Editing Bleeding Out (Warhammer High) (section)

===Passionate Silence===

Alex pulled his shorts down, admiring his physique in the mirror in the bathroom of Freya’s suite.  Glancing over his reflection, he finished his bathroom processes and thought over what Freya had said.  A road trip?  Really?  To Fenris and to Nocturne?  As much as it sounded awesome, he had his doubts.  He knew Leman Russ was slowly growing to like him, even if he was still openly uncomfortable around him.  But would the other Wolves tolerate some non-genemodded human in their midst?

The door to the bedroom swung open.  He hurriedly cracked the door open, catching a glimpse of Freya’s red hair in the bedroom.  “Hey.  She OK?”

“She’s fine.  She loved the idea of a trip,” Freya answered, replacing him in the bathroom.

“Yeah?  I’m a bit nervous, myself,” Alex admitted.  The door to the bathroom closed behind his girlfriend, cutting off his words.  He slid into the bed, waving the lights down to total blackness.  After a few minutes passed, he tensed up, waiting.  He strained his ears, listening for any sign of her return.  The door to the bathroom opened up, and he caught a hint of her outline in the darkness as she turned the lights off.  He stretched his hearing out to its limits, trying to find her.

“Give up,” she whispered from his side of the bed.  “You won’t catch me until I let you.”

“Unless I get lucky,” he whispered back.

“You will only catch me if you’re about to get lucky,” she corrected him, crawling across him and snuggling under the covers.

“Well put.”  Alex wrapped an arm under her shoulders, pulling her in.  “To that end…”

“Sorry.  I can’t enjoy myself with Remilia falling apart at the seams a few halls down,” Freya said apologetically.  She kissed him on the forehead.  “I’d feel bad for her.”

“Aw.  The one night her father’s nose isn’t in the house and she doesn’t wanna fuck.”  Alex leaned back against the headboard and snapped his fingers.  The window creaked open, letting a little of the light and sound from the field outside filter into the room.  “Did you hear me when I said I was a bit off-kilter about this whole trip thing?”

“Yeah.  Dad’s old friends put the scare in you?” she asked.

“Baby, your friends are eight-foot tall killing machines with serrated canines and mongoose reflexes.  They scare the shit out of me.  How are they gonna react when I stroll into the Fang hand in hand with you?”

“Catcalls, challenges to drinking contests, pats on the back, and at least one semi-serious offer to induct you into the Wolves.  Then Dad will hold a feast to welcome himself back to the Fang, and we’ll have a grand old time, while you draw the eyes and envy of every serf in the fortress,” Freya predicted happily.

“…You’ve thought about this, haven’t you,” Alex accused.

“Yep!  You’ll like them, you really will,” Freya promised.

“Hmmph.  If you say so,” Alex said.


Outside, Jake lifted his car off the ground and started out.  “Hey, you want to do something tonight?” he asked.  “It’s only 2200.”

“Hmm…” Venus thought it over, then shook her head.  “No thanks.  Can we just head out?  It’s been pretty rough.”

“That’s what I mean,” Jake said, keying in her address anyway.  “Something to take the edge off.”

“Um…actually,” Venus said, “could we divert to your place instead?”

He shrugged.  “Works for me,” Jake said, keying the pad.  “But won’t the Treasury get on your ass over it?”

“Eh, not again,” she said, waving off his concerns.  The car soared over to the airlock, queuing up behind the usual evening traffic.  Jake looked out at the row of Seeker drones by the lock.  The little machines weren’t remote-controlled, but they weren’t completely autonomous either, he knew.  They had set instructions to scan passing vehicles and divert their autopilots if need be.  What they did to manually-piloted craft, he didn’t know.  But then, who flew the airlock manually?

“Can I ask what you and Remilia talked about?” Venus asked, breaking into his thoughts.

Jake grimaced, wondering how private she was asking her to be.  “She…really confided in me.  I was surprised.  She wanted a ‘hiver’s perspective.’”

Venus gaped.  “Are you serious?” she asked.  “That’s so rude.”

“Yeah, but…I can’t get mad at her.  She wanted to know how hivers settle family disputes.  I couldn’t really find a polite way to tell her that we’re a fairly complex group and can’t really be shoe-horned into one group like that, so I just let it slide.”

“Well, I’m sorry she put you on the spot like that,” Venus said.

“Don’t be.  It’s not your fault.  And I didn’t mind answering her other questions.  She wanted to know if I ever argued with my father, or with you.”

