ВЕРНУТЬСЯ В РАЗДЕЛ

Avenging Sons' drop pods descend upon Taros to bring the Emperor's justice to the planets renegade Governor.

The Avenging Sons responded swiftly to the Administratum's request for punitive action to be taken against Taros. After receiving the Administratis delegation, the Chapter Master summoned his company commanders and explained the mission.

"Now hear these words News has come to us that the Governor of the Taros system has foresworn the sacred oaths of the Pax Imperialis. He has colluded with aliens and put the sale and good rule of our Emperor in jeopardy. For these crimes it is judged that his punishment shall be death. The Avenging Sons have been chosen to be the instruments of that sentence. We are honoured to accept.

It shall fall to second company and Captain Armaros to do the Chapter's duty. Prepare your brethren Brother-Captain, but know you are not alone in this mission. The Master of Forge shall ready the Machine Spirits of the Armoury to assist you. and brothers of the first and tenth shall also aid you. The Master of Fleet shall ready the strike cruiser Proxima Justus and by sundown on the second day you shall be embarked. May the tides of the warp see you safely to Taros, and may the Emperor watch over your souls in the coming battle.

You are to unleash his divine wrath upon this miscreant Quash all resistance. Leave none that stands against us living Send out a message from Taros for all to hear. The Emperor stands here, and shall not be moved Let us all say the second Prayer of Vengeance together before our brethren depart."

Second company readied themselves for battle. Boltguns and power armour were anointed and blessed by the company Chaplain, whilst Brothers Hakael and Caim were awoken from their slumbers. Their Dreadnought systems were checked and declared fully functioning by Techmarines. For twenty-four hours the chapter-monastery was a bustle of activity as the second company assisted by a squad of the veteran first company and scouts of the tenth, mustered its full strength.

Captain Armaros and his men embarked onto the Chapter strike cruiser Proxima Justus and accompanied by a single escort vessel made best speed out of the system before engaging warp engines There would be time enough on the month-long journey tor briefing and training. The Taros Intervention Force was on its way to battle.

Whilst bound for the Taros system. Captain Armaros began planning his attack and briefing his fellow officers and squad sergeants. The mission objective was straightforwards - locate and eliminate Planetary Governor Aulis. In the process, the operation should be a strong show of force. The attack should be swift, ruthless and brutal All opposition was to be destroyed. It was the kind of mission Space Marine strike forces excel at. Armed with all the intelligence the Admimstratum and Auditor Prime Dree could provide, the Captain planned the assault in detail.

First he would need to locate the Planetary Governor. The first and most obvious target should be the Governor's Palace, his residence. Armaros had detailed layouts of the large building to plan the assault. If the Governor escaped or was not present then the attack would move into a second phase; a search and destroy operation. This would involve moving the heavier equipment and vehicles onto the ground and beginning a sweep through the city. Other likely hiding places were earmarked for immediate follow-up raids. During the second phase of the operation Armaros would also need the aid of the Proxima Justus in low orbit, utilizing its powerful surveillance and sensor equipment, and should resistance require it, the strike cruiser's weapons for orbital bombardment. As a show of force, the willingness to flatten Tarokeen would send a strong message, as well as help subdue the local population. If the population began to feel that they were all suffering for their Governor's crimes then they might turn against him and inform on his hiding place. It was a brutal tactic, but Captain Armaros was a Space Marine, with a lifetime of indoctrination and hypo-suggestion that meant he cared not one bit. His duty to the Emperor was all that mattered. To his mind, there were no innocents on Taros any more.

Rather than a single building, the Governors Palace was a complex of government buildings, but Aulis' private residence would be the first target. For speed and surprise Armaros planned a drop pod assault. All of 2nd company's manpower, aided by the teleporting Terminator veterans of first company, would play their parts.

Organisation of the Avenging Sons force commanded by Captain Armaros.

