Tales of the Amber Vipers Chapter 336

In a dark corner of the Serpens Rex Kazao cowered. The Amber Viper made for a sorry sight, clad in power armour and yet curled up into a ball, hugging his knees. The Marine was an Aberrant, one of those few afflicted with tainted gene-seed. That he was allowed to exist spoke to the Chapter's dire straits, its early years too threadbare to discard even a twisted mutant. Kazao knew he lived on sufferance but that was only the start of his woes.

Under his helmet his skin was scaly and black, with hanging jowls and bloodshot eyes. His chin boasted stubby horns and his teeth were fangs. Any Imperial soul would decry him as a filthy abomination in the sight of the Emperor, but that was the smallest part of his aberration. Kazao's innards burned with a craving he could not control, the need for blood ever-present and undeniable. Kazao had to consume blood to stay sane, but no normal vitae would suffice, only Transhuman blood could bring relief, only the blood of his Brothers.

Kazao warred within himself, trying to hold back the pain. His thoughts went in circles and his memories faded into a haze. He felt a black fog filling his mind, trying to erase any sense of identity. The need was destroying all that he was, pulling him down into a pit of feral hunger. Kazao feared what he was becoming, as no Space Marine feared before him. He wished this had never happened to him, but there was no respite, the need grew worse every day.

Kazao clutched his knees as he recited, "I am Kazao, I am an Amber Viper. My brothers are Reddam, Larus, Tebes and Joffel. I fight for the Emperor. My name is… Kazao. I am an Amber Viper. My brothers are Reddam, Glord… no Glord's dead... isn't he. My brothers are… Reddam… My name is… is… my name is… I am an… My name is… I… don't know… my name…"

A tread outside the door, the sound of something heavy moving and the hum of power armour. a Space Marine was coming. Kazao nearly sprung to his feet as the need surged. Rip and tear, sink sharp fangs into the jugular and drain him dry. The instinct to gulp down Transhuman vitae crashed into the walls of his will. The only thing that kept Kazao down was the knowledge that the torment was nearly over, that relief was coming.

A shadow at the door and a Space Marine entered, followed by another in white. He knew their names, he was sure of it, but couldn't recall them. The dark hunger pressed so urgently that all other thoughts were forced out. Before they could speak he lifted a shaking hand and implored, "Give…"

"It's getting worse, maybe we should…"

"Give!" Kazao barked.

"Better do as he said, he's useless to us like this."

A hand pulled a vial from a belt and tossed it over. Kazao snatched it out of the air with one hand and forced his helm off with the other. Quick as a flash he unplugged the vial and gulped down the contents. Transhuman blood, drawn straight from the vein. So rich in hyperadrenaline, loaded with genic markers and protein strands. The merest touch on his tongue brought relief, driving the darkness back into the hinterlands of his soul. It would return though, it always returned.

Larus shook his head, "The affliction is worsening."

Shrios sniffed, "As expected."

"Can't you cure him?"

But the Apothecary snorted, "This isn't a disease, it's a metamorphosis of his gene-seed. Kazao's genic code was built to do this. You may as well ask an adult Vespid to change back into a larva."

Kazao's shaking stopped as he pressed his gauntlets to his face, "Emperor, what did I do to deserve this?"

Larus crouched down and placed a hand on his pauldron, "Nothing Brother, it was no punishment. I'm sorry to say it was pure chance you got the tainted stock. Sheer dumb luck."

"Useful though," Shrios sniffed, "Your aberration makes you stronger and faster than any other Space Marine."

Kazao's head snapped up, "This is your fault! You implanted me, you implanted all the Aberrants. If you had been more careful in your genic screening I wouldn't exist!"

Shrios' scarred lip drew back, "Don't pontificate on matters you don't understand. The gene-tech we used to build the Amber Vipers was advanced, but not perfect. There were undetectable errors in the gene-strands. The first we knew of it was when your kind started to mutate. I suppose we could have put a bolt round into your skull, but Coluber needed more hands, he chose to make use of what we had."

Larus shook his head, "Another compromise in pursuit of his dream."

Shrios growled, "He never listened to me, never heeded my warnings. I told him the Aberrants were a mistake, but I was ignored. He makes deals that shame us, he sells our services to an uncaring Regent, and now he agrees to this mad plan to jump headlong into Imperium Nihilus!"

Kazao heard the ire in his voice, and shared the sentiment. All three of them had a grievance against the Master of the Chapter. Kazao's mutation could be traced back to Coluber's decisions. Shrios felt sidelined and overlooked, his efforts going unrewarded and unappreciated. Larus believed the Amber Vipers should give up trying to be a 'proper' chapter and simply embrace who they were. All three of them had agreed Coluber's rule had failed to live up to the standard expected of a Chapter Master, and needed to be brought to an end. But finding a chance to act had been beyond them.

