Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 296
Coluber sat atop a black iron throne and tried to look regal. He had polished his armour again and summoned every bit of imperious poise he possessed, but was worried everyone would see how unsettled he was. The Conclave had not gone as expected, not at all, what should have been a glorious welcoming of the Amber Vipers into the ranks of the Adeptus Astartes had been marred by distrust and misunderstandings. His dream of being considered equal to other Chapters seemed further away than ever. And now the Storm Heralds were late.
He had summoned the Conclave in a restored hall, refitted after millennia of void exposure. The hall was long and lined with marble slabs, set under an armourglass dome which revealed the night side of the moon they orbited. Ancient banners taken from sealed vaults hung in rows, interspersed with Hololithics of Space Marines long dead. The fact that Coluber had no relation with these heroes was not a truth he wanted to share. In all the hall was a vision of faded glory, a window into an age long gone, but his guests were not impressed.
Coluber considered them. There was Ryneon, so proud and demanding. The Howling Griffon bore himself like a king and Coluber yearned to stand so tall, yet their interactions were brief and terse. Ryneon disliked the Amber Vipers, Coluber sensed, but was it a condemnation of their general shabbiness or something more, only time would tell. Auriga stood veiled in mystery, his purpose unclear. Coluber knew he loathed his envoy with a passion, and she him. Why they would travel together was an enigma, and he suspected there was more to the Librarian than met the eye.
They were troubling enough but then there was Daggon. The Soul Drinker Chaplain was a closed book, his intent hidden and opinions reserved. Coluber's skin crawled every time he looked at those accursed colours, the golden goblet icon a mockery of his own black snake and goblet. Daggon had revealed nothing of his ulterior mission, feigning disinterest in the whole Conclave. Coluber didn't buy it. Daggon knew more than he let on, he knew where Coluber hailed from, he was plotting something, the question was what.
These then were the escorts, but this was not their day, it was the time for the envoys to speak. Varrel, Velpecula and Posix, three of those who would compete for the STC's. Each of them represented an immense institution, teeming millions of adepts and agents, they could offer vast resources to the Amber Vipers, and a deadly threat if offended. Coluber must choose between them, but he had to take care not to rebuff the losers too harshly, lest he make a deadly enemy.
A shadow at the far door shifted and then Toran strode in, trailed by Archmagos Castabore. The last envoy sailed smoothly on her anti-grav cushion but the waving of her Mechandrites hinted at urgency. She backed that up by calling, "You haven't started without me?!"
Coluber nodded his head, "Archmagos, we have been waiting."
"Waiting too bloody long," Daggon growled, "Where have you been?"
"And doing what exactly?!" Ryneon growled.
"The Archmagos was in holy communion with the Machine Spirits and could not be interrupted," Toran explained.
Auriga commented, "None dispute the sanctity of the Cult Technis' rites, but perhaps we could get started?"
Coluber took that as his cue, "Friends, cousins, servants of the Golden Throne all. I Coluber do welcome you to this High Conclave. By the grace of the Emperor the Amber Vipers came into possession of three STC's, wonderous artefacts from the Dark Age of Technology. One has already been returned to the Imperium, and the Iapetus class shuttle is being used in a dozen sectors as a heavy orbital lifter. Two more remain, and we here today shall debate the dispositions of these designs."
Velpecula lifted her harridan voice, "Tell us of the STC's."
Coluber pressed a rune on his throne, "As you can see the first STC is a gas-compression knife."
A Hololith sprang into life, showing a Marine in battle. Taken from the helmet-lens of a squadmate it revealed an Amber Viper grappling with an Ork. The brutish greenksin was all muscle and bone, with stretched leathers for armour. It dominated the fight, far larger and more robust than even a Space Marine. The fight seemed lost, but then the Marine drove his knife into its chest. A blast of compressed gases into muscle split flesh like a ripsaw, blasting it outwards, but worse was the hissing chemicals injected via the vapours. Potent acids quickly dissolving the Ork's innards.
