Resilient Session 19

	ResilientGM	IT IS THE 41ST MILLENNIUM...
	ResilientGM	1st Platoon has been tasked with searching for, and delaying or destroying a large splinter force known to have mobilized into the vast woodlands that flank the abandoned city to the West. Though by no means enough men, the Platoon are Prithians - masters of survival and combat in this environment. Additionally, while the Aeronautica's force was gutted by some two thirds when the Imperial Navy left orbit with most its assets, is ready to divert close-air support should the threat to its advancing flank become critical.
	ResilientGM	The challenge, of course, is in the lack of provisions or reinforcements, with an enemy armored column cutting them off fort he foreseeable future. Lieutenant Stannis has followed the stream up from the position where the scout camp was found. At the break of dawn, the watch is called back into the Prithian camp, and the Lieutenant calls for the Platoon to ready up.
	ResilientGM	Friedhelm has been up since before dawn, collecting traps he's set, finding two mammalian creatures which he is now busy skinning. One for himself, the other for his beast-like comrade.
	Kass_Yonova	rubs the sleep from his eyes as he groggily gathers his gear. He wasn't able to get much sleep over the night.
	Josef	spills whatever recaff is left in the canteen.
	ResilientGM	Gilliam, for his part, hasn't slept for any significant amount of time. The logistical realities of this deployment keeping him from his... beverage of choice. The effects have him on edge, sweaty, and rather shaky.
	Victrus	still is sleeping against the side of the heavy bolter.
	Berk	's yawn shakes the camp, the guttural sound one part roar and two parts halitosis. The massive brute crawls out of his ill fitting place of sleep, picking "da sleepy mans" out of his eyes and popping the things into his mouth. He grabs his pipe and gets ready for another day bashin' wot tryna suseed.
	Silas_Dread	spills whatever recaff is left in the canteen.
	Dominic	injects some oil in his bionic legs.
	ResilientGM	Ibram drops from his little roost some two meters off the ground on a low tree, and packs his gear. Seeing his comrade is still asleep, he throws a las charge pack at him.
	Victrus	wakes up after the las charge back hits him.
	Silas_Dread	straightens his uniform and his hat.
	ResilientGM	Friedhelm ties the pelts on a length of twine by the tails, and attaches it to his gear. Picking up one of the skinned animals, he makes for the Ogryn.
	ResilientGM	"Berk... Berk! Look what I got for you, Berk!" he shakes his hunter's knife with the carcass impailed on it gruesomely shaking with a wet sound.
	Victrus	gets up and checks over his gear before handing back the charge pack back to Ibram.
	ResilientGM	Ibram: "Rise and shine."
	ResilientGM	Gilliam: "Say... Say, Yonova."
	ResilientGM	"How long do you think this... logistics situation will last?"
	Berk	waddles over to his comrade, an idiot's grin stretched across his face. "Wot izzit sah?"
	Berk	He spots the thing wiggiling from his knife, and his disgusting green-blue tongue licks his cracked lips. "Gibs dat Freddy! Berk ungy!"
	ResilientGM	Friedhelm grins, "Food Berk! The Emperor blesses us with food, for being a good boy. For killing the bad man," he pulls at the leg of the creature, releasing it from the bite of the knife, and tosses it at Berk.
	Victrus	"Yep." Victrus says to Ibram before walking back over to the heavy bolter.
	Kass_Yonova	"Long enough. I can see it's already taking a toll on you, Gill. You may want to keep yourself hydrated."
	ResilientGM	Gilliam: "Must have slept less than an hour all night..."
	Kass_Yonova	"If really starts to get to you I can always tranq you." Kass says half jokingly. He emphasizes how easy it could be by running a rudimentary diagnostic on his Narthecium.
	ResilientGM	"If you want me out, I can do it..." he shivers, while rubbing his pale hands together, "..do it to myself," he now shakes a bottle, disturbing the sitting liquid within.
	Berk	tears into the bloody hunk of meat with his ape-like teeth. Viserca and blood disappear down his gullet until his mouth is rimmed with red. He lets out a contented chuckle and wanders off toward the rest of the squad, singing some bawdy tune of gibberish.
	Silas_Dread	'enjoys' one of his ministorum approved "Nutri-supplements".
