Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 305
"Four minutes till we launch our attack," Ryneon voxed.
"Understood, we will commence our run in three minutes and thirty seconds, expect contact soon after," Toran voxed back from several decks higher.
"You are sure they will move to counter you?"
"Absolutely, our ship has Magma bombs, a few volleys of those will break this derelict apart. The Amber Vipers must prevent us from reaching the dock."
Ryneon was pleased, "An excellent strategy, the scum will be forced to draw forces away from our true objective, leaving them weak for the follow up blow."
"Codex Astartes Vol IX, Chapter XXII, verse III, All warfare is deception. We draw our enemy in ways we intend to achieve victory. This is the basis of strategy."
"Well said, I am honoured to fight alongside so unwavering a Chapter as the Storm Heralds."
"As I am I," Toran replied, "We shall note the Howling Griffon's triumph among our annals."
"Be not premature, first we fight, then declare victory."
Ryneon let the vox fall silent as he turned to inspect his troops. In the tight confines of the Serpens Rex a hundred Howling Griffons stood ready, armed with bolters and bolt rifles. Seventh Company waited only his word to commit, and their assault would be overwhelming. With them five squads of Blood Ravens stood, battered by war and bloodied, but yet proud. A company and a half of Astartes, force enough to conquer cities and topple governments, the Imperium had claimed whole worlds with less.
The Storm Heralds we following a supporting directive, they would launch the feint, as the Codex demanded, but the true strike would come from here. Ryneon's objective was elegantly simple, he intended to punch through the Viper's defence and seize the forges. Once there he would claim the relics of the Howling Griffons, but also take control of the heart of the starfort. The Vipers would be forced to return the remainder of his Chapter's artefacts, and Auriga's mysterious relic, or see their ability to wage war destroyed. Should they refuse then Ryneon would kill them all and take the armour off their backs.
Auriga stepped near, the Librarian looking concerned, "Two minutes."
That wasn't a question, so Ryneon didn't reply. Auriga frowned, "We give the Amber vipers time to arm and prepare a defence. Should we not attack immediately?"
A question had been asked and Ryneon replied, "I gave them one hour to yield, so they will have that hour."
"Do they deserve such honour?"
Ryneon was unmoved, "It is not about their honour, or lack thereof, but mine. I have offered Coluber the most generous terms, and he has ninety seconds left to accept them. I have given my word and I this do not bestow lightly. The word of a Howling Griffon is an onerous thing, not to be ignored or cast off on a whim. A warrior's word is his bond, as we speak, so shall we act."
Nyoir grimaced, "You did not wish the Storm Heralds alongside us?"
"Toran is allied to our cause, but only peripherally. His moral outrage serves the cause, but he may baulk at the steps needed to achieve victory. We here will not stay our hand, when the necessity of war is upon us."
"But the Amber Vipers outnumber us by a considerable margin."
"The Vipers do not trouble me," Ryneon scoffed, "They are lax, slovenly and ill-disciplined. No true Space Marines, despite that they wear power armour. While they drink, we train. While they brawl, we drill. They dabble with frivolity, while we win wars! This will be a crushing victory for our alliance."
"Thirty seconds," Auriga noted.
"Toran will be commencing his run," Ryneon noted, "Brothers! Cousins! All of you know what the mission is, and all of you are sworn to the cause. You know who we face, but they know us not. The true strength of a Space Marine is his commitment to the action at hand, and his willingness to sacrifice. The Vipers have no idea what is coming for them, but we will show them. Make them understand the depths of their error and teach them what happens to those who steal from the Adeptus Astartes!"
Fists banged on breastplates twice in applause and then the time was up. Ryneon spun on his heel and marched out, fitting his helm and drawing Chrysoar as he did so. From the barracks they strode, moving into the Serpens Rex proper. Along a route marked by the recon parties he moved, a brisk stride that covered ground faster than a mortal could run. He led from the front, wary for traps but not hesitant in his stride.
At the first junction squads peeled off, spreading their advance across a broad front. The Serpens Rex was a maze of passages and twisting tunnels, accessways blocked by debris and jagged gashes that allowed egress where schemata would not reveal. The Howling Griffons had marked many of these vulnerable points and Ryneon intended to pour through the openings, forcing the Vipers to defend every point, making their defence thin. He kept squad Invika and the assault Intercessors of Cottas with him, as Auriga did a Devastatorsquad armed with Heavy Bolters and a Multi-meltas. Thirty-three Astartes, more than enough to be the tip of the spear.
"Loading dock ahead," Nyoir pointed out.
"Expect resistance," Ryneon ordered.
"I sense fates cut short and destinies wiped out," Auriga warned, "There will be casualties."