“What did you tell her?” Venus asked.  She wasn’t judging, she just wanted to know.

“Nothing too intimate.  I think she just wants someone to talk to.  Frankly, I think she needs a guy,” Jake said, as the car slid through the lock.

Venus made a non-committal sound, thinking about what he had said.  “Do you like Freya’s road trip idea?”

“I think it’s awesome.  I can’t wait,” Jake said, grinning from ear to ear.  “I’ve always wanted to go into space.”

“I’ve been to Mars a few times, but I’ve never left the Solar Core,” Venus said, using the technical term for all bodies within the Jovian orbit.  “Went to the experimental EASTF plant on Mercury with Dad when I was four.  So boring.  Had to stay inside the radiation shields the whole time.”

“Probably wise,” Jake noted.  The car swooped over the token Praetor vehicle under the lock, flying for the apartment.  “I’m really looking forward to this,” he continued.  “You’ve told me a lot about Nocturne, but what is Fenris like?  Freya never talks about it.”

“It’s a glacier world.  Mostly.  Some jungle at the equator, I think,” Venus said.  “The Wolves rule over it as tribal gods.  The hardiest tribal warriors’ children join the Wolves as inductees and go through training like the rest of the Legions.  Or did you mean the culture?”

“Well, if it’s a tribal world, there won’t be too much technology, will there?” Jake reasoned.

“We won’t be going outside, much, trust me,” Venus promised.  “Predators on Fenris can grow the size of aircars.  And those are the birds.”

“Awesome,” Jake said happily.  “When do we leave?”

“Heh.  It’ll be a while.  I think my parents are going to want to hold a get-together after the ceremony.  Graduation party, you know.  And I will definitely need to find a ship to carry us,” she went on.  “I want this to be somewhat low-key.  Maybe a Salamander ship.”

“Hadn’t thought of that,” he admitted.  “…Do you have your own ship?”

Venus shook her head.  “No, even we aren’t allowed our own ships.  We’d be diverting Navigators from the Merchant fleets for nothing.”

The car coasted to a halt in the lot outside his hab structure.  As they climbed out, Jake discreetly palmed the little plastic box under his seat and slid it into his pocket before locking the car and following Venus out.
His parents were sitting in the eating nook, chatting over the remains of a late dinner, when they spotted their son and his girlfriend.  “Hey, you two,” George called out, brushing his hands off and standing up, as he always did by instinct when he saw Venus.  “How was it?”

“Horrible,” Venus said heavily.

“What was wrong?” Sandra asked in surprise.

Venus glanced at Jake for support before continuing.  “Remilia’s having a lot of trouble at home.”

“Aw, that’s a shame,” Sandra said, standing too.  “Is she going to be all right?”

“Eventually, I hope.”  Venus glanced at Jake again, this time in mischief.  “I think the road trip will help.”

“Read trip?” George asked.

“Yep.  She, Freya, and I are going on vacation after graduation,” Venus announced.

“And I’m going with them,” Jake said proudly.

George blinked.  “You are?”

“Yes.  Me and Alex are going with,” Jake explained.  “Three months or so, from graduation to just before school starts up again.”

“Well, that sounds like a lot of fun,” Sandra said.  “Where are you going?”

Venus’s smile took on a sly grin.  “I’m going home.”

“Nocturne?” George asked, stunned.  “You’re going to Nocturne?”

“Yep!” she declared happily.

“I’ve wanted to try going into space since I was a kid,” Jake said excitedly.  “We’re going to go do Nocturne and Fenris, for about a month each, with the rest of the time in travel.”

His father nodded.  “Wow.  Well, good on you, Jake, that sounds awesome,” George admitted.  “How long before you head out?”

“Right after graduation party season,” Venus said cheerfully, “and I need to actually book us a ship.  Nocturne and Fenris are both technically Death Worlds, so no passage on civilian ships, but I’m sure Dad or Horus can whip up a reason for us to go.”

“Will you be bringing Morticia with you?  I’m sure she’d love to get out of the hospital for a while,” Sandra pointed out.

Venus’s eyes froze.  Clearly she hadn’t thought of that.  “…I bet she would, but A) her homeworld’s atmosphere is very, very toxic, and B) she may not be ready to go in three weeks.”

“Shame.”  George smiled proudly.  “Still, I’m sure it’ll be a grand time.”

“Have you ever been to space?” Venus asked the both of them.

“I’ve been to Mars eight or nine times,” George said.

