Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 239

"You're sure of this?" Ruuka asked warily.

"Absolutely," Dannye replied, "We have found more than we ever dreamed."

"And a Nanoswarm can do the things you describe?"

"The most Hallowed scriptures speak of Nanocytes, but no adept has ever managed to master such marvellous devices. Relic Omniphages have been found, Exterminatus class weapons, but ultimately nothing more than a means to destroy. The wonder of Cippum is more than a tool of destruction. With such a marvel in our hands we can build anything we imagine. The galaxy can be cleansed and reshaped according to our will. If we can claim this prize it will rewrite the fate of mankind."

It sounded good, Ruuka had to admit that, but then all treasure did at first. He rubbed his beard as he thought upon it, chewing upon the implications. If what Dannye was describing proved true then the chance for glory was beyond his wildest dreams, but he was wary too. Many times he had been despatched to claim hallowed relics, only to find a dead-end, or a trap. Too many of his scars came from blundering in with too little information. Before he set a step upon this path, he wanted to know more.

He glanced about their meeting place, a dank maintenance alcove under a lance capacitor. It was dark and damp, every breath bringing the scent of decayed unguents and ionized oxygen molecules to tickle the back of the throat. Macroweapons festooned Zar-Quaesitor's spine and the static discharge should befoul any listening devices. It was a serious concern, the Forgeship was riddled with spies, mostly from other branches of the Mechanicus, but just as many for Cawl himself. The fractious nature of the Tech-Priests led to jealousy and paranoia and Ruuka was in no doubt if someone overheard their schemes they would be sold out in a heartbeat.

Ruuka drew in a breath and asked, "This planet, Brontes did not want us to go there."

"Naturally, the Abomination does not wish to share his marvels with us. His affected alarm was intended to steer us away."

"Consider that his distress was genuine, if this Nanoswarm is so dangerous we must tread carefully. You said even the ancients feared to use this weapon."

"Because they were weak!" Dannye spat, "They hesitated to employ their full power. They dithered and debated, showing mercy to their enemies. We are not so limited. We will claim this Nanoswarm and set it to work. The galaxy will be swept clean of threats, any race that so much as looks upon our domains will be exterminated. Orks, Tyranids, Tau, Eldar, even the Necrons, all will succumb to the power of the Machine God! Mankind will achieve sacred Monodomination, free of all danger and able to dedicate itself fully to crushing Chaos. While you and I will be hailed as the great heroes who saved our species."

Ruuka held up his hands and said, "I'm convinced. This is too good a chance to miss, but there are practical concerns. We two won't be enough to beat Cawl to the punch."

Dannye replied calmly, "I have considerable assets among the Skitarri, and other Diviones. The Lazarus Progression has many agents on this ship. With a word I can start a riot, but it won't be enough to claim the ship for our own."

"Tezla is faster," Ruuka mused, "I have the crew's trust, if we lure Pycelo off the ship I can take her. Cawl will chase us though."

"While Cawl is busy dealing with that Abomination I will position my agents in the drive sections, when we are ready they will sabotage the Main drives. That will buy us days to reach Cippum."

Ruuka sighed, "I need a few hours to contact friends on the Tezla and make preparations. We should meet here again in five hours and check all is ready, then we strike."

"Proposal accepted," Dannye said, "Make note of this timestamp, it will be recorded in the Temple of All Knowledge as the day the great cleansing began!"

"First we have to succeed," Ruuka hissed, "Praises can come later."

With that Ruuka ducked out of their meeting, leaving the Secutor to make his preparations. Ruuka's head swam with excitement, after so long being held back his chance to shine was finally at hand. He would steal a march on Pycelo, doing what the old fool dared not. He would take the Tezla and sail to the world of Cippum to claim the ultimate prize. Everyone would see he was greater than the old man ever was, he would make Pycelo acknowledge him at last. The thought made his step light and his heart beat faster, but before he could do any of that he had to speak to someone first.

He traced a route to a data-archive buried deep in Zar-Quaesitor. There were many such places in the Forgeship, each filled with knowledge recovered from millennia of exploring the galaxy. It was said even Cawl didn't know what was stored in his ship's archives, the Archmagos having forgotten as much over the passing millennia as he had learned. Many an adept spent lifetimes among the clicking Data-looms, searching for mis-stored files and discarded wonders and as expected he found Treya doing exactly that.

The Famulous stood before a whirring Logic Engine, connected it by a delicate Mechandrite that extended from the tip of a perfect finger. Her eyes were closed as she communed with the Machine Spirits. Ruuka paused for a moment, seeing her perfect form was as flawless as ever. He'd long planned for the day he would take his due, and always he had wanted her by his side. It was time to make that dream a reality, time to bring her into his plan.

Treya exhaled softly as her mechandrite disconnected and her eyes opened. She flexed her fingers and asked, "Ruuka, what bring you here?"

