Waiting for an opportunity, the trio danced and ate, drank and partied, reveling in the decadent opulence. Riv was swept away on the dance floor, and for a while he was the plaything of a trio of women whose rounded shapes and ample bosoms at times made him feel like a little child again. Curie grazed the walls, her fingers feeling their fabric, her senses probing, entering security systems, dancing around the AI firewalls, staying hidden while charting her surroundings. Wesknife on the other hand drank little, only a glass of water now and then, his eyes wandering seemingly at random. In reality it was far from random, using skills honed at the orbital station training facility agent Wesknife searched for his intended victim.
And the hours passed by; day became evening, and evening became night.
Kiph had wandered off some time ago, following a woman dressed as a gazelle, with antlers and snout mask, into the lower section of the ship. The way they were entwined gave Riv little doubt about their intentions.
Then the music was dampened, the light dimmed and a spotlight turned on. On the speakers a baritone male voice sounded.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you are having fun", the deep, sensual male voice paused dramatically.
"On this maiden voyage of the Truth of Steel, we relive the bold adventures of the citizens of Atlantis and Venice!", to this the crowd cheered.
A man entered the stage, wearing metal body armor, mechanized, complete with massive arms and legs, the hissing of hydralics faintly heard as he moved them. Over his head he wore an impressive snake mask, complete with scales and tongue, the technology used so impressive it seemed as if a snake-man had entered the stage.
The crowd cheered wildly. "Steel, Steel, Steel, STEEL, STEEL!"
The man held an arm up in the air, calming the crowd.
"Tonight we've feasted! Tonight we've danced! Tonight we've @!#$ed in the manner of the ancients! Tonight...", the snake-man looked around, the tongue flickering, sniffing the air. The crowd was totally quiet, holding its breath in anticipation.
"TONIGHT WE RIDE LIKE THE VALKYRIES OF VENICE! TONIGHT WE WILL RAPE AND PILLAGE, WE WILL DESCEND UPON THE WASTELANDS LIKE A DIVINE SCOURGE. WE WILL TEAR SAVAGE WARRIORS TO PIECES, WE WILL RAPE AND ENSLAVE THEIR WOMEN!"
"TONIGHT WE ARE ATLANTEAN WARRIORS COME TO CLAIM OUR DIVINE BIRTHRIGHT!"
His voice calmed down, and with a steady voice he spoke one final time before the crowd erupted into wild cheering and ecstatic jumping.
"Tonight is a blood night. A red night. Tonight we claim our tribute and bathe in the blood of lesser men! Come, my valkyrie riders, come follow me to the divine spear dropships so we may sample the red juices of life. Let us inhale the dread terror of our prey!"