Tales of the Amber Viper Chapter 46

It began with a brilliant star in the sky, a tiny pinprick that came from nowhere. It hung in the heavens for an instant as a single mote, growing brighter and brighter until was painful to look upon, then it fell. Like a divine thunderbolt it descended, a searing trail of burning plasma that left streaks through the air as it plunged and when it touched the ground it erupted into a blazing inferno. Celestial fires spilled forth, engulfing an area a hundred metres wide. The Canopy burned, the underbrush charred to cinders and small animals were reduced to ashen skeletons. An ancient tree that had stood undisturbed since the Age of Apostasy was set aflame, toppling over with its trunk cracking to splinters as it fell with a thunderous crescendo of snapping branches.

The forest reeled as a hole was blown into its endless green reaches, trees shaking under the shockwave that blew forth, but worse was to come. Close on the heels of the first shot came another and another. Starship-grade plasma bolts, macrocannon rounds and turbolaser shots, blasting the forest apart with titanic force. The ground heaved under the impacts, soil fused to glass and trees were reduced to ash. Roots that had burrowed deep within the earth were blown free, sending splinters spinning high into the air. Fires raged freely, consuming all and running further out into the forest. Small animals and their predators ran for their lives but few escaped the carnage, the fireballs claiming everything in the area without exception. Shockwaves rattled the surrounding forest, shaking the trees to their roots.

The fires raged fiercely but only briefly, everything they could use for fuel was vaporised in moments. The barrage smote everything then snapped off, leaving ruination in its wake. The bombardment had been brief but intensely concentrated, leaving behind a square of smoking cinders two kilometres to a side. The fires ceased falling from heaven but the day was not done, for following in its wake came flurries of blocky shapes, Imperial shuttlecraft and orbital landers, dropping from orbit in tight formation. Their stubby wings and bulbous hulls paid scant heed to aerodynamics, preferring instead to power through the air on roaring rocket contrails. Aquila landers, Arvus lighters, servitor- driven cargo haulers, bulk lifters and a single massive Angantyr dropship, all setting down within the blasted square of scorched earth.

The various craft set down and from them poured warriors in vibrant amber armour, powered and scout variants. They hurriedly dashed across the burnt landscape, bolters held ready as they swept the area for danger. In their wake came lesser mortal men in ornate uniforms and tall furred hats, the Huscarls of House Chamandley, chasing the Astartes as fast as they were able. In moments they had formed a perimeter around the burnt square and then the workers emerged. From the landers chattels and servitors dragged heavy machinery: earth-moving machines, Ferrocrete mixers and prefab structures. It was from the Angantyr that the largest machines emerged, its pointed bow opening up to allow a double ramp to extend outwards and drop. Barely had it touched down when the first machines rolled out, setting churning blades and rollers to the scorched earth. They set off in moments, digging roots and stones out of the ground and then flattening it into a perfectly level surface.

The noise of busy industry was deafening and into that din walked Kerubim, marching down the ramp with Bane in tow. The apprentice was clad in his red armour and bore a heavy wrench in one hand, his bare face surveying the activity with satisfaction. His Vorax robot followed him pace for pace, guns held ready at a moment's notice. Kerubim stopped at the foot of the ramp and watched the earth-moving machines clearing the ground as he took in this world. The sky was clear and startlingly blue and the air was filled with loamy scents and the residue of sap from broken boughs, mixed with the acrid stank of burnt underbrush. The gravity was low, making his steps bounce and the moisture content was high, easily compensated for by his physiology, but a mortal would find it uncomfortable. A few percentiles higher and a human would drown trying to breathe this soup of an atmosphere.

A moment later a voice called out, "Don't just stand there, make way!"

Kerubim started and hastily jumped aside as Nathanal waved past a Ferrocrete pouring machine, guided by a half-dead servitor. His teacher came to stand next to Kerubim and muttered, "This is taking too long."

Kerubim glanced about and remarked, "With the sacred machines gifted to us by House Chamandley we make good progress. We should have a forward base operational in six hours."

