Editing Story:ROAD TRIP! (Warhammer High)/Part Three (section)

===The Morning After===


Some time later – neither paused to check – Remilia lay flat on the bed, listening to Kines fall asleep.  At that range, she could hear quite a bit.  “So that’s what Freya’s listening to in there,” she muttered under her breath.  She decided she liked it.

Once he was out cold, she reached over to the nightstand for her earplugs by instinct.  Instead of finding the little container, however, her fingers brushed paper.  Curious, she lifted it and flipped the lights up to their lowest setting.  In the dim light, she squinted to make out the words.

''Thought I’d trade.  Hope you don’t mind.  Be safe and have fun!  -Venus.''

Remilia smiled to herself, flipping the lights back down.  “Your execution is postponed.”  She settled back down on the mattress, the alien sensations she was feeling all over starting to fade.  All except the sounds and warmth from her right flank.  After a moment’s consideration, she scooted a bit closer, letting the slightly taller body next to hers warm her up a bit.  She closed her eyes and tried to relax, and a deep, contented sleep was fast in arriving.


The next morning, she woke up feeling groggy and a bit sluggish.  The lights were out, and she flicked her hand at the clock.  The little lights came on, revealing that it was less than a minute before her alarm was supposed to go off.

“Shit,” she muttered, gingerly moving over to the clock.  She scrambled in the dark to find the off-switch for the alarm, but just as she found it, it started blaring.  “Shit!” she growled, finally pressing the button.

Kines stirred behind her anyway.  “Mgh.”

She sighed in frustration.  “Aw damn it.”

“What’s going on,” he muttered blearily.  “The hell is it so dark?”

“Sorry, Chuck, sorry,” she soothed, sliding out of bed.  “Go back to sleep, I was just going to work out.”

“…It’s not even 0530,” he said, focusing on the clock with an effort.

“I don’t sleep much.”  She slid some workout clothes in the dark.  “Seriously, sleep.  When do you need to be up?”

“Uh…’bout four hours,” he muttered.  “Bar opens late.”

“Well, I’ll see you then,” she said.  She quickly walked over to his side of them bed and leaned over, speaking softly.  “Thanks, by the way.  Turns out you actually did know what you were doing,” she purred.

“Thanks for shopping,” he slurred.  He ran a hand up her spandex-clad thigh.  “Haarlan is going to have me flogged.  I dunno, I think it was worth it.”

“He won’t touch you if he wants to keep his position,” Remilia promised.

“Good.”  Kines rolled back over.  “Later,” he yawned.

Remilia pushed the hatch open and froze.  Venus and Freya were both leaning against the far bulkhead, smiling wanly.  She slowly closed the hatch and stood facing them, shifting her weight slightly.  “Uh…morning.”

“Good night,” Freya said.  She raised her hand to her mouth in mock surprise at her ‘slip.’  “I mean…good morning.”

“Oh hush,” Remilia grumbled, blushing slightly.

“Thanks for letting me borrow the ear plugs,” Venus snarked.

“Yeah, well…thanks for the trade, it came in handy,” Remilia muttered, starting down the corridor.  Venus and Freya followed, with wry grins for each other en route.

“Good thing Alex was all worn out himself from the gym, else you kids might have kept him up,” Freya said innocently.

“Both of you knock it off, all right?” Remilia threatened.

“Aww, but our little ice queen melted!” Venus giggled.

“I mean it,” Remilia snarled.

Freya leaned over and playfully nipped her ear as they waited for the lift.  “We’re just kidding.  I’m secretly happy for you,” she confided in a stage whisper.

Remilia pushed her cousin away, then turned to glare at Venus as the black-skinned girl gave her a quick squeeze herself.  “Both of you, quit it,” she half-heartedly growled.

The hatch slid open.  Just as Remilia started to board and escape, Haarlan emerged.  “My ladies.  There you are,” he said, a note of sternness in his voice.

“Morning, Officer Haarlan,” Venus said brightly.

“Good morning.  Lady Primarch Remilia, did you happen to…see Second Lieutenant Charles Kines last night?” Haarlan asked curtly.

“What do you mean?” Remilia asked.

“I mean I saw him leave the O-Club and head straight for the commissary last night, and he emerged looking rather secretive.  He then took a lift to your deck and when I called the lift car back to my deck, it was empty,” Haarlan said flatly.

“What of it?” Remilia asked, her good mood evaporating.

“Ma’am, he is now guilty of, if I have not missed my guess, statutory rape,” Haarlan said curtly.  “And possibly a count of fraternization with a superior officer.”

“He’s less than three years older than me, so no statch, and-” Remilia said angrily.

“Political Officer Haarlan, your dedication to your duties is admirable, and duly noted,” Venus suddenly said loudly.  “You are hereby, to that effect, relieved of the responsibility of Vessel Disciplinary Officer until such time that you forget that last night’s unspecified events allegedly happened.  Understood?” she asked.

