Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 310
Ryneon was not pleased. He stood stiffly as Posix worked on his breastplate, sparks flying from where an arc-spotter was applied to fused fibre-bundles. Ryneon's plate was badly scored, the glorious heraldry marred from impact and shot. His left flank was a tangled mess of Ceramite, where an axe-rake had chewed the outer layers and a grey sheen revealed where armour-paste had filled in other craters and scars. The offence to Ryneon's armour was immense, but that paled compared to the insult to his dignity.
"We should have broken them," Ryneon growled.
"We fought well Brother-Captain," Nyoir argued, "None could have done more."
"Effort does not equal success," Ryneon spat, "We withdrew from mongrels, it is an insult!"
"The Amber Vipers know we follow the Codex Astartes, they used that against us. They manoeuvred us into a position where we had no choice save to withdraw."
"You question the wisdom of the Codex?!" Ryneon growled.
"I merely suggest we adopt a more loose interpretation, The Codex teaches: Direct routes will bring you to battle, but indirect means will be required to achieve victory."
Ryneon did not reply, looking instead over his Company. In their quarters the wounded lay, recovering from their many injuries. Most of the Howling Griffons and Blood Ravens had moved to create a perimeter, but their injured needed some hours to recover. Around a spartan billet they lay, wounds scabbing over with Larraman cells as bones reknit and guts rebuilt, wounds that would lay a mortal out for months closing in hours. Truly the marvels of the Emperor's Gene-craft were wondrous, only enhanced by Belisarius' Cawl's tinkering.
Sadly there was no cure for death. In a row twelve bodies wearing the griffon rampant lay, dutifully carried from battle by their brothers. Six bodies with the blooded raven lay alongside, cut down by unworthy foes. That the Vipers had suffered far more grievous losses was no comfort, it was to be expected from such slovenly excuses for Space Marines. Ryneon watched a figure in white moving from body to body, harvesting their gene-seed for return to their respective Chapters. The genic-legacy of the lost would live on.
Nearby Auriga stood, grasping his staff in both hands as he stated, "We received word from Captain Toran. His assault was thwarted, but he inflicted serious losses on the youngest Amber Vipers. He intends to reroute and make another push for his Starship."
"Permission denied," Ryneon spat.
"Captain?" Nyoir asked in confusion.
"Tell them to come back here and join us.
Auriga's eyes darkened, "The Storm Heralds are a sovereign Chapter, as are the Blood Ravens. We are beholden to no one, not Lords Militant and not you. You may make requests of your allies, but do not think to give us orders."
Ryneon bit back a retort and said coolly, "A multi-pronged offensive proved unsound, we must concentrate our forces into one unstoppable sledgehammer. I request my compatriots join the Howling Griffons for the next assault. I intend to break the Vipers utterly next time."
"Better," Auriga agreed, "I will relay the request to the Storm Heralds."
The work to his plate was finished and Posix moved on to the next needful Machine Spirit. The Martian Adept glittered like a newborn star, but his skills were most welcome. His blessings had restored much of the damage to the Company, making good the wounds to their plate in an astonishingly short time. Ryneon moved his arms to test his range of motion and found his plate operating within acceptable ranges. He was ready for battle.
"Excellent, I am going to obliterate Coluber's wastrels to the last Marine," Ryneon declared.
Nyoir seemed troubled, "Brother-Captain, you seem vexed."
"We withdrew from mongrels, of course I am offended."
"Forgive the impertinence but this seems personal. Could it be because you missed a shot?"
Ryneon's eyes hardened as the moment replayed in his mind. He had fired at a retreating Viper, intending to kill with one shot. His aim had been perfect, the range and angles good, but another had intervened. A Marine had shoved his target out of the way. No normal Astartes was he, the Viper seeming to blur, so fast did he move. Ryneon's flawless shot had been wasted, his spotless record for accuracy tarnished, but to suggest he missed was too far.
"I did not miss," Ryneon growled, "Another factor intervened."
"Cruel mischance can be a fickle bitch," Nyoir sighed.
Ryneon's teeth clenched as he hissed, "Do not compare us Nyoir, do not even think it. Your failure resulted from a lack of will and a Sacred Oath was broken. I have not sworn a Sacred Oath to never miss, I am not so proud. I have not failed my oath, as you did, so do not think this makes us equals."
Nyoir's anger flushed his face but he held his tongue. Ryneon turned his face away, refusing to look at him. He strode off, letting the others trail in his wake. He moved to catch up with Posix, who had completed his labours. Now the Adept was tending to their prisoner, the Archmagos Castabore. Her front was dented badly where Ryneon had punched her, but the Captain did not doubt she would recover in time.
"Is she awake?" Ryneon asked.
Posix was waving his hands over her bulk as strange lights played over his digits, "External stimuli are being processed, but I took the liberty of locking her motor control into a diagnostic cycle. She cannot speak or move, for now. Be aware I cannot hold her at bay forever, as an Archmagos she is skilled in the ways of Binaric coding, she will break my data-curses, sooner rather than later."
Ryneon accepted this, "Are her weapons disabled?"
"For now," Posix affirmed.
"That's good, allow her to speak."
"Repeat input?"
"I need to interrogate her," Ryneon explained.
Posix went to work but Nyoir pressed, "Is this wise?"
"I need to know what she had learned of this base's defences," Ryneon stated.
Auriga chimed in, "I suggest you make haste then. The Storm Heralds are her sworn guardians, they will not allow harm to come to her. If you must get rough, they would be obliged to intervene."
