Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 120
Enemies were everywhere, coming at the squad from all directions. Silver bodies advanced in lockstep, gauss weapons flaring. Constructs of ever increasing complexity emerged from nowhere, attacking at random. No matter how fast the Astartes rode ever more foes emerged to block their route. There could be no doubt, the Necrons had raised an alarm and were moving to block the Amber Vipers from reaching their goal.
Glord was being jostled in his seat as Larus swerved to and fro, trying to avoid being hit. The attack bike was heavy to handle and their bulk was wide but Transhuman strength and power armour kept them moving. They were zooming along, travelling at a speed mortals would have considered reckless, but it wasn't fast enough. The Necrons were coming in increasing number and there seemed no end to them.
Glord tracked a silver foe moving to attack from above. It was some form of construct, a willowy thing of reaching talons and multiple appendages but with an elongated tail. It looked like a cross between a Spyder and a Wraith and from its belly hung an energy weapon of some description. The construct dove upon them, weapon building in power as it readied to fire. Glord however didn't give it a chance; he heaved his Fission-Blaster upwards and let loose a shot that took it straight in the face, blowing it to slag in mid-air.
Silver parts rained down as they zoomed past. Glord's teeth drew back as he saw his armour blackening, the proud colours marred by radiation leaking from the vile weapon. His rad-counter was a constant clicking in his ear and his skin itched as his Melanochromic organ coated his flesh in protective oils. Glord would happily be rid of the Cerberii's tainted weapons when this was over but for now the dishonourable guns were all that was keeping them alive.
Glord looked about for his next target and found he had plenty to choose from. More Necrons were vectoring into the fight, surrounding the squad. Random jetbikes were flashing overhead, lumbering constructs moved to engage them and hunched figures in dripping skins loped to intercept the bikers, emerging from the shadows like they had stepped out of another dimension. With every second the fight was growing more dangerous, the odds steeper but the Amber Vipers were not dismayed.
The bikers were close to their goal, so close. They had found their way to the Synaptic Annihilator and were just outside its silo. This was the centre of the Dyson Sphere's arcane machinery, vast chambers filled with bulbous machines and linked by spars of delicate silver. As far as the eye could see pulsing machines throbbed with barely contained energies and glowing green lines sketched patterns in the air. Glord had no idea what any of this did but it was clearly powerful and important, the depth of the defence was testament to that.
Glord spied a pack of Flayed Ones loping towards them and sent a blazing bolt into their ranks as he cried, "We have to break through!"
Larus opened the throttle and sent them hurtling past the Necrons as he snarled, "I'm trying."
Further out Sergeant Reddam was gunning towards a Canoptek Spyder, his power spear braced under his right arm like a horseman of antiquity. The construct sent a blazing spear of energy at him but Reddam was undaunted and increased speed, engine roaring as his bike swept in close. A claw the size of a man's torso swept at him but missed by a hairsbreadth and in return his spear smashed through its skull, destroying the construct's face in one pass. The Spyder collapsed into a sparking heap as Reddam drove on, already seeking his next target.
Elsewhere Joffel and Tebes were being chased by a pair of flying Necrons on those strange jetbikes. The undying jinked and wove seemingly at random, jumping through the air in maddening displays of evasion. Yet it did nothing to mar their aim and blasts of Gauss fire lashed the ground around the Amber Vipers, tearing the stone to shreds. Joffel and Tebes broke formation, splitting up and heading apart from each other. The Necrons split to follow, each chasing one Astartes. Gauss blasts stabbed down over and over, seeking to end this chase but the Brother weaved evasively nad managed to avoid getting hit. The undying were implacable but little did they realise they were being led about by the nose. Joffel and Tebes curved their paths back and then suddenly were heading towards each other in a head-on collision. At the last possible instant they jinked out of each other's path and passed a handspan from each other. The Necrons were not so fortunate, their fractal equations came into conflict and the flying machines jumped straight into the path of the other. They slammed together in a collision that sent parts flying everywhere as they exploded in mid-air while Joffel and Tebes sped on, already firing into the packed mass of foes.
