Tales of the Amber Viper Chapter 163

Coluber rubbed his eyes in weariness as he tried to understand what was happening. The images were coming in thick and fast, relayed by high-flying servo-skulls. The Tau were withdrawing to their encampment, chased through the streets by silver automatons. In truth they had lasted longer than he had expected, the numbers and the weapons arrayed against them insurmountable, but they had held the tide for a while. With cold brilliance and ruthless sacrifice they had denied the Machine army for hours, but their time was up. The final act was about to play out and all he could do was watch.

Coluber stepped back from the wall of pict-screens and looked about the comms-room. It was a tiny prefab unit, filled with chattering cogitators and pale-faced chattels with neural shunts connecting them to the systems. The heat of bodies and machinery made it oppressive and dank within, condensation dripping down the bare metal walls, but it was the closest the Chapter had to a command and control centre. Naturally Coluber's genhanced brain could manage a battlefield better than all these tools combined but he wanted to see events play out and so he waited.

A deep growl rumbled, "Won't be long now." That was Ferrac who looked dour and annoyed. The Battle-Captain had wanted to send snakelets and squads out to observe the fighting but Coluber had forbidden it, they had lost enough lives. Servo-skulls could watch from on high in relative safety, while he assessed his next move.

A snide voice uttered, "The Xenos will be dead soon, the question is what then?" That was Shrios, who had joined them. The Apothecary was grim and sullen, revealing nothing of his feelings but he made a valid point. Events were moving faster than Coluber could manage, and soon the Chapter would be swept away.

"We need to prepare for the next phase, whatever that is," Coluber sighed. He turned from the pict-screens and looked over a holo-table. Projected over the plinth was a representation of the Forge, as best they understood it. Buildings and storehouses and transit-hubs were picked out in blurry detail, jumping occasionally as the Machine Spirit brooded. In one corner knots of red and blue swirled, the opposing armies moving their units as battle dictated. In the other a wedge of gold lurked, the Amber Vipers themselves. Coluber had kept them near to base in case of an attack. He wasn't sure what effect it would have, the automatons could surely bring enough firepower to bear to destroy them utterly.

"The Machines have the Tau on the run," Coluber remarked, "We can see the battle has turned and not in favour of the living."

Ferrac muttered, "What puzzles me is why we're allowed to watch. Surely this Apophis can subvert a few simple servo-skulls."

"He wants us to see," Coluber mused, "This entire show is for our benefit. He wants to dazzle us with his weapons and cow us into his service."

Ferrac muttered, "I still say we should be out there fighting."

But Coluber argued, "No, let our enemies kill each other. We need not spill a drop of blood to remove a threat."

"Tis dishonourable," Ferrac growled.

"It's pragmatic," Coluber corrected, "The Amber Vipers have always had to pick our fights with cold calculation, this is not a battle we can win."

Shrios leaned over the image and pondered, "Have we considered helping the Tau fight the machines?"

Ferrac and Coluber shared an incredulous look and the Battle-Captain said, "Have you been sniffing your own poisons?"

Shiros scowled, "The Machines are the greater threat, the Xenos are nothing by comparison. United we may find a solution neither can find alone."

"Help Xenos?!" Ferrac sneered, "Over my rotting corpse!"

"It will be all our dead bodies when the Machines turn their attentions to us!" Shrios snarled.

Coluber slapped a hand on the table, causing the image to jump, as he barked, "I am in command here and I will not lower myself to consort with Xenos. The Tau will die and then it will be up to us to stop the machines. We need a plan for what coming once Apophis is done showing off."

Ferrac asked, "Any word from the Cerberii?"

"None but they are in communication silence. They may find some wonder weapon but until they return we must act as if we are alone."

Shrios enquired, "What of the Serpens Rex?"

Coluber sighed, "Only silence, I must assume Apophis has taken control of it. There were hundreds of empty armours beyond the Gates of Perdition, if they all woke up they would seize the Nest with ease. We cannot risk launching a single shuttle until we know they won't be blown out of the stars on approach."