Ryneon accepted this and turned to the Archmagos, "Castabore?"
The tub of a Magos shuddered for a moment then spat, "I protest this treatment of my personage and demand you release me!"
"You are in no position to demand anything!"
"I am a ranking potentate of the Adeptus Mechanicus, to threaten me is to declare war on all Tech-Priests. By the mandates of the Imperium you cannot touch me."
Posix sneered, "A lackey of Cawl invoking sacred decrees. I am amazed your vox-horn doesn't burn out from hypocrisy."
"You stay out of this," Castabore snapped.
"You can't even move," Posix laughed, "What are you going to do: scold me?"
Ryneon cut in, "Archmagos, your life is in your own hands. You have been deep in the Viper's defences, you know secrets of their disposition and methods of response. I require this knowledge, and you will give it to me."
"I will give you nothing!"
"But you will. You have seen the inner workings of the Vipers, you have seen the relics they stole. By rights the artefacts should have been returned to us. This you know to be the writ of Mars. Will you not do your duty to the Omnissiah and aid me?"
Castabore snorted, "Do not invoke the Omnissiah before me. You attacked me, I owe you nothing!"
Auriga leaned in, "But what of the Amber Viper's tech-heresies, they flagrantly violate the proscriptions of the Mechanicus. Brazen abuse of the Universal Laws is evident everywhere. Surely you cannot tolerate such sins?"
Posix replied for her, "You are shunting the wrong fluid-link there, she serves Cawl. Violating holy decrees is a sport for her kind."
Ryneon sighed, "It displeases me that we cannot find common ground."
Castabore snorted, "You should not feign sadness, I know your game. You intend to take your relics and blow this place to bits. You've been planning this from the start!"
Nyoir snapped, "You accuse us of dishonourable conduct!"
But Ryneon overrode him, "I shall tell no lies, it is true. It was always my intent to break parley, as it was my plan to obliterate this base afterwards. The Vipers would have died, even if they had turned over my relics without protest."
Castabore sounded surprised, "You admit it freely?"
"I have no reason to lie, and now you know I speak truth when I say if you do not give me what I want I will kill you."
"You wouldn't dare!"
Ryneon reached to his hip and drew Chrysoar. He pointed the bolter straight at her face and stated, "I have sworn a Sacred Oath to allow none to stand in my way. If you refuse to divulge information regarding the Viper's defences, I will have no option but to kill you."
Auriga looked shocked, "That is a bold move."
Posix stated, "This action exceeds the formulations of risk/benefit analysis."
Even Nyoir argued, "Brother-Captain, she is an Archmagos, kill her and Mancora would make a dire enemy. To murder her in cold blood will bring dishonour to the Howling Griffons."
Ryneon's eyes did not waver from the Archmagos as he uttered, "Five."
"You don't scare me!" Castabore spat.
"Four."
"Captain, consider what you do here!" Nyoir cried.
"Three."
Castabore snorted, "I know Toran very well, so I know all about Space Marines and your vaunted honour. You won't pull that trigger."
"Two."
"Captain no!" Nyoir yelled.
"One⦠" Ryneon's finger tightened on the trigger and Chrysoar spoke. Bolt rounds flew from the muzzle, hitting Castabore's face a heartbeat later. Fat rounds penetrated metal and a moment later detonated, spraying cogs and oily fluid everywhere. A single round would not kill an Archmagos but Ryneon kept his finger down, discharging half a magazine in one volley. His aim dropped as he fired, punching rounds into Castabore's chest and the explosions toppled her over.
Castabore hit the deck in a shower of sparks and all winced at the sight. Ryneon however stepped over her, aiming into the ruptured hole in her chest. He still wasn't sure she was dead so he pointed Chrysoar into her mass and squeezed again. Bolt rounds punched into her inner workings, blasting whirring devices to kindling and exploding quivering sacks containing wet organs. Without mercy Ryneon emptied the clip, and Castabore died most surely.
Ryneon lifted his bolter and reloaded calmly as Nyoir gasped, "You killed her."
"I swore a Sacred Oath," Ryneon stated as he clipped his bolter to his hip, "My vow allowed me no other recourse."
"This will have consequences," Posix warned, "I must report this to Mars."
"But you hated her," Auriga noted.
"True, but an Archmagos is an Archmagos. Certain things can only be done by the proper protocol."
"You mean if you'd killed her the synod would applaud, but they don't like outsiders killing their own?" Auriga snorted.
Ryneon was not moved, "Do as you will, but I will be leading a fresh attack upon the Vipers within the hour."
Auriga however countered, "I request a short delay."
"For what purpose?!"
Auriga replied, "Another assault on the Forges will be predicted, and prepared for. There may be a less obvious objective, but one that brings victory to us both. I only require a couple of hours, and Posix's help."
"Him?" Ryneon blinked.
"Me?" Posix asked.
"The Vipers will not be idle while you dither," Ryneon stated.
"Yes, two hours, I need to consult a source," Auriga argued.
"Very well, two hours, no more." Ryneon agreed, "Be swift, if you are not back by then I shall attack without you."
Auriga moved off, dragging Posix with him. Ryneon moved to inspect his squads, fully intending to keep his word and attack again. He did not see Nyoir lingering, gazing upon the leaking remains of Arch Magos Castabore. His face was stern and his eyes shaded, but his grip upon the hilt of his sword could have pulverised granite. Ryneon did not know it but his murder of an Archmagos would have consequences he would never have guessed, for himself and for all others too.