First, four of the six Tactical squads were assigned their roles. Using darkness for cover, each would establish a blocking position. Landing close to their target location they would move to form a roadblock, holding the key locations to prevent reinforcements from reaching the Governor's Palace quickly. This part of the mission would be under the sub-command of Veteran Sergeant Einem of first squad. He would be responsible for holding these locations, moving men between them as he saw fit to reinforce if one position came under heavy enemy attack. Armaros, briefing Sergeant Einem, felt this was unlikely, as the entire mission was planned as a swift strike. The captain did not intend to be waiting around long enough for the enemy to react and gather a large force.

Isolated by the four blocking squads, the battle company's two Assault squads, supported by the two remain Tactical squads, would land within the palace complex itself, directly on the heels of the Deathwind drop pod, which would be the first to impact, before unloading its lethal cargo of missiles indiscriminately. The assault units would overcome any resistance at the palatial residence before sweeping through it to locate Lord Aulis. Captain Armaros himself would lead this assault along with Chaplain Baraqel.

First company's Terminators would be the ultimate instrument of justice. Once his force had located the Governor within the palace, Captain Armaros would use his teleport homer to summon the waiting Terminators. Arriving via teleporter, the Terminators would appear at the location and use their massive close range firepower to eliminate the target.

Immediately upon success the codeword 'Justice' would be given and the operation could move into the evacuation phase. Should the codeword not be received after one hour, or the override code 'Malevolent' be issued, this would mean that the target was not present or had escaped. 'Malevolent' would mean everybody moving to phase two - search and destroy.

During the first phase attack there would be a small reserve force consisting of both Devastator squads, the two Dreadnoughts and the Scout squad. Their primary mission would be to cover the company's withdrawl and then form the backbone of a secure perimeter about the Governor's Palace whilst an evacuation was conducted by Thunderhawk gunship.

This force would also be relied upon to counter any stronger-than-expected enemy resistance. At Captain Armaros' call they would move to intercept and engage. With their heavy weapons fire they should be able to inflict serious damage rapidly, buying the company enough time for the other squads to complete the mission and either withdraw or move to phase two.

Captain Armaros plan had three things to its advantage, even though he would be attacking into the heart of enemy territory with only 120 battle brothers, no heavy support or armoured vehicles and no preparatory bombardment to soften up the target.

Firstly, and most importantly, was surprise. The enemy may have been expecting an attack, but they did not know when, where or how. Secondly, the defenders were only local planetary defence forces, low quality troops with little discipline and, by Space Marine standards, poorly equipped. Their morale would also be poor, and Armaros expected that after a sudden, swift blow organized resistance would crumble. Thirdly, overwhelming concentration of forces. The Avenging Sons strike force would be close together and fighting as one unit. The enemy would need to call in reinforcements from other defensive positions, if these could be delayed that would give him time to complete the job. Success would require courage, precision and speed, but the Space Marines had all three.

The Avenging Sons' strike cruiser Proxima Justus disengaged its warp drives and plunged back into real-space just beyond the Taros system. It immediately came to battle-stations and made best course for Taros II.

The Governor's Palace is the centre of Tarokeen government. The main building is the Governor's private residence itself, a spacious palace mostly delved into the rocky hillside. Other important buildings are: The Halls of Justice, Taros' highest legal court; the Senate Hall, the debating chamber of the Governor's advisors; the Mercantile Hall, where the Merchant Guilders meet; the Chapel of the Divine Emperor, the palace's shrine of the Imperial Cult; the Terran Tower, Tarokeen's highest point, which stretches towards Holy Terra.

Most Imperial planets have some form of systems defence, and Taros was no different. It could call upon its network of surface to orbit missiles and a single squadron of three system defence monitors. It was a force incapable of matching a heavily armed and armoured Space Marine strike cruiser, and although the Monitors were given orders to engage the approaching Space Marines, all three ship crews refused the order and mutinied rather than face almost certain destruction. The Space Marine's reputation travelled before them. Proxima Justus' approach to Taros was unimpeded.

Once in orbit, the only threat to the Proxima Justus would be the missile silos. These would take some time to target, prepare and launch. Upon arrival in orbit, the Avenging Sons would already be ready to launch drop pods. After launching and planerfall the strike cruiser and her escort would withdraw to stand off Taros at a safer distance whilst the ground assault was completed. It would only move in again when required.

