Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 129

Chapter Master Coluber strode among the devastation his Brothers had unleashed and knew satisfaction. The glass spires were broken and burning, cored out by roving squads of Amber Vipers. Alien bodies lay underfoot, oozing yellow blood onto the streets and the sound of their shrill-guns grew fainter by the minute. Resistance had been brief and disorganised, the aliens caught unawares by a classic aerial assault that had dropped the Emperor's Angels into the heart of their infestation. The following slaughter had been staggering, cold and fast, ruthless and exacting. Coluber could hardly wish for better, truly it had been a glorious day.

Coluber walked in elaborate gilded armour, basic Mark V pattern, embellished with triumphal markings and laurels worthy of a Chapter Master. The warrior who wore it however was battered and worn by a life of sorrow and loss, the face of a man who had lost everything and yet fought on lurking under his helm. His scars were many and deep, not least of which was a painful hitch in his left leg that spoke of abiding pain. Yet he bore a fine relic blade in one hand, Venom, and a Volkite pistol in the other while his gorget boasted a rare Null collar. He was the image of a Chapter Master, right down to the resplendent Brother-Exemplars who walked in his shadow.

Coluber gazed upon the city and his heart filled with pride. Finally his chapter had a battle pure in nature and unsullied by dishonour. A war fought for its own sake, human against alien, the righteous purgation of non-humans from the galaxy so mankind could flourish unopposed. It was exactly as the Emperor had intended, an echo of the Great Crusade and Coluber spent a moment wondering how many worlds had seen such sights when the Primarchs walked aboard. The Lord Guilliman may be at large in the galaxy but Coluber had always admired such luminaries as Ferrus Manus or Jaghatai Kahn more. They fought as he did, ruthlessly and with cunning.

Yes, the Amber Vipers were returning to what they should be, the honour and pride of a true Astartes Chapter. From the moment he had learned of this world he had seen the opportunity for true war, the negotiations with the local governor for resupply were a mere formality. No, this world offered something worth far more than fuel or provisions or munitions and he was determined to claim it. Glory was within their grasp and he yearned to know it.

Overhead there was a dark shadow as a Land Speeder shot by at top speed, assault cannons and Plasma cannon blaring. That was Drakones, Coluber's personal chariot, given free reign to unleash havoc. Coluber had let it roam free for he wanted to walk with his Brothers today and see their fierce ardour up close. From the centre of the city rang distant explosions, telling him Battle-Captain Ferrac was doing what he did best, while flashes of arcane lightning from the perimeter told him their Librarian-Dreadnought Maru Kysoto was calling down psychic wroth from the heavens.

Coluber could have been with them but ahead he saw a more tempting target. A warrior-drone standing guard over a huddle of lesser aliens. Coluber grinned under his helm as he hefted Venom and let out a wild cry as he sprang into action. The warrior-drone clattered inanely in some alien doggerel and its smaller arms lifted a gun. A blaring wave of sonic disruption rippled forth but Coluber jerked out of the way, his left leg pulling slightly as old wounds throbbed.

The alien had missed but its reflexes were quick. As he closed two vicious claws stabbed downwards, trying to skewer his hearts. Coluber met one with a sweep of Venom's curved edge and smacked the other aside with the back of his fist. The alien screeched in alarm but he spun within the reach of its arms and sliced Venom across its abdomen. Spurting yellow blood gushed out of the wound but the alien only spun about and tried to stab him in the back. Coluber was knocked to one side as a claw sheared a heat vent from his backpack, leaving his armour spitting sparks and the reactor cell fibrillating. He hurriedly redirected energy but felt the loss of power in the sluggishness of his limbs, power armour was voracious in its energy demands and a damaged backpack could only provide so much. Yet he was not dismayed for he relished the challenge; the alien had just made it fun.

He spun about and dove low, sweeping Venom across a leg. Alien flesh parted and the warrior-drone screeched as its balance was lost. It staggered drunkenly on three legs and waved its arms in a futile attempt to recover but Coluber gave it no such chance. He slammed bodily into it, staining his armour with yellow blood, then swept Venom high, taking its head from the body. The Warrior-drone swayed for a moment then collapsed, its legs sprawled out under it. Coluber stepped back and uttered, "You were good, but not good enough."

