Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 316
"You really want to do this?" Persion asked.
"Honour demands it," Toran answered.
"I understand that," Persion rejoined, "But we were shooting at these yokels a few hours ago, convincing them this isn't a trick will be challenging."
Toran knew that all too well. The Storm Heralds waited in a deep canyon, buried within the Serpens Rex. Once it had been a munition's hoist, where macroshells would be hoisted on tracked carriages as wide as four Baneblades. The ceiling was lost in darkness, an immense void over their heads where the central mass drivers hid. A potent reminder that the Serpens Rex was more than a derelict, once it had been a bastion of war, a mobile fortress able to bring destruction to any world in the galaxy.
The space was circular, lit by a handful of lumen orbs, whose faint light did little to banish the shadows. Moisture clung to the walls as condensation built and mould hung behind pipes and around service ladders. It felt like a pit, one where condemned men would eke out miserable existences without the warmth of a sun, doomed only to glimpse the edges of day but never bask in it.
Across the dark valley the Amber Vipers waited. A smattering of squads in burnished amber plate, backed up by a score of Scout-novices. Toran judged the Storm Heralds could blow past them with ease, but refrained from giving such an order. He had been misled into fighting them by an odious deceiver, he would not compound that error. He could only trust they would hear him out, else he may be forced to give battle regardless.
"Have we considered going around them?" Novak asked.
Smyth countered, "No other way to our ship exists, we must go through the Amber Vipers to get there. We must deal with them."
"We could spacewalk over the surface," Novak proposed, "We are Space Marines."
"You're only mentioning this now?!" Persion gasped.
"You didn't think of it either, so don't take umbrage with your honoured ancient," Novak chided.
"I'm older than you!"
"And I'm a Dreadnought, that trumps age."
Smyth leaned over, holding the Company Standard rigidly as he said, "Captain, are we truly willing to forgive the Amber Viper's transgressions?"
Toran was less sure of his answer, "They have strayed far from Imperial Orthodoxy, but they strive to be better. They stand in the dark and look to the light, whereas Ryneon and his ilk preen in the light and gaze into the dark. We face a choice between those who seem debased, but do the Emperor's work, and those who feign righteousness yet commit treachery."
"Is there no other way?" Smyth pressed.
"You mean flee?" Toran snorted, "Leave the Howling Griffons, Blood Ravens and Amber Vipers to slug it out? No, that would be cowardice. Ryneon has betrayed the Storm Heralds, betrayed the bonds of brotherhood that define the Adeptus Astartes. He tricked us into killing those who would have served the Golden Throne faithfully. Ryneon's treachery demands retribution and I shall exact it. He did more than trick us, he struck at our hearts and souls. I cannot wash my hands of the blood debt he incurred."
Smyth sounded concerned, "I do not envy you the burden of making these difficult choices."
Toran whispered, "Tell no one, but I confess, at moments like this I miss Furion. He always knew what the right thing to do was. Perhaps if he were here, I would not have been so rash with my earlier judgement."
"The Master of Sanctity is wise, but no prophet. You did the best you could, with the information you had. None can fault your choices."
"Coluber can, and speaking of him..."
From the glaring lines of Amber Vipers stepped forth a pair of warriors, Coluber and Ferrac. A third joined them, a Sergeant by his markings. Toran recognised him from their earlier fight, he had led the resistance with stern courage. That didn't bode well, Toran expected this one to hold a grudge, and by the expression on his exposed face he already did.
Toran stepped forward, as did his aides and he said, "Coluber, thank you for agreeing to meet with me."
"It wasn't from goodwill," Coluber growled his lip curling, "You are damned lucky the tactical situation demands I come."
"The situation has changed," Toran pressed, "New information has come to light. Our hostility was born of deception."
"Oh, and I suppose that makes everything alright?!" Ferrac scoffed loudly.
Persion snorted, "Still surly as hell, I see."
"And you're still a prissy little bitch," Ferrac snapped.
"How's your broken face?"
"It's good, how's that toy axe?"
"Better than your cudgel," Persion grinned.
Coluber snarled, "Quit playing around, this is serious! You, Toran, explain what new information could possibly engender this change of heart?"
Toran drew in a breath, "I have learned Ryneon has been deceiving us all. He lied to me about his intentions and about his plans. He presented himself as a wronged champion of the Astartes, when in truth he plotted to betray the parley and kill you all. Worse he murdered Archmagos Castabore, an old ally of mine and my charge. Ryneon has double-crossed the Storm Heralds, he has forsaken all honour, this I cannot allow to pass."
The unknown Sergeant scoffed, "So we should overlook the piles of dead Snakelets you left in your wake and play nice?"
"Thaddis," Coluber warned, "Do not provoke them."