	Kass_Yonova	shrugs at the man, before fishing out a ration bar and getting to work on eating it.
	Victrus	takes out one of his ration bars and starts eating it.
	ResilientGM	Gilliam: "Do you smell that, Yonova?"
	ResilientGM	Gilliam gets up, and starts walking to the north of the group.
	Kass_Yonova	"Hmm?"
	Kass_Yonova	gives the air an audible sniff.
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "Smoke. There's a fire."
	Kass_Yonova	"Enemy?"
	Victrus	finishes eating his ration bar and readies his weapon.
	ResilientGM	Friedhelm climbs ontop of the Orgyn, finger raised high. "Enemy. Wind is blowing from the North...North-West."
	ResilientGM	Stannis nods.
	Silas_Dread	"Men to arms!"
	ResilientGM	The Prithian troopers rush to pack their gear, and come together .
	Kass_Yonova	scarfs down his ration bar as he files in with his squad.
	Berk	clasps his pipe and starts sniffing in the general driection of Friedhelm's finger. The piggish snorts are thick with the sound of phlegm. "En-mee! En-mee! En-mee wit burny flames!
	ResilientGM	Servitor-Unit 1 awkwardly navigates the rough terrain walking nowhere in particular, as it paces in a repetitive pattern.
	Victrus	moves over to the rest of the squad.
	ResilientGM	With "enough" of his men ready, Lieutenant Stannis begins moving in the general direction of the smoke source, his men following in a spread.
	Silas_Dread	stays close to Stannis.
	Kass_Yonova	tries to suppress a yawn as he follows, failing at that, somewhere in the middle of the spread.
	Victrus	follows close to the bike that is being towed by the servitor.
	Berk	shadows the commissar, giving the authority figure his sage advice. "Ay we oughta smash dat fire, sah!", "Less kill dem baddies, sah!", "Are we dere yet?", etc. etc.
	Silas_Dread	responds with in a cycle of "Indeed.", "For the Emperor!", and "Soon, Private."
	ResilientGM	The Prithian formation navigates through the woodlands, maintaining radio silence all the way. Some 2 hours pass without event, the sound of the wind on the tall trees and the rumbling of the scout bike at the rear of the formation the only audible noises, even as their sense of smell picks up more and more concentrated pockets of smoke in the air.
	ResilientGM	Another hour nears completion, the sun now casting shorter shadows, when the typical sounds of the men... the wind... the trees, and the scout bike are seemingly accented by disturbed foliage outside of the formation at some distance.
	Animus	Rubs the sleep from his eyes as he follows the men
	Kass_Yonova	+I see flames at 11 o'clock, seems far but I can see it.+
	ResilientGM	Gilliam: "Bodies. 50 meters right up ahead."
	Victrus	readies his las gun.
	Animus	"I hate flames...Well, the ones I don't make." He says to Koeln
	Silas_Dread	readies his chainsword and bolt pistol.
	Kass_Yonova	shifts his plasmagun into a more comfortable position as he continues to follow along, ready and ready to shoot anything that might come into view.
	Victrus	"What do you think did this?" Victrus says
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "Hold formation!" he hisses.
	ResilientGM	"Private Koeln. Scout ahead."
	Animus	"That presence I was feeling earlier seems to be getting stronger Capt'n."
	ResilientGM	Koeln's eyes go wide. "Sir, with respect... that is not a good idea."
	Dominic	readies his ax
	ResilientGM	"I don't have the experience, and..."
	ResilientGM	The gears in his mind turn for more excuses.
	ResilientGM	"And the witch must be guarded!"
	Silas_Dread	"Private Koeln, do NOT disrespect the chain of command."
	ResilientGM	"...the... the witch..." the young trooper takes a big gulp.
	ResilientGM	He makes the sign of the Aquila, and runs forward, lasgun firmly gripped.
	Animus	"Go get em." He says, patting Koeln on the back
	Victrus	A shiver runs down Victurs spine. He then looks at Kolen, "I'll keep an eye on Animus for you."
	Silas_Dread	"The Emperor is with us, we can not fail."
	ResilientGM	The trooper disappears and reappears every few seconds as he runs through the trees up ahead.
