#log 5

My head was pounding, after what felt like hours of strange and stressful dreams, I woke up to the sound of birds chirping and loud snoring.

What I hadn't noticed was I was outside on the deck patio facing the forest, my face was practically freezing in the morning air, as I opened my eyes slowly, I looked up at the more sky.

It was that usually blue and gold sky that blanketed the world. Suddenly, the pleasant morning was slightly interrupted by another unusual surprise...I was wrapped in a thick, heavy pelt, as I slowly got up I looked around to find myself surrounded by three, light livid colored marines...the same ones from the wildlife cameras.

I adjusted myself to a sitting position, I no longer had energy to be scared or surprised....just surreal amazement. Nothing like this happens to people on a regular basis.

Just that second, the scraping movement of metal startled me for just a quick second, turning to see that biggest out of the three had woken up.

It was like seeing a wild animal wake up from deep hibernation, slow but lucid enough to be mindful. His head shook, moved up his shoulders, then his midsection, to his hips and right down legs.

I was not expecting to see this 8ft tall beastman gracefully do a 'doggie shake' this early in the morning. Than again, not a single thing about my situation is anything I was expecting.

His head turned to face me, the red lenses of his helmet glimmered a little. I couldn't see his eye directly, but he was burning right into my soul...it was daunting because I've never experienced such an intense stare.

"ugh ...good... morning?", I figured if these guys were courteous enough to keep me warm, I'm certain they can understand the sentiment of a morning welcome.

He tilted his head to the side, and grabbed the back of my head.

Well guess this is how I die, but then I hear a long, deep inhale.

He was practically breathing me in.

A low but affirmative rumble emanated from his throat, "I see that you are doing well, daughter of Giovanna Drake, granddaughter of Michael Lakatos.".

My ears perked up, "Wait, you knew my grandfather?", as soon as I finished my question, I felt a heavy hand on my leg. I look down it was one of the other Marines waking up.

A loud yawn slid through the stretching armored man, "Good morrow human girly. Quite a night....".

The other one got up and stretched his legs one by one. "Greetings.", he was a little more sleepy than the other two.

I somehow felt a little better to know that they could speak English. I assumed they must have picked up the language from their time here. "Oh, um, good morrow to you too.".

"say, Sten, do think those fists are crossed with us from last night?", the sleeper one asks.

Sten (the pack leader), contemplates about what had happened last night, "my brash actions could have serious repercussions, but they are patient, they wait for my thoughts later."

"Ah, if they want fight, will give them their ugh, "money's worth", as the humans say it?", the other perked up a little.

"Fjord, you know better than to fight other battle brothers. It is not the way of the Codex to fight unjustly.", Sten turns to the other, "you too, Toke."

Fjord and Toke both roll their eyes a little.

"so girly, nice shot with your bow back there, shaking like a leaf yet yah still had a sturdy hand. Impressive.", Fjord gently nudged my shoulder, more softer than Jonas's for certain.

"wait...you guy w-Oh my God! I need to call the others, they're probably worried sick.", I check my phone that I left in my pocket and saw dozens of unanswered messages. "Ooh I'm so dead. Half of these are from my work fr-Oh shit where's Shelly?", in my short panic, I had completely forgotten Shelly.

Fjord and Toke had gotten exited, believe the two are going to join on some amazing rescue mission.

"hmm, likely in your village's infirmary. She will likely be in good hands. Nurse Amila is good with tending to collateral citizens when we retrieve them. It would be uncharacteristic of the Imperial Fists to simply take a human back to their base.", Sten's observation had put a wet blanket on poor Fjord and Toke's plans.

In the midst of texting some of the missed calls, I suddenly realized something that been nagging since the hardware store. "Wait, how do you know Nurse Amila, for that matter....how do you know my mom and grandpa?", I stand up to get ready for anything I need to do in this situation.

Sten huffed gently, almost akin to a heavy sigh, he also stands up, towering over me by almost 3 ft. "I have much to explain to you, and unlike with your mother....it does not seem fair to keep our purpose here a secret anymore....our kind ....the ones you humans refer to as 'metal men', are known as Adeptus Astartes. The angles of the Emperor and warriors of the Imperium. Our task...our purpose of existence....is to protect humanity from the forces of chaos ....and the threats of the Xenos. To expand across the universe and beyond.".

I was left speechless for all the wrong reasons.

"...uhm....that's a lot to take in ...but that doesn't explain why you know so much about....well a good chunk of my family and I'm starting to assume you know a lot more about the town....", I really couldn't help but feel his epic introduction to some extraordinary backstory had to have been a joke.

He tilts his head in mild amusement and let's out a hardy chuckle, "I shall explain more of the Imperium, some other time than.".

Toke leans at my eye level, "Yah see lass, we live for a really long time. I alone am 209 years old, Fjord is the youngest at 130, and Sten....well....he's getting close to 450 soon."

My jaw dropped, "how could that be possible? Do the spacesuits help or something? Also what, that means...you guys are immortal or something.....you guys can't be human under the armor....are you?"

The three of them looked at each other, all of them let out the hardy laughs of men who've just heard the best joke they could hear. I for one was confused...."ok....what's so funny?".