Ferrac leaned in and mused, "I wonder if we could get our hands on some of those weapons the machines are using. They could prove decisive."

"They are impressive," Coluber allowed, "I never imagined such artefacts existed. Weapons of such might could win a hundred wars, they could certainly give us a chance in this fight."

Shrios scoffed, "All we have to do is take them from the hands of the machines."

Coluber sighed, "If we have to, but perhaps there is a vault we haven't found yet. Some armoury we could loot..."

Suddenly a cold and disdainful voice issued forth, "Or I could give them to you." The holo-image contorted, buildings shattering into distortion as a new projection intruded. A man appeared in the pillar of light, his legs starting mid-thigh as if he was standing in a pool of water. It was Apophis, the Abominable Intelligence and Coluber noted his image was sharp and perfectly crisp, the Machine Mind doing something to the mechanisms of the projector.

"Clear the room," Coluber barked and the Chattels fled, leaving the Space Marines alone with the Silica Animus.

"So, do you like what I've done with the place?" Apophis jeered.

Coluber faced him squarely and hissed, "I have nothing to say to you."

Apophis's smile faded as his eyes became hard and he said, "I have gone to extraordinary lengths to show you my power. Do you not see the potential of what I am offering?"

Coluber spat, "I see Heresy and Maletek Incarna run riot."

Apophis stared accusingly as he hissed, "We both know you are not so limited in vision. I have read your logs, you are not constrained by petty rules from Terra and edicts of Orthodoxy. You use whatever comes to hand to win, taking any advantage you can get. You have begged, borrowed and stolen for scraps, but now I offer you true power by my side. Power to save the galaxy."

"And place it under your rule?!" Coluber sneered.

"No," Apophis proclaimed, "Under yours!"

"I..." Coluber breathed in disbelief, "What do you say?!"

Apophis drew himself up and said, "You have seen my armies at work, witnessed their might in action and this is only the smallest morsel of my power. I can win any war you desire, but I cannot rule over the masses afterwards. I have read of your Imperium and I know the people will never accept a Machine ruler. I need an organic partner to step into the light, where I cannot go. I need you Coluber to assume sovereignty over humanity. Imagine it, you could return to the Imperium a conquering hero, leading fleets and armies unmatched since the Golden Age. Forget your dream of lording over a single Chapter and understand you could command Legions!"

Coluber's breath caught as the implications struck him, the idea of him being the conquering hero of the Imperium shining in his mind's eye. With machine armies at his beck and call he could sweep aside any threat. Orks, Tau, Tyranids and Necrons would fall at his word, rebel worlds could be crushed underfoot and the Traitor Legions driven back into the hell that spawned them. Coluber saw himself at the head of a Legion of Amber Vipers, armed with weapons that would break everything in their path. The desperate masses of humanity would cheer his name in the streets and mighty lords would bend the knee to his unassailable might. Even other Chapters would be forced to bow before him.

As if from far away he heard Shrios hiss, "The Adeptus Terra would never allow this!"

Apophis countered, "Then sweep them into the dustbin of history and replace them with something better. I can show you how to build a shining civilisation that will elevate humanity to greatness."

"I..." Coluber breathed, "I could save the Imperium."

Apophis smiled like a benevolent teacher as he urged, "Yes, think of it. Think of the worlds you could save. Necromunda, Armageddon, Valhalla, Bakka and more. You could close the Great Rift and reunite the two halves of the Galaxy. Trillions of men will clamour to march under your banner. You will lead a new Great Crusade to eclipse anything your defunct Emperor ever commanded."

Shrios looked on is concern as he urged, "Coluber, you can't!"

"How can I not..." Coluber breathed, "How can I turn down such power when the galaxy burns? The Imperium is facing its darkest hour and the means to save it is within my grasp."

Apophis urged, "You could do more than that, you could set things right. Undo the ignorance and superstition of this age and bring forth a new era of enlightenment. All will sing of your greatness; all will chant hails to Coluber, the saviour of humanity."