	ResilientGM	+Sir...+ the young trooper is out of breath
	ResilientGM	+Sir, it's a massacre+
	ResilientGM	Stannis: +Stay off the Emperor-foresaken comms, private!+
	ResilientGM	Several claps of lasgun fire echo through the woods ahead.
	Kass_Yonova	"Looks like we got contact!"
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "Hold your positions... steady."
	Victrus	"Tech Priest, help me detach the bolter from the bike."
	Dominic	"Ok."
	Victrus	With the help of Dominic, victrus is able to get the bolter off the bike and move in forward.
	ResilientGM	An armed figure rushes towards the Prithians, hardly visible as it darts from tree to tree, quickly making for the group.
	Kass_Yonova	"Contact!"
	ResilientGM	At a split second moment, Yonova comes to the realization that it is young Koeln retreating back to friendly lines, at the very moment he is suddenly and abruptly dropped to his knees, crying out in pain.
	Kass_Yonova	"Ah shit."
	Kass_Yonova	get's up and runs over to the young trooper and begins to drag him back towards his own tree.
	Animus	shrugs "Thought he was a hostile."
	ResilientGM	His heavy breathing and shaking hands betray his panic.
	Silas_Dread	"Witch, control yourself!"
	ResilientGM	Lieutenant Stannis rushes over to the trooper.
	ResilientGM	"Well? What did you see? How many are they?"
	ResilientGM	Koeln: "S-sir... I..."
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "Spit it out!"
	ResilientGM	Koeln: "It's a massacre... they... there..."
	ResilientGM	The Lieutenant backhands him.
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "HOW. MANY?"
	ResilientGM	Koeln: "N-none, sir..."
	ResilientGM	The Lieutenant's palm engulfs his face.
	ResilientGM	"Just what the hell are you getting at?" the Lieutenant's voice muffled behind his hand.
	ResilientGM	Koeln: "I... I panicked sir... I fired at... a body."
	Kass_Yonova	"Shall we check it out, sir?"
	ResilientGM	Stannis rises to his feet, and holsters his laspistol. "Right, move up..."
	Silas_Dread	"I redact my previous statement Animus."
	Victrus	"I got a real bad feeling about this."
	Animus	quietly makes his way in the direction Koeln returned from
	Silas_Dread	move forwards to try and find body.
	Victrus	moves the bolter back to the bike and moves up with the rest of the squad to investigate.
	Dominic	advances in the direction that koeln came from.
	Kass_Yonova	follows the group, keeping himself in a relaxed stance and he continues to look around while moving.
	ResilientGM	It isn't one... it isn't two... there are at least two dozen bodies lying around in what used to be a camp. On the near end, only a few, closest to the tents and campfires. But as you reach the other end, you see the slaughter. Many of the Severans have been brutally hacked away at. Many decapitated. Further into the zone of engagement, all evidence is lost, as a fire rages on - evidence of a heavy bombardment providing explanation on the destruction and source of the smoke.
	Animus	"Charming."
	Victrus	"Well this area was hit hard."
	Dominic	"It is in ruin."
	Kass_Yonova	"Looks like an ambush that went horribly wrong, nothing proper guardsman would have done, lots of damage from unsharpened objects and the like."
	ResilientGM	Servitor-unit 1 scans the corpses.
	Silas_Dread	"What a mess."
	Silas_Dread	"Corporal Yonova is correct. This was a failed ambush."
	Animus	"Probably Militia or just raiders."
	Animus	"That's my guess."
	Silas_Dread	"I agree."
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "If it's local resistance, we ought to attempt contact. They may be brutes, but they appear to be fearsome."
	Animus	"I could...Signal them." he says with a grin
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "You'll explain that in full detail before I issue even a hint of an okay."
	Animus	"I could make a beacon using flames, everyone around would be able to see it though." he says casually
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "And spread this inferno to the rest of the forrest? Request denied, Psyker."
	Animus	"It would be controlled, he says."
	Kass_Yonova	paces slowly around the massacre, looking around for anything of use.
	Victrus	"Yea, but that would be a bad idea anyways since that could cause them to attack us as well."
	Silas_Dread	"They may have retreated northward."
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "Agreed. The pattern here suggests a quick engagement, and a hasty retreat North."
	ResilientGM	"Gather what you can, and move north. The stream appears to curve in up ahead, and we'll lay camp there."