Nathanal snorted, "Which is five hours too long. A proper Chapter could have a forward base dropped straight from orbit, mobile Fortresses, chapel-barracks, armouries, sacred reliquaries and plasma generators. Once I prided myself on being able to get a base up and running within an hour of setting foot upon a world."

Kerubim replied, "It is still faster than anything we have managed before, our logistics expand to match our needs. Once the base is up and running we can unpack the Valkyries, Vultures and Thunderhawks and set off for the twin objectives."

Nathanal shook his head and said, "So young, so inexperienced. You have no idea what the feral Xenos will do, six hours is a bloody long time to be sitting out in the open."

Kerubim sighed, "They are filthy aliens, no match for the righteous human spirit. They cannot withstand our superior courage and fortitude."

Nathanal sighed, "Spend a decade fighting at the sharp end of battle and then tell me that. Aliens rarely die as easily as the tale-tellers proclaim."

Kerubim was exasperated at being talked down to and snapped, "You are a mortal chattel, when have you seen battle?"

Nathanal's eyes hardened as he replied, "I've seen battle, I've seen Orks and Tyranids climbing the walls of Imperial fortresses, overrunning every defence. I've seen Space Marines carried in pieces from the battlefield, broken and spent. I've seen worlds scoured bare by Cyclonic torpedoes to stop their scourge."

Kerubim frowned as he asked, "When was that?"

Nathanal blinked and then said, "It was before the Time of Exodus. Now stop lollygagging and go oversee the placement of the buildings while I supervise the Ferrocrete pouring."

Kerubim sighed as they split up. Already the large machines were grinding forward, pouring quick-drying Ferrocrete onto the flattened dirt. The material hardened in under a minute, allowing surveyor-chattels to start etching out placements for the prehab buildings that would be erected within the hour. Kerubim didn't really need to do anything, the chattels were experienced and had their own work-gang leaders. Power generators, barracks, machine shops, Vox and Auspex towers, sentry turrets and landing pads, all were meticulously laid out in paint, ready for the first buildings to go up. Kerubim had seen Imperial slash and burn operations before and they were a picture of efficiency. The raw material of the forest was being laid bare by superior Imperial industry, the randomness of the green forest and wild animals replaced with prescribed lines and order. It was the image of mankind's dominance over the universe, conquering the wild elements and forcing nature into submission through force of will. Kerubim even dared to imagine the whole planet being subdued, conquered and colonised, Athelling could become a productive part of the Imperium, given time.

His musings were interrupted as Bane's insectoid head rose up and quivered, then suddenly the Vorax bounded forward, piston legs propelling it away. Kerubim started in shock and set off after it, shouting, "Bane! Stop that, come back!"

The Vorax seemed not to hear him, or was bound to protocols that overrode his commands, as it dashed to the perimeter of the clearing, leaving the poured Ferrocrete behind as it churned mud in its clawed feet. Its rotor cannons spun up, pointing at the trees nearest to a knot of Huscarls. The burnt edges of the perimeter ran right up to the treeline, a demarcation between the cleared ground and the gloomy darkness under the kilometre high trees. Kerubim grimaced as he saw the Vorax was aiming at nothing but a fallen bough and he shouted, "Bane! Relent!"

The Vorax finally froze, its weapons fixed in position, ready to fire but unable to do so without orders. Kerubim skidded to a halt next to his robot and slapped the side growling, "Don't run off when I call you, you're embarrassing me in front of the mortals." Bane didn't respond, merely pointing its weapons at the fallen log and Kerubim glanced at the Huscarls, trying to communicate his exasperation. It was only then that he noticed the humans weren't looking at him; instead they were staring at the same bough. Their faces were slack and their jaws hung limply, lasguns almost falling from their limp hands. They looked to be in a trance, mesmerised by something Kerubim couldn't see.

