Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 360

The Ghostwind

"Surely you must have some idea," Coluber pressed.

"We progress, but beyond that I cannot give you a definitive answer," the Hololith of Mihas replied.

"Are we at least getting close to Dimmamar?" Coluber urged.

"I cannot tell you," Mihas admitted, "Without fixed references we cannot establish our spatial position. Space in Imperium Nihilus simply refuses to conform to anything as mundane as starcharts."

Coluber rocked back on his heels in frustration. In his quarters he was undertaking a private consultation with his Navigator ally, but the answers he was getting were far from reassuring. Thrice more the Serpens Rex had plunged into nonspace, braving the soul-sucking emptiness of the hollow realm. Their interludes had been blessedly boring. Reappearing in barren systems and around burned-out husks of planets, where no enemies remained to plague them. It was almost heartening, every encounter they'd had with life in Imperium Nihilus had been troubled, enemies abounded and wild Phantasmagoria roamed unchecked. To sit in a dead stellar system seemed a reprieve, but they could not remain.

Into Ghostwind they sailed again, pressing ever deeper into the unknown. Reports of mechanical malfunctions were increasing daily, as the withering effect of nonspace took its toll. Worse was the ever-growing number of soulless husks, Chattels drained of all anima and vitality. At first a few, then a handful more, then dozens with every transit they made. If Kerubim was to be believed then soon they would be losing hundreds at a stroke, then thousands. Coluber knew he was throwing away lives in his quest, but saw no alternative save to press on. They had a mission to complete, no matter the cost.

Their guests were growing suspicious. The Blood Talon's mortal crew had not been exposed for long, but the effects were already starting to show. Soon they would start to lose their servants, and then they would turn their wroth upon Coluber. He was under no delusions that they would be forgiving, under that veneer of perfection the Blood Talons hid savage hearts.

"Do the Blood Talons not have any insights?" Coluber asked.

Mihas looked distasteful, "They claim we are on the right course, though they refuse to explain how they know this. They cite intuition and empathic impulse."

"Strange to hear a Navigator mock instinct," Coluber noted.

"Which should tell you how aggravating our situation is," Mihas rejoined.

"True, then I suggest we carry on as best we may and pray for a miracle."

The Hololith snapped off, leaving Coluber frustrated. He rubbed his eyes, weariness tinging his spirit with drab hues. A snort of derision made him look up. Ferrac and Reddam waited in the corner of his offices, listening but silent. The lonely Brother-Exemplar Hasak stood guard at the door, missing his counterpart.

Ferrac broke his silence, "Useless grox-fondler."

"He's doing his best," Reddam cautioned.

"Losers bleat about their best, winners get us to Frakking Dimmamar!"

Coluber was nonplussed, "If we do not locate our objective soon, the costs will become immeasurable."

"Surely you do not mean to abort the mission?" Reddam gasped.

"Never," Coluber retorted, "But our guests may have second thoughts."

That put them back and Reddam looked troubled, Ferrac however glowered, as if he'd been expecting this. Coluber knew that look, he'd seen it enough times, usually before Ferrac went and did something violent or stupid, often both. Coluber fixed his Battle-Captain with a glare, questions writ over his face. Ferrac stared back, giving away nothing.

Coluber broke first, "Out with it then."

"Pardon?" Reddam blinked.

"Not you," Coluber sighed, "Ferrac... what are you plotting?"

The Battle-Captain sniffed, "Nothing untoward, mere thinking ahead."

"Such as?"

"Positioning Primus squads around that fancy Chapter-barque, with melta bombs to blow airlocks and boarding shields issued."

"And..." Coluber pressed suspiciously.

"And..." Ferrac admitted, "I prevailed upon Berio, to lend us a squad of Cerberii, with a few of their more choice Heresies."

Coluber groaned to himself. Trust Ferrac to bring a sledgehammer to a surgical operation. Coluber knew he lacked trust, but this was going too far. Starting a war in their own house was something the Master of the Amber Vipers would not countenance, not again away. They were still clearing up the mess of the last time separate Chapters came to blows within their walls.

"You thought it would be a good idea to start a war?" Coluber hissed.

"I think that's a very shiny Chapter-Barque they've got," Ferrac grinned, "It would look good in our fleet."

Coluber's jaw tightened, "We do not murder people and steal their ships!"

Ferrac cocked his head, "Since when?"

"Since now!"

Reddam cut in hastily, "There may be wisdom in being prepared for a conflict, but surely it must be a last resort. So long as we do not fire first, there is no harm in being ready, just in case."

Ferrac snorted, "Someone forgets the Conclave."

"We forget nothing," Coluber stated firmly, "I do not approve of expecting treachery, but we've seen too much to trust blindly either. Reddam has the way of it, we shall not attack the Blood Talons, but will stand ready should they turn upon us."

Ferrac didn't look pleased but thankfully just then the vox squawked. Coluber breathed a sigh of relief for small mercies, but his reprieve was brief. The vox squawked as Shrios signalled from the Apothecarion. Coluber's hearts fell, for that could mean nothing good. Had Space Marines begun to show signs of succumbing to the Ghostwind's withering effect? He yearned to hear it was not so, but knew the Amber Vipers rarely enjoyed such good fortunes.