	Kass_Yonova	gives the LT a quick salute, with an "aye, sir," before doing as ordered.
	ResilientGM	The Prithian troops set up camp by the stream for the night.
	ResilientGM	In the midst of the night, the Psyker Animus goes to the edge of the camp to test his luck with the Ruinous powers... in so-doing, he exposes his Prithian comrades to unexpected horrors...
	ResilientGM	visions of warp-rot and decay fill the inhabitants' minds, horrible pain and vivid hallucinations of damage and gruesome injuries spread in the minds of all who are there.
	Silas_Dread	overwhelmed with the great fear from an unnatural and unholy source, he passes out.
	Victrus	is unable to move and is frozen in place, unable to move as the horror he sees before him.
	Dominic	griped by fear sits frozen
	Kass_Yonova	While relaxing against one of the many trees, Kass suddenly feels paralyzed. At first he's not sure why, then it hits him, fear. Undulating fear, he's not felt something like this since that attack many weeks ago against the enemy witch. The foxes, dear God-Emperor, make it stop.
	ResilientGM	The fear is so exhausting to those who experience it, that the energy is drained in everyone, including the sentries. All the men in camp fall asleep where they lay...
	ResilientGM	Come dawn, the Lieutenant is among the first up.
	ResilientGM	"Dread!"
	Silas_Dread	gets up from his 'dirt nap'.
	Silas_Dread	"What in the name of the Emperor just happened?"
	Victrus	eyes open and starts to get up from where he was laying. "What in emperors name happened?"
	Kass_Yonova	eyes shoot open. His body is covered in a sheen of cold sweat that makes his tunic and pants stick grossly to his body. He slowly sits up and holds his head with both hands. "What the feck happened? What a fecking nightmare that was."
	ResilientGM	Stannis pulls the Commissar to one side.
	Silas_Dread	"Lieutenant, what happened?"
	Silas_Dread	"And why am I covered in dirt?"
	ResilientGM	"I have no idea what it was we experienced, but the men must not be allowed to think anything of it. Rouse them, and get them ready to march without hesitation. Do not permit them a moment to think!"
	Dominic	wakes up at the side of the scout bike.
	Silas_Dread	"Wake up! All of you!"
	Silas_Dread	"We have the Emperor's work to do!"
	Animus	sits up, quickly gathering his gear and makes ready
	ResilientGM	Stannis slaps his vox-tech one, two... and three times, orders him to speak no more of the night's events, and readies his gear.
	Victrus	finishes getting up and dust himself off before gathering his things.
	Silas_Dread	"MOVE! MOVE!"
	Kass_Yonova	groans as he stretches out the cricks in his backside and extremities. "Sleep is getting hard to come by." He shrugs on his pack and gear and makes ready.
	ResilientGM	Gilliam: "Yonova... it's getting worse..."
	Silas_Dread	"You will be left behind if you don't move NOW!"
	ResilientGM	"I think I need to take a sip... I nearly lost it last night."
	Animus	walks over to Stannis "Sir, I'm feeling a strong Psykic presence, but it seems to be receding." he says, whispering
	Kass_Yonova	"Either you've been slipping me that shit, or we've all been punished for something."
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "I see... whatever is the source of this, it is powerful... you must be on alert."
	Animus	salutes
	Victrus	checks over the bolter and makes sure its attached to the bike.
	ResilientGM	Koeln approaches Animus, "I am watching you, /witch/" he hisses.
	Silas_Dread	with panic in voice says "The Emperor is with us!"
	Animus	"Have you not been Koeln? isn't that your job?"
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "Move, out! Now!"
	Silas_Dread	in a hushed tone "The Emperor is with us..."
	ResilientGM	Koeln quickly gathers his gear, nearly leaving his helmet behind, "I'll be having words with the Commissar... just you wait."
	Kass_Yonova	falls in, while giving a silent prayer to Him on Terra.
	Victrus	looks to Ibram, "How are you holding up this morning?"
	ResilientGM	The Prithians push forward, always parallel to the stream, the pace is quick... and careless. The usual precautions are not taken, as Lieutenant Stannis -quite visibly shaken himself- guides his men as far away from that campsite as quickly as he can.
	Silas_Dread	"LESS TALKING! MORE MOVING!"