The Proxima Justus swept into position in low orbit and Captain Armaros gave the order to launch the first drop pod wave before boarding his own drop pod to lead the second wave, which followed close behind the first.

The launch operation went like clockwork. One after another the drop pods sped away from the strike cruiser, burnt through the atmosphere and plunged down, retro-thrusters re-orientating each pod towards its pre-programmed landing coordinates The first pod to land was the Deathwind, aimed directly at the Governor's residence and loaded with a lethal cargo of missiles to sweep the area with indiscriminate fire. As it opened fire, the four blocking Tactical squads would be landing and disembarking to take up their defensive positions.

From the inner courtyard in front of Govenor Aulis' residence the sky above was streaked with fiery comet trails as the drop pods burnt through the atmosphere. The distant roar of engines and rushing wind grew louder. Then came the sudden hissing roar as retro jets went into full burn to slow the final descent of the rapidly approaching drop pods. Next came a ground-shaking impact which shattered nearby windows and created a rising plume of thick dust. Through the dust the distinctive shape of the drop pod, sitting upright in the courtyard, could just be made out. A brief moment's silence and stillness followed before the electronic servo-whine of the locking bolts disengaging and the ramps starting to fall. Stunned onlookers watched as the dust cleared to reveal the Deathwind drop pod's lethal contents.

The courtyard became an inferno as rapid firing missiles sprayed out in all directions. A cacophony of explosions shook the palace, one after another, pulverizing masonry and sending onlookers fleeing for cover. The bombardment was brief but intense, turning the courtyard into a smoking hell of shrapnel and flames. This was only the beginning. Amidst the sudden missile attack the fiery con-trails of the second wave of drop pods had not been noticed by anyone. Having discharged its missiles, the Deathwind pod fell silent, but the roar of retro-engines again filled the sky. With a crashing, jarring impact the drop pods landed one after another, split open like the petals of a deadly flower to disgorge squads of power-armoured giants, moving with purpose through the dust, smoke and flames. The battle for the Governor's Palace had begun in earnest. The initial attack stunned the defenders. The residence building was guarded by a single squad on sentry duty, and they had borne the brunt of the firepower. Several of those caught in the open had been killed, their bodies tossed through the air like ragged dolls to lie broken upon the courtyard's now rubble-strewn floor. The Palace garrison was already responding to the attack, gathering weapons and running from their barracks buildings to meet the attackers head on.

Captain Armaros issued commands over his helmet comm link and moved towards the target building. Ahead of him the Assault squads were running, bolt pistols drawn, chainsword and frag grenades held ready to assault the building entrance. The distinctive bark and thunder-clap explosion of boltgun shells could already be heard. The sentry squad survivors attempted to return fire, lasguns flashing with little effect.

Those guards that stood their ground to defend the entrance to the palace residence died screaming as the Avenging Sons Assault squads mercilessly tore through them, leaving their victims as little more than bloody offal. Melta-charges destroyed the armoured doors, and through the explosion leapt the Assault squads. After viewing the scenes outside nobody inside had the metal to stand and fight. All fled rather than faces the notorious 'Angels of Death'.

Captain Armaros and his squads swept through the Governor's residence, room by room, throwing fragmentation grenades and clearing rooms with bursts of bolt pistol fire. The training doctrines were second nature. Any who did not escape fast enough were cut down. Eventually the lead squads crashed into an inner council chamber were a group of officials and guards had sought sanctuary. The guards opened fire, more in desperation and self-defence than in any hope of victory. This was it, Governor Aulis must be amongst them, the rest of the building had been cleared. From outside the chamber doorway, as lasgun fire flashed by, Armaros activated his teleport homer. The signal was received onboard the Proxima Justus. In the onboard teleport chamber five heavily armoured Terminators awaited the summons.

Each was armed with a storm bolter and powerfist, except for one man carrying the assault cannon and Veteran Sergeant Foras with the squad chainfist, a power weapon capable of cutting through just about any material. The titanic energies of the teleporter made the room throb with power. Lighting flashed and arced across the room as the Techpriests made final adjustment and issued fervent prayer to the spirit of the ancient machine. The prayers did not fail.