There was the sound of searing flesh and he saw the Brother-Exemplars finishing off the lesser the aliens. Their Burst-lances cleaved flesh with contact Volkite fields and they sundered the creatures into offal with a few perfect sweeps. Even Coluber was impressed by the elegance and economy of their motions, grace and functionality married together into a perfect display of lethality. Their training in Maru's blade-schools was paying off.

Coluber waited until they were done then called, "A good fight."

"Was fun," intoned the stoic Hasak.

"It feels good to fight as Astartes should," Seyda added, "Disgusting creatures their form offends my eye."

"Embrace your sacred revulsion," Coluber lectured, "The Imperium teaches the only honest responses to the alien are hatred and loathing. One alien yet breathing is a threat to all mankind. The Emperor demands all non-humans are erased from the stars."

Seyda nodded but Hassik stated, "One runs."

"I've got it," Coluber said as he spied a small juvenile alien fleeing as fast as it could. He casually drew his Volkite pistol and shot it in the back, the flaming energy beam setting it alight and deflagrating it to ashes. The alien fell apart with a cry of terror as Coluber holstered his pistol and looked for the next fight.

Yet to his surprise there was none to be found, the sounds of violence were dying away and from the heart of the city came the sight of a swaggering warrior: Ferrac. The Battle-Captain's silhouette was framed by a steaming jump pack and he bore a vicious axe-rake and sledgehammer gun in his hands. His helm was doffed, revealing a face half covered in an iron plate, embossed snakes etched in the metal of his forehead and cheeks. Ferrac, leader of Primus Cohort and the embodiment of the rough and ready nature of the Amber Vipers. Ferrac, the most loyal and bloodthirsty soul Coluber had ever known and his closest friend.

"Ferrac!" Coluber called, "Don't tell the battle is over already!"

Ferrac grinned as he replied, "Good as, the queen is dead and the survivors flee before us. I have Primus Cohort chasing them down, none shall escape our wrath."

Coluber replied, "Any who make it to the edge of the city will find Secundus and Tertius Cohorts waiting for them. Let the snakelets claim a few kills, it will encourage them."

"It will be good for their morale," Ferrac concurred.

Coluber removed his helm and then eyed Ferrac asking, "How was the fight?"

"Intense," Ferrac replied, "It took a lot to kill her."

Coluber eyed the yellow wash of blood coating his front and commented, "I can see that."

Ferrac snorted, "Blasted thing wouldn't die, practically had to carve my way inside to reach her heart and rip it out with my axe-rake. That did it for her in the end."

Coluber laughed, "You sound like you enjoyed it!"

"Why shouldn't I," Ferrac quipped, "There is joy to be found in doing what one was made for."

"Indeed," Coluber sighed, "Alas now our thoughts must turn to mundane affairs. Resupply and the next war."

"Another sordid deal?" Ferrac lamented, "When can we move past all that?"

"We grow more self-sufficient every day," Coluber affirmed, "The Serpens Rex is harvesting asteroids in the system, our refinery nears completion and the Forge can already produce basic munitions. All we really require of the local governor is some fuel and victuals and indentured workers, to replenish our chattel population."

"Any prospect of recruits?"Ferrac asked.

"Doubtful," Coluber answered, "Apothecary Shrios is looking into it but I find this world's ardour lacking, they will produce no sons with the fire Astartes require."

"Speaking of which..." Ferrac muttered.

Coluber turned and saw an odd sight. Lumbering down the street was a war machine, twice as high as a Space Marine and almost as broad. This Dreadnought was covered in arcane runes and beautiful calligraphy, its sensor dome shaded by a cowl in the shape of a serpent's hood. It bore a katana blade as long as a grown man and the air shimmered with latent power around it. No mere Dreadnought, not even a Contemptor-Dreadnought, this was the mythical Osiron pattern. Relic-tomb of Maru Kysoto, scholar and philosopher, psyker and warrior and the driving force behind the Chapter's recent enthusiasm for nobler pursuits.

