First, a few key points before the story starts. This story is K+, so when I say suitable for children, I mean suitable for children: "Suitable for more mature children, 9 years and older, with minor action violence without serious injury. May contain mild coarse language. Should not contain any adult themes." For this purpose, only what has already been published in other works in the 8-12 age range will be used here. This includes any work targeted at 8-12 year old children or ones that are considered suitable for them regardless of the target market. This includes Fighting Fantasy, Doctor Who, Star Trek, Asterix, Sins of a Solar Empire (seriously), and Hearts of Iron II (yes, even I'm surprised). Now I can start...
Rogue Trader Journal, entry 5: We are heading the the feral world of Birmingham, which we lost all contact with 15 time segments ago. This world barely has gunpowder, almost no industry, almost no visitors, and almost no sunlight. I am taking my son Sitting Bear and my 3rd daughter Davinda with me as they need to learn more about our Emperor's galaxy. I hope to keep out of trouble...
After speaking to his cogitator, Gaius Marius of the 500 Worlds open up the file from his bosses telling him what they already knew. Unfortunately, that wasn't as easy as he hoped. "Children, stop playing with that skull! No, sit down, stop bickering. I'm beginning to wish I'd left you at home."
"We're sorry," Sitting Bear said, straightening his mini-flak jacket. "There's nowhere fun on this ship. It's all dark and shaking all the time."
"We're bored," Davinda added. She held the skull in her hands, scanning it with her glowing glasses. The red glare was the brightest light in the whole room. "All the other people are either boring or servitors. Of course we'll fight!"
Gaius knew they were right but what could he do apart from hope the ship would arrive soon? The ship was dark, the walls sparse, and the only decoration being fur, portraits, and animal heads. The kids soon got bored of them. In fact, only one group got their interest and that group weren't talkative. The Order of the Sacred Grove, the bright green defenders of holy agricultural worlds, had the guns, the flamers, and the armour, but kept to themselves. If only they had Space Wolves. The hairy fellows would be talking and playing with the kids all day
"Exiting Warp," a servitor announced. He used to be a normal human but robbed a high street bank one day. Now he spent the rest of his life as part of a computer. Hence, as Gaius told the children, don't steal. If you don't want the time, don't commit the crime.
Even as a feral world, Birmingham should have had ships going around the planet, from small, van-like, shuttles to mammoths measurable in kilometres. But no, there was nothing but scraps of floating metal. "Sitting Bear," Gaius said, "would you like to try opening hailing frequencies to the spaceport on the planet surface?"
"Why can't I open hailing frequencies?" Davinda demanded.
"Because you told the navigator what course to set. Your brother will be in the Navy, you'll be a priest."
"I'll be doing this when I grow up," Sitting Bear sneered. "You'll just be shouting and waving a chainsword."
Davinda scowled and folded her arms but said nothing while Sitting Bear smugly pressed the speech bubble-shaped button. "This is Warrant of Trade Ship Art of War. Request permission to approach."
Nothing. Davinda's mouth curled slightly upwards.
Sitting Bear tried a few more times, before Gaius took back control with the same amount of success. Further, something was interfering with the scans on the planet. Eventually, the children's father decided to head to the surface.
That was a mistake.
It wasn't bad at first. The planet looked liked it was always night but the trees and birdsong made the children smile. Butterflies flew around and white, fluffy rabbits bounced around. Everyone except the techpriests and the Sacred Grove Sisters gasped in wonder. How beautiful!
A techpriest was the first to realise the mistake. He wandered behind a tree to look at a blinking light on top of a boulder. The half-machine man and his extra arms soon no longer existed as they once did. Standing over the techpriest was the cold, spiky, metallic, pink form of the ones who were clearly the ones behind the planet being unable to talk. In the creature's hand was a gun- a rifle- with a long spike coming out of the end. What was this?
"Xenos!" Sister Quenda of the Sacred Grove shouted. Her gun raised, ready to fire, and her friends did likewise. However, they did not fire, not yet. Gaius wanted to get answers and so they held back.
"You," the Rogue Trader said. "What are you doing here, creature?"
Noise came out of the creature's mouth. Grating noises, like a tyre skidding on a road. The children's ear translators said, "We are of Commorragh. We are the Kabal of the Bladed Lotus. We come, we have fun, we go. We will have fun with you."
Davinda and Sitting Bear stared at each other. Finally, someone with a sense of fun! "They like pink!" Sitting Bear exclaimed.
Davinda nodded. "I like that they're tall."
"Stop it, you two," Gaius hissed. "That's an Eldar. Worse, an Eldar of the worst city in the universe. She's not your friend! Sisters, open fire!"
Swiftly, the Dark Eldar Warrior threw something at the kids just as the first bolt reached her. When the mist cleared, the children were no longer there...
