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

===Let's Go Home===


As the final day of flight arrived, the group assembled in the Captain’s Hall one last time.  Roemer and a few of the ship’s senior officers and serfs assembled for a dinner, inviting Venus and the others to join them.

As they sat and ate, Roemer took the occasion to ask a question.  “Lady Venus, how do you think your trip has been so far, with regards to the Tide?”

Venus paused, sensing a trap.  “Well…Captain, I don’t know how to phrase this, but I feel a bit guilty, overall.”

“Guilty?”  Roemer blinked in surprise.  Clearly, he hadn’t expected that.  “How do you mean?”

“Well, you were just in combat.  In the face of that, and the loss of several crew, surely carrying five seventeen-year-olds around would be a pain in the ass,” she said.

Roemer backpedaled, trying to come off as modest.  “Not at all, your Highness, this is technically your ship, after all.”

Venus nodded.  “In that case, I think it’s been surprisingly fun.  I haven’t had any problems to speak of with crew or accommodations, and the gym has been perfect for our routines.”

“Excellent,” Roemer said.  “I’m glad to hear it.”  He took another bite of his dinner and looked down the table to where Remilia was animatedly chatting with one of the ship’s fighter group commanders.  “What are your plans after you reach Terra, if I may so bold as to ask?”

“Well, we’re having a quick welcome home/goodbye party,” Venus said.  “Several of my cousins are coming or going from vacations or planetary tours and what have you.  Then it’s straight off to school after some furniture shopping.  Computer table doesn’t fit in my new dorm room,” she sighed.

“You’re moving into a dormitory?” Roemer asked.  “I would think they would provide more comfortable housing if you asked.”

“I won’t ask.  Not until I’m out of freshman year,” Venus said.  “I want Kouthry to be a chance to live independently for a while.  Take nothing for granted.”  She smiled to herself.  “I know having my boyfriend live with me kind of defeats that, but why pay for two dorms when you can pay for one?”

“Indeed,” Roemer said.  “Would you be willing to share a bit of what you’ve seen on your venture with us?” he asked.

Venus gestured down the table.  “Absolutely.  Going home to Nocturne after so long was fantastic, as you’d expect…though things got rough near the end.  The opportunity to visit the city where I was born, and the other six Sanctuaries, was breath-taking.  The Nocturneans are a hard people, but they retain the unbreakable bond of community that the Salamanders admire so much.  It’s a world in the grip of a crime wave, though.” She sat back in her seat.  “Fenris…Fenris is different.  Its people are just as hard, but they turn that hardness on each other.  They’re content with their world not being a part of the greater Imperium, for the most part, and the Wolves are a strong but just group to rule a planet that is so rough.”

Roemer nodded solemnly.  “The Astartes are a far more varied and world-wise people than the average Imperial citizen need ever know, or ever will know.”
“They certainly are,” Remilia piped up from Roemer’s other side.  “Tell you one thing we weren’t expecting, though, was to hear that Julius Pius of all people was aboard.”

“Ah.  A friend of yours?” Roemer asked.

“Yes, he was on Seadelant during the invasion,” Remilia said.  “We were very relieved to hear of his survival.”

“Beyond that, Captain, it was an eventful and largely enjoyable trip, and I thank you for your cooperation,” Venus said.

“It’s been an honor, Princess,” Roemer said.  “May I ask if you ever intend to join the military yourself?”

Venus shook her head.  “I’ve been bred and trained to be a leader and an artist, first and foremost, Captain.  I can fight, sure, but I’m not a soldier.  I don’t have the patience.”

“A shame.  I think you’d take to the life of a career Navy officer well,” Roemer said.

“Perhaps, but it doesn’t appeal to me.  I look forward to living on Nocturne,” Venus said, “where the most martial thing I’ll be doing is firing off a few rounds at the range every so often.”

“May I ask what your father would want?” Roemer inquired.

She shrugged.  “He doesn’t want me to join the military.  My place is at the homestead, as a leader.  I’d do it even if he didn’t want me to.”

The Captain nodded.  “Thanks for indulging my curiosity,” Roemer said.