Sandra shook her head.  “Never.”

“Well, I’ve never been outside the Core,” Venus said.

“Hmm.  Should be fun.  Send pictures?” Sandra asked teasingly.

“Mom, we don’t leave for three weeks,” Jake laughed.

The four of them sat back down at the table, discussing the logistics of the expedition, until George looked at his watch and realized the time.  “Well, some of us have work tomorrow, so I think we need to turn in.”

“All right, then, see you both tomorrow,” Jake said, standing too.

“You’re heading somewhere?” Sandra asked.

Jake stared.  “Uh, no.  Just…saying good night.”

“Oh.  All right, good night then.  See you later, Venus,” Sandra said, making for the tiny bathroom.

Bathroom tasks accomplished, both elder Seagers retired, leaving Jake and Venus alone.  Jake let the nervous grin he had been holding the entire time out, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand.  He lifted it up to his lips, as much out of romance as to hide the goofy look.  “Stay with me tonight?” he asked softly.  Venus bit her own lip, casting a stare at the closed door to the master bed.

“Can you?  Won’t they hear?”

“Not if we’re careful,” Jake counseled.  He pulled the little plastic box free with his other hand and flipped it slowly across his fingers, grinning broadly behind her hand.  Venus squirmed a bit in her own seat, a smile working its way across her face too.

“…Sure, I’d love to.”

“Superb,” Jake said eagerly, pocketing the box again.  He stood up, squeezing her hand again, and switched the lights off in the main room, opening the door to his own.  “Show me where to go,” he said quietly.

One of the two glowing red eyes – now the only light in the room save the clock over the oven – narrowed a bit as Venus cocked an eyebrow, but she dutifully stood and walked up to the threshold of the bedroom, then backed slowly up until her legs hit the edge of the bed.  Jake walked up in front of her and slid his hands down her back to her waist, then lifted gently and pushed, easing her down onto the bedspread.  She clenched his jacket with both hands, pulling him down after her.

Jake pushed the door closed with his foot, kicking off his shoes as he did so.  He let his fingers slip back up to the small of her neck, running his thumbs across the line of her collarbone.  She leaned upwards a little, her eyes narrowing yet further, but actually getting brighter as her blood started pumping a bit faster.  “The key,” he whispered, “and the thing that every hiver learns more or less as a matter of course, is silence.”  He tugged his own jacket off, dropping it into the darkness beside the bed.  “So,” he continued, “let me know how you feel…quietly.”  He unhooked his belt and slid his pants off to join the jacket on the floor.

“Good idea,” she said softly, her voice thickening a bit.  She undid her own clothes, dropping them down to his.  “Like that?”

“Quick learner,” he said, his voice barely louder than his breath itself.  He reached down to where his clothes had fallen, extracted the little box, pulled a condom out, and quickly applied it, the act illuminated by Venus’ hungry stare.

Her eyes ran back up to his face, bathing it in hot red light, as he settled into his rhythm, and went out completely as she closed them.  He moved against her again and they flew wide open, but a finger to her lips kept her silent.  She wrapped both arms around his back, holding him close, and moved one hand up to the nape of his neck, gently guiding him in for a kiss.

“…Silence is golden, it turns out,” she said almost inaudibly, shaky but jubilant.  Neither of them said a word for the rest of their quiet lovemaking, just enjoying the simple intimacy of the moment.

When it was over, Venus lay curled up next to him as he cleaned up, the lights on now.  They were just bright enough to get the job done.  He pulled the towel he had laid out beforehand, just in case, out from under them, dropping it with the rest of the laundry.  Venus looked over at him as he tugged the covers loose.  “Should I sleep above the covers?” she asked faintly.  Jake shook his head in confusion.  “I’m kinda hot.”  Jake nodded, accepting the great truth she had imparted, and ran a fond hand up her flank.  She giggled, slapping his hand away.  “I mean my skin.”  Jake shook his head, pulling the covers back from the mattress with a smile.  Venus looked at him for a moment, then wiggled under the covers.  He slipped up against her back, planting a kiss on her neck.  She made herself comfortable on the thin padding, lying on her side to save room.  Distantly, she wondered what people did with single beds when they found a partner.  Jake wrapped his arm around her middle, splaying his hand over her waist long enough to deliver a playful squeeze, before rolling over to lie back-to-back to her.  From the sound of his breath, he was asleep in minutes.  Venus lay there, dreamily content, and wondering about the logistics of their trip, until sleep took her too.