The Marine turned in curiosity and looked at the log, only to be amazed by the sight of multiple eyes staring back at him. Tucked into a space under the log was some form of beast, with a shimmering carapace and rows of eyes set along a spherical head. Shining fangs hung in a black maw and eight multi-jointed legs were folded up underneath it. How it had survived the bombardment was a mystery but Kerubim couldn't wonder about that right now, in fact he couldn't move or speak. Those black eyes filled his vision, beguiling him with a hypnotic allure that fixed him into immobility. His spirit railed at the sight and his mind tried to fight back, but he was in awe, fixated by the hypnotic power of the beast. Bane whined and tried to fire its rotor cannons but Kerubim couldn't give the order to fire, his jaw was clamped shut. Slowly the beast emerged, revealed to be some form of crystalline spider. It inched nearer, exposing burn welts over its hide where the firestorm had injured it. Kerubim felt like a mouse seeing a feline mid-pounce, caught up in the moment of the kill and knowing death was moments away. The spider opened its maw and tensed, ready to spring on its prey to feast.

At that moment there was a loud bang and something flew past Kerubim, striking the spider dead on and sending it flying backwards in a tangle of legs. Kerubim started as the hypnotic vision was broken and he turned in awe as a pair of warriors strode past him: Battle-Captain Ferrac and Sergeant Excelsium. The spider rose up on its many legs and its eyes glimmered with power but Ferrac seemed immune to its touch, merely levelling his sledgehammer-bolter and firing again. The beast folded up as the kenetic round slammed into it, sending it flying backwards then Excelsium ran forward and speared it through the abdomen with his trident. The Spider let out a thin wail as its lifeblood poured out but Excelsium's weapon tore its innards to shreds and ended its life with a sharp thrust.

The Huscarls groaned as the spell was broken and staggered about as if drunk but Kerubim shook his head to clear the miasma and spluttered, "What was that?!"

Ferrac spat, "An alien."

"An Eldar?" Kerubim gasped in shock as his mind cleared.

"Are you deficient?!" Excelsium called mockingly as he wrenched his Trident out of the folding body, "Everyone knows Eldar have two legs, this thing had eight. Can't you count?"

Kerubim scowled at being mocked so and said, "I was distracted."

Ferrac faced him squarely and his stern face glowered as he admonished, "I noticed that. Your mental defence was weak and flawed, an Astartes should be proof against such bestial psychic trickery. You let down your guard like a foolish mortal. Do not make the mistake of thinking this environment is any less dangerous than a blood-soaked battlefield. This forest is as perilous an incoming Earthshaker barrage. You had better shape up if you want to survive this world."

Kerubim felt a hot flush of embarrassment and lowered his head saying, "I apologise, I will try to do better."

Ferrac sneered, "Losers always bleat about trying better, while winners step upon them to ascend to victory. When the aliens come which will you be, boy?"

Kerubim lifted his head and answered loudly, "Captain, I shall be among the victorious. The aliens will not catch me unprepared again. Hate the alien, fear the alien, kill the alien."

Ferrac snorted in amusement, "Good, you've learnt something this day."

Behind him Excelsium stooped to rip the spider's head off and held its dripping skull high as he said, "This will make a fine trophy, I think I'll keep it as a memento of this world."

One the Huscarls doubled up and began to vomit at the gory sight and Ferrac growled, "Weaklings, get out of my sight!"

The mortals scurried away and Ferrac hissed, "Painted guards, not one of them worth his salt. House Chamandley thinks soldiers are but gaudy toys, they sent us hollow men with no spine. When this turns bad it will be the Amber Vipers who have to do the real fighting."

Kerubim swallowed as he inquired, "You think we will face a battle?"

"You don't?" Ferrac muttered, "What alerted you to this threat anyway?"

Kerubim slapped Bane's side and said, "My Vorax, it detected the threat."

"Humph," Ferrac snorted, "That hunter-killer has better instincts than you. You would be well advised to heed it in the future."

Kerubim lowered his head in humility and said, "Yes Battle-Captain I shall, I will be ready for when the Xenos come."

Ferrac's gaze turned to take in the darkness under the forest beyond the perimeter and he growled, "Better make it fast, I can feel alien eyes crawling over me like target designators. Mark my words, the Eldar already know we are here."