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This is a little fluff for my own regiment that specialize in Vendetta-Veteran assaults, now onto the story.

Sergeant Farlis peered around the corner of the two story building and with a wave of his hand is squad moved up. His squad’s mission was to breach the main entrance and secure the main command outpost from the Tau. The Tau had cut down the rest of the platoons in a bloody massacre and only the veterans survived, he heard the Etherals speaking in tones louder than usual, and he suspected that they thought the day one. In a sense they were right, but in another sense they were wrong. On his mark the lead private would detonate the charge and blow down the door. Farlis held his hand in a fist and on release the bomb would blow, as Farlis released his hand the lead private pulled the trigger. Farlis was the first through the door burning through an Etherals robe and killing it. Before it’s body had hit the ground two more had been shot by his squad. ‘Clear’ He heard one of his squad mates call out. ‘Move up and secure the perimeter, no doubt they will come back from patrols’ Farlis told the men. Two men moved up to the second story and set up the heavy bolter they had brought along, Farlis and the private who had breached the door crouched behind the desk that the Etherals were using as what seems their map desk. The rest of his squad had set up around the building manning windows, some taking to the roof tops. ‘We in position?’ He called over the comm. ‘Whiskey 1 in position’ He heard and many similar codes were voiced. Farlis noticed that the private was shaking ‘Lad, what’s wrong?’ he inquired. ‘Sir, do you think this is the most tactically sound place to be positioned?’ the private asked, clearly not meaning to be disrespectful. But before Farlis could answer the privates question, a pulse rifle shot punctured his chest, sending his body to the wall and then sliding to the ground.

‘INCOMING!!!’ Farlis shouted to his men, firing off shots even as he called out orders. ‘Marlik 1, do you read?’ Farlis called over the comms. ‘This is Marlik 1, go ahead.’ Said a voice from the comm. ‘Bring the heavy bolter over to the main door, there’s too many of them trying to penetrate the perimeter’ Farlis called. The clambering of a heavy bolter being packed up and moved could be heard even outside the building. Within moments Marlik 1 had set up again, and the bullets were being churned out once more. A fire warrior managed to breach the perimeter and managed to get a shot off at Whiskey 2, clipping his shoulder. Farlis imagined he would call out or scream, but he said nothing and kept his finger to the trigger. ‘I’m out’ one of his men called and Farlis was over there in a matter of seconds. ‘Take a clip, pass it down, we may start running low soon’ He told the veteran. The veteran did as he was told and relayed the order to the next soldier in line. Farlis went back to the door to find Marlik 1 still fighting, but his secondary gunner was dead beside him. Farlis took the ammo canister in his hand and fed the bullets through the heavy bolter, easily burning through the bullets. A crisis suit got very close, and Farlis thought it would be the end of them, but the Emperor guided the bullet and pierced a wire that caused its right arm to go astray. Instead of killing Farlis and Marlik 1, it went to its right and blew up a fire warrior squad getting dangerously close to the outpost.

The distant engines of a Vendetta were closing in and Farlis knew that they would soon be relieved. ‘Killer 1, ETA?’ Farlis called over the vox to the pilot of the Vendetta. ‘ETA: 5 Minutes, Secure LZ’ the pilot responded. ‘Men EVAC 5 minutes, LZ coordinates (55,72).’ Farlis called over the comm. ‘Marlik 1, get moving I got you covered’ He said as he picked up his lasgun again. ‘Whiskey 1, get down here and help Marlik 1 move the heavy bolter.’ Farlis shouted over the gunfire. ‘Whiskey 2 cover their retreat’ Farlis said to the veteran, and with a nod he started moving down to Farlis. ‘Stay here, I’m going to check for survivors above’ Farlis said to Whiskey 2. As Farlis cleared the main level he went above to the second level to find 3 men still alive, Marlik 2, Hatchet 1, and Eagle 3.
‘Men, it’s time to move, Vendetta is inbound and we must secure the LZ if we are to catch this ride’ Farlis said to the survivors. ‘I will be the last to get out of the building; I will cover your retreats.’ He said to the veterans. With a gesture of unclenched fist they moved out, as he got up and sprayed lasgun shots everywhere, scoring multiple wounds. Farlis moved down the stairs and out the door and sprinted over to the remaining men. With the 6 remaining men gathered around him, he gazed to the sky to see the Vendetta nearing, snapping off shots at the remaining Tau lines.