Coluber explained, "As you can see the Fang, as we have come to call it, has proved effective against hide and light armour. Thicker armour can be cracked, even Ceramite. The chamber can be charged with a single-use dose of acids and toxins, of a wide variety. The STC is simple to construct and requires marginal resources, we have made sure every Amber Viper carries one."
Posix interjected, "What of the other?"
Velpecula agreed, "Yes, tell us of the laser weapon."
Coluber noted the question and pressed another rune. This time the angle was from an under-wing gun-camera, not as clear as the first but the tip of a laser destroyer could be seen in the corner. A diving aircraft swooped over a battlefield and the weapon spoke, searing a column of energised las into an Ork Battlewagon. The blast ripped its side out in one shot, punching deep within to ignite the fuel store and cause it to explode. A hit as potent as battlecannon and precise as a Lascannon.
Coluber expounded, "The Laser Destroyer is a mighty weapon, compact and energy-efficient, all the punch of a big cannon, only energy cells of a small one. You are all familiar with the Destroyer tank hunter, while this weapon is less grand in destruction it is far more adaptable. In time it could well replace the twin-linked Lascannon as the standard Imperial choice for anti-armour. A vehicle fitted with this will be feared by any enemy."
Posix lifted his voice, "Mars claims its holy right to these STC!"
"You start the engine before blessing the gears," Castabore spat, "You are not the only ones who lay claim to these designs."
Posix retorted, "Mars is the seat of the Omnissiah's sovereignty, all Forges bow to the Red Planet. All STC rightfully belong in the Temple of All Knowledge."
"To gather dust!" Castabore scoffed, "Belisarius Cawl will put these weapons into immediate production!"
"We too intend to produce the weapons, after suitable field trials."
"And how long will that be, four hundred years, or four thousand?!"
Coluber interjected, "Friends, let us not bicker over rights, but discuss practical matters."
"Like payment?" Ryneon scoffed under his breath loud enough for all to hear.
Posix took that as a prompt, "The shipyards of Mars will not forget this boon. Give the STC's to me and I will have a new Strike Cruiser built for you. Fresh and virgin, yours to do with as you will."
Castabore however scoffed, "You do not need another ship you cannot crew. Give the STC's to Cawl and he will send a Forgetender to rebuild this base. Perfect restoration of its systems, plus trained crew enough to man both the Starfort and your Battlebarge. Adepts and Enginseers of proper standing, not your tinkerers and fumble-fingered dolts."
Coluber was stunned, both offers were grand and yet he said, "These are mighty tributes, but I have yet to hear from our Inquisitorial representatives."
Varrel spoke first, "The Ordo Xenos is prepared to grant you access to the youths of the Adeptus Astra Telepathica, to establish a proper Librarius. Plus you will be permitted to send Brothers to the Deathwatch."
"You offer me a chance to give away my Marines?" Coluber asked.
"The Deathwatch is a noble and honoured institution, to be allowed to don the black and silver is a mark of respect among all Astartes."
Coluber was taken by the idea of earning the respect of many Chapters, yet Velpecula interjected, "The Ordo Hereticus has relics from the earliest days, some of which hail from the Amber Vipers of yore. We will return the cloak of Tsunaga to you, and the Spear of Kuilimanju."
Coluber had never heard of such items, but couldn't tell anyone that, "Princely gifts, truly wondrous."
Castabore spat, "You cannot take this seriously. Cawl will gift you with weapons and armaments by the shipload, more than a handful of artefacts. He will arm you for war!"
"Will he share Primaris technology?" Coluber asked pointedly.
"I... well... no," Castabore sank, "He has been given express orders not to, and for once has no inclination to break them."
Coluber could guess who had given that order, the Imperial Regent had no wish for his black-ops unit to grow beyond his control. The leash about Coluber's neck was as tight as ever, despite the hundreds of light-years it stretched over. It damaged Castabore's case though, and Posix's Holo-scales glittered as he shifted in mirth.
Posix pressed his case, "Cawl's actions always fall short of his promises. Give the STC to Mars and we will gift unto the Amber Vipers five suits of Tactical Dreadnought Plate."
