left nacelle was crushed like an invisible hand reached out and grabbed it. Losing forward thrust, the Sky Ray crashed to the ground, digging its left fin into the muddy ground and tearing off the boxy missile launcher slung underneath. Down but not out, the two networked marker lights, nicknamed the 'Valkyrie Mark' by Imperial Guard regiments were scanning the area for a target. One missile whooshed from its cradle and streaked overhead and detonated above a squad of Guardmen prepping another missile. Stihl reached for a krak grenade and lobbed one at the vehicle. It exploded against the hull and did little more than scar the armour, but he didn't intend for it to destroy the vehicle, it was a distraction. The marketlight swung his way, looking for the target, but he had already changed direction and swiftly circled behind.

His weapon had recharged and was ready for another shot. He wanted to destroy the other engine nacelle, it wasn't completely immobilized yet. He grabbed another krak grenade and lobbed it into the engine. It exploded with a flash as shrapnel and smoke billowed out of the engine. Stihl stopped directly behind the craft, aimed at the rear hatch and squeezed the trigger again. With a screech of metal, the hatch crumbled under the crushing weight, Stihl reached out with his cybernetic arm and wretched the ruined door from its hinges.

The two Tau gunners looked at him with shocked horror on their faces as he lobbed a frag grenade inside. It exploded, sending red hot fragments scything through the lightly armoured bodies. He crouched inside, aimed his weapon at the targeting panel and destroyed it.

[Thomas Aquinas]

bland meh

[Fulminata]

Sorry I haven't updated in a LONG while. I have had one helluva summer and have been stuck in Cancer treatments since 27 June 15. I have several more parts written out, just to need type them and edit before I can publish more. Thanks for being patient and reading the story so far.

[deathspectersgt7]

Cancer SUCKs!!!!!, Hope you are doing well.