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

===Nocturne===


The ship shook a bit as it exited the stratosphere.  “Princess, we will arrive at Hesiod in twenty minutes,” the pilot announced.

Venus nodded to herself, thinking over their schedule.  “Okay…we’ll land at the Castle of the Tribal Kings…we’ll be quartered there.  We unpack, then I have to go to the Square and give my speech…then I come back and we go be tourists for a while.  I’ll have to wear something that conceals my eyes if we don’t want to get mobbed, but there’s plenty of dark-skinned people on Nocturne.  Anyone would be if they grew up exposed to THAT much radiation,” she said drily.  “But you guys will be fine if we don’t spend a few years here.  Hmmm.”

“Venus, why do people on Terra call you Lady, people on the ship call you Lady Primarch, and people here call you Princess?” Jake asked.

“Oh.  Well, I don’t hold the same rank everywhere,” she explained.  “On Terra, I’m the Emperor’s granddaughter, but I haven’t been assigned to leadership over a specific region of space, so I’m a title-less noble.  A Lady.  In the military, I’m the heiress of an Astartes Legion, so I rank just below a normal Primarch.  A Lady Primarch.  And here, I’m the daughter of the man who rules the entire system as its King, Dad.  So Princess.”

“Oh wow.  I hadn’t even thought of that,” Jake said.

“It’s not that big a deal.  Technically I’ll answer to all three in any place.  But nobody likes protocols more than nobles, soldiers, and bureaucrats,” Venus said drily.

The ship suddenly jolted as it passed through the lowest levels of the clouds above Hesiod.  The hull sizzled faintly.

“Oh damn it all, it’s pouring rain outside!” Freya groaned loudly.  Venus looked over at her in alarm.

“Really?  Shit!  Rain on Nocturne is super acidic.  We’re going to have to get you guys indoors as fast as we can,” she said worriedly.

“Why is it a problem?  Rain on Terra can be acidic if the weather machines fritz out,” Alex pointed out, unplugging his headphones.

“When I say acid, I mean ‘Oh holy fuck my skin is melting,’” Venus said.  “Even Furia couldn’t survive these rains.  We’ll have to arrange a car,” she added under her breath.

The PA crackled again.  “Princess, we are five minutes to skids down.  The weather is acidfall fifty klicks lateral.  I recommend that you and your guests land at the castle landing bays,” the pilot advised.

Venus tapped the call button.  “Good idea, Pilot, consider it authorized,” she said.  The ship tilted a bit as the pilot moved to the new heading.  “Problem solved,” Venus said in relief.  “Heh.  Welcome to Nocturne.  Don’t drink the water.”

“Sounds like sage advice,” Remilia said, turning her slate off and cinching her restraints.  “So who do you think will greet us?”

“Oh, a few Salamander honor guards at the most, especially since the original landing was scrubbed,” Venus said casually, as if dismissing an Inferno Guard was par for the course.  “Maybe a few really brave reporters.”

“Works for me!” Remilia said.

The ship shook again as it left the driving wind, and bucked as it sat down on the pad.  After a few seconds of near-silence, the whole ship rang with the sound of the hull being hosed down with water, scouring the acids away.  Nearly a full minute of nervous waiting later, the ramp suddenly lowered, admitting the ozone stink of the hangar.

A Salamander in full Fire Drake Assault Terminator armor stood alone at the base of the ramp.  As the party descended, the colossal warrior held both hands over his hearts and bowed low, as Terminator armor doesn’t permit kneeling.  “Princess Venus…welcome home.”

“Brother Lieutenant.  It is good to be home,” Venus replied in Old Nocturnean.  The Drake looked up, apparently surprised she could speak it.  “My friends and I are weary from our travels, but eager to see my world.  Can you show us the way?” she asked.

“It would be my honor, Princess Venus.  Shall we employ Gothic or Nocturnean?  It pleases me greatly that you have learned it, but I do not wish to exclude your friends,” he said, gesturing to the other four teens.

“Nocturnean.  I need the practice,” Venus said.  “And we will discuss nothing sensitive,” Venus said, in an air of undeniable command that somehow sounded like she was discussing nothing at all.

“Of course, Princess.  Please follow me,” the warrior said, gesturing to his side.

The bay was absolutely packed.  The entire chamber was full of air and space craft, and ground vehicles that had driven into the castle to escape the weather.  The Fire Drake parted the crowds of people around the vehicles like an armored prow.  At first, he drew all the attention, as the massive Space Marine was of far greater initial interest to the crowds of serfs and civilians than the quintet of somewhat tousled-looking teenagers in his wake.  Soon, however…

“Princess Venus!  An honor!” someone said excitedly as she passed.  And the gates were open.  In moments, the group was surrounded by excited well-wishers, whom Venus bypassed with remarkable poise.

“Please, folks, I’m glad to be home, but I’m exhausted.  I’ll be happy to address you all as soon as I can, but I have unpacking to do,” she said, slipping gracefully between clouds of reporters.  Her companions hovered nearby, unsure of what to do.

The Drake turned and slid his armored hand behind her, guiding her through the throng.  “Give Her Highness some room,” he ordered, his voice far from the respectful request it had been moments before.  The crowd evaporated.

