Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 341
Between Tick and Tock, Imperium Nihilus
Strike-Captain Reddam was the first to step into the empty hanger, alighting Hellhound's ramp with a weightless tread. The landing bay stretched in all directions, large enough to house squadrons of Fury fighters and Starhawk bombers. Though none were to be seen. Without its complement of Strike Craft the bay was a vast cavern, roof lost in darkness and the far walls so far away as to be hazy even to his autosenses. The silence of vacuum pressed in, making the only noises his own breathing and the hum of his powerpack. The Amber Vipers were the only living thing to be found, but he didn't lower his spear.
Down the Thunderhawk's open ramp squads descended. His own comrades, along with Torvus tactical and Anaxar assault squad. They spread out in a perfect semi-circle, covering all angles with bolter, pistol, pulse rifle and agoniser. Vox-clicks signalled between them as they reported all clear, save for Brother Wrexal who lugged a Phusil and silently signed his report, his vocal cords having been lost years earlier. There was one other who alighted, Kerubim, in his strange plate. Red all over, save for one pauldron and his silver arms. Reddam knew Space Marines could operate in the absolute chill of space, for brief periods, but Kerubim seemed untroubled. Twenty-seven Amber Vipers, a potent force indeed.
"No threats detected," Tebes voxed.
"Move up and find us an entrance," Reddam commanded.
"We should split up," Sergeant Anaxar commented.
"Negative, we don't know what killed this ship, I don't want us to be picked off one by one."
"Battle-Captain Ferrac would," Anaxar protested.
"Ferrac is not here, I am. Primus you may be, but I am your Captain on this mission. You may make recommendations, but once I give an order it will be obeyed."
Reddam strode on, boots mag-locking to the deck with every step. The squads followed, alert for any hint of danger. The shadows shifted slightly as they advanced, erratic lumen orbs casting long stretches of darkness everywhere. Reddam found it disconcerting, the ship was pristine, but the scores of strike craft that should have inhabited the bay were absent, as were the crew. Even Servitors were nowhere to be seen.
"Laid it on a bit thick," Joffel sniffed over the vox-link.
"It needed to be said," Reddam dismissed.
"When I am a Captain, I plan to treat my followers with more respect."
Larus cut in, "If you make it to a Captain then I shudder for the Amber Vipers, every competent Brother will have to be dead first."
"Ha bloody ha," Joffel scoffed.
Reddam rolled his eyes but Kazao growled, "This place, is wrong."
"He's correct," Tebes noted, "We detected energy emissions from this ship, the reactors are hot but there's no crew. This is a mystery."
"Solving it is secondary," Reddam chided, "Reaching the Logic Engines is primary. Stand ready, here's a door."
A vast slab of a door loomed in their way, sealed tight. Kerubim moved to the runepad and began communing with its spirit, engaging in the sacred mysteries of his craft. Reddam turned to look back across the bay, taking in the sight. In the distance Hellhound squatted, stolen from the Blood Ravens it had been repurposed to serve the Amber Vipers. But beyond was the gaping hole that was the launch tunnel. Without an atmo-shield the hard glare of stars beyond could be seen, unwavering and harsh. One of those points of light was the Serpens Rex, hanging well out of range while his force scouted this derelict.
A vibration in the deck signalled the door opening. There was no airlock so atmosphere gushed out, a promising sign. The squads covered the opening in case of hostiles but when none appeared hastened within. Once through Kerubim closed the door and the wind fell. Reddam pointed his spear down a broad concourse, seeing a long tunnel in the ship. Once this route would have been busy with fuel trucks and munitions pallets, but there was nothing to be seen. The interior was as empty as the bay.
"Pressure steady, temperatures rising," Kerubim stated as he waved an auspex, "You can remove your helms."
"Belay that," Reddam growled, "Helms on at all times, trust nothing you see. Which way to the Cogitator core?"
"Standard pattern layout for an Emperor-class Battleship... so that access tunnel there."
"Anaxar take point, Torvus cover the rear."
The Amber Vipers headed on, passing into a smaller corridor that led deeper into the ship. Reddam felt the close confines pressing in, the sense of being under a mountain itching at his spine. Threats were everywhere, but he couldn't see them. That meant nothing, he trusted his instincts more than his eyes. He almost wished a Genestealer would pop out of a hatch, or an Ork barrel into sight, hell even a Dark Eldar would be welcome, anything other than silence.
