FOURTH IN A SERIES of preliminary reports
(Translated to Imperial Gothic from High Mahaduyanan)
++MEMORANDUM TO: [REDACTED], Ordo Astartes++
++FROM: Inquisitor Varman Kumar++
++DATE: 0688024.M42++
PER YOUR DIRECTIVE, I am conducting a multi-year investigation of the Adeptus Astartes Chapter known as the “Fighting Tigers of Veda,” to include their successor chapter, the “Sabretooth Tigers of Veda.” Unless otherwise indicated, I will use the term “Fighting Tigers” in this report to refer to both organizations. For your reference, please see my previous memoranda at the datalinks below:
- The Fighting Tigers of Veda: Overview
- The Fighting Tigers of Veda: Homeworld
- The Fighting Tigers of Veda: Organization
What follows is my report on the utterly false claims that the Fighting Tigers employ or have employed “female Space Marines.”
“Female Fighting Tigers”
Numerous records, even from the earliest times, of the Fighting Tigers mention that “female Space Marines” serve amongst them, some in key leadership roles. These records also assert that the duties of Fighting Tiger Assault Marines, Space Marine Bike Squads, and Space Marine Attack Bikes are carried out entirely by females, and that numerous Scouts Squads are also comprised of female recruits.
This is, of course, patently impossible. All Adeptus Astartes must be male, because the gene-seed zygotes used to transform aspirants from ordinary humans into Space Marines are keyed to male hormones and genetic structure. It is no more possible to turn a female human into a Space Marine than it is to turn a T’au into one.
How, then, has this disinformation managed to perpetuate down the millennia? In several pieces of unsanctioned, anti-Imperial propaganda which I reviewed (and, of course, subsequently destroyed), proponents of this dangerous lie attempted to argue for the existence of “female Fighting Tigers,” despite its scientific impossibility, by postulating one or more of the following discredited theories:
Gene-seed Engineering. According to this theory, the Fighting Tigers were able to adjust the gene-seed used to create Space Marines so that it would work with female anatomy. To date, no evidence has ever been offered of its technical feasibility, and no Adeptus Astartes Chapter has been confirmed to have accomplished such a feat. If adjusting the gene-seed was possible, why was it never done by other Space Marine Chapters?
Repentant Renegades. According to this theory, the “female Fighting Tigers” are Chaos Space Marines, products of flesh-smiths sworn to either Slaanesh or Tzeentch. These “Fighting Tigers” have supposedly betrayed the Betrayers, and now fight for the Imperium.
While the blasphemous sorcery and corrupted science that the Chaos Marines use could conceivably produce creatures aping “female Space Marines,” I am not aware of any of the Lost and the Damned having ever repented of their evil and turning back to the Light of the Emperor. Even if it ever happened, the only acceptable penance for them would be immediate execution; no Chapter Master would ever allow Traitors to serve in his ranks.
Adeptus Astartes from an Alternate Universe. According to this theory, the Fighting Tigers—or at least, the ones in question—are from an alternate universe, similar to ours, where the creation of “female Space Marines” is possible. The theory further postulates that somehow, perhaps by a wormhole, or errant Warp travel, these “Fighting Tigers” have traveled to our universe and now serve the Imperium. I will not continue to dignify this aberrant fantasy with commentary.
The White Tigers of Veda
The truth, as I have discovered, is far less outlandish. Shortly after reclaiming Veda and forming the successor chapter known as the Sabretooth Tigers, the Fighting Tigers were joined in their defense of the planet and their watch on the Maelstrom by a newly-established Minor Order of the Adepta Sororitas, or Sisters of Battle. This Minor Order is officially known as “The White Tigers of Veda,” but is also referred to (in various texts) as the “Tigers of Kali,” taking their name from the Vedic death goddess.
From their earliest days, the White Tigers were mistaken for female Space Marines because of a few crucial factors:
1. Armor. The White Tigers wear a simpler style of power armor than the baroque and distinctive suits favored by most Adepta Sororitas Orders. Markings are also very similar to those used by the Fighting Tigers and Sabretooth Tigers, with white substituted for orange or mustard yellow. For reference, please see the photo below, which displays an Adepta Sororitas jump pack unit, which to the untrained eye appears indistinguishable to corresponding Space Marine units.
2. Coordination. The Order, being few of number, almost always participated in military actions with the Fighting Tigers and Sabretooths, supplementing the Marines, rather than engaging in missions on their own. Records of countless battles document the White Tigers fighting alongside their brethren, and coordinating efforts. For reference, please see the photo below, which depicts an Adepta Sororitas leader on patrol with Fighting Tigers of Veda.
3. Weaponry. The Order, inspired by their patron goddess, eschews the traditional wargear (the blessed boltgun, the flamer, and melta gun) of other Adepta Sororitas Orders in favor of close combat weapons such as chainswords and power swords. For your reference, please see the photo below, showing typical armament.
4. Duplicative Markings. Several leaders and elite units of the Fighting Tigers and the Sabretooth Tigers wear white armor instead of orange or mustard yellow, respectively. See the photo below, which depicts Tigers of Indra (Space Marine Terminators) from the Fighting Tigers of Veda Chapter. Despite their coloration, they are *not* female White Tigers of the Adepta Sororitas.
For all of these reasons, it is understandable that the unfamiliar and uninformed might mistake the White Tigers of Veda as “female Fighting Tigers.” I urge you to trust my experience and expert knowledge in this matter, and to disregard any visual misinterpretations that may be bewildering you.
Adding to the confusion has been that many reports and accounts produced by the Fighting Tigers themselves have made mention of the “Tigers of Kali” as being “female Space Marines.” After careful and extensive reviews of the original documents, written in the languages of the Tigers (High Mahaduyanan or High Ghuyarshtran, respectively, of which I am a native speaker), and comparisons with the official texts transcribed into Imperial Gothic, I have discovered that several, persistent errors in translation were made.
These errors created and perpetuated the longstanding misinformation that there are or have been “female Fighting Tigers,” when actually, the original documents were describing the Adepta Sororitas of the White Tigers of Veda.
To prevent the spread of further disinformation, even heresy, I strongly recommend that all existing official Imperial records of the Fighting Tigers be expunged and replaced with corrected versions that my staff are already working on. I ask your concurrence to continue this effort, along with a commensurate funding request (see attached).
The revision process, perforce, requires the destruction of the original Vedic text, but as a long-time, loyal, and highly-respected Inquisitor, I believe that is a reasonable tradeoff to debunking these spurious claims of “female Space Marines,” and put paid to wasting time and resources in further consideration and pointless speculation of what is obviously untrue.
As stated, my investigations are ongoing, and more reports on other aspects of the Fighting Tigers will be forthcoming. Please contact me by the usual channels if you have follow-up questions or concerns.
Ave Imperator!
Varman Kumar, Inquisitor
Kenton Kilgore writes killer SF/F for young adults and adults who are still young. The Fighting Tigers of Veda appear in his latest novel, Stray Cats, which you can find here.
Check him out on kentonkilgore.com, and follow Kenton on Facebook for frequent posts on sci-fi, fantasy, and other speculative fiction. You can also catch him on Instagram, and find his books in softcover and for Kindle on Amazon.