"Anything interesting in there?" he deflected.

"Pycelo is planning to open negotiations with an ambassador from the Hives of Verghast. I needed to review protocol for addressing their ruling Aristocracy."

Ruuka frowned, "The Sabbat worlds are a long way from here. Why did they come so far to meet with Cawl?"

"Unknown," Treya sighed, "But that's not why you're here."

"No," Ruuka admitted, "Treya, I have an opportunity, for us. A chance to acquire a wonder of surpassing value."

"Sounds intriguing," the Famulous said, "Do you need advice on how to make diplomatic overtures?"

"No, I don't plan to bargain for this, I intend to take it by force."

Treya frowned as she mused, "Such a prospect would be better discussed with Wulfe, or Pycelo."

Ruuka exclaimed, "That's the point, I'm doing this without either of them. I'm striking out on my own at last, taking my own lead. This mission will finally take me out of Pycelo's shadow. I'll finally be judged for my own deeds, be able to make my own way! All I need is his ship and you."

Treya stared at him for a long moment then breathed, "Have you gone mad?!"

Ruuka started in shock, "But I don't understand, you loathe him as much as I do."

"Pycelo is our Magos, you owe him your fealty," Treya scolded, "I can't believe you'd think to betray him."

Ruuka was lost as he exclaimed, "But you said you wanted to get away from him. I've seen your true face, you can't stand him anymore than I can. We talked so many times about getting our due"

"Pycelo made us both," Treya snorted, "And he offers you everything he has, if you are patient. I struggle to comprehend why you would risk all that, for a ghost of a chance at something better. I knew you were bold, but this is stupid."

Ruuka couldn't believe what he was hearing and pleaded, "Treya, don't be blind. We can be so much more than he lets us be. Come with me, I'll give you wonders you never dreamed of… the galaxy itself."

To his shock Treya laughed in derision, "Oh Ruuka, you sound like a boy begging for a maiden's favour. You were amicable company but surely you do not dream you can offer more than Pycelo. The Magos has the favour of Belisarius Cawl, his star is in the ascendant and soon his name will be known in the Forges of Mars. Pycelo is going to be elevated in the hierarchy of the Cult Technis, and I will be there at his side. I have no use for someone who doesn't know the value of what he has. Pycelo is going to command his own Forgeship in time, and I intend to be there when he does."

Ruuka was put back as he saw how badly he'd misjudged Treya. The Famulous was no disaffected libertine but a power-hungry manipulator, as dedicated to advancing her position as any Machiavellian Forge-lord. She had cultivated her position in Pycelo's court with expert grace, scheming her way into his closest confidences, as she had Ruuka's. He saw then that she'd been grooming him too, expecting that someday he'd inherit the Explorator's ship and status. Their time together had been a sham, nothing but an elaborate ruse to secure his trust. He thought he'd seen her true face in the momentary lapses of her facade, but had to ask himself if any of that was true or just another manipulation. He didn't know the real Treya; turns out she was a conniving bitch, pretending to be a gruff and independent spirit, pretending to be a kind-hearted diplomat.

Ruuka's heart grew cold as he stepped back and said, "I seem to have made an error. I will not speak of this again."

Treya eyed him coldly, "And this prospect?"

"I… forget it, it will come to nothing," Ruuka dismissed.

"It sounded important, you should bring it to Pycelo, he will not ignore a promising lead."

"Yes, I will," Ruuka lied, "Thank you for your advice, you've made things very clear to me."

With that he turned and left. His hope had been shattered, the dream he had clung to revealed to be pure fantasy, but his will did not waver. He was as set upon his course as he had ever been. He would take the Tezla, claim the prize of Cippum and show them all that he was worthy. Treya would just be another forced to bow before his glory, one more doubter he would snub with glorious triumph. Ruuka was going to achieve greater feats than any of them and they would all be forced to admit they were wrong about him.

So he left, but behind Treya stood staring. Long after he disappeared she remained, still and silent, reviewing everything they had said. Her face was a mask of serenity but her thoughts were cold and calculating, judging every word and inflexion, replaying every gesture and facial tick in her mind's eye. As inexorably as a cogitator processing an equation she reached a conclusion. Ruuka was up to something treacherous and she had a chance to exploit it to her own advantage. Whatever he had planned, she would catch him in the act and so advance her position. If it was grand enough she may even be able to move from Pycelo's service into Archmagos Cawl's, a far more rewarding endeavour than bowing and scraping to an Explorator. She couldn't do it herself though, she was no warrior-investigator, she needed an agent, someone who couldn't claim the glory for themselves, someone attached to but not part of the Mechanicus.

With a thought she opened a vox-link and called, "Famulous Treya to Techmarine Jordig, I request a meeting at your earliest convenience. I have uncovered treachery most foul."