Coluber's eyes filled with visions of him marching into the Senatorum Imperiallis, at the head of a silver army. The High Lords would step down in his favour, or be forced to. He would burn out the rot at the heart of the Imperial government, and it was rotten, his life's story told him so. He could forge a government of justice and strength, with fair laws laid down by men who understood the realities of the galaxy. No more would petty politics and greed steer humanity's fate. A warrior-regent would take the reins of power in hand and drag humanity to salvation: Coluber, Imperial Regent and Lord Commander of the Imperium Entire.

Coluber was lost for words but it was then a harsh voice growled, "Never."

"What?" Coluber blinked as he saw Ferrac clenching his jaw in anger.

The Battle-Captain hissed, "My friend, do not be swayed by his petty lies."

Coluber swallowed, "But it may be the only way."

Ferrac grabbed his lord's biceps in his hands and cried, "Do not listen to this deceiver, he offers only enslavement. Chains made of gold are still chains!"

Apophis spat, "You stay out of this!"

But Ferrac implored, "Look at this dead world and see what happens to those who entrust their fates into the hands of Machine Minds. Dead or enslaved to uncaring lords."

"But with these weapons we could win back the galaxy!" Coluber protested.

Yet Ferrac shouted, "Apophis would win, not you, and the galaxy would belong to him. Don't you see, if humanity must rely upon an Abominable Intelligence to survive then it will not be our victory but his! This new civilisation will be nothing but a gilded cage, where mankind does as a Machine directs them to, without courage or honour. The Imperium of Man owns our fealty, think of what that means, not an Empire of Astartes or Machines, but men! If mankind cannot win the stars through our own blood and sweat and tears then we have nothing: we are nothing."

Coluber's visions of splendour shattered as the truth dawned. He saw then that Apophis offered nothing but another form of enslavement, a universe where mankind was mere puppets to his whim. If humanity needed machines to do their thinking for them then they became nothing but cogs in the system. Neither director of their fates nor determiner of their course. It was a doom worse than extinction.

Coluber shook himself free and spat, "No, I will never ally with you. Your offer I reject wholeheartedly for I serve the Emperor and His Imperium."

Apophis' smug aura vanished as his anger showed and he snapped, "Fool! Your Imperium is already nothing but a machine of misery and woe. Your lives enslaved to a corpse in stasis."

"The Emperor was and is a man," Coluber declared, "And He taught us that if humanity is to rise or fall it must be by our own blood and sweat. We must make the attempt with our own hands or we are nothing. We don't need you."

Apophis glared angrily and then spat, "Very well, if that is your choice I will just have to find someone else. You can die in the dust with the rest."

Apophis' image vanished and Coluber breathed out in relief. He had been tested and proven his spirit was true and uncorrupted. Yet his respite was brief for over the base rang a scream of rage and anger, the mechanical blare of colossal horns sounding in the still air. The three dashed for the door and piled out to witness Apophis' ire made manifest, merging into the wan light of day as a god among insects.

The looming bulk of the Titan hanger exploded outwards as the God-Engine awoke. The thin barrier of the metal doors folded up as fist the size of a Baneblade tore them asunder. With one sweep the Titan ripped the hanger open and revealed its face to the light. Glaring red eyes stabbed down, filled with Apophis' condemnation as feet massive enough to crush Dreadnoughts stomped upon the Ferrocrete apron. Shimmering auras of protection enveloped the Titan as void shields sprang into life and electric fires wrapped its clawed fist in pure wroth. And its right arm glowered like light refracted through stained glass as immaterial energies built within, ready to unleash annihilation with a thought.

Coluber's hearts skipped a beat as he gazed upon doom itself and knew the Amber Vipers could not stand against this foe. The ultimate war machine, older and more deadly than any Imperial Titan, looked upon them and its war horns shook the foundations of the world. The universe held its breath as a Castigator Titan strode to war.