"Terminators?!" Coluber gulped and well he should, the most potent and indomitable armour ever conceived, the Amber Vipers could not claim a single example in their armoury.
"Yes, and we will add one of the legendary Tartaros plates, for your own personal protection."
Castabore hurriedly cut in, "Give the STC's to Cawl and he will give you a hundred plasma rifles."
"Untested technology," Velpecula sniffed, "The Ordo Hereticus offers Feudal rights to a homeworld, plus we will overlook your missing gene-seed tithes."
Varrel called, "The Ordo Xenos will petition the High Lords to open the Amber Vipers vaults and return your previous tithes. You can swell your ranks to a thousand, in one generation."
"A Dreadnought!" Castabore yelled.
The bidding was getting ludicrous and Coluber's head was spinning. Yet he noted looks of distaste pass over the faces of Ryneon, Toran, Daggon and Auriga. All of them found this clamouring for attention base and ignoble. If Coluber wanted their respect, this was not the way to win it.
Coluber lifted his hands, "Friends, I am overwhelmed by your generosity. Yet you mistake my intent. I do not seek material gains alone, but to arm the Imperium against the darkness that rises on all sides. You have told me what you offer, but speak of how you will deploy the STC, to the betterment of the Emperor's realm."
Varrel spoke first, "The Fang knife will be issued to the Deathwatch. It is the perfect delivery system for bespoke toxins and poisons lethal to the alien. Mutagenic compounds fit to take down Tyranids, acids for Orks, nerve-shredders for Eldar. Armed with this knife the Deathwatch will be the silent killer of non-humans across the galaxy!"
Castabore went next, "The Laser Destroyer will be fitted to the Repulsor tank. It can be turret mounted and is well within the power-generation capability of the engine, with only a slight loss of troop capacity. Cawl anticipated many issues when he designed the armaments of the Primaris, but the galaxy has proved more hostile than even he expected. The 'Repulsor Executioner' will tip the scales back in the Imperium's favour."
Coluber could see the benefits of both proposals and yet he was surprised when Posix declared, "Mars intends to fit the Laser Destroyer to the Castigator tank."
"The Sororitas?" Coluber blinked.
"Yes," Velpecula answered, "The Fang and the Laser Destroyer shall both go to the Sisters of Battle, to arm them for their Wars of Faith."
"And support their role as Chamber Militant of the Ordo Hereticus," Posix added.
Coluber was stunned by the unexpected turn. These two were suddenly supporting each other. His eyes drifted to Ryneon and Auriga and he saw no surprise there. They'd formed a partnership, Coluber realised, Mars and Ordo Hereticus, Howling Griffon and Blood Raven. A power bloc had just emerged in these negotiations, one that had left everyone else flatfooted.
"Now hold on," Varrel protested.
"There is much more we can offer," Castabore cried.
"More than the forges of Mars?" Posix scoffed, "Her master's fancy words are worthless, he can never match the industrial might of the Red Planet. We can restore the Serpens Rex to its former glory."
Velpecula sniffed, "The Ordo Hereticus does not tolerate recidivists, and your overdue Gene-seed tithe is ours to pursue or forgive as we choose."
"The Emperor's Left Hand and the Red Planet stand united!" Posix proclaimed, "No lesser pretenders can match our largesse!"
Silence fell as the others were humbled, unable to match the power of this alliance. Coluber knew they would try though; the debate had hardly begun and he expected the others would not be slow to realign their positions. He was not going to give away his prizes on the first day. He set his arms down and uttered, "Friends your generosity is boundless and your zeal to serve the Imperium is admirable. Armies shall give thanks to your work this day, but let us not make decisions in haste. I propose a recess, to reflect on our debate and come back with fresh perspectives tomorrow. Till then I ask us all to meditate on our service to the Golden Throne."
They would Coluber knew, and also come up with new ideas for the next day. He couldn't wait to see what else they were willing to offer, once they had time to think about it.
