Fluff Friday: The Survivor of Fourth Squad

I haven't had much to play lately or much time to take photos of my painting progress but Tau are forever in my head. I've decided to start Fluff Friday today. I hope you enjoy the first installment. I am by no means a serious writer but feedback is always appreciated. 


The Survivor of Fourth Squad


When the Chapter dispatched our mighty company to the planet of Thoth, the men were joyful. Once again the roar of engines and screams of battle would ring in our ears. The ancient glory of battle would be ours once again. We cheered as our pods blasted from the great crusader ships in orbit. The blue planet below would soon run red with the blood of our enemies and praises of the Emperor would ring loud on its mountain peaks. But the fate that awaited us below, not even the the Astropaths of the Black Ships could have predicted. 

As the thick iron barges of our Drop Pods slammed to the ground, we were met with enemy fire. Although our Auspex had pinpointed the positions of enemy troops, the foul Xenos struck at us from the thin air itself. Blue bolts darted clean through many of our comrades. Flickering fire spat from the Tau gunlines upon a ridge ahead. The incantations of the Tech-Marines morbidly mocked as our armor was tore from our bodies, splattering blood before us. I commanded my men to take cover and meet the enemy with bolter-fire. 


Just then a pod slammed down before us. The doors fell and Brother Hamied stomped forth, letting fly with his twirling assault cannon. His thick iron body absorbed many blows as enemy fire was drawn to his bulk. I saw our chance and I took it. I commanded Fourth Squad to fall back to the rally point and regroup. As we fled the onslaught of the Xeno, Brother Hamied's great hulk had fallen, crashing to the ground. His one thousand years of service gone in a matter of moments. 


The rally point was a fortified position, a bunker dropped from the skies. As we gathered there, Sixth Squad joined our own and formed a parameter. The Marines lay down suppressing fire as we watched our entire company crumble before us. The weight of enemy fire crushing the strength of our force. 


The screams of battle that we had once yearned for, became our own as wounded Space Marines littered the battlefield. We were but stones heaved at a nest of hornets, stirred from their industry to bring naught but death and destruction on the Chapter. 


Soon we were enveloped by the Grav-Tanks and Battlesuits of the enemy. I turned once to command our weapons specialist to fire on an approaching tank but as I looked upon him, his body exploded in flames and he was wiped clean from the universe. I was thrown from my feet at a few meters in the air. The world around me seemed to go silent as floated through the air. All went black and I did not feel my landing.  


When I came to, I was alone. 


To be continued...