"Curious," Kerubim noted as he waved his auspex about.
"Define curious," Reddam hissed.
"I'm reading a variance of quality in these metals, some parts of the ship are factory-fresh, others are thousands of years old."
"So?" Larus sniffed, "Imperial ships are refit all the time."
"But these panels were all installed at the same time, I can see the shipwright's stamps of purity-testing."
"Imperium Nihilus is so screwed up," Kazao hissed.
"No argument here," Reddam agreed.
It was true. The Serpen's Rex hasty flight from the inferno had plunged them deeper into the dark half of the galaxy, only to find they were lost. Mihas Chamanderley had insisted their vectors were right but when they popped back into reality none of their starcharts matched. It was not a case of being off-course, the star patterns aligned to no known sector of the galaxy. Nothing was where it was supposed to be, and they had no clue what to do about it. Another hopeful jump through the Ghostwind had proved no better, save when they returned this derelict had been sitting in Surveyor range, drifting idly in the gulfs of space. The name embossed across her prow was 'Terra's Resolve' but where she came from, and what fate befell her, was unknown.
"You are sure you can access the Astrogation data?" Reddam muttered.
"Get me to the Logic Engines and I can determine where we are," Kerubim assured.
Anaxar chimed in, "Have we considered looting this ship? An Emperor-class Battleship is a worthy prize."
"Not till we determine what killed the crew," Reddam growled.
"Shame," Anaxar snorted.
Reddam gritted his teeth as Anaxar twirled his power trident. A young and brash warrior of Primus, Ferrac's protégé but without the snide insults. Anaxar was the best of the first generation of Amber Vipers, though Torvus would dispute that. Fearless and brave, young enough to feel joy in battle but experienced enough to temper his impulses. A fine Sergeant, perhaps a Captain one day.
"Contact!" Kerubim barked as he lifted his auspex.
"Where?!"
"Dead ahead, lifeform, singular."
Reddam waved the squads forward, emerging from the narrow tunnel into a wreck. He blinked at the sudden change. The pristine walls were gone, replaced by snarled tangles of broken deckplates. Panels hung off the walls, letting wiring cascade in heaps to the floor and here and there fires burned. The air was thick with smoke and distant cries rang in his ears, but of pain or joy he could not discern. That was troubling, Transhuman hearing could discern the calibre of a bullet in flight, if he couldn't tell what was making the noise there was nothing natural about it.
Brother Wrexal waved two fingers and Reddam saw the man. Huddled against a tangle of wreckage a petty officer cowered, head in hands as he rocked back and forth. His naval tunic was stained with blood and his trousers torn. He was weeping but recognisably human, a petty officer of the Imperial Navy, Segmentum Obscurus by his markings.
"You there!" Reddam barked, "Halt and identify."
"No, no, no," the man wept, "You're not here, you can't be here."
"In the name of the Emperor explain yourself!"
"They hurt me, over and over, every day and every night. Always different but always the same ending. There's no escape!"
Reddam stomped nearer, power spear held ready as he hissed, "Tell me what happened here, or I'll kill you myself."
The man's bleary eyes came up as he cried, "You fool, I don't die here, I die when the roof caves in!"
"He's mad," Joffel snorted.
"Mad or not he's got intel we need," Kerubim retorted.
Reddam stepped closer and uttered, "Tell us what happened and we'll take you away from here."
The man's face grew angry, "You don't see: there's no getting away!"
The man burst into motion, jump for the tangle of wreckage and dropping behind. Reddam reacted with Transhuman speed but when he crested the top the man was nowhere to be seen. Confusion rose but instinct drove him to follow. Reddam was over the wreckage and running in an instant, chasing the man. Everyone followed focused on the hunt, running full pace. In seconds they had covered more ground than a man could run in a minute. The petty officer couldn't have got so far ahead, and yet he had.
Reddam saw him, standing way off in the distance, further down the corridor than he could conceivably have run. The man looked back forlornly; eyes heavy with expectation of doom. So sorrowful that Reddam hesitated his step at the bleak despair within. Then a harsh vibration came from nowhere and shook the deck. The man looked up as the roof caved in, making no effort to protect himself as thunder spilt the air. His hands stayed by his side in resignation as tonnes of shattered spars fell and crushed him into paste, leaving tangled wreckage that oozed blood.