"But they..."
"Have a full Battle-Company at their beck and call. I would not waste such an asset, not when it might join with us."
Toran nodded, "I am glad you can see reason."
But Coluber glared, "I simply cannot afford to be fighting three enemies at once. I need to divide Ryneon's forces, which means treating with you. If I have to forgo removing your head to add your numbers to our ranks, I will hold my nose and do so, but do not think you are forgiven. Amber Viper blood is on your hands, and for that..."
Coluber's fist flashed and caught Toran across the jaw. The backhanded blow smarted, but the pain was secondary to the offence. Coluber had struck him with the back of the fist, a blow that conveyed a deep level of insult. Had any Storm Herald struck a fellow like that it would be cause for an honour duel. As it was bolters twitched in anger and Toran had to wave his squads to stand down, before someone started shooting.
Toran faced Coluber, "I accept your rebuke, it was I who wronged you, I shall make recompense."
"By fighting the screaming pigeons alongside us?" Ferrac snorted.
Smyth stiffen at the insult to another Chapter but Toran hurriedly said, "Ryneon's crimes demand justice, at any cost."
"So, you're willing to overlook our sordid ways?"
"Indeed," Toran replied reluctantly.
"Even the Aberrants?"
"Your... mutants..." Toran forced the words out, "Even them."
Coluber's veneer of injured pride cracked as he said, "I wish you had never found out about them. Not from a spirit of deception, but simply because they were never supposed to be. The Aberrants were needed to bulk our early numbers, but were a passing phase only. As our strength grew we would have phased them out, rejecting flawed stock as soon as it manifested. What you have seen is but the mould from which our Chapter would be forged, not the final blade itself.
Toran could sense no deception in the words and replied honestly, "I cannot say I would have made the same choice, but then I have never faced the challenges you have. The Storm Heralds have had our issues, but we have always enjoyed a surfeit of supply. Your path has been rockier than I could have imagined when first we met. Had I known what terrible decisions you had to make, I would not have thought you boasted the steel to survive."
"Is that an apology?" Coluber hissed.
"It is..." Toran admitted, "I was wrong, about you, about the Amber Vipers."
"Few Space Marines could ever admit to making a mistake," Coluber mused.
"I have seen the dangers of such thinking," Toran explained, "I choose to humble myself now, rather than be subject to a Penitent Crusade upon my return home."
"Ha!" Ferrac snorted, "Welcome to the gutter, with the rest of us curs."
Novak chimed in, "So, we're all friends now?"
"Don't push it," Thaddis growled.
Coluber agreed, "Much bad blood lies between us, your conduct in the coming fight will determine how we shall stand after. Yet I am willing to place you in the line, at our side."
"Very generous of you," Toran allowed.
"Don't be flattered," Ferrac grunted, "We need your Battle-Company's guns, the rest is just fancy window dressing."
Coluber didn't refute that, "You should know that we have learned Ryneon and Auriga plan an assault upon our most secure vault. It is buried deep and well-defended. Fell artefacts lie within, of dread power. Ryneon plans to seize that vault and ransom the contents. Auriga is behind it, but he seeks his own objective, a relic called the Corposant."
"The Corposant?!" Novak exclaimed.
"You've heard of it?" Coluber blinked.
"One of Cawl's wretched experiments," Persion spat, "He was trying to find a new method of starflight, bypassing the Warp entirely. Caused us no end of problems, I was glad to see the back of it, and him. Abaddon's Balls, how did it end up here of all places?"
Coluber explained, "The Lord Regent saw fit to secure a number of Cawl's inventions in our vault."
Ferrac snorted, "He may be an arsehole, but he knows better than to let Cawl muck about with the fundamentals of Warpflight. Confiscated everything he could get his hands on and threw it all where that blasted tinkerer couldn't get at them."
Toran bristled at the description of his gene-father but Coluber mused, "Auriga thinks it can bridge the Cicatrix Maledictum."
"So Belisarius Cawl claimed," Toran confirmed, "He was sure it could free mankind from the fickle tides of the Warp."
"If it works," Novak commented.
"If it doesn't blow up as soon as it's switched on, more like," Persion scoffed.
Coluber drew himself up and declared, "Ryneon intends to attack the Gates of Perdition. I plan to let him get close, then trap him in place and destroy him utterly."
"A classic tactic," Toran agreed, "Codex Astartes, Chapter XXV..."
"Finish that quote and I'll rip your entrails out through your throat," Ferrac growled.
Toran fell silent as Coluber declared, "The time has come to prove our true mettle. Fight with us today and you shall prove yourselves our true Battle-Brothers. As the Amber Viper's credo holds: cold hearts, fast blades, and unbreakable in our loyalty to each other."