In a blinding flash of white light the Terminator squad vanished, briefly being cast across the warp before reappearing amidst crackling lightning in the council chamber far below.

The firefight was over in a faction of a second. The assault cannon whirred into life, raking the room with a storm of shells which tore up the desks and wails. Storm bolter joined the slaughter, blazing their own explosive rounds into the officials and guards. As the smoke cleared none were left standing. The Planetary Governor was dead.

Captain Armaros ordered Apothecary Actium to cross check DNA samples from the party with the Order Famulous records of the House Aulis genetic codes. It was information the Administratum had provided at the beginning of the mission. The test would confirm the mission was complete. Meanwhile, the Assault squads and Terminators deployed into holding positions and began to engage the barracks troops who were arriving too late to save their commander. Apothecary Actium set about his task, using his narthecium and checking the ragged, bloody bodies one by one. All failed the genetic matching test. Actium informed his captain that Planetary Governor Aulis was not amongst the dead. He must have escaped, or by some ill-fortune never have been here at all. Captain Armaros cursed, and issued the codeword 'Malevolent' over the comm-net- mission objective failed, prepare to go to phase 2.

Meanwhile, beyond the palace walls, the four blocking positions had been formed. Veteran Sergeant Einem had the squads under his command well organised. Upon landing resistance had been zero, but it did not remain so for long. After a quiet couple of minutes, the sound of jet engines could be heard approaching. Overhead the dark, swept wing outline of a Tau Manta swooped over the city, like a great shadow skimming low over the roof tops. The battle brothers at each position braced their boltguns tight and took aim up the street. They did not have long to wait.

Captain Armaros had expected some attempted to breakthrough to the Governor's Palace by exterior forces, but not so swiftly, and he had not expected to encounter well equipped Таu forces. The first the Avenging Sons knew of any Tau forces on Taros was the arrival of the Manta over the night-darkened city. Soon Hammerhead gunships, followed by Crisis battlesuits and Devilfish-mounted Fire Warriors would be closing in on blocking position three. An entire Hunter Cadre was bearing down on the Space Marines, moving at speed to reinforce the Governor's Palace. At blocking position three the street was suddenly criss-crossed by bolt gun and pulse rifle fire. The smoky con-trail of the squads missile launcher screamed up the street impacting upon the front of the Hammerhead in a bright explosion which buckled and scorched the armour but did not stop the approachinq grav-tank. It opened fire in return, punching through the buildings with its long railgun sending masonry crashing to the street.

The opening skirmish was a one sided affair but the Avenging Sons stood their ground and hammered out round after round, refusing to fall back. Sergeant Einem ordered the squad at position two, the next closest to position three, to move and reinforce their battle brothers. The Tactical squad moved out, pounding down the streets towards the sounds of fighting now echoing off the buildings of Tarokeen. At position three, the situation was deteriorating rapidly. With heavy support and weight of numbers on their side the Tau advanced down the street. Fire Warriors dodged from doorway to doorway under the covering fire of battlesuits and the Hammerhead. It was fierce and intense, but the remaining Avenging Sons knew they must hold. The longer they fought, the more time they bought their captain to complete his mission. Already several brothers had been killed by heavy weapons fire, others were badly wounded but fighting on regardless. Sergeant Andura of third Tactical squad was amongst the dead, his broken body lying half buried under fallen masonry after a railgun round impacted next to him.

The arrival of Tactical squad two did little to help the situation. The Tau Hunter cadre was too strong. Their firepower swept the roads clear, forcing the Space Marines into the cover of the buildings. The Crisis battlesuits led the final assault, leaping down the street on jetpacks to rake the buildings with flamer and fusion cannon fire. Unable to win a one-sided contest, the survivors of squads two and three where ordered to disengage and fallback to the Governor's Palace. The remaining Tactical squads at positions one and four were also recalled to the palace as Captain Armaros regrouped his full strength. Ten out of the twenty brothers involved in the fighting at position three had been killed in the firefight; six more were wounded. These were heavy losses for Einem's force. The Tau had broken through the cordon and, leaving a few units to secure the area, moved on towards their objective, the Governor's Palace.

