Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 113

Coluber disembarked the Thunderhawk Viper's Bite and set foot on the Dyson Sphere for the first time. The light was cool and dim but he was surprised how quiet it was. There was no sound of industry or machinery, no tramping feet or rumbling wheels. Silence was everywhere, the eldritch devices of the Necrons functioning perfectly without any indication they were doing anything. Were it not for the sound of the gunships landing the environment would have been totally noiseless.

He looked about their landing area and saw an endless field of blue boxes, exactly as the Aberrants had described it. As far as his auto-senses could detect lines of prisoners stood, trapped in single moments of time. Vague impressions of walls were etched in the distance, made hazy by the vast scales involved. They rose like mountainsides to a roof, which had a wide hole in it. Through that gap the Amber Vipers had flown, dropping straight from the Wyvern in high orbit, where the vessel remained, praying to go unnoticed. They had landed in the human district and he could see soldiers, priests, zealots, tanks and even a few Knight Engines trapped, all awaiting release. Nothing moved amongst those boxes, no guards or workers were anywhere to be seen, the Amber Vipers were alone.

Coluber tested his vox-relay and signalled, "Insertion complete, we are down."

A distant Chattel reported from orbit, "No signs of resistance, we seem to have gone unnoticed. The Serpens Rex is moving, they have a clear run to reach the Warp-gate."

"Tell them to hang back until we engage, then when the Necrons are distracted to run like hell," Coluber ordered, "Keep inconspicuous yourselves, the Wyvern will be needed when we exfiltrate."

Coluber cut the link before a reply was forthcoming and looked about. Around him Amber Vipers of Primus, Secundus and Tertius were spreading out, making their way among the blue boxes with weapons drawn. They were alert for ambushes and traps but so far had gone unchallenged, of the Necrons there was no sign. Further back the Angantyr was unloading their vehicles, the bikes and attack bikes, three rhinos, a Hunter anti-air, his chariot Drakones and Maru Kysoto himself. Further out the Cerberii were disembarking Doombringer, four Brothers and the three Cadmus-robots lugging rad-grenades and Fission-blasters in their blackened gauntlets. Together this represented the full might of the Chapter and it was still barely a fraction of the force the first Amber Vipers had brought to bear, but if Coluber's plan worked they were about to increase their strength a hundred-fold.

Coluber strode down the Thunderhawk's ramp and saw Ferrac and Shrios congregating, the pair directing the various squads to take up defensive positions. Coluber joined them saying, "Any sign of resistance?"

"None," Ferrac muttered, "Which is what concerns me."

Shrios cocked his helm to one side and mused, "Perhaps we took them by surprise."

"I doubt it," Coluber scoffed, "The Necrons can't have missed our arrival."

Shrios sniffed, "Perhaps they thought we'd go straight for the objective and positioned their forces around it. Maybe they didn't expect us to head for this prison or they simply don't consider us a threat?"

Ferrac growled, "You're guessing. I don't like this. We were expecting ferocious resistance from the moment we set forth. They should have contested our landing at the least."

Coluber concurred, "I expected we would have to work under heavy fire, but this is eerie. It's been super easy, barely an inconvenience."

"I smell a trap," Ferrac growled.

"In that case may I recommend we quit chatting and work quickly," Shrios pressed.

"Good advice," Coluber accepted, "Let's get these soldiers free."

The trio strode over to the nearest blue box and Coluber spied a platoon of guardsmen, trapped in poses of fearful desperation. They seemed to be pointing lasrifles in all directions, like they were surrounded and knew the end was at hand. Coluber spied four silver devices, one at each corner of the box and directed Brothers to stand in position. He was about to give the order, but reconsidered it and took a step to the right, avoiding the ends of their lasguns. Satisfied he wasn't about to be shot he nodded once.

The four warriors stomped on the devices and smashed them into splinters. The field snapped off in an instant and the mortals were freed. They resumed their mad panic, jostling together as they fired wildly into the air and cried out in distress. A las-bolt shot over Coluber's shoulder but he did not flinch, he faced the mortals directly and shouted, "Cease in the name of the Emperor!"