"So long as theirs are greater," Ryneon dismissed, "Sons of the Imperium, into them!"
The loading bay doors hung wide and the speartip was under fire before they even crossed the threshold. Bolters thundered as warriors in amber plate fired from cover, inundating the entry with mass-reactives. Ryneon strode into the barrage with full confidence, trusting his Primaris plate to hold true. The armour did not fail him, though the checkered heraldry was cratered. One of his kin was not so blessed, a lucky strike taking Brother Melloa through the eye socket, if nothing else these Vipers could at least shoot straight.
Once through the doorway the speartip scattered, seeking cover. Bolt rifles spat fire at glimpses of orange while the Devastators set up behind an abandoned servitor-forklift. Ryneon had but a moment to take in the scene, but it was enough. His tactical awareness created an instant map of the bay, the piles of crates and bulky hoists that provided cover to both sides. The Vipers had a squad spread out among the crates, firing and moving in a coordinated pattern. Warriors in scout-plate fought with them, a score of them, lighter armoured but carrying bolters. The true threat was another squad in power armour. Set up on a gantry above, with an elevated firing position and some form of heavy weapon.
"Codex pattern Alpha-3. Spread out, covering fire as we advance, clear by sections and outflank them," Ryneon ordered.
"They are dug in," Nyoir pointed out as he glanced over the top of his heavy shield.
"Just get Cottas squad into close combat," Ryneon spat as he took up Chrysoar.
The crossfire was furious and the bay was riddled with shots. The thunder of weapons discharge was deafening and the bright flashes of muzzles and exploding rounds threatened to overwhelm even autosenses. Ryneon did not add to it at first, refusing to waste rounds on random shooting. He waited for his moment, and when it came did not hesitate. Brother Lunassa staggered as a bolt round blew a crater into his hip, he lived but was sent limping back. The shooter was a Viper in scout-plate, who ducked back into cover instantly. Ryneon moved Chrysoar right, along the line of crates, and waited three seconds, then pulled the trigger. The bolt flew from his muzzle the exact instant the Viper sprinted from cover, relocating with alacrity before setting up another shot. The bolt struck his temple dead on and blew his brains out before he could make it.
The Howling Griffons were pushing forward but Auriga cried, "Ware above!" Along the gantry a Viper aimed a bulbous weapon into the clash and discharged a fat round. Brother Swaeter was struck by a Phosphor round and ignited, his plate doused head to toe in incandescent fire. He blazed like a newborn sun, fire clawing through the joints of his plate to burn him to death. He didn't even have time to scream before the end, but the collateral was worse. Achingly bright light blanked out autosenses, forcing Machine Spirits to reset to preserve the bearer's eyes, leaving the speartip blind for an instant.
"Take cover!" Ryneon shouted as his vision scrambled and bolt rounds fell like rain.
But Auriga yelled, "Brother Gesaaw, target twelve degrees right, elevation forty-five degrees: fire!"
"What are you…" Ryneon spat but then he heard the snap-hiss of a multi-melta firing. Vision restored an instant later and he saw the Devastator Marine had seared through a supporting strut of the gantry. One spar among dozens, irrelevant to Ryneon, but to Auriga a critical weakness. The gantry was overloaded by the weight of many Space Marines, its structure rattled by the violence of weapons discharge. The spars were stressed to breaking point and the pinpoint shot removed the lynchpin, causing the entire structure to collapse.
Cries of outrage rang as the gantry gave way, dropping the Vipers to the ground. A short tumble like that wouldn't kill them, but the shooting fell away and the Howling Griffons saw their chance. Invika's Heavy Intecessors let rip on full-auto, as Cottas' assault Intercessors charged, Nyoir at their side. The Blood Raven's Devastators swept torrents of rounds from their Heavy Bolters and Ryneon sniped from afar.
Viper's fell, two, three and then they were falling back. In the face of overwhelming firepower they could not stand, so made a swift withdrawal. Not for them the defiant stand against impossible odds, nor the desperate fury of counter-charge. The loading bay was lost to them, so they did not try to hold it. Flurries of frag grenades flew high, blasting back the attackers a pace, and when the air cleared the Vipers had retreated through the far door. A crisp withdrawal, almost admirable in precision, if not in bravado.
Ryneon swept his speartip on as he noted two bodies in checkered red and gold, two Brother's lives lost. Mourning would come later, but he drew comfort from the five corpses in amber. Outnumbered and assaulting a prepared defence, the Howling Griffons had still inflicted twice as many casualties as they had taken. That boded well and Ryneon expected that ratio to rise as the assault progressed. Before this day was over he would explain the Viper's inferiority to them in terms they could not mistake.