Further out Kazao was tearing towards a floating platform that bore two pilots and a huge cannon. The chariot was letting rip arcs of green lightning but Kazao rode through the storm without qualm. A blast ripped over his pauldron and left it hanging in tatters but in return he fired his Fission-blaster with unflinching accuracy. Red bolts slammed into some form of force shield surrounding the chariot, effortlessly deflected away. Yet Kazao did not sway from his course, he zoomed under the chariot at top speed, his passage unimpeded by the shield. In one side and out the other he raced and as he did so his hand threw a melta bomb upwards. The bomb clamped to the bottom of the chariot and then it exploded, making the platform sag into itself as it folded in half.
Berio the Cerberii was beset by a Wraith, its form shimmering in and out of phase as it attacked. A Fission-blast passed through it without issue and then it pounced. Silver talons rent his chestplate as it sought his heart and Berio's bike swayed drunkenly as he fought to fend it off. The Wraith was fast and deadly and yet in attacking it had made itself solid. Berio snatched his Fang from his hip and struck for the eye, plunging the dagger into the silver skull. The internal compression coil discharged, blowing some vile concoction into its skull and the Wraith began to dissolve, eaten from the inside out by unspeakable horrors from the Dark Age of Technology.
The Amber Vipers were laying low many foes but for everyone they smote another three would vector in and their progress had been halted. Glord fired his heavy weapon at a Spyder as he shouted, "We're surrounded."
"I noticed!" Joffel barked as he fought on.
"We can't let them stop us," Reddam growled, "We have to get up there and steal that transport."
Glord saw a pair of silver towers ahead, linked by a narrow bridge. They were flanking a huge hole in the wall and at the centre of the bridge hung a barge of some description. The intent was obvious, the barge would take a passenger through the opening, presumably to the base of the Synaptic Annihilator, but the problem was getting up there alive.
Glord fired another shot, blasting apart a Flayed One as he barked, "We're not going to be able to fight all these off."
"I'm open to suggestions," Reddam growled.
Suddenly Berio ordered, "On my word head for the towers, go full throttle and don't look back." Nobody questioned it as the Cerberii reached for a flask on his hip and drew forth a cylinder of glassic. Inside a tiny cloud of distortion swirled, a vicious miasma of evil intent that flowed as if alive. He drew back his arm and hurled it at a Spyder, breaking the flask over its back. The living metal bubbled for a second then ran like water, dissolving in seconds as it was eaten away. From the frothing mess erupted swarms of dirty tendrils, swarming into the air like angry wasps.
"For Throne's sake go, go, go!" Berio bawled as he gunned his engine for all it was worth. Glord was practically thrown back in his seat as the attack bike accelerated hard, racing away in a straight line. All the squad followed suit and they tore out of the melee as fast as their bikes could race. The Necrons had a precious second where they could have gunned down the Astartes but they had other concerns and missed their shot.
Glord twisted about to look behind and saw the taint rampaging through the packed foes. Swarms of vile motes stabbed into living metal and devoured it. Necrons bodies collapsed into slag, their forms melting like wax candles placed in an oven. Bodies disintegrated as the taint ate them and from the bubbling ooze arose more swarms of ravenous motes, seeking material to consume and so increase their number. The host of Necrons was destroyed in moments and the swarms spread out, looking for more victims.
As they raced away Glord gasped, "What fresh horror is that?!"
Berio replied grimly, "Spayed Omniphages: nanobot swarms that consume any and all matter. Typically they are used to kill worlds but these ones are short-lived, they'll shut down in a few minutes."
Joffel gasped, "You would use such vile filth?"
Berio growled, "Not if I had any other such option."
Tebes hissed, "Next time give us more warning so we can get clear."
Kazao added, "Before you use that again I intend to get far away, like on another planet."