The men shrank back at the sight of an angry Space Marine looming over them and huddled together. They looked lost and bewildered as well they should. They had been taken in mid-battle, trapped for millennia in oblivion and suddenly found themselves in a different locale, surrounded by the Emperor's Finest. They looked like they were about to piss themselves but then an officer shoved his way forward through the mob and showed his spine by saying, "H'astartees?"

Coluber was taken aback by the man's thick accent, thousands of years of linguistic drift making his low gothic sound mangled. Coluber faced the officer directly and barked, "Stand down this instant lieutenant! Report your name, rank and condition."

The man seemed comforted by the familiar sensation of having someone barking orders at him and replied as a Guardsmen ought, "Lieutenant Haster, of the Ninety-ninth Gortian Stalwarts. We are part of the Grim Pall Crusade, under Warmaster Drake, by the grace of the God-Emperor. We were fighting some form of undying skeletons when this blue light hit us… and then you appeared from nowhere."

Coluber found the man's accent off-putting but he could make out the words and saw the best way to deal with these mortals was to assume a position of authority. He briskly commanded, "Lieutenant, I require this army assembled as soon as possible. Spread your men out and assist my Brothers to break open the cages and establish a chain of command. I expect your regiments to be ready to march within the hour."

Haster frowned as he protested, "But…"

"That was an order!" Coluber snapped and the man responded the only way he knew how, by obeying.

As he scurried off Coluber turned to his comrades and said, "There are many cages and little time, we should assist them." The three split up and spread out, helping the Marines free the Ghost Crusade. It was easy enough to interrupt the stasis-cubes but calming the bewildered men was harder. They seemed confused and demoralised; they had been captured in mid-battle and didn't understand what was occurring. Coluber found it best to not give them time to ask any questions, acting as if he was their direct superior and the Guardsmen fell into line immediately, as they had been indoctrinated from birth to do. The various priests alongside them were harder to convince, battlefield preachers from the pinnacle of Imperial zealotry being firm of spirit, but a few platitudes about the God-Emperor's ineffable will settled them. Soon thousands of bewildered Crusaders were assembling into their tattered regiments, tanks rumbling and preachers moving among them bellowing catechisms of obedience and subservience to the word of the God-Emperor.

Coluber soon found himself at the very edge of the human district, where the Stasis-cubes shifted to Ork containment. He eyed the Greenskins warily and made sure nobody was interfering with the savage Xenos, when he heard a heavy tread behind. He turned about and saw Maru Kysoto approaching, with a gaggle of senior commanders. Their high rank was obvious from the weight of gold braiding and icons of authority pinned to their apparel. Three men, a wild-eyed man with a fiery staff, denoting him some form of Ecclesiarchy official. Another in a tight bodyglove and sinister eyes that Coluber instantly marked as an Inquisitor. The third was a heavy-set man, with a white uniform and black boots. He wore a shining carapace breastplate and a helm topped by a plume of green feathers. Foppish apparel in Coluber's opinion but the man's chest bore doughty medals and his face many scars and at his waist was a battered chainsword, not a weapon for a mortal without strength and savagery in his soul. His chin bristled with stubble and his hair was caked with sweat, but the look in his eyes spoke volumes. Here was one accustomed to being obeyed and his word being made law.

The party came to a halt before him and Maru proclaimed, "Here he is, Lord Tempestus. May I present Coluber, leader of this band."

Coluber eyed the man in the white uniform and said, "Drake?"

The man returned the stare unflinchingly and uttered, "Warmaster Drake to you. This is Cardinal Reash, the mouthpiece of the God-Emperor. This is Lord Inquisitor Kinwe."

The Inquisitor hissed, "This is most peculiar…"

"Shut up," Drake snapped, "I'm talking."

Coluber was impressed that any man could speak so to an Inquisitor and live. His estimation of the man rose, as he said, "The Amber Vipers stand ready to fight alongside you."

"You are what's left of the Amber Vipers," Drake sneered disbelievingly, "What happened to make you so shabby looking?"

Coluber's eyes flickered to Maru and he wondered what the Librarian-Dreadnought had told them, but he said aloud, "I am Coluber, Chapter Master of the Amber Vipers, I have come to aid you."

Drake sniffed, "You don't look like much. You used to be glorious, not a bunch of vagabonds. Tsumetai would be shocked to see what has become of you over the millennia."

Coluber replied, "I see Maru told you the date."