One by one his men got on board until all hell broke loose. A missile from a crisis suit had clipped the wing of the Vendetta causing it to spin out of control. Luckily Marlik 2 jumped out before it flew up and detonated. ‘Bloody hell’ Farlis muttered and knew that each of his men felt the same way as he did. To have something but have it taken away as fast as you received it. This was supposed to be a quick mission and this was turning into an all out war. ‘Alright men, our EVAC is down and we need to move. Broadsides are moving in from the northeast and crisis suits are moving in from the northwest, fire warriors are advancing from all directions protecting the broadsides and crisis suits. Marlik 2 and Hatchet 1, set up a mine field, Eagle 3 grab the sniper and set up on the hill, rest with me.’ Farlis said to the men. As soon as he was done speaking they moved out. ‘Marlik 1 and Whiskey 1 man the heavy bolter, Marlik 2 and Hatchet 1 will be prone on the field with me. Keep ‘em suppressed and keep ‘em down.’ They each nodded their understanding and set to it. Marlik 2 and Hatchet 1 had already set up the minefield and were running back. A crater had been blown out from a missile and would act as their trench, Marlik 2 and Hatchet 1 jumped in the trench with Farlis. Farlis gazed at the oncoming Tau and knew it would be a bloody one. The comm. crackled to life, ‘Omega Squad 1, do you read?’ an unknown voice said. ‘Yes, Omega 1 reads. We are at the LZ; our EVAC was shot down, preparing for oncoming Tau attack.’ Farlis responded. ‘EVAC, 15 minutes, hold on guys’ The voice spoke and with that the comm. static was cut off. ‘Men we have 15 minutes to hold out, make your shots count’ Farlis said to the veterans.

The heavy bolter started churning out bullets, instantly taking out an advancing crisis suit severing the head from its body. The body fell on 3 fire warriors and instantly killed them. Fire erupted across both lines and Tau started falling left and right.

Eagle 3 took out one of the Tau Sergeants and forced that squad to flee. He know focused his attention on the broadsides positioned on the ridge. He noted that they had an external power supplement and supposed that if it were to explode it would case the broadsides to short circuit. He decided to experiment rather than suppose. Pulling the trigger the bullet shot out of the rifle and pierced the plasma coil located inside of the casing. With the amount of velocity and angle it was being shot at it had punctured fully through. Instead of just short circuiting the Broadsides it caused the whole ridge to be enveloped in flame. A small glimmer of hope shined for him, but it was only met by the railgun of a hammer head vaporizing him instantly.

‘Eagle 3 is down, I repeat Eagle 3 is down’ Marlik 2 called over the vox. Whiskey 1 gazed down to notice how much ammo they had left. Dangerously low he thought to himself. He managed to catch a sideward glance at Marlik 2 and he noticed the same thing. ‘How you doing back there?’ Farlis called over the vox. ‘Not too good sir, we’re low on ammo’ Whiskey 2 called back.

‘Killer 2 Incoming ETA 5 minutes’ the pilot said over the vox to the remaining veterans on the ground. Static was heard and then more static, until finally a voice broke through the gunfire in the background. ‘LZ is not secure, fall back to LZ point 2.’ The sergeant replied. ‘Okay, ETA 2 minutes, adjusting course.’ The pilot said and then cut the connection for the time being.

‘Men fall back to LZ point 2, leave the heavy bolter, and just all out sprint it. Go!’ Farlis said to his men and each ran as fast as they possibly could, the desire to live and survive driving them beyond normal capabilities. To get to LZ point 2 they would have to clear through a small forest, and Farlis was the first in and the first out, momentarily waiting to catch his breath and wait for his men. One by one they quickly broke the clearing some stumbling others going into a crouch. Farlis peered through the forest to see the Tau still firing at the positions they were once at. Dust must have been ground up and caused them to not be able to see where exactly they were. As he was looking through the forest, a squadron of drones had made it through the clearing. All three of the drones activated their guns killing Whiskey 1. The rest of the squad opened fire and offered a quick prayer of mourning, the Vendetta finally made it to the LZ and they boarded without the fear of being shot down, but it was still there in all their hearts.

Upon arrival to the base, there was no radio clearance. Farlis was a smidge concerned, looking out of the gun port he noticed fires spreading through the once headquarters of his regiment. The Tau must have launched a major counter attack while he and his squad had been on their mission; he managed to make it to the front of the Vendetta still on his feet, and tapped the pilots shoulder. The pilot looked to the co-pilot and nodded, and the co-pilot took over. ‘Pilot, take us out of here, If they hit the main base like that then there may be many more waiting for us throughout the city. I fear the worst for our brothers and we will hold a ceremony for the dead.’ Farlis told the pilot. The pilot nodded his understanding and the Vendetta took a wide bank in a different direction clear of both the fire and the Tau themselves.