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

===Supply and Transportation===


A few days later, the group reassembled in the O-club one afternoon to plan logistics.  Remilia would have to take off nearly as soon as the party ended, but Venus and Jake would have nearly a week to prepare, and Freya and Alex about half that.  The Captain had already told them that they would be docking on a small repair platform on Mars’ orbital ring, then taking a lander to Startseite.

Remilia glanced over their manifest, which Roemer had included with their timetable.  “How in the world did I manage to pack this much stuff by myself?” she asked rhetorically.

“Three months looks much longer at the start,” Alex said sagely.

“True that,” she sighed.  She set her slate down and glanced over to where Venus and Jake were hunched over their own slates, trying to coordinate transportation of their junk to the college.  “How are you two looking?”

“Pretty good,” Venus said under her breath.  “I think I would probably be better off using Dad’s truck for moving the holo…and you’re just going to leave your computer home, right?”

“Yeah, use it as a home computer and build a better one with the money Remilia gave me,” Jake said distractedly.  He finally tapped the screen of his own slate.  “All right!  Rides are arranged.  Thanks, sweetheart,” he said to Venus.

“Not a problem,” Venus acknowledged him.  “The Treasury guys will need to clear you, but I imagine security’s lowered this long after the shooting.”

“I think so, too,” Remilia said.  “I’ll be taking one of Dad’s aircars on a cruise over the hives, it looks like.  It’s a seven hour flight, but whatever.  I’ll just nap.”

“Hell of a flight, but do me a favor while you’re out there?” Jake asked.

“What?”

“Take a holo of the hive skin as you fly over it,” Jake said.  “There’s hive spires that break the skin out there to give the upper crust some sunlight in places, and I always wanted to know what they looked like.”

“Sure.”  Remilia closed down her own slate and reached for her water.  “You guys know what you’re gonna do for those few days you get before orientation?” she asked.

Freya’s lips quirked downward for an instant before she brought herself under control.  “I think we’re going to stay in Startseite for a while, at first, but then I want to go see my Grandmother in the hospital.”

“And I want to go visit my mother, too,” Alex said.  “Before she sells the house.”

Jake looked up at him.  “Where in the hive is she going?”

“Top cube.  One of the spires.  The place is supposed to be nice, but…I haven’t heard from her in weeks.  Even after I sent the message that detailed everything that happened,” Alex admitted.  “I’m a bit worried.”

Venus nodded in sympathy.  “In the Warp, message delivery is never fluid.  I’m sure she’s fine.”

“Yeah.”  Alex sighed heavily.  “I’m just afraid the reason I haven’t heard from her is that the money she managed to wrangle from Dad is all run out, and she can’t afford Astropathy.”

“Then she’ll be fine,” Freya said firmly, cutting off the discussion before Alex could depress himself.  “Believe me.  We’ll see her when we see her.”

“Isn’t this the first time you’ll have met her?” Alex asked.

“Sure is,” Freya said.  “I’m looking forward to it.”

Jake spoke up.  “A few of my old friends from the hives will be attending the going-away party, but only if it’s all right with you guys,” he said.  “I wouldn’t blame you if you didn’t want to have strangers at the party.”

“Doesn’t bother me any, and it’s a big place,” Remilia said, referring to the hotel ballroom Roberta had rented.  “Shame Farah has to bolt right after.”

“Yeah, I wanted to catch up,” Venus said remorsefully.  “Show her my new outfit.”

“Hey, show up to the party in the outfit,” Jake said, half-joking.  “Blow people’s minds.”

Venus chuckled.  “I think I may just bring the holo of me in it that you took.  How about you, Freya?  Wearing the furs?”

“You bet your ass,” Freya said happily.  “I’ve been dying to show them off.”

Remilia shook her head.  “I have no costume,” she said with a dramatic sigh.

“Bah, you look good all the time anyway,” Jake teased.  “Besides, one less thing to pack.  Don’t you have to leave that very night?”

“Ugh, yes.  Packing like a mad woman.  Unless Mom had one of the butlers do it for me, I should have asked,” Remilia said.

“I have so little stuff to bring, I would be happy to help you out,” Jake offered.

“That’s sweet of you, but I should do this,” Remilia said.  “I need to talk to Mom alone anyway,” she reflected.

The pretty blond soccer player finished her water and wandered over to the bar.  Kines spotted her coming and refilled the glass.  “All ready to head out when the time comes, ma’a…Remilia?” he asked for the public’s benefit.  He certainly had no problem remembering not to call her by a formal title when it mattered by this point.

“Nope, few last-minute hiccups here and there,” Remilia said.  She sipped at her water and discreetly glanced around to see if anyone was watching.  Determining that there wasn’t, she offered him the sly little wink that had become their password, and he eagerly returned it as he would have be insane not to do.  She set the glass down and sat on the stool, allowing normal conversation to replace innuendo.  “So, Lieutenant, if you don’t mind me asking.  What do you see yourself doing after your tour ends?”

“Well, Remilia, I’m thinking I may get out as soon as I legally can, like I must have told you,” Kines said.  His light brown hair bobbed over the counter as he reached down to turn on the ice maker.  “But after that?  Open a bar.  Maybe in the spaceport back home on Totnis.  Start a family, if I can.”

Remilia smiled.  “I suspect you’ll find that an easy prospect, Chuck.”

Kines blushed faintly.  “Thanks.”  He fiddled with a glass, wiping it down.  “I think the fighting over Seadelant got to me a bit.  I just want to get out.  I never asked to join up, anyway.  Don’t get me wrong, I don’t intend to jump ship, and I do like this job, but it’s certainly not my life.”

“I’m glad you get to make that choice, even when conscripted,” Remilia said.

“Me too,” Kines said emphatically.  “But, it is considered something of a breach of protocol to discuss that while on duty, so I’ll just ask: what can I get you?”

Remilia smiled behind her glass.  “I’m fine.  Thanks.”