Drake nodded, "We were giving the metal bastards a drubbing but then they pulled some weird stunt on us. Maru says the Necrons captured us and stuck us in stasis. Apparently it's the forty-second millennium. I can't believe it."

Coluber paused as he reached up and removed his helm, revealing his bare face, then stated, "I am sorry to tell you it is true."

Drake growled, "I don't know you, I don't trust you, but I know Maru Kysoto. You vouch for this one?"

Maru declared, "He speaks truth and fights for the Emperor. His rabble lacks dignity but they will fight for Terra, of that I am sure."

Coluber faced Drake and asked, "Do we have a problem?"

Drake sniffed, "We have a thousand and one problems, but the mission is the same. My Crusade was ordered to cleanse the Grim Pall Nebula and it seems the threat remains. My orders stand; we shall engage the enemy with every weapon at our disposal."

Coluber was relieved and prompted, "Then we should make haste. Your forces are in disarray. We must get organised and move to the surface before the Necrons strike."

"Hold on, there are some questions that need answering," Drake hissed.

The Inquisitor leaned in and probed, "What is the state of the Imperium? Did our holy quest to cleanse the galaxy succeed, does Mankind stand alone, in blessed isolation at last?"

The cardinal added, "Does the God-Emperor still rule?"

Coluber could hardly explain thousands of years of defeats, desperate last-stand and victories so bloody they could barely be counted as wins. The fall of Cadia, the opening of the Cicatrix Maledictum and the return of a Primarch would be impossible to explain. So he drew in a breath and said, "The Imperium has waned over the centuries. The threats have grown in number and the Imperium stands on the knife-edge. Yet Terra endures and the Emperor's light yet pierces the darkness to bring hope to His people."

"Praise the God-Emperor!" Reash proclaimed.

Coluber pressed his point, "The Imperium cannot afford another enemy, these Necrons are too dangerous to let free. We must move to the surface and confront them head-on."

"Didn't work too well last time," Drake muttered, "Defeating them may be impossible."

Yet Maru interjected, "It is written: if you think a thing is impossible then you have made it so."

Drake shook his head and said, "Don't get me wrong, we'll fight and die for the God-Emperor. My warrant of Crusade hasn't changed, I must fight, but I'd rather fight for a victory than to stave off defeat."

Coluber placed a hand on his shoulder and said, "I have a strike team prepared to deal a critical blow to the enemy but they first require a distraction. I need your crusade to draw the Necron's armies out, lure them into battle so my Marines can reach their objective unmolested. I cannot do this without you Drake, can I count on you?"

Drake paused a moment then asked, "Do they… do they remember us on Terra?"

Coluber lowered his arm sadly and said, "We came via Kimdaria, I am sorry to say no word of your Crusade ever returned. As far as the Imperium knows you jumped into the nebula and vanished. They call you the 'Ghost Crusade'."

Drake's jaw tightened as he hissed, "Ghost Crusade?! That won't do, I won't suffer to be forgotten. If this is my final battle then I shall make such an end that men shall sing our names from the Halo Stars to the Eastern Fringe!"

Maru leaned down slightly as he affirmed, "A worthy death lies before you, waiting to be seized. Act boldly today and your names shall ring forever. The Emperor will see your banner placed among the thousands set before the Eternity Gate."

"You promise?" Drake asked quietly.

"I give you my word," Maru swore.

Drake straightened up and declared, "That's good enough for me. I better go whip my filthy lads into shape, looks like I've got a third of my Crusade locked up here and they need straightening out."

Coluber stated, "I have forces scouting the route to the top levels but time grows short."

"Then we'd better stop flapping our gums and get to work," Drake said to his associates, "Let's go put the fear of eternal damnation into this sorry lot."

Coluber watched the trio march away then Maru commented, "You do understand we have not enough dropships to rescue these Crusaders?"

"You have an issue with them dying for Terra?" Coluber asked.

"No, merely checking what sacrifices you are willing to make."

Coluber sighed, "They were dead the second they set foot on the Dyson Sphere. As will we be if we don't prepare. I will gather our strength and make ready to march. In one hour Reddam will set forth on his mission, we need to draw the Necrons out in force to clear his path."

"This shall be a glorious death," Maru proclaimed.

But Coluber grinned, "Death can wait, this is a battle I intend to win and I have few surprises in store for the Necrons."