Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 12

Shadows raced over the rolling hills, strange silhouettes with sweeping curves and smooth bulges. These were cast by Devilfish and Piranhas, sweeping back and forth over the moors as they sought their prey. The last few hours had seen them pursuing the Amber Vipers into the wilderness, hot on their trail and eager to catch up. For a time it had seemed that they were closing the gap but then the trail had disappeared, vanishing into nothing. The rebels hadn't been discouraged though; their prey had gone to ground but must be nearby. So they swept the region meticulously, sniffing out their quarry.

Sergeant Reddam lowered his magnoculars and grimaced in frustration. These rebels were good, their search pattern left nothing to chance, it was slow but there was no escaping from them. He was boxed in with no chance to slip away unnoticed. Reddam lowered his glasses and pulled the camo-shroud down to close the minuscule gap he had been peering through. Then he dropped back into cover.

He landed on his feet and surveyed the tiny gully his squad was hiding in. This was another of the supply caches, left for Secundus Cohort, barely more than a sharp cleft in the ground but covered over in such a way that a cursory inspection would make it look like nothing but a shallow dip. The camo-netting hung barely above his head, making it seemed cramped and confined yet he knew it would buy them a moment's respite, but only a moment.

Before him the squad were stocking up, loading their bikes with supplies and refuelling. They were tense but determined, they knew they were in serious trouble but they were resolute and convinced of their ultimate victory. Reddam wished he shared that confidence, he knew what they were up against and he didn't like their odds. In one corner Kazao was quietly loading Promethium cans, his helmet was absent but he had wrapped his head in swaddling bandages. It was a feeble attempt to hide his face and Reddam knew it was too late, the squad had already witnessed his affliction. The implications of that would have to be dealt with but first they had to escape this trap.

Glord was reloading his Heavy Bolter but he looked up at the Sergeant and asked, "Have we lost them?"

"No," Reddam sighed, "They are still out there."

Tebes flexed his hands on his mining hammer and growled, "We should kill them all."

"Would that we could," Reddam countered, "They have too much firepower, we must withdraw."

"Retreat!" Glord spat like it was a curse word, "We are Astartes, we do not retreat from mortals they retreat before us!"

Larus disputed that, "The enemy is equipped with pulse rifles and burst cannons, scout-armour is no match. We scattered them with surprise but in a direct confrontation they will slaughter us. A tactical withdrawal is the only option."

"Fang-rot," Glord declared, "We should take the offensive, a little blood is worth it!"

Reddam fixed him with a glare and declared, "You forget yourself, we are not the Imperial Fists, to trade blows with a foe until they fall over. We are the Amber Vipers; we have no use for battles of attrition nor death or glory charges. We fight with cunning and guile; striking when and where we choose and when the enemy looks for us they find nothing but rumours and ghosts."

From the corner Kazao spoke up, "The Sergeant's right, we need to withdraw. At the very least we can draw off more enemies and continue the mission to confuse and distract the rebels."

There was a sudden rasping noise and Joffel stood up, gaunt sword in hand as he snarled, "Are you talking to us, freak?"

There was a sudden still silence and everybody froze as Kazao lowered his head in shame. Yet Reddam's eyes narrow and he growled, "Do you have a problem boy?"

"Did you think we didn't see?" Joffel sneered, "He's a vile mutant!"

Reddam crossed his arms and uttered, "He's as human as you were, it's not his fault the gene-seed deformed."

Tebes started in shock and said, "You knew about him?!"

"How could I not?" Reddam stated, "I was briefed on you all before we even met."

Larus shook his head and said, "Why didn't you tell us?"

Reddam sighed, "We usually keep it to ourselves until you have had time to form a Brotherhood. The Chapter Master intended to tell you, once you'd bonded properly."

Glord said with a frown, "Wait, you mean this has happened before, that there are others… like him?"

Reddam nodded as he affirmed, "Its rare but it happens. I know of five others who survived the implantation and went on to serve… briefly."

Joffel sneered, "Secrets and lies, is this what we are?"

"It is to do with the Time of Exodus," Reddam stated.

For once that didn't work, for Joffel angrily spat, "Don't give me that, I am not like these others. My family weren't killed before my eyes; they cowered before the heretics who destroyed my world. I left them behind and took up a blade; I fought on as they grovelled for their lives. So don't think I will be fobbed off with platitudes."

Reddam saw his defiance and the eager eyes of the others and then he rubbed his jaw in deliberation. There was so much he couldn't tell these youths, so much that was buried for a reason but they deserved to know something of the truth. Hesitantly Reddam explained, "During the Time of Exodus the Chapter was reduced to a handful of Brothers and only one ship, all alone in the dark. We were cut off from everything, with nowhere to turn and no aid to be found. Darkness surrounded us and enemies were on every side. Many called for us to end our saga with one last blaze of glory, to die in some noble quest. But Coluber held us firm, he told us that we had to keep the flame alive and he gave us the promise that we could rebuild. He kept to his word; he led us to a secret cache of gene-tech and forged an alliance with another Chapter to give us the tools to rebuild. The first-generation Amber Vipers were born of that alliance."