Pre-warned of the approaching Tau Hunter Cadre by reports of the firefight at blocking position three, Captain Armaros set about re-organising his forces for a defence.

Governor Aulis had not been found, and time was running out. The presence of strong Tau forces on Taros had been unexpected and unplanned for. Their swift counter-attack had seized the initiative off the Space Marines and put them on the defensive. The Avenging Sons were now reacting to Tau moves. Captain Armaros' immediate task was clear, repel the counter-attack with the forces he had at his disposal. Phase two of the mission, and his hunt for the Planetary Governor, would now have to wait.

The Tau's next attack was again presaged by the roar of jet engines of Barracudas raced low over Tarokeen to launch rockets into the Governor's Palace. Already battle scarred from the Space Marine attack, the once elegant buildings were rapidly becoming ragged ruins. Masonry and support beams collapsed under the repeated impacts. Fires were burning out of control and spreading rapidly, smoke billowing high into the sky. Through the wreckage stalked the armoured bulk of the Space Marines, finding positions from which to repel the coming attack.

Captain Armaros had few illusions; this would be a stern test of his men. He was now heavily outgunned by the Tau. When it hit, the attack would be powerful and concentrated. It would be deadly close quarters combat, building to building, room to room, but this would be to his battle brothers' advantage. Any Space Marine was easily a match for the aliens at close quarters. The ground fighting followed close behind the Tau's air strike. Tau ground forces were infiltrating through the buildings, and rail rifle armed marksmen had moved into position at any high points overlooking the palace courtyards. Firefights started to break out as perimeter squads were engaged by pulse rifle fire. Along the surrounding streets came Devilfish transports, disembarking Fire Warrior units who attempted to route out the Space Marines with photon grenades and burst cannon fire. It seemed each squad was fighting its own small but deadly battle. As the Tau attempted to press forwards the Space Marines stood firm and through them back, inflicting heavy losses in the close quarters combat. The Terminators and Assault squads were busiest. Stalking from room to room through the now empty and burning barracks buildings, they repeatedly charged the enemy, chainswords whirring and storm bolters barking. Against such fierce counter-attacks the Tau gained no headway and eventually retreated, leaving their dead and dying scattered through the buildings.

As night fell, Armaros and his men were still holding their positions, but casualties were mounting, and the supply situation was becoming a problem. Armaros took stock. Ammunition, especially frag and krak grenades, was running low, but he had some eighty one men still battle-worthy, including all the Terminators and both Dreadnoughts. The Tau must also be feeling the strain of battle. The Hunter Cadre had been mauled by the Space Marines' stoic defence. After a day of fighting there was finally a pause. For the first time since the drop pods had landed, Tarokeen did not reverberate to the sounds of gun fire and explosions. It was as if both sides were taking a deep breath before resuming.

The second night did not pass without combat. The Tau send out small teams to infiltrate into good firing positions, using the darkness as cover, but the Space Marines had their own roving patrols, moving through the rubble in pairs or threes. In the darkness, short firefights would suddenly erupt when two patrols clashed, only for the Tau to quickly withdraw. It was now that the Space Marines began to show their true worth. For a second night they did not need to sleep like Imperial Guardsmen, their power armour continued to supply them with the nutrition and liquid they needed to keep fighting at peak efficient. Their endurance and superior powers of recovery meant that after a day and night they were all still as ready for the fight as the moment they landed. Many bore wounds that would have killed mere men, but still fought on regardless.

The second day dawned with the red haze of fires illuminating the smoke blackened sky over Tarokeen. Except for the sporadic patrol clashes the night had been quiet. Dawn would see that change. Their infantry led attack had been repulsed yesterday, the Tau now moved their heavier weapons into position to lead the second attack. With jet engines whirring, the Tau Hammerheads, Devilfish and battlesuits slowly moved through the streets, drone-controlled burst cannons covering the buildings as they manoeuvred into position to bombard the Governor's Palace. It seemed that if the Tau could not drive the Space Marines out, they would pound them with destructive fire.

