Smoke, and the sound of searing flesh awoke Tu-Buku from his moment of remembrance.
"Ah, my friend, I was just thinking about the magic ring we found on that moon."
Ju-Kal, Tu-Buku's long time friend and aid, removed the red hot branding iron from Tu-Buku's chest.
"This branding of the ring suits you my lord. It is said that....................."
Klaxons sounded, interrupting the moment of peace between long time friends.
"War calls Ju-Kal, prepare my armor."
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The briefing was short. Another item, possibly of great power, has been found on the surface of the same moon, and signatures of aircraft, not Astartes, showing to be going towards the same coordinates.
"Tu-Buku, take your tac squads to the surface immediately, and secure the relic. The Fireborn are still gearing up. We will send reinforcements down as soon as we can.", said the commander.
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Tu-Buku and his tac squads quickly set up a defensive position within an abandoned building within a settlement that has been wracked by time.
"Sir, it's a small metal disk. Seems ordinary. I don't know..........AHHHH"
Seemingly out of nowhere, laser blasts peppered the building from the front, and a herd of dogs, walking upright, came at them towards the rear.
The Salamanders unleashed a fury of fire and bolter shells at the dog men, nearly slaughtering them all in one salvo. The few cowards left fled the field, earning the Salamanders first blood, but the worst was to come.
Fire Warriors, directed by something that resembled a large suit, advanced and fired, advanced and fired. Deadly accurate, the marines fell one by one. Other suits, not as large as the one that appeared to be the leader, leant their fire power to the fray. With larger weapons, that tore great chunks out of the walls, and buried more marines beneath the rubble, they advanced with glee in their eyes.
"We are being surrounded and overcome with their fire power sir. The reinforcements must get here........"
Before he could finish, O-Tuk was disintegrated by melta fire.
The outcome looked grim for the Salamanders. Shells caked the ground as they fought on, relentlessly firing through window holes, and ducking incoming blasts from the enemy.
And then, like a storm, the Fireborn arrived. Still bearing scars from its last battle, the ancient one and redeemer came upon the enemy like angry dragons, bathing them in sheets of flame. The enemy fell in great numbers, crisped like weeds set aflame, the enemy shrunk in their presence.
But then another foe joined the battle. An even larger suit than all the others. It brought its weapons up and fired. The onslaught was great. The redeemer exploded, and the ancient one was brought down by repeated melta blasts. The Fireborn inside the redeemer brushed off the ash and blood. Inspired by the ramblings of their Chaplain, they set a course for the large suit and advanced.
As much as they tried, the Fireborn could not engage the large suit. The alien coward fired, and flew away on its jet pack.
The battle of attrition came to a head at the front of the building where Tu-Buku and his men fought to nearly the last. A mad dash by the Fire Warriors came up short, as the Salamanders cut them down. A lucky shot, one guided by Vulkan himself, laid low the enemy warlord. Although the Fireborn were unable to unleash their thunder hammers down upon the enemy to their fullest potential, they were able to draw enough fire from Tu-Buku and his men, to allow them to fully secure the relic, and leave the site.
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Upon the flagship, the Librarius examined the relic.
"This is a token of trade and commerce. What the people on Old Earth called a nickel. And the print is one of its original chapter masters. He was known as Thomas Jefferson."
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Battle Result: Major Victory for the Salamanders
