Righteous Vengeance, now positioned within their assigned drop pod, has become totally silent. After a brief struggle, Brother Nahom was able to attach his assault cannon to the weapon rack next to his ‘seat’ in the pod. Then he turned around, strapping himself in. Kallius and Laruo did likewise. Each man was praying within their own minds to the Emperor, asking that He guide the drop pod and their squad to safety, so that they may slay the heretics in His name. Kallius turned his head to the left and to the right, looking at both of his battle brothers. Most Sergeants would have some inspiring words to say to them. But Kallius knew that these men needed no words. The three of them had done this so many times, they had learned not to waste breath on empty words to each other. The only words that needed to be spoken were praises to the Emperor.”May He guide our weapons, and allow our bolts to fly true.” Kallius said solemnly.”Indeed.” The two other Terminators agreed.
After a few minutes of silence as they waited for the drop to begin, Nahom suddenly spoke out.”Brother Laruo?” He said. The Terminator turned his helmet towards Nahom.”Yes? What is it brother?” He asked.”Shoot straight. We don’t want a repeat of Tyros VI.” Nahom said with a chuckle, causing Kallius to laugh as well. Laruo sighed.”How many times must I apologize for that? There was a Xeno charging head long at me, and my targeting systems were down. I didn’t mean to hit you!” This just caused the other marines to laugh louder.”You were as graceful as a Land Raider, Laruo.” Kallius said.”Watching you fumble around to escape that Tyranid’s charge was rather hilarious.” The Sergeant said.”Aye, it was! At least until he nailed me in my shooting arm and caused my assault cannon to go berserk; you almost got us all killed!”
The three Space Marines’ joking was cut short by a monotone voice announcing that they were about to drop. Next came the rush of gravity against their armored bodies as they descended down upon the battlefield, raining death from above.”In too deep, against all odds brothers!” Nahom spoke the war cry of the Genesis chapter into Righteous Vengeance’s vox communications.”Hear hear!” Kallius called back. When the doors of the pod dropped open, the Terminators quickly unhooked themselves and drew their weapons. Nahom’s assault cannon spewed out a train of bolts at the most immediate threats, with Laruo and Kallius splitting off to the left and right of him. Kallius drew his power sword and began to go to work slicing through the bodies of Chaos cultists, spewing out death from his storm bolter at the same time. Their frail bodies were like butter under the heat of the power sword that could cut through armor.
With the tide beginning to stem around Kallius, he looked at his HUD. His storm bolter was trying to lock on to nearby Tau forces, crosshairs appearing over them. With a sigh, Kallius switched to manual firing mode.”Brothers, our targeting systems see the Tau as the enemy. Be vigilante where you fire.” Kallius warned.”Even the machine spirits know of the heresy we have been told to commit this day.” Laruo muttered. The squad moved towards a large breach in the wall of the city, and began to dig in.”For the Emperor!” Nahom cried as he mowed down a horde of Chaos worshippers. Out of no where, a Chaos Terminator appeared in a flash of light right in front of Kallius. The Chaos warrior began to swing its lightning claws furiously at the Terminator Sergeant. Kallius engaged the Chaos Terminator, deflecting the claws with his power sword. Whenever he made an opening in the brutal melee, Kallius fired his storm bolter wildly at his opponent. The duel seemed to last forever as Kallius was continuously put on the defensive. Then Kallius did something rather stupid. He used his teleporter pack to appear behind the Chaos Terminator. The Chaos Terminator, still having its teleporter on cooldown, was unable to retreat. Kallius drove his power sword into the traitor’s head.”Death to the traitors of the Emperor! Kill them all, brothers!” He screamed, catching a glimpse of the Black Templars nearby wrecking hordes of Chaos filth.
When the crisis battlesuit landed in their firing line, the three terminators almost blew it into oblivion. But the Emperor held their trigger fingers still, and they turned their guns back on the enemy. When the Tau warrior introduced herself as the commander of the Gues’Vesa, Kallius couldn’t help but smile inwardly. This human believed them to be Ultramarines. Kallius would never admit it, but he had always wished to be clad in the dark blue of his Founding Chapter, the Ultramarines.”I am Terminator Sergeant Kallius Antio of the Genesis Marines, commander.” Kallius blew the head off a charging blood letter.”How long can your forces hold this position?” He asked. Laruo turned his head towards the source of the voice that had condemned the Tau commander.”Can we truly blame them for this, brother?” He asked.”The Imperium abandoned them in the face of these Xeno scum long ago.” Lauro said. “May the Emperor bless those souls who stayed true to His ways during such events. It is a wonder to me that normal men could ever hold their own against these Xenos.” Nahom said steadily.