Kazao looked up, "You don't believe we will return?"

Shrios' jaw clenched, "Possibly, but there will be losses. Coluber prostitutes our strength away, for honour, glory and respect. Pah, it is jest! He claws for recognition but every choice he makes drives us further into disgrace. He's turned us into the Regent's whipping boy, and now he bows and scrapes to an Archmagos' whim."

Larus sniffed, "And then he goes and makes Reddam a Captain, instead of you."

"Don't cast aspersions on my motives," Shrios snarled, "I have known him longer than you two have lived. He was bold and true, at first, able to make hard decisions and always with an eye on the benefits for the Chapter. But he's been blinded by glory and prideful dreams. He sells out our Chapter for a pat on the head. Coluber is no longer the leader he was in the beginning."

Kazao felt his legs return to his control. He stood up, recovering his helm and placing it over his head once more. Hidden from the world he could have been any other Amber Viper, and how he wished he was. He hated what he had become, he wished he was not taking part in this conspiracy, but it was what it was. Larus and Shrios were set on their course and nothing Kazao could say would change that.

Kazao drew in a breath and asked, "Have we considered reaching out to others?"

"Who, the Captains?" Shrios snorted, "Thaddis, Reddam and Ferrac would never agree."

Larus concurred, "Remember Sergeant Excelsium? Ferrac blew his brains out for merely suggesting the Battle-Captain replace Coluber. If he gets wind of this it'll be all our necks that feel the bite of his axe-rake."

Shrios concurred, "Ferrac is a brute, but loyalty runs through his veins. Not to the Chapter, not to any ideal, but to Coluber personally. No appeal to his pride or a larger good will sway him. Ferrac is not an option."

Kazao shook his helm, "Approach the Cerberii then, the younger recruits, your Apothecaries… someone."

Shrios glowered, "The Cerberii are disgraced, but they take their oaths of penance seriously. Berio clings to what scrap of honour he has left as a skinflint does his purse strings, he would never agree. My sawbone- apprentices are chatterboxes, I wouldn't trust them to keep their tongues still. Leave them out of this, they'd only go and blab to the wrong person."

Larus rubbed his jaw thoughtfully, "What about Maru Kysoto? He's not one of us, not truly. He butts heads with Coluber daily."

Kazao looked over, "I thought you were against his drive to improve things around here?"

"I said he could be useful, I never said he'll live afterwards."

Shrios disagreed, "Maru has his issues, but he's integrated himself well. He espouses fealty and humility and refinement. His loyalty has been tested before, and he chose to side with Coluber. Besides with his new apprentices he's happy as an Administratum-clerk on tax collection day, he wouldn't join us. The hard fact is we three are the only ones who can see the deed done."

Larus placed his hand on the stock of his relic bolter Chrysoar and asked, "And then what, you become Chapter Master?"

"Me?!" Shrios snorted, "I'm not cut out for that. Let someone else try their hand, I will have none of it."

"You realise if we kill Coluber whoever takes over will execute us immediately?" Kazao pointed out.

"Depends on how he dies," Larus muttered, "Imperium Nihilus is a very dangerous place. If an enemy gets lucky, surely that is the price of venturing into those haunted shoals. We only have to arrange matters."

Kazao sighed, "So if we're not planning on taking over, what's the point?"

Shrios snarled, "It's about justice! We've been wronged, all of us, and Coluber doesn't even see it. Overlooked, unrewarded, scorned. I've served him longer than I can count, as long as Ferrac, and he gives me no plaudits in return! I built this Chapter with my own two hands, every single Amber Viper was implanted on my med-slabs, but what credit do I get for my labour? I stood in the shadows as others claimed their rewards, and not once did I complain, but I was keeping count. Coluber has been a miserly lord, and shall reap what he sows."

Kazao groaned, "Still three of us, against all the Captains, Brother-Exemplars and Cohorts. That's a crap plan."

"We'll find a way," Shrios muttered, "You will find a way."

"Me?!"

"I'm sure something will present itself in the Imperium Nihilus, a chance for us to act. You'll do it, you're stronger and faster than any of us. Or perhaps you want us to stop supplying you with blood?"

Kazao's protest died in his throat. He needed their blood, not wanted, needed. He had to have Transhuman vitae on a regular basis, or sink into a mire of madness from whence he would never return. Kazao was a pawn of this conspiracy, without any other recourse. Even confession and throwing himself on his lord's mercy would bring no relief. The craving came from within his genes, Coluber could not avert that. The pair of conspirators had him, and they knew it.

Kazao could only nod forlornly, "Then we are committed."

Larus promised, "We will free the Amber Vipers from Coluber's delusions, shake off the Regent's yoke and finally be who we truly are. The Amber Vipers will embrace our nature, and stop trying to be someone we aren't."

Shrios grinned cruelly, "Coluber may lead us into Imperium Nihilus, but he will not return."