Veneratio Tigris
An Imperial Tigers story by Jerrod Fortner
"Hold them, Brothers! They must not reach the civilians! Rip them apart!"
Sergeant Ardo Malisse laid down a hail of fire with his storm bolter, but the rounds seemed to be ineffective against the slow advance of the Necron terror. The soulless machines, foul servants of the creatures known only as the C'tan, came forward, their bodies shining in the moonlight of Bengall Secundus' night. Their emotionless faces showed them for what they were: the incarnation of death itself.
A scream from beside him caused Ardo to turn and he watched as his brother Yusuf was ripped apart before his very eyes. Ardo roared in anger and pain, pumping a full round into the Pariah that stood before him. His efforts were futile, though, as the Pariah merely dodged the rounds and approached him. Ardo could feel his mind begin to unravel as the aura of pure fear radiated from the metal frame of the once human creature. The Pariah raised its right hand and pointed at Ardo and said, in a voice that came from the grave, "Death has come for you, human."
Ardo felt his throat seize up and his twin hearts accelerated to a painful rate. With a start, Ardo realized what the Pariah was doing. He screamed as his twin hearts exploded within his chest.
Ardo snapped back to reality as Esahc came toward him, carrying his now inseparable heavy bolter. He looked at Ardo in puzzlement and asked, "Are you alright, Brother Sergeant?"
Ardo nodded and said, "No. I mean, yes, Brother. I am fine. Squad continue on, two meter spread."
Ardo caught an odd glance from Esahc and he smiled to reassure his friend's fears. Esahc nodded and turned, covering their route with his heavy bolter before continuing forward. Ardo moved forward and quickly took point, leading his squad toward their objective.
After another half hour of sluggish movement through the dense jungles, they reached a large clearing, half a kilometer in diameter. Ardo motioned to Abhay, now recovered from his wounds at the hands of an Eldar Wraithlord, who set up a beacon in the center of the clearing. Ardo keyed his vox-bead and said, "Sergeant Malisse to all Adeptus Mechanicus mining teams. You are free to begin mining Bengall Secundus as soon as you please."