"We can't risk them reporting our position," you say, hardening your heart. "Shoot them."
Shah stares at you for a long moment, then nods.
"Yes, sir."
Next
The platoon moves out in twin tactical columns, with Squads Two and Three on the left, Four and Five on the right. Squad One is scattered in a broad semi-circle ahead to act as scouts. You lead the left column and Shah leads the right. Your troopers traverse the rough, wooded terrain without comment, but you can tell that some of them are nursing serious wounds. The "combat cocktails" issued by the medics can do wonders to keep an injured trooper in the fight for the short-term, but you know that your platoon's strength won't last forever. Best to reach your objective quickly and get the job done.
You advance through the dark forest for over an hour without incident, until your tactical display reveals that the rebel communications relay is just over the next rise. Your scouts report that the approach is clear, and your two columns silently advance to the edge of the trees.
The relay isn't a military vehicle like you expected: it's a small farmhouse that looks abandoned. There are no lights glowing through the windows, no vehicles or equipment in the compound. You double check your display to ensure that you're in the right place.
"Sir," Amori whispers, lowering his scope, "I can see an antenna strapped to the chimney. It's too thin to be a support post but too thick to be a civilian aerial. It looks military-grade."
You scan in infra-red, but at this distance it's impossible to make out any distinct heat signatures.