The youths were silent as they drank this in, being second-generation they had heard nothing of this. Yet Tebes asked, "What went wrong?"

Reddam sighed, "The gene-tech was advanced and had a large stockpile of progenoids, but it wasn't perfect. The recruits were all fine healthy specimens, but when we began implantation some of them began to mutate. Don't look so shocked, it happens to all Chapters, but most of them euthanize any aberrations without comment."

"Why didn't we do the same?" Larus inquired.

"You have no notion of how desperate we were," Reddam confessed, "We needed every hand that could hold a Bolter and we couldn't afford to discard a single warrior. It was determined that the afflicted could still serve, so the implantation continued, most of them died anyway, but a few survived long enough to fight for the Chapter with honour. None of the first-generation afflicted now live, but their deaths were noble and many other Brothers owe their lives to them."

Tebes looked queasy as he said, "You mean… this could have happened to any of us? You knew there was a chance we could be afflicted and you implanted us anyway?"

"Yes," Reddam answered without hesitation.

At that point Kazao stepped forward and said, "I never wanted to deceive any of you, but I wanted to show you my worth before you judged me."

Glord looked at him and asked, "Is it only your face or is the rest of you…"

Kazao removed a glove, revealing a scaled hand and said, "Every inch of me is afflicted. You can't imagine the horror of it when the mutation began, I thought it was the end for me. But Chapter Master Coluber himself came unto me and said I could yet fight for the Amber Vipers, that I could find a noble death in battle. I have no legacy, it is forbidden to harvest my gene-seed, to fight for the Emperor and the chance at a worthy death is all I will ever have."

Suddenly Joffel stamped forward, raising his sword and hissing, "No, I won't stand for it. I won't fight alongside a mutant!"

Kazao started in shock but Reddam stepped between them and growled, "Yes you will, because he is your Brother and because I order it to be so."

Joffel sneered, "You overstep your authority, I won't do it."

Reddam saw this was a pivotal moment; the youths were hypno-indoctrinated to obey orders but also to abhor any deviation from the pure human norm. The conflicting imperatives cancelled each other out, meaning at this moment anything could happen. This was more than a matter of doctrine; it was the test of his authority, his worthiness to lead. Reddam knew in other Chapters an order of Chaplains existed to steer the Brothers through such moral quandaries, but the Amber Vipers had their own way of resolving such ethical dilemmas.

One second Reddam was standing stock still and the next his fist was flying into Joffel's face, sending him staggering backwards. The others gasped as the youth stumbled back a few paces but he recovered swiftly and hissed in anger as he brandished his sword. Yet Reddam already had his spear in hand, pointing the blade at the defiant warrior.

The pair froze as they measured each other up, gauging strengths and weaknesses. Then Reddam took his spear in one hand and slowly held it out to his side before opening his grip and dropped the weapon to the ground with a thud. Joffel frowned in suspicion but then he charged forward, swinging his sword in a diagonal sweep as he snarled a cry of defiance.

Reddam did not pull back but jumped forward, lifting his left arm to block. The razor sharp blade kissed his forearm, slicing off a chunk of flesh but it glanced off the ceramic-laced bones beneath. Reddam mastered his pain as he slammed his other fist into Joffel's side, lifting the youth's boots off the floor with sheer brute strength.

Joffel staggered under the blow and Reddam chopped his hand onto the wrist holding the sword, making the blade fall from numb fingers. Joffel was reeling but Reddam grabbed the the youth's skull and then heaved it downwards, lifting his knee simultaneously. Joffel's head rammed into the knee with a muffled crack, leaving him dazed. The others stood flabbergasted but Reddam was relentless and continued punching the boy into oblivion. Reddam had fought and bested horrors beyond imagination, whereas Joffel had no concept of the ferocious will and unbreakable zeal that drove a veteran Astartes on.

A boot to the knee made Joffel collapse to the ground and Reddam snatched up the gaunt sword in his bloodied hand, then laid it over the boy's throat. The youth froze on his back as Reddam loomed over him snarling, "You have defied me and so broken faith with this squad. The Amber Vipers have no Chaplains to offer you penance, no rites of absolution or contrition. You must swear to forevermore obey my commands, to the letter, or you shall die. Choose."

Joffel's eyes glanced at the sword laid over his neck then he uttered, "I… I swear it."

Reddam glared at him but didn't let him up yet, instead proclaiming, "Know this, our Chapter has nothing. There is no Fortress-Monastery to call home, no worlds labouring to support us. We have no mighty Companies to come to our rescue. The one thing, the only thing, we can count on are the bonds that bind us. That is the essence of the Amber Vipers: we march for the Emperor but we fight and die for each other. Kazao is your Brother, we are all your Brothers and you should be proud to die for us, for we would surely die for you. This is who we are: cold-hearted, fast with our blades… and unbreakable in our loyalty to each other."

Joffel was silent but his eyes showed his understanding. Reddam tossed him his sword and stepped back saying, "What are you lot looking at? Tend to your bikes, we still have to fight our way out this and our only chance to survive is if we work together!" With that the squad returned to their machines, leaving Reddam to wonder if his lesson would be heeded or if he was merely wasting his breath.