A slightly smaller Mess

*logen tears his sword from the automata, flaring his jump pack to escape its retaliation.* "WE WILL COVER YOU INQUISITOR!" *with that, the salamanders begin to issue fearsome fire, two heavy bolters, and staggered fire from the multimelta serves to highlight them to the enemy, drawing fire.*

*Mute hefts his infernus heavy bolter from the sandbags, firing from the hip as he retreats backwards*

*Mac puts one of hera's arms over his shoulder, and half carries her away.*

Charles also is slow to fall back, covering the marines with psychic shielding. At that moment, several chaos thunderhawks fly into the hangar, adding their fire to the automata's. Each one lands, releasing two rhinos each. Although the rhinos look....different. Bigger, more armoured. The rhinos quickly spread out as the thunderhawks leave, evenly spaced, before their armour plating seems to.... unfold, forming barricades and defence lines, each linking to the defence lines formed by the other rhinos. Upon completing these defence line, each rhino disgorges its iron warriors passengers, spreading out along the defence line before firing on the defenders from their relative safety

*Jax and serah show no signs of retreat, him fighting in relentless silence, and her still singing at the height of her voice.*
"Our beloved emperor! Guide this day my holy wrath, with blade and bolter died, let such be my epitaph!"

*The necrons respond with their usual silent determination, but also with an interesting addition. the pyramid, set into the floor of the hanagar, shudders and begins to move. Metal arms, like fingers fold upwards, veridian energy leaping between them. Unwholesome energies course across its surface as it rises, a great crystal of green forming from the sparking energy, and weapons jutting from its corners. A blast of energy, of incredible power strikes the central rhino, throwing it into the air*

Charles: *grabs the two by the shoulder* I think the emperor would prefer you to live a bit longer to kill more of his enemies *grinning*

*the marines focus fire on the retreating necrons, while the automata, at least the castellax, turn their guns on the monolith, focussing melta weaponry and darkfire weapons on the pyramid*

OOC: So what's happening?

*The monolyth holds their fire for just long enough to the necrons to have fully retreated while outputting a staggering quantity of firepower, before dissapearing in a swirl of veridian energy.*

Jax: "We're just holdin em back so you and yours get away scot free." *he takes the head off another iron warrior who seems to misunderstand the concept of an anti material rifle.* "Come on honey."

Serah: *she fires a few more shots for good measure, then turns and starts hussling the fuck outta there.*

*The salamanders continue to hold the enemy at bay, dodging from cover to cover, no mean feat while carrying a heavy bolter and ammunition. Mallus and logen laying down fire, more to distract the enemy than anything, from behind sandbags stacked against the necrodermis pillars.*

OOC: Inquisition, a few sallies and a necron dynasty thats slowly waking up are defending a necron doomsday device from iron warriors

OOC: Like a fuck lot of them. four battleships and a gloriana class if i remember correctly.

OOC:  DEUS EX BUSHWOOKIE TIME?!
*cough* I mean, carry on gentlemen...I'm gonna watch

OOC: Heh, you can roll up with something if you like

Charles: BROTHER ASTARTES! I BELIEVE YOU CAN STOP HEROICALLY HOLDING THE LINE FOR A MINUTE AND PULL BACK!

Logen: "I BELIEVE THAT MAY BE PRUDENT." *Unloads the rest of his pistol magazine* "DIE YOU TRAITOROUS BASTARDS!"

*With that, the astartes begin to fall back, worse the wear for their rearguard action, but alive.*

OOC: Cue 'Imperial' battlegroup rolling in

Charles is last to pull back, covering the retreat of the others

*in the corridor beyond, which has a strategically placed switchback turn between the door and the main tunnel, the assorted soldiery regroup*

*the mechanicus forces stationed at the second line of defence bring weapons online. Charles regroups with the others*

Hera is leaning heavily on macs shoulder, they're talking, but charles can't hear. Mac pulls out his canteen, and offers her it.

Charles takes a quick count of their men to make sure of the casualties

*its probably a lot, your dudes you say how many die.*

after sorting the men out as best he can he goes over to Hera

*As he walks over, she swallows something from her hand, and drinks from mac's canteen. then coughs a little* "I was expecting water."

Mac: "You looked like you needed the other canteen."

Charles: you alright?

Hera: "Used a lot back there." *She wipes her mouth on her cuff.* "Needed a pick me up."

Charles: you're still walking, that'll do for now *smiles* How're the others?

Hera: "Few bolt hits, but armour's holding. Hakken says thanks for that by the way, his arm is still attached."

Charles: don't mention it. Hopefully we'll be able to hold them here, bunched up and funneled in with this additional firepower.

*charles feels hera's aura flare noticeably, and she sets her jaw. Mac puts a steadying hand on her shoulder, she leans on him a little, and clenches her left hand, igniting it.* "Oh yeah... we'll hold em."

Charles: don't burn yourself out, Hera.

Hera: "Nice pun." *she raises an eyebrow at him* "I'll only use what i need."

Charles: good. *sighs* wasn't expecting damn automata. Haven't seen those types in a very long time.

Mac: "Litterally haven't fired a shot yet. I doubt a shotgun would have done anything. Not even overpacked slugs."

"Smart use of ammo. No, those are the things the mechanicus used to prosecute its wars during the great crusade and the horus heresy... I didn't even know anyone knew how to make them anymore."

Logen: *walking past* "Fucking tin cans. Turns out the warriors can make them, that much is obvious."

Charles: I wouldn't disrespect the machines, logen. Your legion used them too.

Logen: "Can't replace a human mind inquisitor. Fucking things are useless without someone programming them every five bloody seconds."

Charles: that's how they do it these days. Back then? not so much.

Logen: "Its either that or tech heresy."

"Ask your captain about this, he'll back me up. Back then it wasn't considered tech heresy. Those things aren't sentient, they're not self aware, but they have rudimentary artificial brains and minds. They have enough intelligence to follow commands, or if they lack commands, assess a situation and follow a per programmed series of actions to suit the situation."

Logen: "Tech heresy... And why the hell'd the captain know eh?"

Charles: you doubt your captain's knowledge? Like I said. It wasn't considered tech heresy until after the heresy itself.

Logen: "No, just no reason why he'd know, we've never fought em, or with em."

Charles: just because you've not fought something doesn't mean you don't know about them. You know about the traitor primarchs do you not? Or Nomus Rhy'tan? or Eidolan? or a hundred other heroes and villains of those dark days?

logen: "Aye, aye, ease off lad."

Charles: anyway. How're you and your men looking, worse for ware i take it?

*he's liberally pockmarked with bolt shell craters.* "Been worse, everyone's armour's still holding."

"Good. They're going to have to advance right at us, in the open, no cover and bunched up. We've got cover at our end. I think you know where this is going."

"Heavy firepower all aimed downrange, crossfire, yeah i get it. don't mean i like it."

"Fish in a barrel Logen"

"And i get to stand around doing sweet fuck all until shit hits the fan."

Charles: you get to save our asses if things go wrong. Being the big heroic astartes you are. *grin*

Logen: "I don't overly appreciate your tone inquisitor."

"And I don't overly appreciate your lack of priorities, Brother astartes. Kill heretics now. Complain about not getting into glorious close quarters later."