For the Avenging Sons the battle for the Governor's Palace was now a bitter struggle for survival, but their mission was not complete, so Captain Armaros was determined to fight on. To do so he needed assistance and called on the Proxima Justus. Aboard the strike cruiser, the hangar decks were full with Thunderhawk gunships and transporters loaded with armoured fighting vehicles, all waiting for the order to launch. But with only a small secure perimeter to land in, sending the transporters was judged to be too risky. The Thunderhawks armed for a ground attack mission, would be of great assistance, but with Tau Barracudas already over the combat zone, they risked a dogfight. For now, the Thunderhawks must be kept safely in reserve incase an evacuation mission was required. Only if Armaros' situation became critical would the Thunderhawks be called upon.

The first day of the battle had been fierce, day two would see the intensity increase again. The Tau had used the night-time lull to reinforce their mauled Hunter Cadre. Now they would throw everything they had at the Space Marines to destroy them. At first light, the Barracudas were ready for new strikes on the Governor's Palace, then the ground assault would resume. Attacks would commence from all directions, but the main weight of today's attack would be aimed at the gate. Crush resistance here, and the Space Marine forces could be broken into small pockets to be mopped up later, but the battle would be won.

As with day one, the Tau attack was presaged by a flight of Barracudas whose missiles and burst cannon strafed the Space Marines' positions amongst the rubble. Lacking any form of anti-aircraft defence the Space Marines could do little against the Barracudas, except stay low in their cover and wait for the attack to end. After several low passes the Barracuda's departed to re-arm, and the Tau ground bombardment began. With their distinctive whip-crack sound, railgun rounds slammed into buildings. Burst cannon pulses ricocheted of walls and rubble. A phalanx of heavy fire hammered the palace, round after round, relentless and merciless. The Tau were blasting the Space Marines out from a distance, building after building was targeted. Roofs collapsed, walls cracked, rounds punched through masonry to explode within. The noise was deafening, as the buildings of the Governor's Palace were systematically destroyed. A choking cloud of dust rose to blanket the battleground.

Opposite the main gate two Hammerheads slowly manoeuvred through the streets, constantly firing on the move. The impact of round after round eventually caused the gatehouse to collapse. The Devastator squad within returned fire with their missile launchers and lascannons, but the weight of fire kept them pinned down. It was punishment not even the mighty Space Marines could withstand for long. It seemed the Tau were attempting to match their enemy's brutality. The bombardment lasted all morning and well into the afternoon. Captain Armaros had little to respond with, except his own man-portable heavy weapons. It was an uneven match. With no other option open to him, the Captain contacted the Proxima Justus to request air support. The Thunderhawks were still prepared and ready to launch. It was a risk, but the situation on the ground was deteriorating. An air strike by the Thunderhawk's bombs and missiles was quickly planned. The Barracudas were still in the sky overhead, but the Thunderhawks would have to run the risks to assist their embattled brothers on the ground.

All five Thunderhawk gunships onboard the strike cruiser launched and made for the Governor's Palace. It was a powerful strike force, enough to keep the Tau at bay, but first it must run the gauntlet of the Barracuda fighters.

As the squadron vectored in on Tarokeen, descending rapidly, weapons primed, the Barracudas climbed to intercept. The Thunderhawks dove through the fighter screen, heavy bolters blazing as the Barracudas opened fire with burst cannons. Despite the repeated impact of pulse rounds the formation did not waver, keeping their formation tight and on course, and trusting to their thick ceramite armour plating. The Barracudas fire was ineffective. Calmly the Space Marine pilots kept their aircraft on course until over the city, whilst the gunners located targets and prepared to open fire with their main weaponry.

The flight of Thunderhawks roared down onto the city, strafing with battle cannons, turbo-lasers and heavy bolters before releasing their bombs. The guided bombs ripped into the palace surroundings. Explosions rippled through the buildings, tearing great holes in roofs and walls, flames and shrapnel engulfing whole blocks. Buildings across the city were rocked by the concussion of the bombing. Now the destruction was radiating outwards from the palace.