The other three people in the group stared.  “P-Princess?” Haarlan asked, astonished.

“I don’t like repeating myself,” Venus said mildly.

“Yes…your Highness,” Haarlan finally said.  He turned to face Remilia.  “Er…my apologies, my Lady, I was…”

“Yes.  Doing your job.”  Remilia tapped the button for the gym, and the car descended in an uncomfortable silence.

Haarlan stayed aboard as the car arrived and the girls got off.  As he dropped away into the depths of the ship, Venus looked sideways at Remilia, wondering if she would need to talk.

She didn’t.  “Thanks,” she said, and to Venus’ relief, she was actually smiling.  “Well.  That’s that taken care of.”

“He’ll have to be more discreet next time,” Freya opined.

“Yeah, he will,” Remilia said primly.  The two girls exchanged another smile behind her back.

Far above, Alex rolled to his feet and snatched up his slate as it suddenly buzzed.  He had set it to make a certain tone when the Astropath aboard sent him a message, and he had.  His mother had bundled a reply with the latest words from the Seagers, the Dorns, and Vulkan’s household.  No messages from the Russes, which was odd, but then, they would be at the Fang soon.

He skimmed the message briefly, cringing at his mother’s obvious surprise at his abbreviated message.  He re-read it in greater depth, pausing as he reached the end, where she had mentioned offhandedly that she was looking at properties in the upper spires of Hive Ceorlic, on the far side of the Albiona city block.  He grimaced.  “Mom…don’t give up,” he muttered under his breath.  He snorted his impatience away.  “Fuck.  If I’m up this early, I may as well head out,” he said to the empty room.

He wandered into the gym a while later, noting that it was Freya and Venus’ turn for sparring today.  Venus had elected to forego bloodpaint this time, since it was just a friendly bout.  Whatever advantage her star had given her seemed to be fading, since Freya was easily coming out on top.
Alex wandered over to where Remilia was browsing free weights.  “Morning,” he said with a yawn.

She straightened up.  “Hey!  You’re up early!” she said, taking in his appearance with some surprise.  “Didn’t you stay up late in the gym last night too?”

“Yeah, but I’d feel self-conscious on Fenris if I wasn’t ripped,” he joked.  “Plus, I got some mail from home this morning.”

“Oh, cool.”  Remilia lifted a weight, testing its heft.  “Wait…”

“Home, as in my mother,” Alex said.

Remilia looked at him sideways.  “How is she?”

“She’s thinking of selling her house and moving into the hives,” Alex said, a little bitterly.  “Which…I guess she needs the money, but it kinda leaves me high and dry.”

Remilia winced.  “Did you pick a college?  You could just live on campus,” she said.

“New Cyprine,” Alex said.  “Freya and I will both be there.”

“That’s good,” Remilia said.  She started lifting the weight, deciding to do so while standing.

“How about you?”

“I picked Alanaster, and I’m thinking a two-year there, then I take a break to decide if I just go get a job or more school,” she said.

“Cool.  That’s a good school.”  Alex smirked.  “So, did that possibility we discussed in the market come to pass?”

“Sure did,” Remilia said.  “Can you be discreet?”

“My lips are sealed,” Alex promised.

Venus slumped against the ropes, panting, trying to keep her guard up.  Freya rocked back on her heels, a grim smile curling her lips.  “Had enough?”

Her red-eyed cousin grimaced and stood back up, hands clenched.  “Not yet,” she snarled.  She advanced on Freya again, trying to find a way past her cousin’s ludicrous speed.

Freya side-stepped Venus’ attack with contemptuous ease, eyes narrowed.  “You’re exhausted.  Stand down or this is gonna sting,” she taunted.

Venus swung low, hammering her fists into Freya’s low guard and stomach.  Freya absorbed most of them, turning the last few into a counterattack that sent Venus to one knee.

Finally, Venus sighed, tapping out.  Freya bounced over and hauled her cousin up into a hug.  “Not bad,” she allowed.

“Relatively speaking,” Venus said blearily.  “At least I didn’t black out today.”

Freya snorted, vaulting the ropes and landing on the bare metal floor.  “All right…hey, Alex!  When did you get here?” she asked.

“Just arrived.”  Alex noted her bloodied knuckles.  “Tough bout?”

“Yeah, Venus is getting good,” Freya said.  She rested her hands on her hips and looked him over.  “You get a letter from home?”

“Just a quick note.  Mom’s probably going to move into the hives,” Alex said, shaking his head.  “I don’t blame her, but…”

“Yeah, that sucks.”  Had Jake been there, she might have been a bit less blunt, but it was an honest assessment.  “How is she feeling?”

“Better.  The proceedings are over, she’s found some part-time work,” Alex said.  He hefted a twenty-kilo plate and tacked it onto a barbell.  “Spot?”

“Sure.”  Freya stood behind the bar that Alex was using and slid a hand under.  “Set.”

Alex started lifting, a bit slowly.  Clearly, his mind was on far-off Terra.