Clear of foes the squad drove for the nearest tower, leaving the ravenous destroyers in their wake. They rode to the base of the tower and found a ramp winding around its circumference, wide enough for them to ride up in threes. Reddam led the way as they ascended, rising higher with every revolution. As they circled Glord saw the barge was connected to the opposite tower via a gantry. All they would have to do is rise to the bridge, cross over and drive onto the barge. Then they would ready to launch the final assault.
Excitement filled him, the ultimate moment was close and it would be his squad that landed the fatal blow. Their names would ring loud among the Chapter, they would be the heroes of the day and all would honour their feats. Future generations would learn their names and their memory would echo as long as the Chapter endured, a fate every Space Marine desired. Glory awaited and they would be heralded as the greatest of Amber Vipers.
The squad reached the bridge and turned onto its length. Far below the ground stretched and the bridge seemed too thin to bear their weight. Yet not a shiver was forthcoming as they crossed, driving across the length of it at top speed. Reddam called, "Make ready, once we're on the other side we…"
He was cut off as Kazao shouted, "Look out!"
Glord's eyes widened as he saw three more Necron jetbikes falling from above, gauss weapons flaring. They had come from nowhere and caught the squad by surprise. Frantically they heaved their handle bars about to avoid being hit but too slow. Joffel took a glancing hit that disintegrated the faring over his rear tire, Tebes exhausts were blown clean off and the attack bike suffered a hit in the exact spot the sidecar was fixed to the bike. The connection was shattered in one clean blow and suddenly Glord was no longer attached to the bike.
"Garrrrgh!" he yelled as his sidecar veered off, careening widely on one tire. He spun out of control as the end slammed into the bridge and he flipped over, rolling head over heels in a mad tumble. Up and down swopped places multiple times and were it not for his power armour his head would have been pulped. Glord was helpless to stop his tumble as he veered towards the edge of the bridge and he realised he was about to fall off.
He had a brief glimpse of the squad chasing him, Laruis reaching out as he cried, "Glord!"
Berio was a hair behind shouting, "The bomb!"
The squad raced to save him but too slow and Glord had one last glimpse of them before the tumbled off the bridge. Gravity lost its hold on him as he fell, plummeting through the air like a dropped rock. He knew the fall from this height would kill him, if the impact didn't do it the violent fall would set off the Eye of Discord. He had one second to commend his soul to the Emperor and he steeled himself to greet his end with courage. Then he slammed into the barge.
The air was blown from his lungs as he hit the barge and rolled over. His bones rattled and his head slammed painfully into the deck, making his skull ring like a bell but he was alive. Instantly he broke from the tangled remnants of the sidecar, expecting to be attacked. He drew his Fang and braced himself, but there was no one there. The barge was a featureless span of bare metal, exposed and without cover or controls. It seemed to be completely self-guided, without a crew. Hastily he spun about and checked his gear. The sidecar was a twisted heap of plasteel and ceramite but his Fission-Blaster was intact. Hurriedly he checked the Eye of Discord but miraculously it was undamaged, the cage surrounding it acting as a crash barrier to prevent it breaking open. Glord breathed out in relief, the bomb was intact and that meant the mission hadn't failed. Not yet.
He looked up and saw the rest of his squad fighting for their lives, trading shots with the trio of circular machines. He was confident they would emerge triumphant and then join him on the barge. A few minutes delay and they would be reunited. Sadly he was to be cruelly disabused when the barge lurched beneath his feet and moved away from the tower. His jaw dropped as some automated process responded to his presence and compelled the barge to begin its journey.
His head rose to his Brothers but they were too far away, they would not be able to reach him before he was carried out of range. Even as he watched the bridge slipped by, growing smaller in his wake and leaving his Brothers behind. Ahead the looming hole grew in size, promising to swallow him whole. He knew it would take him where he wanted to go but he would do so alone, unsupported and unaided in his mission.
Glord swallowed once then set his purpose firmly in his mind. He bent down and hefted the Fission-Blaster in his hands and then muttered, "It seems I will have to do this one all by myself."