The air strike must have caused the Tau commanders serious concern, as in the aftermath their attack died down to sporadic sniping and skirmishing. What damage it actually caused was unknown, but as the roar of the Thunderhawks faded, the Tau withdrew again. It was a brief lull in the battle that did not last long, but it had bought Captain Armaros' men precious time to reorganise their defences.

It was at the gate that the hammer-blow eventually fell. Hammerheads and battlesuits led the way, attacking at full speed they crashed through the rubble of the gate house. The lead Hammerhead was immediately hit by lascannon fire and exploded in a blossoming orange fireball. Fire from the second grav-tank killed the lascannon gunner in return. A krak missile destroyed a Broadside battlesuit but, after the brief firefight, only three remaining Devastators squad members withdrew. Devilfish-mounted infantry closed in behind the armoured vanguard. Captain Armaros realised that he was losing his hold, and his perimeter was in danger of breaking. Faced with no other choice, he committed the Terminator squad to the tight. Wading through fire and smoke, the veterans met the Crisis battlesuits in a head-on exchange of fire. Both sides suffered heavy losses. The Space Marines fought for every inch, but the Tau's heavier weapons could not be matched. Three of the veteran Terminators died in the fighting, as did four battlesuits. Brothers Hakael and Cairn joined the battle, destroying the second Hammerhead with their heavy weapons, before Brother Cairn sustained a hit which tore off his left leg, toppling the Dreadnought to the ground and leaving it stranded and a sitting duck for following shots.

For an hour the fight at the gate raged. Led by Chaplain Baraqel the defenders fought heroically. Pressure was intense, and with the commitment of the Dreadnoughts and Terminators, there were no more reinforcements to give. Bolter rounds and missiles whined through the air, holding the Fire Warriors at bay. Meanwhile, the Tau continued to launch secondary attacks ail around the perimeter, pinning Space Marine squads in position, units that could otherwise be used to bolster the defence of the gatehouse.

Captain Armaros knew that his position was hopeless. The Tau had bled his force, and now heavy casualties and a lack of ammunition were forcing him to accept that withdrawal was the only course open to him if he wanted to save his company. It galled him, but resistance here was now greater than his company could match. He had no idea of the enemy's total strength. He knew that his men might hold out for days only to eventually be overwhelmed by their numbers, and for what gain? The Governor of Taros was now beyond his reach and the Avenging Sons  were  facing annihilation. Armaros needed to evacuate the survivors and rescue what he could from the mission. After a brief command meeting in the ruins of the Governor's residence, Armaros informed the Proxima Justus of his decision to evacuate. At nightfall the Thunderhawks were to be launched for an extraction mission. Orders were given to all the squad leaders, or stand-in leaders in those squads that had lost their sergeants. At nightfall there would a staggered withdrawal to the inner courtyard, where one by one the Thunderhawks would land, load up, and carry them back to their strike cruiser. It was an operation fraught with difficulty. It must be done swiftly so as to give the encircling Tau forces the minimum time to respond. Captain Armaros himself would lead the rearguard and be the last to board a Thunderhawk.

As night fell over the battlefield the Space Marine commander again took stock of his situation. The force had been reduced to approximately forty battle-worthy brothers and one Dreadnought, merely enough men to need only two Thunderhawk gunships for the extraction. The other gunships would fly as cover to those required to make the landings. Re-armed and re-fuelled, the Thunderhawks set аbout their new mission.

Apothecary Actium started recoverin the progenoid glands from all of the fallen brothers he could find, some were already buried deep under the ruins. It was an important task if the Chapter's heavy losses were to be made good. Chaplain Baraqel said prayers for the dead, standing over the lifeless form of Brother Caim. Once a proud war-machine and a hero of the Chapter, now nothing more that a smoking wreck of twisted metal and wires. Amongst all the losses his was the most grievous for 2nd company.

Captain Armaros took command of an understrength Tactical squad and the remaining Scouts as the rearguard, and gave orders to the first squads -including Brother Hakael, Apothecary Actium and Chaplain Baraqel - to stand ready to withdraw to the first Thunderhawk when it touched down. After they blasted off, the second wave was then to abandon their positions, covered by the rearguard, and make for the landing zone. In all the evacuation operation should take no more than ten minutes not enough time for the Tau to react in force.