Sten had finished laughing, "my goodness....how rude of us....it is unbecoming for individuals to exchange names, but not faces...", he takes off helmet....revealing his thick, lush main of hair, a dark golden brown hair with a stripe of blondish white on the right side of his head. He had a brutish beauty about him, his complexion was that of a battle worn man who's had his own share of facial scares. Yet he was wild looking, thick brows with a thick beard that was cleverly hiding lower canines. As soon as I could see his face, the Nordic motifs these men had sported began to make more sense to me. As I turn to see Fjord and Toke, I could see all three of them were just as hairy as the last.

Fjord had copper red hair, even more wild and unkept than Sten's, he has stubble in place of a beard, his smile revealed he has a set of long canine teeth, his his ears where oh so slightly pointed.

Toke had light blonde hair, his hair was put in a top knot and a bread like a true Viking, the sides of his head was shaved down revealing claw marks on both sides. As if something was trying to claw his head right off. He also had beard much like Sten, but it was fuller this he braided his.

However one trait that I had begun to notice they all unequivocally shared; golden yellow eyes. Just like a wolf.

"Well, this is the first time a person hasn't looked at us in fear.", Toke commented to his battle brothers.

I had always been a monster movie fantatic, so there was a likely chance seeing them like this was result of me dissociating the strange reality of the fact these are werewolf Viking space men from some far off galaxy. "Why would anyone be scared of you? You gentlemen seem pretty reasonable."

Fjord pretending to be coy, "oh it's just our more 'savage' and 'grizzly' reputation gets the better of people that's all.", gives a side glance trying to be charming.

I couldn't help but giggle, "savage or not,.-", it was then I remembered the deer meat and the tooth charm, "-you all are extremely kind. I appreciate the meat by the way."

Sten's smile pretty much sums it up for me. "You're most welcome. Now, was there something you needed to do?", he looks to my phone and noticed it was ringing in my hands, I must have put it on silent mode.

"oh God, one second.", Sten simply extends his hand allowing me to answer the phone. "Hey Ronnie, I'm so sorry about last night."

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ronnie was on the other line in a mild panic, "Oh man thank god you're ok. Listen I'm at the hospital with the gang, Shelly is fine but acting all sorts weird.", at the hospital Ronnie was with Jonas, James and Clara next to Shelly....whom was still in the heat of passionate love.

Clara shaking her head, "Shelly why do you have to scare us like that! They could have disappeared with you last night!"

Shelly, smiling and daydreaming about one of the Imperial Fists, "oh Clara, I WISH they took my away.".

The others just looked at each other.

Jonas scrunch her noise a little bit, "ew Shelly what's with the BO?", suddenly a quick slap on the shoulder by Clara shocked Jonas.

"Girl you talk about another woman's smell in front of others, were you raised in a barn?!", obviously not happy about Jonas just rudely stating the obvious.

"ugh, actually I was! There's nothing wrong with being a pig farmer.", Jonas iterated.

Ronnie shaking his head, "hey Lorey you still there? Listen, last night when you and Shelly got kidnapped, I heard the BIGGEST wolf pack in the history of the state! It sounded like 50 or 60 wolves all over the place. They were chasing the truck. Them some big wolves too. The state troopers gave us a bunch reports on something huge just destroying the forest bed."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hearing this, I couldn't help but make a wild guess as to what the 60 giant wolves were, "oh really? That sounds crazy, I wonder if it was a super pack.?", I look to the boys and they seem pretty chuffed at being considered a super pack .

"Ugh is James there? Can you pass the phone on to him?", considering Jame's age, I was dying to know.

~~~~~~~~~~

Ronnie passed the cellphone to James, "Lorey? Thank the Lord you're alive.", as Ronnie was watching James talk on the phone, his usual laid-back smile slowly turns into a look of concern.

".....I'm sorry Lorey, I have no idear what you could be talking about. Giant metal men? Ah that's just a bunch hooie.", his look of concern turned into a drain of color on his face.

Ronnie on the other was curious about the conversation. "ugh, is everything ok James?"

James at this point was sweating, the jig was up for him, "I'll see you later.....Sten.", he hangs up the cellphone, giving it back to Ronnie, than his face goes right back to that good ol' cowboy smile of his, color and all, "Ronnie boy, you wouldn't happen to know where's Amila would you?".

Ronnie cocked a brow, "ugh I think she's over there.", James gives him a nod and goes to Amila.

What Ronnie could see was Amila giving the same expression James had just given.

"what in the hell is going on here....", Ronnie muttered to himself.

~~~~~~~~~

Sten, gives the phone back to me, "Now that is settled....there is one more thing to do.".

Fjord gives the rubbery part of his armor a scratch, "Get breakfast?".

Sten huffed a bit, "No. We may need to change our tactics...the circumstances have changed dramatically at this point.", he looked at me with a relaxed gaze.

"We will...as it said, "walk and talk"?", he picked me up effortlessly. I felt a little self conscious about being heavy for these guys. I was not the most patite woman out there but neither was I so large to be a concern.

"woah um is this necessary?", I blush a little. I wasn't use to this type of treatment before.

Putting his helmet back on with one hand, "you're quick but you're not up to our speed.", as soon as he was done, all three climb off the deck and begin to sprint off into the forest.

"Next stop, Fort Dorn!", shouts Toke in excitement.

End of Log 5

2b has shown an intensely negative response to every price of stimuli. The only thing that brings them a sense of comfort is 1b.

He is still human.

[Log 5 - Original Hair Texture]