"Shrios to Coluber," the Apothecary hailed.

"Shrios?" Coluber replied, "What is the matter."

"You should come to the Apothecarion, its... Nathanal."

Coluber shared a glance with his Captains, then he was racing out the door. Down the spire at the heart of the Serpens Rex, moving at a brisk clip. Swiftly they descended and set out across the Nest, Coluber with his Captains and Brother-Exemplar. They moved fast, but a Starfort was a vast construction and even a Space Marine's fleetness took time to reach the distant quarters. Every step of the way Coluber dreaded the news, wishing he had misunderstood, but knowing it was all he dreaded it to be. Nathanal, the mortal artisan who had been with them since the start, if he was lost then something precious had been taken from the Amber Vipers.

They arrived within the hour, only to find others had beaten them to it. Kerubim stood outside the room, along with Maru Kysoto. An odd pairing, but Coluber knew what it presided. Kerubim had removed his helm, a rare thing since his silver features bordered on abhuman. The hybrid Primaris looked grim, verging on forlorn. He knew what was to come. Maru of course was impassive, his Sarcophagus could not be anything else, and yet his silence spoke volumes.

"Nathanal?" Coluber questioned as they drew up.

"He has been claimed by the withering," Maru spake.

"Surely not him," Reddam gasped.

"He is lost," Maru stated, "There is nothing left save meat and bones."

Coluber had to see it with his own eyes and pushed past them, entering the cold morgue where Shrios stored the victims. Rows of metal gurneys had been laid out, bearing dozens of Chattels. Blank eyes stared upwards, each betraying a mind fallen to ruin. The soul had been excised from them, hollowing out their spirits till nothing remained of the people they once were. Nathanal lay among them, his overalls dirty and his hands stained. He looked older than ever, loose skin hanging off his cheekbones. His eyes were vacant, betraying no recognition. Nathanal was no longer capable of meeting their eyes.

Shrios emerged from a corner, his drab white armour made grey in the thin light, "Look upon your handiwork and despair."

"He is gone," Coluber groaned.

"Another death upon your head," Shrios accused

Ferrac bristled, "His life was forfeit to the Chapter, all ours are. Death in service is inevitable, there are no exceptions."

"This is not death, this is nothingness!" Shrios spat, "He deserved better!"

"That is not for you to judge," Ferrac hissed.

"Well someone has to!"

Coluber brushed off their argument, "I cannot avoid responsibility for this. Nathanal died for my choices, all these mortals did."

"They died for the mission," Ferrac countered.

"Do not offer me comforting lies, I know the truth and the burden I bear."

Kerubim stepped up and looked sadly upon his old master, "My first teacher, my guide into the ways of the Omnissiah. I was a poor student, too proud, too certain of my genius, and convinced I was better than everyone else. He was patient with me, firm and wise. He showed me how to revere the Machine, he read from sacred liturgies and taught the mysteries of circuit and logic. He instructed an arrogant fool, with greater tolerance than I ever could. Nathanal will never be forgotten."

Maru spoke up, "It is the way of the old to pass away, to make room for new growth. You can honour him by being the Techmarine he always believed you to be."

Reddam added, "Nathanal was mortal, we were always headed to this day. Sooner or later, we'd be attending his funeral. It is how the Emperor made us."

Shrios muttered under his breath, "Turns out it was sooner."

Coluber ignored the bitter old Marine and looked down upon the body of Nathanal, "You served us well old friend, you gave your all for the Chapter. You sacrificed your life ensuring our flame endured; now your death too shall stoke the fire, one last time." Coluber reached down and plucked a button from his overalls, it was a brass tack in his hands, stamped with an Aquila mark but otherwise worthless. Coluber kept it safe however, tucking it into an ammo pouch on his belt. One by one the others stepped up and took an item, a notebook, a micro-lathe from a pocket, a worn manual on proper invocations to appease faulty circuitry. This was the Rite of the Dead, and never had it been performed for a mortal, but Nathanal was one of them in death, as he had always been in life. The Amber Vipers never had much, but they had each other, and that meant everything to them.

"I thank you for your teachings Nathanal," Kerubim sighed.

"You never let us down," Ferrac said, "Few men can claim such a thing."

"You will be remembered," Maru promised.

"Rest easy, knowing your labours are at an end," Reddam spoke.

"Goodbye old friend, I could not save you, but I can spare you this," Coluber whispered as he reached down and clamped a hand around the frail neck. With a twist of an armoured gauntlet did the vertebrae snap, severing the spinal cord. Nathanal died without a whimper, bidding the world of the living a silent farewell and leaving the Amber Vipers lesser than they were before.

Coluber felt his hearts turn cold, knowing his decisions had caused this. And yet he could not afford to admit regretting it. If questioned by any soul he would only say that he had a mission to complete, and Space Marines would never turn from a mission once given. Regret had no place in that equation. Coluber turned his back on the dead and left, but his thoughts cycled in a wish that he could believe that himself.