	ResilientGM	Ibram: "If I told you the horrors that visited me in the night, you'd think me insane... Yes, Commissar, Sir!"
	Victrus	nods in response to Ibram.
	Animus	"Um...The river has blood running through it."
	ResilientGM	Koeln: "Another one of your tricks, witch?"
	ResilientGM	"I suppose next you'll want to tell us... that..." the trooper's face turns pale as he notices it, too.
	Dominic	+There is blood in the stream+
	Animus	Sighs "If you had the runs you'd blame that on me as well?"
	Victrus	looks over at the river, "Looks like someone is having a massacre up stream."
	ResilientGM	+Understood. Everyone on guard. Maintain tactical spreads as we advance.+
	Kass_Yonova	Almost on instinct Kass takes his position within the squad, spreading out as appropriate.
	ResilientGM	Stannis leads the men slightly away from the stream, and onto a slight ridge. An elevation formed by a ragged hill of rough dirt and large stones covered in moss.
	Animus	"Screaming Sarge."
	Victrus	+I hear screaming, and what sounds like yelling Sir. Sounds like a skirmish.+
	ResilientGM	Stannis: +Everyone, to the peak of the ridge. Double step!+
	Kass_Yonova	double times it to the ridge, as fast as his weighted form can go.
	Animus	runs his way up to the top of the ridge
	Victrus	moves up with the bike up the the peak of the ridge.
	Dominic	walks with victrus up to the ridge.
	ResilientGM	"Turn off that damned engine, gunner!"
	ResilientGM	The Lieutenant lays on his belly at the tallest point of the slanted ridge, and looks through his magnoculars.
	Animus	rummages through his gear and pulls out his well worn magnoculars, not even remembering when or where he go them, and takes a look.
	Kass_Yonova	takes a knee near the lip, far enough away that he won't give away his position.
	Silas_Dread	readies his chainsword and bolt gun. Dread feels an extreme unease.
	ResilientGM	Through the shrubbery and woods the chaos of battle is visible to you. You slowly begin to make it all out... one line of men in the colors of the separatists to your 2 o' clock.
	ResilientGM	Some 100 meters away from them and closing fast, the attackers are hard to make out... but you eventually see them.
	ResilientGM	But you're not the only one who is made aware of their presence; magnoculars not necessary...
	ResilientGM	WWWAAAAAAAGGGGHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!
	Victrus	"You, got to be.... Shitting me."
	Animus	"Xenos..."
	Dominic	"We must slay the xeno scum"
	Victrus	"What the fuck are those things?"
	Kass_Yonova	"Aliens...I guess that explains the unorthodox wounds at that ambush site."
	Silas_Dread	"Xenos, Corporal Victrus. Xenos that need to die."
	ResilientGM	  The numbers of the aggressive xenos are vast, you soon realize. The Separatists will not hold out for long against the greenskins. Only concentrated fire in volume could put the charge to a stop, and you? You're only a Platoon. It is a common strategy in the Imperium to overwhelm elements of the enemy when on the attacking side. Such a thing could easily happen here. The annihilation of the Separatist lines, would only make yours
	ResilientGM	 would only make yours a second target to be overwhelmed in a continued advance, and despite your high ground position, this engagement would be potentially catastrophically costly.
	ResilientGM	Stannis: "We simply don't have the numbers..."
	Kass_Yonova	"What of the other platoons? And can't we get some CAS, sir?"
	Animus	"We could pretend to be larger then we actually are."
	Victrus	gets the bolter detached from the back of the bike.
	ResilientGM	The Lieutenant grabs his Vox-tech by the collar, and pulls him close. "CALL I AERONAUTICA SUPPORT ON OUR POSITION! REPORT XENOS INFESTATION ON THE PLANET! THE INVASION IS IN DANGER OF COLLAPSE!"
	ResilientGM	Gilliam: "Sir... the Commissar is welcome to shoot me for this and spare me the alternative death, but... would it be out of the question to form with the enemy lines?!"
	ResilientGM	Friedhelm: "Are you out of your mind?!"
	ResilientGM	Stannis looks visibly troubled...
	Silas_Dread	coldly says "Gladly, Specialist Gilliam AFTER we kill the Xenos."
