Tales of the Amber Viper Chapter 373
"Six thousand cryo-tubes certified operational and stored," Kerubim reported, "Starting on the next section, as soon as the shuttles return to Dimmamar."
"Why is it taking so long?" Ferrac grunted.
"Cawl built many defences," Kerubim explained, "Each bloodline of Primaris is isolated from one another in the vault, each sustained by independent generator cores and defensive emplacements. Belisarius Cawl really didn't want his creations wiped out by a random asteroid strike."
Coluber sighed wearily as he watched the shuttles take off again. From the observation gallery he saw streams of lighters and orbital conveyors turn planetward, their thrusters shrinking to dots in the background. The vast curve of Dimmamar turned into the day, the terminus glowing with refracted starlight. The planet revealed in the twilight was drab and grey, all landmasses covered in tombs and cathedrals, mausoleums and honorifics to a distant God-Emperor. Bland in appearance and bland in nature, one vast edifice to unthinking devotion, as squat and unlovely as the Ecclesiarchy it represented.
It seemed strange to Coluber that Cawl would choose to bury one of his Primaris Vaults here of all places, but then if one wanted a planet that would defend a crumbling ruin, and never think to ask what was inside, then a Shrine World could not be beaten. Cawl's stash of next-generation Transhumans had survived the Noctis Aeterna and would soon return to the Imperial fold. Nine thousand Space Marines, waiting to be wakened, power enough to overturn worlds and save or ruin sectors.
Coluber wondered how many other vaults Cawl had buried across the galaxy, and how many other fleets crawled towards them even now. Were the Amber Vipers even the first sent to Dimmamar, or merely the first to survive? Would Cawl expect them to go forth again when they returned, to unearth other vaults? A chilling prospect and one Coluber would vehemently refuse. The Corposant had proved more trouble than it was worth, the Ghostwind a poisoned chalice as to make the Warp look tame. As soon as they reached Imperium Sanctus he would throw it behind the Gates of Perdition and be glad.
"Lion, Kahn, Russ, Dorn, Corax, Vulkan, gene-lines secured," Kerubim recited, "We've just started on the Sanguinius section of the vault."
"That just leaves Ferrus Manus' and Guilliman's gene-types," Coluber snorted.
"You can leave that one," Ferrac snorted, "The last thing the Avenging Bean Counter needs is more toadies grovelling at his feet."
Coluber glared at him, "Ferrac, we are not leaving behind a thousand Space Marines."
"Why not?" Ferrac sniffed.
"Brother, sometimes I grow weary of your tongue."
But Ferrac countered, "I'm not being flippant, this time. We could leave a Chapter behind, to fight on this side of the rift. Imperium Nihilus sure could use them."
Coluber was actually given pause. The dark side of the galaxy had proved full of threats, and the few embattled worlds of men were beset by woe. They had no one to stand to their defence. A single Chapter of Primaris could do a lot of good out here. But then he had his orders, and there were other considerations.
Coluber shook his head, "We have to return all the Chapters to Sanctus. We need to assuage Cawl all is well, so he doesn't look too closely at what we pilfered."
"The Primaris gene-tech," Ferrac agreed.
Kerubim answered for him, "I have taken samples of the relevant gene-strands, and the techniques needed to incubate them. A genic reader here, a nutri-growth stimulator there, we should have the means of production in our possession... in theory."
"In Theory?" Coluber blinked.
"Primaris tech is demanding, in skill and rare materials," Kerubim explained, "Trial and error should see us figure out how to produce Primaris for the Amber Vipers, but expect errors along the way. Even when we have the kinks sorted out production will be slow, not nearly enough to replace the Firstborn wholesale. We can plan to start adding Primaris to our ranks, but do not expect many of them, not for a long time."
"What about armour and tanks?" Coluber asked.
Kerubim sighed, "I can adapt our power armour manufactorum, but again production will be slow. As for tanks, forget it. We can't build standard patterns, let alone Cawl's advanced designs. It's not a question of knowledge but parts, we simply don't have access to the exoticelements needed to make a Repulsor."
"Maybe we help ourselves to some of those we're shipping from Dimmamar?" Ferrac suggested.
"Cawl would notice that," Kerubim sighed.
"So it's back to stealing and trading with governors for whatever we can grab," Ferrac muttered.
"We shall do what we have to, but rest assured..." Coluber began. He was cut off as Hasak sprang inside, burst-lance held ready. A step behind came the Blood Talons, Aronyx, Rovenator, Korinthus and O'leia. Anger radiated off them, and they were armed. Coluber's hand almost went for the hilt of his blade, but he refrained, not wanting to start a fight. Still he wished Maru was here, he had a suspicion he would need his Librarian's skills soon.
"You treacherous knaves!" Aronyx cried.
"Dangerous words," Coluber hissed, "Explain them."
"Do not play the dolt with us, you have taken it!"
"Taken what?"
Korinthus gripped his rod of office hard, "You have stolen our honour and our genes. Our past and our future."
"For this disgrace there shall be retribution!" Rovenator howled.
"Speak gothic damn you, what's been taken?" Coluber snapped.
"The Black Chalice!" Aronyx yelled.
Coluber frowned in confusion as his eyes went to Ferrac. The Battle-Captain's shake of the head indicated he knew nothing of this and Coluber hadn't either. "I do not know anything about your relic being stolen."
