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

===Escape===


The first krakenspawn broke the water, nearly a hundred meters away from the island and growing closer, though still nowhere near enough to climb the rocks.  The creature looked like something out of nightmare, with thick purple lines of flesh between plates of chitinous armor and tentacles that ended in wicked barbs.

Both boys swallowed.  Freya clenched her teeth.

The gunship didn’t even slow down as it approached.  Instead it shot overhead, slowing to unsling its assault cannon.  The cyclic weapon opened up, firing a sheet of mass-reactive shells into the swarm of animals.  The cohesive swarm disintegrated as the anti-tank weapon ripped holes in the first cluster of krakenspawn.

Venus allowed herself a sigh of relief, but mere moments later one of the spawn erupted from the water and landed on the shore, having somehow eluded the gunship’s cannon.  The monstrosity flailed about a little before sighting the cluster of teenaged vacationers.  Freya let it get that far before blowing three neat little holes in its forehead.

The report of the gun made the unaugmented party members flinch.  The creature slumped over and died, sloughing back into the water with a splash.

Remilia snatched up the recaller, ignoring the smoke, and pressed the button again.  The gunship slowly flew backwards, still firing.  It slowly settled down on the edge of the clearing and the ramp swung down.  Two uniformed skjalds leaped for the, sweeping the LZ for clearance.  Before anyone could say a word, Freya stomped up the ramp.  Venus and Remilia grabbed the crate and lugged it aboard as Alex and Jake scrambled up behind them.  Freya ripped the cabin hatch open and stormed into the cabin, watching the krakenspawn flail and try to climb the island.

As the two skjalds climbed aboard, the ramp lifted and the gunship took off, heading back to the Fang.  The pilot turned to look at Freya.  “Are you all right, Princess?”

“When I recall your gunship and you see that we’re on the verge of being attacked, I never want to see you pausing for target practice before extracting us like I’ve ordered you to, is that clear?” Freya snarled.

The skjald recoiled.  “Princess?”

“One of the spawn made the shore while you were off merrily blowing holes in its kin,” Freya said darkly.  “I had to kill it myself.  What would have happened if I hadn’t had a rifle with me, pray tell?”

“My apologies, Princess, but we were outnumbered fifty to one,” the pilot said, trying to keep the defensiveness out of his tone.

“Sure.”  Freya closed the hatch and dropped the rifle into the case.  Venus and Remilia passed her their pistols and she dropped them into the case as well.  It closed and sealed with a *click.*  The two uniformed skjalds set their weapons down on the benches beside the hatch as Jake sank into his seat, head in his hands.

“Ugh.”

Venus sat beside him, resting a hand on his shoulder.  “It’ll be all right,” she murmured.

“Yeah, we’re all okay,” Jake said into his hands.  “Just…fuck.”

“Never had someone fire a gun that close, huh?” Venus asked.

“Is it always that…loud?” Jake asked.

“Yeah.”  Venus squeezed his shoulder, looking for some sign that he was recovering.  “Do your ears hurt?”

“Not now…just…” Jake trailed off.

Alex sat down on his other side with a heavy sigh.  Venus leaned on Jake’s shoulder and slid an arm under his own arm, gently lacing her fingers with his.  “You’ll be fine.”  Alex closed his eyes and ground his hands into his eyes, feeling the adrenaline bleeding away and leaving his arms shaking.
Remilia sat down beside the skjalds and stared at the others, going through the motions of making their stresses go away.  She clenched her hands and willed her own shakes away.  Without any real mystery as to why, she found herself wondering where Kines was, and how he was doing.  Remilia closed her eyes and tried to picture the look on his face when she told him what she had been up to, and smiled at the image.

Freya plopped down next to Alex.  “Well, guys, I’m really sorry about this,” she sighed.  “I knew there was a tiny possibility of this happening, but this was just…” she trailed off.

Remilia shook her head, eyes still closed.  “Nobody’s mad, Freya.  It happens.  I guess?”

“Yeah.  Welcome to Fenris,” Freya said, somewhat sullen.

“Fenrisian fishermen must be the manliest sons of bitches around,” Jake suddenly said.

The skjalds and Freya chuckled.  “It’s true,” Freya confessed.  Alex managed a grin.

“Estimated Time of Arrival is twenty-seven minutes, your Highness,” the gunner called from the cabin over the PA.

Freya stood, cricking her shoulder where the report of the autorifle had impacted it.  With her strength, the recoil hadn’t injured her, but the weapon was made for Blood Claws, who were usually half a meter taller than her.  “Guys, I feel like I have something to make up for here,” she admitted.

“Quit it.”  Remilia looked up at her and frowned.  “It’s Fenris.  Fish happens.”

“Stick that on a travel brochure,” Venus said.

Freya sat back down, smiling sheepishly.  “I’m glad you guys are so cool about this.”

“I don’t know, Freya,” Jake said quietly, clenching his hands over each other.  “That thing’s gonna be in my nightmares for a while.”  He looked up at her.  “Can we not go fishing again for a while?”

Freya wilted a bit.  “Of course.”