	Animus	"These things come in unending tides, any help we can get would be necessary." he says coldly
	ResilientGM	++Understood. Package delivery approved and confirmed en-route. Be advised, CAS will be coming in close. Repeat. CAS will be coming in close++
	ResilientGM	Without prompt, the Lieutenant's Vox-operator begins to retune his vox pack... The Lieutenant is oblivious to this, observing the incoming tide...
	ResilientGM	"Severans... f-fall back for fire support I rep--"
	ResilientGM	Stannis grabs the vox piece from the trooper, and begins to beat him with it.
	ResilientGM	"You, fool! YOU have doomed us, you imbecile!"
	Kass_Yonova	swallows. "Here we go again."
	Animus	"Lieutenant, It's our only hope. WE NEED THOSE GUNS." he says urgently, showing more seriousness then ever before
	Silas_Dread	"Lt. Stannis, have the Vox Operator direct the enemy to our position. We will deploy smoke grenade behind us and cover them as they approach."
	ResilientGM	Stannis pauses from beating the vox-operator's bloody face further, and turns to meet the Commissar's gaze.
	Silas_Dread	"As much as I hate the Separatists, the Xenos are a bigger problem."
	Victrus	starts moving the bolter into the best firing position."
	ResilientGM	The Lieutenant lets out a long sigh...
	Dominic	follows close behind victrus.
	ResilientGM	"Form a firing line! I want a killing arch ready to cover the... the infantry's retreat to our lines! Use grenades, use your sidearms... give them everything you've got! For the Emperor!"
	Animus	"Everything?" he says, eyebrow raised
	Victrus	"For the Emperor!"
	Silas_Dread	"Every Xenos killed is in praise of the Emperor!"
	ResilientGM	He wipes the blood from the mouthpiece, and begins to call in: "Retreat to the ridge! Follow the smoke, and form up!"
	ResilientGM	The Prithian troopers lock their aim and roar in anticipation.
	ResilientGM	"For the Emperor!"
	Dominic	aims the ballistic mechadhendrite toward the green skin xeno.
	Silas_Dread	[High Gothic] "Suffer not the Xenos live! For the Emperor, we shall punish the wicked!"
	Kass_Yonova	moves up to the edge, and goes prone, not an easy thing to do with a plasmagun, but he makes do. He starts aiming at the nearest Xenos before screaming. "Kill every greenskin you see! Let none survive, comrades!" He roars.
	ResilientGM	Servitor Unit 1 stays close behind its Master.
	ResilientGM	"Pop that smoke!"
	Animus	stands on the ridge, cloak flapping as unnatural wind swirls around him, flames arcing to his hands as he stares unmoving at the enemy
	ResilientGM	Gilliam turns on his back, and pulls the pin on a smoke grenade, gives Yonova a nod, and throws it behind the firing line.
	ResilientGM	By now, the Separatist formation has already started moving back.
	ResilientGM	In just a few seconds, the smoke begins to spread, and the severans turn alter their course slightly, making for the ridge, with the greenskins hot on their heels.
	Animus	"Give me grenades!" he yells
	Victrus	As the greenskins get in range, Victrus opens fire with his heavy bolter killing three of them.
	ResilientGM	The orks hit turn into gore and vile xenos blood.
	Dominic	The servitor takes aim but falls a bit short killing one.
	ResilientGM	With the covering fire from the bolters, the severan troops do what they can to reach their now-allied line.
	Victrus	opens fire again on the orks, with the will of the emperor on his side, all 6 of his shot land, killing 6 more orks in the possess .
	ResilientGM	The carnage is such, and in so concentrated an area, that an entire group numbering some 10 Orks break their charge and flee.
	Dominic	Unit 1 opens fire once again and kills one, and leaves a few other wounded.
	Animus	unleashes a torrent of flames, engulfing orks in fiery death
	Victrus	opens fire again on the approaching orks. Again all of his shots hit, killing 3 and wounding 3.
	ResilientGM	The warpfire is followed by the vicious bolter rounds bursting through the formation. This is enough to splinter the first wave of attackers as 20 Orks flee in a broken formation.
	Animus	lets another blast of rolling flame loose, then an idea strikes him. He begins to collect grenades and bundle them together
	Silas_Dread	continues his speeches in High Gothic, further inspiring the men.