"What the Frak?" Reddam breathed as he jogged to a halt.
"How did he know?" Tebes gulped.
"I really don't like this," Larus hissed as he glanced about.
"It doesn't make sense," Reddam breathed.
"Errrr..." Kerubim uttered, "Where's Anaxar gone?"
Reddam spun about and saw the Sergeant was missing. It was impossible, he'd been right behind and yet the Space Marine was nowhere to be seen, vanishing into thin air along with his trident. Everyone cast about, but no clue was to be found. Anaxar had simply vanished, leaving his squad alone.
"Where'd he go?!" Reddam spat.
"Unknown," Torvus replied as he swept the area with his bolter.
"He was right there!"
"It's impossible," Tebes hissed.
"I'm getting mighty sick of hearing that word!" Joffel snapped.
"What do we do?" Larus asked.
Reddam made a decision, "Complete the mission, we press on."
"But Anaxar?" Kazao protested.
"He's either alive and will find us, or dead and will never be seen again. Take heed of the threat, do not get separated. I want all of you to maintain visual contact with at least two Brothers at all times. No wandering off!"
The Amber Vipers huddled together, as if that would keep the unknown at bay. Weapons pointed outwards as they advanced in a scrum, heading down a tight service corridor. Reddam had the growing feeling they had stumbled into a deadly trap, but he could not divine its nature. What had happened to this ship, where had Anaxar disappeared to? He wasn't so sure he wanted to find out, he suspected he wouldn't like the answers.
Halfway down the corridor Wrexal's fist rose, then swept left. Reddam peered at what he had spotted and saw writing scrawled over wall panels, written large in frantic haste. Kerubim waved an Auspex over it and declared, "Blood."
"Space Marine blood," Kazao growled.
"Anaxar's?" Larus guessed.
"Possibly, but who did this to him and when?" Tebes asked.
"I'm more concerned by what it says," Joffel gulped, "Get... Out..."
Reddam wasn't encouraged either but saw more writing further down the corridor: 'No escape... cycles of death... Get Out... Serpent eating its own tail... Black Legion... no escape... they have taken the reactors... death is only the beginning...'.
Reddam's instincts were screaming at him to leave but he bore through. Space Marines did not run, not from shades and whispers. So, he pressed on. Past the writing he moved, seeing a light ahead. A wider corridor beckoned, and the prospect of reaching their goal. He hastened his step and so was nearly taken unawares as a shape came at him from nowhere. A flash of white skin, a jagged spike at his face, as an attacker leapt from the shadows and tried to gut him.
Reddam's reflexes saved him, his power spear spun to block then he slammed the butt into a pale gut. The foe staggered back but came at him again, moving with Transhuman speed. The others were pinned behind in the tight confines, but Reddam was not fazed. He slammed his haft forward, catching the tines in a bind, then twisted and slashed down with the blade. The foe was forced to duck and when he did so Reddam's boot caught a nobbled knee, cracking ceramic bone and folding the leg. The stranger went down, letting go of his weapon as he collapsed.
The attacker fell in a heap, growling in defiance. Two seconds had passed since the first hint of an attack and Reddam got his first look at the foe. A scraggly beard, long lanky hair and skin that hadn't seen sunlight for longer than a human lifespan. Limbs thin and malnourished, lacking the tone of training and chemically-reinforced diet. Age hung upon him, lines deeper and more harrowing than the oldest Amber Viper could claim and his mouth was bereft of teeth. He was unlike them in every way, yet despite being naked and starving he remained a Space Marine.
"Who is he?!" Tebes spat.
"An intruder!" Joffel growled.
"Where did he come from?!" Kerubim demanded.
"Tell us or die!" Larus hissed.
Reddam wasn't listening, for he was staring at the weapon he had yanked off the attacker. Dead and powerless but unmistakably a power trident, one he knew. His eyes fell to the fallen Marine and he saw something on the bicep, a tattoo of a snake and goblet. Cold dread stole over him as he gazed at the ancient warrior, haggard by so much time wandering alone in the dark, years beyond counting spent without friend or armour. Reddam was left aghast, "Brother-Sergeant Anaxar, is that you?"