At his side was a thin man, with pale skin and darting eyes. He was wringing his hands in angst and looked dismayed at the violence he saw. Coluber had never seen this man in the flesh but knew him to be Governor Kinam, regent of this planet and the man he had negotiated with via vox. Coluber drew in a breath and asked, "Maru, this zone is not secure. Why is he here?"

"He insisted on speaking to you," Maru replied coldly, "I too wanted to hear your response."

It was a sharp reminder that their relationship wasn't one of master and vassal but of begrudging allies. Coluber knew better than to provoke the ancient so instead he faced the man and growled, "What do you want?"

Kanim threw up his hands and cried, "Look at what you have done, you've slaughtered the Choga! This wasn't our agreement!"

Coluber sniffed, "You asked us to conquer this infestation and we have done so."

"I wanted them subdued," Kanim hissed, "I wanted them in shackles, not wiped out to the smallest larva."

Ferrac muttered, "Then you should be more specific in your requests, don't blame us for your mistakes."

Yet Coluber stepped nearer and growled, "Why would you want aliens to live?"

Kanim suddenly looked guilty as he stammered, "Well... their glassware was extraordinary. We had a trade going but their demands were so high... I thought if they were in chains, we wouldn't have to pay them anymore."

"Profit," Coluber sneered, "You think only of your greed, ignoring the inherent threat of the Xeno. You traded in alien merchandise, selling it on to other worlds. This is an affront to the Emperor."

"We had an arrangement," Kanim protested, "We let them live peacefully in this reservation and they gave us their wares. It worked for centuries."

"Then your ancestors were fools," Maru declared, "The alien is not to be trusted, their treachery is inevitable. Only mankind deserves to inherit the stars, thus spake the Most Glorious Emperor at the dawn of the Imperium."

"You don't know anything about the Choga," Kanim snapped, "They aren't Orks or Eldar, they're harmless."

But Maru replied, "In my days of appenticeship my mentor told me the the tale of Canidae and Arachnida, who travelled together. One day they came to a river and Arachnida said to the other 'I am too small to swim; you must carry me across'. Canidae protested 'You will sting me with your poisonous tail' but Arachnida replied 'If I do so, then we will both drown'. Canidae agreed, for surely Arachnida did not wish to die, and so they swam together but halfway across Arachnida stung him with her tail. As they drowned Canidae cried, 'Why did you do this, now we will both die!' Arachnida replied, 'I could not help myself, it is my nature'. Thus it is with Xenos and the men foolish enough to trust them."

Coluber agreed, "We have cleansed this land for you and your people can take ownership of the ruins. Now I suggest you return to your palace and proclaim the great victory. Make sure to deliver my supplies as agreed, before I report your moral laxity to the Inquisition."

Kanim went even paler and turned to run away. They watched him depart and then Ferrac muttered, "You wouldn't really call the Inquisition, you said you don't want them poking into our affairs."

"He doesn't know that," Coluber chortled.

Maru waited a moment then uttered, "I am pleased to see your firm stance against the Xeno, I was beginning to doubt your pure intent. This has been a good day in all respects. To fight as our maker designed us to, there is satisfaction in fulfilling one's true purpose."

Coluber smirked, "I do believe that's the first time you and Ferrac have agreed on something."

"Urgh," Ferrac spat, "I'm no snooty scholar."

"And I am no yapping mastiff," Maru protested.

Coluber let the protests slide as he said, "This battle is all but done, time to move on to the other matter."

"Huh?" Ferrac grunted.

"The other matter," Coluber urged, "The real reason we came to this planet. The lost bunker."

"Oh that," Ferrac mused, "I almost forgot. Do you really think there's a weapon cache from the Dark Age of Technology on this world?"

"The maps we lifted from Athelling spoke of a depot on this planet. If it's there the Amber vipers will claim it. Tell Kregulf the way is clear for him to proceed, have him take Kerubim along, there may be traps and tech-snares to disarm."

Ferrac grunted as he turned and strode away. Coluber however cast his eye over the devastation and took satisfaction in his work. He stepped onto the corpse of the Warrior-drone and lifted his head to the stars, striking a noble pose he expected to repeat many times again in the future. His lips parted as he whispered, "Victory has never tasted so sweet."