	Dominic	lets out some las fire and ignites an ork face .
	Kass_Yonova	toggles the setting of the plasmagun to maximal. He then let's the weapon charge-up before depressing the trigger and letting loose two balls of plasma. With an internal whoop both find their mark; one kills instantly, the other maims horribly. "Death to the Xenos."
	ResilientGM	"On my command! All fire!"
	ResilientGM	A volley of concentrated lasgun fire drops dead an entire segment of advancing orks.
	ResilientGM	While the formation does thin out with every attack, it only reveals more greenskins advance from further up north.
	Kass_Yonova	"I really hope that CAS get's here quick."
	ResilientGM	At this moment, this revelation takes the form of much bigger orks, holding heavy metallic clubs and other crude weaponry, armoured with primitive covering plates.
	Victrus	"Well I think that's the leader."
	Kass_Yonova	"Just keep firing."
	Victrus	opens fire on the large ork, as he fires, the emperors fate is still with him, landing all 6 shots, killing him.
	ResilientGM	Not only is the massive brute gored, but whatever explosives he had on him go off instantly killing seven of the vile xenos around him in one single destructive burst.
	Dominic	opens fire once again and rips the greenskins arm off.
	Silas_Dread	tries to make a righteous speech, but starts coughing from the dust being kicked up.
	Animus	launches the assembled grenades, dealing massive damage
	ResilientGM	The next Prithian volley fells thirteen of the enemy xenos, quite notably thinning out the horde.
	Kass_Yonova	While letting the plasmagun recharge, he leaves it at his side as he unstraps his lasgun and lets loose several shots, killing one of the dastardly greenskins.
	ResilientGM	++Lieutenant Stannis. This is Red Aquila Lead Col. Ausbein. We see your smoke, and can confirm CAS delivery in T-minus 30 seconds.
	ResilientGM	++Danger close. Ave Imperator++
	ResilientGM	"YOU HEARD HIM! FALL BACK AND DIVE FOR COVER!"
	Silas_Dread	"Keep your head DOWN!"
	Victrus	pulls back the heavy bolter and finds cover.
	Animus	dives for cover
	Silas_Dread	"Move, MOVE!"
	ResilientGM	Stannis, his vox-operator, and the Prithians all around him grab their gear and run - DIVE- down the hill as the engines of the Vaklyrie gunships roar in the sky.
	Dominic	heads for the hills
	Kass_Yonova	finds the nearest cover behind him and makes himself as flat as possible.
	Kass_Yonova	"PLEASE NOT AGAIN, DEAR GOD-EMPEROR, HAVE MERCY!"
	Animus	prays silently...then loudly
	ResilientGM	The munitions are delivered 'on target' with a deafening series of percussive thuds. The trees and vegetation all around you are violently disturbed by the shockwave, as it passes through the woods around you. Loose gear on troopers around you flies forward, as Koeln trips over his lasgun, and falls on his face.
	ResilientGM	Your ears ring... and hurt.
	ResilientGM	But you needn't hear the command. The Lieutenant is forcing his men to their feet, yelling, and pointing the the Severans who have dived for cover next to your now-loose formation.
	Kass_Yonova	me picks himself up, grudgingly, shaking dirt and debris off himself as he resumes his position at the crest of the ridge.
	Animus	picks himself up, giving himself a second to laugh at Koeln, before surveying the situation
	ResilientGM	His own laspistol threatens the enemy, some appear to comply, confused... perhaps in the chaos of it all they really did think you were one of them.
	Dominic	gets out of the hills and joins the rest of everyone.
	Victrus	gets up from his cover and moves the bolter back up into position.
	Silas_Dread	is still deaf from the explosions and screams "ARE THOSE BASTARDS STILL ALIVE?"
	ResilientGM	Caught up in this, and deafened as you are all, he does not notice the charging figure of an enraged greenskinned warrior.
	Kass_Yonova	"Lieutenant!"
	Victrus	turns to see the ork and pulls out his lasgun and opens fire on it, managing to hit it three times.
	Kass_Yonova	Kass gets a bead on the greenskin charging towards the LT, depressing the trigger as fast as he can to get as many lasbolts on target as possible. He manages to get two hits.