The distant sound of Thunderhawk engines approached and the evacuation began. Moving slowly through the darkness, crunching over rubble and broken glass, battle-scarred, scorched and wounded, the survivors loaded into the waiting Thunderhawk's hold. Overhead four other gunships circled. Brother Hakael was the last to climbed the ramp and it closed behind him. The last Thunderhawk blasted off for orbit, accelerating away from the battlefield.

Alerted by the engine noise, the Tau patrols cautiously crept forwards to investigate. Where once Space Marines had barred their advance with boltgun fire, now there was nothing.

Meanwhile, a second transport had landed, and the remaining squads quickly embarked. Captain Armaros fell back to the landing zone, bringing up the rear of his squad, boltgun in hand. He ran up the ramp and hit the door close button. The triple engines boomed into life and thrust the Thunderhawk skywards again. The battle was over, but the mission had failed.

The First Taros Intervention had been a heavy reverse for the Imperium. The Tau had inflicted serious damage on the Avenging Sons in two days of intense combat. The damage inflicted on the aliens was unknown, but must also have been significant. There had been many confirmed kills and the battlefield was littered with wrecks of Tau grav-tanks and battlesuits.

The Avenging Sons took the defeat badly. Space Marines Chapters enjoy a glorious reputation as the 'Shield of Humanity' and defeat by an alien-invader was not to be taken lightly. The death of Brother Caim was to be avenged. The Chapter's fortress-monastery mourned the dead, and the great bell tolled once for each of the brothers lost on Taros.

Events on Taros, the failure of the Intervention Force, and the confirmed report of strong Tau forces fighting in the defence of the Planetary Governor, forced a change in attitude by officials of the Administratum towards the Taros problem. News of defeat was bad enough, but it seemed the Tau had already staked a claim to one of the Emperor's worlds. What had been a border skirmish was now a serious threat. Events around the Eye of Terror might be demanding many of the Imperium's resources, but Taros would not be ignored.

Taros was official declared Ex Imperius Rebellis, a system in rebellion against the Emperor's divine rule. The sacred Pax Imperialis had been torn up by Planetary Governor Aulis. His actions now made him not just a criminal but a traitor. The Tau were already on Taros in force and they must be ejected. The Master of the Administratum signed a document stating just this, as well as listing the Planetary Governor's crimes (over 100 in all, mostly punishable by death). The document, called the 'Taronian Declaration', was a licence to action a new, larger attack against the rebel world.

Next time, the attack would not be a surgical strike by a single strike force of Space Marines, it would require the involvement of all those fighting arms of the Imperium willing to commit forces to repel alien aggression. The invasion of Taros was now in motion...

Brother Hakael, a MKIV Dreadnought or the Avenging Sons Chapter, armed with a powerfist and twin-linked heavy bolters, on his right leg he bears the 2nd Company badge, as well as a litany of devotion and a purity seal.
Brother Caim, a MkV Dreadnought of the Avenging Son Chapter. Armed with a powerfist and twin-linked autocannons. he bears the Taros Campaign badge on his left leg. Brother Caim was lost during the Battle of the Governor's Palace.
Thunderhawk gunship of the Avenging Sons Chapter. This is the third aircraft deployed with the Taros Intervention Force. It flew ground attack missions before all the Chapter's forces were extracted from the planet.
Drop pod used by the First Тaros Intervention Force during the attack on the Governor's Palace. This pod bears the badge of the Company's first Assault squad.	This drop pod bears a skull command badge; it maybe the pod used by 2nd Company's Captain Armaros. Alternatively, it may be the Deathwing drop pod used to lead the attack.
Devilfish troop carrier from the battle for the Governors Palace, again coloured for night-time operations. This vehicle was destroyed during the fighting.
Hammerhead gunship armed with a railgun. This vehicle took part in the battle at blocking position three, and is camouflaged for night-time operations.
Manta. This aircraft's appearance over the city was a complete surprise. It carried the Tau's first response force to the Space Marine attack, and then shuttled in Tau reinforcements throughout the battle for the Governor's Palace.