"Liar! You ordered this disgrace!"
"No Amber Viper acts without my knowledge, and I gave no such order."
Aronyx's flawless face screwed up in disgust, "First you steal the Angel's Revenge, now our holiest relic."
"I tell you we didn't," Coluber hissed, "Look to your own house, before accusing your neighbour."
"You shall not wriggle out of this with fine words. I demand satisfaction!"
Coluber's hand went to his hilt at last, "Seems you forget what happened when last we tussled."
"For the Great Angel!" Aronyx yelled as he levelled his lance.
The next few seconds were a blur. Aronyx came at him, golden armour gleaming as the shining point of his weapon thrust for the hearts. Venom was in Coluber's hand and he swept it across, knocking the point aside and letting the length slide past. A strange shiver ran through him as the arcane weapon whisked past his plate, as if he had stood upon his own grave.
Aronyx spun to bear, but a lance was no weapon for close quarters. Coluber was into his back in an instant, slamming the flat of his blade against a lumbar spine. He avoided the cleaving edge, not wanting to kill the Blood Talon, not yet, not till he understood what was happening. Aronyx stumbled forward, outmanoeuvred by the veteran Marine.
In the corner of his eye he saw Ferrac grappling with Rovenator. The Battle-Captain hadn't botheredto draw his axe-rake, instead catching both wrists in tight grips, inside the arc of the lightning claws. Energised tips flared and spat but Rovenator could not bring them to bear. Ferrac's strength was greater and he forced the blades back till they rested an inch from the Centurio's eyes. One twitch and he'd kill the cur, and both knew it. O'leia couldn't help, the mortal woman was pinned by a growling plasma-sabre, Kerubim holding it in such a way as to suggest any motion would be a terminal mistake.
A blur in the other eye was Hasak and Korinthus duelling. The Sacredos fought with pure aggression, the snarling chain-teeth ringing his weapon clawing the air apart with every lashing blow. He hacked and stabbed, spun the weapon about and drove hard. There was a furious intensity to his assault, driven by more than just outrage. fury was in him, a need to kill that went beyond the bounds of a sane warrior. Hungry for the kill, burning in his need to destroy. And yet for all that he could not lay a hand on Hasak.
The Brother-Exemplar fought in a blurring mist of red sparks. His weapon left trailing wisps of fried molecules in the air as the contact Volkite-field scorched across the eye. Short in words but beautifully eloquent with his weapon. Hasak fought in the ancient styles passed down by Maru, his defence a perfect balance of deflection and evasion. He did not block or parry, instead redirecting his opponent's attacks, pulling him off balance, turning strength into weakness. Korinthus snarled as he redoubled his efforts, only to find the butt of the lance sweeping the back of his knees. He went down face-first, and a blazing tip was laid across the back of his neck, promising to end it.
The momentary distraction had bought Aronyx time to recover and the Regnator came at him again. Coluber sensed deadly energy wreathing the tip of the lance, but was not dismayed. This time he swept upwards, knocking the lance high and drove bodily into Aronyx's chest. The impact of two Transhumans colliding could have crushed a marble block to powder, but Coluber was ready. His bones creaked, armour groaned and the old injury to his hip sent flaring agony up his spine, but his will was immovable. He held firm and Aronyx found himself repulsed. The Regnator fell back, only to find Coluber a hair behind. Again he fell back, only to slam into a wall. Trapped, unable to flee or recover, with Venom an inch away from gutting him.
Coluber held still, "Two for two."
"Kill me then!" Aronyx spat.
"No," Coluber hissed, "I do not know what madness drove you to this, but I remain loyal to my duty. You are not Traitors, and I did not steal from you."
"You do not lie convincingly!"
Coluber's eyes narrowed, "I would kill you for insulting me, I would kill you for threatening me and mine. I would kill you if ordered or if you stood between me and my mission-objective... but for a lie? No, I will not kill you over a lie."
Aronyx was not convinced, "Your words mean nothing, snake!"
"Then go," Coluber hissed, "I grow weary of your face. Get off my starfort, take your ship and Brothers and trouble me no more."
"And leave you with our most holy relic?!"
"I do not have your relic, but I do have the means to kill all of you. One word from me and the Blood Talons end today. My patience wears thin."
Aronyx glared but had no choice. He nodded to the right and his companions raised their hands in defeat. The Amber Vipers stood back as they picked themselves up and icily departed. Coluber gestured for Ferrac to make sure they returned to their ship, and set sail immediately. A puzzled glance from the Battle-Captain was dismissed, Coluber not wanting to answer the question right now. He knew what the question was: why not kill them all and take their weapons, armour and ship?
Coluber was left in silence, looking to the tortured stars as he wrestled with the question. His reflection hung in the glassic, full of recriminations. He knew Ferrac wouldn't understand this dilemma, he barely understood it himself. All he knew was an unspoken truth in his hearts, that Sarpedon would have chosen already. A voice in Coluber's head was whispering that there was yet time to gun down the Blood Talons, to take their ship and grow the Amber Viper's fleet. Temptation called, one vox-missive and his power would grow immensely, but Coluber forbore for one reason. At that moment he could not tell if the voice was his, or that of the ghost of Sarpedon.