	ResilientGM	The Ork's left leg is to completely damaged by the concentrated lasgun fire that it barely hangs by a charred thread. On the other leg, its kneecap is shot clean through, the xeno violently dropping to the mud.
	ResilientGM	But he is an exception. Those others who have survived do run around you, but quickly, and away from the utterly devastated area.
	ResilientGM	The Lieutenant, for his part, looks at both Kass and Victrus with a concerned expression on his face, at seeing their fire pass in his direction.
	Silas_Dread	"Shoot the vile Xenos!"
	ResilientGM	Noticing the situation, the Lieutenant brings his sidearm to bear, and finishes off the vile creature.
	ResilientGM	"Nevermind the damned creatures, disarm and capture the separatists!" he points back towards the Severans.
	Kass_Yonova	"Aye, sir." He brings his plasmagun to bear, and points it at the separatists. "If you know what's good for you you'll surrender! You're only alive now because of us, so throw down your arms." He emphasizes this with the glowing coils of his plasmagun.
	ResilientGM	The eyes of three of the separatists seem to roll back into their skulls, as they point their weapons on their own comrades.
	Victrus	brings his lasgun to bear and aims at the separatists.
	ResilientGM	It isn't something they need to be told more than once... the effect of the last few minutes of their lives has been shocking to say the least.
	Silas_Dread	points his bolt pistol at the separatists and commands "Surrender, now!"
	ResilientGM	With a few looks and nods to one another, they disarm and raise their arms in the air.
	Kass_Yonova	"Smart move."
	ResilientGM	Remaining are fifteen men in enemy colors, they slowly gather as they're corralled by the Prithian troopers.
	Animus	"Can't believe we survived.... Kass, I need to confess my undying love for you!" he says, wrapping his arms around the medic
	ResilientGM	"Feck... FECK!!" the shrieks of a panicked Koeln suddenly pipe up.
	Kass_Yonova	"For Emperor's sake, Animus! Get off of me! I'm glad we're all alive as well, but get off of me, dammit."
	Victrus	"Really Animus."
	ResilientGM	"Help!! God-Emperor have mercy! Help me!"
	Animus	shrugs "Lightening the mood."
	Animus	turns to Koeln
	Animus	turns to Koeln
	Silas_Dread	"The Emperor was with us this day!"
	Dominic	"This is normal behavior?"
	ResilientGM	His elbow, you realize, is horribly disjointed.
	Kass_Yonova	pushes the witch off of him and walks towards Koeln.
	Silas_Dread	"Medic!"
	Animus	"Gotta bo-bo?"
	Kass_Yonova	"Already on it, Commissar." He get's on his haunches as he examines the elbow.
	Kass_Yonova	"You want pain killers or are you going to be a big boy?"
	Victrus	"For Kolen, yes, though he looks hurt this time."
	Kass_Yonova	Kass puts a hand one end of the elbow as he awaits the lad's answer.
	ResilientGM	"AAhh!!! AAAAAAHHHH!!!!!!" his mouth opens wider than you've ever seen it
	Kass_Yonova	"Right then." With a strong jerk he snaps the disjointed elbow back into place.
	ResilientGM	For a moment, it looks like Koeln might faint.
	Silas_Dread	"Walk it off, Private."
	Animus	"I could always carry you bud." he says, walking over
	Kass_Yonova	pats the young trooper on the back. "Just be glad that's the worse you've sustained."
	Dominic	"Should have gotten a replacement arm."
	ResilientGM	++Company Command has understood your situation to be critical. Await further instructions.++
	Victrus	"Wasn't necessary yet, only way I could see him needing a replacement arm is if it got blown off by the guns of a Leman Russ."
	Kass_Yonova	"Seen that in person, Vic?"
	Victrus	"Nope, though I've heard stories."
	Kass_Yonova	"Right." Kass takes a seat on some debris and drinks from his canteen. "That went better than expected."
	Victrus	"Yep." Victrus sits down on his bolter, "Much better then the time with the Chimera. What were Xenos anyways?"
	Silas_Dread	"Now, dead."
	Victrus	looks at Silas, "I meant what they are.... but never mind, as long as we don't have to fight them again I'll be happy."
	Kass_Yonova	"Not our job to worry about them, or think about them. Just know they can die and we can kill them."
	Silas_Dread	"Couldn't say it better myself, Corporal Kass."