Finally, the group reached the exit, and the Drake lead them away from the Nocturneans who had gathered for a glimpse of their Princess.  “Well, that was exciting,” Venus said.

“My apologies, Princess.  Normally we would never have allowed civilians into the bay, but with acid rain that strong…we could not let them die outside.  You understand,” the Drake said in Old Nocturnean.

“I do.  You made the correct decision,” Venus said.  “Now…to our rooms, I think.  Are our personal belongings already distributed?”

“They are.”  The Drake stopped as the group arrived at a lift.  “However…there may have been some confusion.”

“Oh?” Venus asked.

“You shall see.  For now, please, rest.”  The lift opened, allowing all five to enter the structure.  “Farewell, Princess.”

“Thank you for your assistance, Brother-Lieutenant,” Venus said, as the lift doors closed.

Alex blew out a sigh.  “Wow.”

“Yeah.  Sorry if the crowd got to you guys,” Venus said apologetically.

“It’s to be expected,” Freya said.  “Where do you practice Old Nocturnean?  I didn’t understand a damn word you said back there,” she pointed out.

“Sorry.  We speak it around the house sometimes, but I wanted to be sure I remembered how.  I’ll use Gothic now,” Venus said.  “While we’re here, you guys want lessons?”

“Nah, I’d never get good in a month, thanks,” Jake said.

The lift opened, and a pair of Salamander serfs in full combat gear stepped back, clearly having summoned the lift for themselves.  “Princess Venus, welcome home,” one said respectfully as the group passed.

“Thanks, soldier,” she said.  “Which way are the suites we’ve been given?”

“Uh…I do not know, Princess, but I have to imagine it’s the VIP suites,” the serf said awkwardly.  “End of the hall.”

“Thanks,” she said, and led the group past the serfs, looking for their rooms.

Sure enough, there were a few maintenance serfs bustling about the rooms at the end of the small hall.  One spotted the group and walked up.  “Princess Venus, welcome to Hesiod Castle,” he said, taking a reverent knee.  “I hope you will find all the suites to your liking!”

“Thank you, serf, I hope so as well,” Venus replied in Gothic.  “Which rooms are whose?”

“Your room is the one at the end of the hall here,” the serf said, rising and gesturing behind him, at the room out of which several more serfs were emerging with cleaning implements and EMP sweepers.  “The two rooms on either side of the hall before it are also available to you.”

Venus tilted her head in confusion.  “Four rooms?”

“Is that not enough, Princess?” the serf asked worriedly.

“It’s too many, Sieur,” Venus said.  “We will only need three rooms including mine.”

“Oh!”  The serf’s eyes flickered from side to side, clearly doing math.  “I see.  My sincerest congratulations, Princess.  I did not realize that you and your cousin Princess Russ had wed.”  Jake choked on his tongue.

Venus glanced back at him and Freya and winked.  She turned back to the serf.  “We haven’t.  But thanks.  Are the rooms ready?”

“They are, Princess.  Please, enjoy your stay,” the serf said, and bowed out.

The group dispersed amongst their rooms and found their possessions piled in each.  Apparently, the serfs had already selected which rooms would be which.  Alex and Freya consolidated their cargo in the room on the left of the hall, while Remilia just stayed in the room to Venus’ right.

Jake sank down on the bed.  It was gigantic, nearly as big as the one in Venus’ room back home.  He kicked off his shoes with a sigh, spreading out on the mattress.  “Mmm…nice.  Just soft enough.”  He glanced over at his girlfriend, who was busily spreading their clothes through the cabinets and drawers.  “You and Freya, huh?”

“Har har har, wiseass,” Venus said.  “And she meant me and you, and Alex and Freya.”

“Really?  Pretty presumptuous of him,” Jake said.

“Not really, Nocturne matrimonial law and Terran matrimonial law are very different.  I’ll explain it later.  I gotta change,” she said, grabbing several odd-looking pieces of leather and metal out of boxes in the corner.  “Awesome, it’s here.  Be right back, baby,” she said, disappearing into the bathroom.

Freya tossed her bag in the corner of the room, and it landed on the small mountain of cargo containers and suitcases that she and Alex had brought.  Remilia wandered into the room behind her, and sank into a leather chair by the door.  “Well, we’re here,” she announced.

“I know.  I am so stoked,” Freya said, tugging her extreme weather gear out of her bag.  She examined the thermoreflective plastic weave of the shirt and grimaced.  “I really hope I don’t need this.”

“Freya, if we’re not in the Pyre Desert, why would we?” Remilia asked drily. She brushed her blond hair out of her eyes and stretched, sinking into her seat.  “Is anyone else feeling short of breath?”

“I think Nocturne has Terra-plus gravity, or atmo, or both,” Freya said.  “We won’t notice it for long, the discrepancy’s tiny.”

Alex stripped his outer shirt off and threw it into the hamper in the corner, waving a hand over his face.  “Would it be appropriate to wear shorts here?  Because DAMN, it’s hot.”

“Indoors, maybe, I dunno.  We’ll ask Venus,” Freya said.  “Is there a map in here?”

Alex looked around the room for one, but neither of them could find it.  “Uh…nope.  Fuck.”  Freya tapped her finger on her chin.  “Well…Venus won’t know either, she’s never been here.  We can ask where stuff is.”