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

===Let's Get Settled In===


Alex and Jake were first off the transport, looking around in wonder.  The Fang’s docking gallery was colossal, and completely empty.  Dozens of cradles for Thunderhawks and other space and air craft sat idle and unattended.  The entire room smelled like Promethium and incense, but there was none of either to be seen.

A few Iron Priests in servo-harnesses and outfitted with small metal tokens on their hair and arms were dutifully working on a partially-disassembled Stormcloud in one corner, and rows of servitors were sitting idle around the outsides of the massive chamber, but the rest of the colossal chamber rang with silence.  Behind them, the profile of the Iron Tide flickered and disappeared into the Warp, streaming off to battle.

In the distance, the meter-thick walls of ceramite that blocked off the rest of the Fang slid open with a hissing of pneumatics.  Freya’s distinct red hair appeared behind the thin cloud of mist left behind in the chilled air.  She made her way over to the group across the expansive chamber as the boys continued to gawk.  Even Remilia and Venus seemed astounded by the sheer size of the chamber.  It could probably have housed a destroyer by itself.

A Marine in elaborate but heavily scarred armor walked sedately behind her.  He was clearly trying not to outpace her.  As she approached the group, Alex paused his inspection of the room to appreciate the form she cut.  The cloak she had slung around her would have looked cheesy on a girl who didn’t have her appearance, but she made it look good.  The outfit wasn’t clearly a formal uniform like the one Venus had been wearing, either.  For all he knew, it was just clothing.

With precisely no ceremony at all, Freya walked straight up to them and gestured grandly.  “Welcome to the Fang,” she said proudly.

“It’s amazing so far,” Alex said, craning his head back to look at the ceilings, painted white with artificial lighting, but nearly five hundred meters up.  He turned his eyes back down to Freya and smiled, glancing up and down her unusual outfit.  “That looks really good on you.”

“Thanks,” she said happily, brushing the thick pelt around the hood.  “I thought I should look the role when I went to see the others.  Incidentally,” she said slyly, gesturing to the marine who had coasted to a halt behind them, “this is Bjorn the Eldest, presiding Wolf Lord.”

Alex immediately took a knee, as the other three looked on in some surprise.  “A profound honor, Lord Bjorn,” he said with genuine reverence.

Bjorn nodded once as Jake knelt as well.  Venus and Remilia merely saluted.  “Rise, lads.  Welcome to my home.”  His accent was thick, but understandable.  Both men stood back up as he spoke.  “I understand that for you both, this is the first time you’ve come to travel the stars?”

“I did when I was small, Lord, just not recently,” Alex said.

“I’d never left Terra before this,” Jake said.

Bjorn raised one massive ceramite gauntlet.  “Then I’m sure you would wish to rest.”

“No, thank you, Lord, we slept on the flight over.  All we really need to do is find a place to stow our cargo; we weren’t expecting to have to offload all of our possessions originally,” Alex said respectfully.

The ancient Marine eyed the four teens that had accompanied Freya.  “So I imagine.  Simply leave it here, someone will send it down to your cabins.”  He glanced down at Freya herself.  “Freya has convinced me that a more elaborate greeting would have been inappropriate, which suits me.  What precisely were you hoping to do here on your…road trip?” he asked.

Venus smiled.  “Straight to the point.  Good.  Freya has been filling our ears about the sights and spectacles of Fenris since we were little, and every time she comes back, she has fresh tales to tell.  We wanted to see what had so captured her imagination,” she said.

“Ah, and what tales have you been telling, Freya?” Bjorn asked, smiling at last.

“The sights!  I remember last time I came here we went out in an ornithopter and watched that kraken in the ocean,” Freya excitedly recounted.  “I mean, obviously actually going out into the forests would be pretty much suicide for anyone who isn’t me, but we can still see the Great Plains, the ocean…”

“Lass, if it were a tour alone you wanted, I wouldn’t be here,” Bjorn said knowingly.  Freya shrugged coyly.

“Oh, you know, I was sort of hoping that we could hear a few of the stories Dad likes to embellish so much first-hand, too,” she said.

Bjorn’s smile vanished.  “Well, of course your friends are welcome to hear those stories our brothers wish to share,” he said, rather flatly.  Remilia quirked an eyebrow at his evasive reply.  Freya deflated.

“I wouldn’t share anything personal, Bjorn,” she said in her native language.

“I should hope not.  The Wolf Brothers will not share some stories even with those for whom you have vouched personally,” Bjorn said in the same tongue.  Switching back to Gothic, he continued.  “Now.  My friends, please, come to your cabins and accommodate.  You can begin your acclimatization with the station afterwards,” he said.

A few minutes later, Jake dropped his day bag in his spartan cabin and looked around it.  “Spacious.”

“I know, and it’s perfect,” Venus said.  “It’s a bit cold for you, though, isn’t it?  These heaters don’t go up much higher than this,” she noted, running her hand over the thermostat.

He smiled broadly.  “That could work in our favor,” he observed.

“It could, if you were willing to risk the entire Legion finding out,” Venus said.

“Oh, right.  Damn.  Oh well.”  He looked around.  “Is it me, or does it look like we’ll be doing our own laundry here?” he asked, eyeing the piles of spare sheets and towels in the corner of the room.

“Probably.  The Fang doesn’t house too many guests,” Venus said.  “I don’t mind, do you?”

“Nah.”  He sank into the bed, holding his arms out.  She obligingly slid into them and snuggled up against him.  “Mmmm…you’re still nice and warm.  You’re sure you’re not feeling down from the radiation withdrawal?” he asked, squeezing his hands around her waist.

“Yep, I feel right as rain.”  She looked over the piles of bags and boxes the serfs – the Wolves called them skjalds – had sent down to their cabins.  “I don’t see your poker set.”

“I had it in one of the larger cases, I didn’t want the leather getting scratched.”  He leaned forward and rested his head on her shoulder.  “What do you want to do first?”

The hatch creaked as someone rapped it.  Alex poked his head in.  “You guys got a sec?”

Venus stood and stretched.  “Sure.”

Alex entered and closed the hatch again.  “Do you guys feel like this was a mistake?” he asked.

Venus and Jake both stared.  “A mistake?” Venus repeated.

“Yeah.  Freya’s over the moon that she’s home again, of course, but I’m getting some pretty negative waves from the Wolves.  Rout.  Whatever.”

Jake shrugged.  “We knew it could happen.  We’ll just see how much rope we’ve got when it comes to moving around.  Because…well, I don’t think Freya would have brought us here if we couldn’t do much beyond leaving our rooms.”

“Then you’re feeling it too?” Alex pressed.

Jake didn’t answer.  Venus sighed.  “Guys, the one who greeted us was one of the Great Fucking Ninety.  I think we’re welcome.”

“True enough,” Jake said.

The door rapped again.  Venus pulled it open to see Freya and Remilia outside.  “Hey!  You guys all settled in?” Freya asked.

“Sure are.  What are we doing first?” Venus asked.

Freya walked in, pulling her cloak around her so it wouldn’t snag on the hatch frame.  “I know you guys are a bit nervous, but believe me, this is going to be so rad,” Freya said.  “I’ve arranged a transport to take us out to the World’s Ocean, so you guys can see the reason Dad’s mildly obsessed with fishing,” she said.

“That sounds cool.  How long is the flight?” Jake asked.

“Only half an hour by gunship flat out, you can see it from the observation deck,” Freya said.  She beamed at the others.  Her fangs seemed a bit more noticeable in her new outfit somehow.  “This is going to be so cool, you guys, trust me."