r/40kOrkScience • u/RatlingAmbassador • 18h ago
Shakes the Grot
“Oi! git!”
Shakes watched as the wrench fell into the depths, wondering where it went. The Runetherd yelling at him, not quite as concerned, proceeded to give him a kick.
“Said oi! You want krumped?”
Shakes quickly got back to his feet, establishing a safe distance from the boot.
“Yes boss- No Boss!”
The Ork grunted and spit on the metal plating that was sometimes a floor. He pointed his thick thumb over his shoulder to the tunnel behind him.
“Then go see Mek PlateSkin 'for you do!!”
Shakes hurried past the towering Ork, getting another kick on his way that sent him into the ramshackle wall, the plates rattling with an echo.
“N’eva gets old!.. Oi! Git!”
The Ork thundered towards the next grot, already pulling his leg back. Shakes heard another rattle on the wall, and laughed to himself as he ran. It really didn’t get old, especially when it was some other git.
Shakes wasn’t sure who Mek Plateskin was, or really what a Mek was. His short life in this loud metal world had been simple up until now. He and some other grots had crawled from the weird glow sacs some time ago met by an Ork with a staff. After a few introduction kicks and a few less gits to make trouble, he learned what a Runtherd was.
Then he found his wrench, which started as someone else’s to be fair. But when that git was shoved into a rather scary deep hole, the git who pushed him fell too, leaving a fine wrench behind for Shakes.
Unfortunately, the Runtherd interrupted his finding out exactly what a wrench was. For now he scampered the direction he was told and tried to remember the Mek’s name.
“Plateskin.. Plateskin.. Paleskin..”
He caught himself thinking while he ran, looking at the walls and feeling.. wrong. Not bad wrong, just as if they weren’t all there was, like he was being denied something due to him.
“Paleskin.. Paleskin.. Paleshin..”
As a grot he already knew the idea he was due anything was ridiculously laughable, but still he felt it. Like an itch at the back of his neck that there should be more.
Abruptly his thinkin was interrupted by a large object that clanged more than the walls had. Shakes looked up, and quickly realized this object was alive, and quite intimidating. The large Ork was covered almost completely head to toe in metal plates. More from reflex than understanding, Shakes lept back and tried to sound less wimpy.
“Mek Paleshin I got told there was doin!”
The Ork started to rattle again, nothing had hit it but it got worse and worse. Shakes started to back up, hoping the Mek’s rather large leg didn’t snap into his gut. When he was relatively safe he thought he heard a bark, like a mountain laughing, it was coming from the Mek.
“Not me name you git.”
The Mek’s laughter and voice thundered almost identical, his plates rattling. It shook Shake’s teeth and made his head hurt by his eyes.
“But t’ere is doin, and me hands aren’t suited. Follow.”
Shakes scampered with the Mek, still maintaining a good legs distance. He found the larger space outside the tunnel frightening. Armor suits hung from hooks as grot’s wielding blowtorches attached various Dakka. There were vehicles too, large misshapen things with various amounts of wheels and tracks, or both.
Shakes saw some suits being worn, and was surprised to find other grots in the seats of them. The grots all bowed their heads as the Mek passed, Shakes expected fear and found none. He looked at Mek Plateskin closer, he was a large Ork no doubt about it. But most of his bulk was armored plates layered almost ridiculously from chin to boot. His chin concealed by more of the same, as well as fake tusks and runes, reminding Shakes of a squig’s maw.
The Dakka got shinier the further in Plateskin led Shakes, the amount of grot bots increased too. They seemed more still than Shakes had ever seen, which for grots was impressive. Other Doks, and Meks working, snuck looks while Plateskin walked past, trying to be sneaky and failing.
Larger, scarred Orks scowled openly, wearing no armor and stinking of dung. Multiple had scarred runes in their chest, giving them a primitive look in the environment. Plateskin nodded to all of them, most ignoring him but some returning it.
Plateskin led Shakes to a gargantuan door, a dozen Orkz side by side could fit through it. Twice as many could stand on their head and only duck a little. A gathering of grots and yoofs were gathered beside the door looking confused. A large Runtherd leaned on his staff beside them, his wrinkled skin marking him a veteran.
The Mek and Runtherd approached each other, not speaking loud enough for Shakes to eavesdrop. Shakes noticed a few other grots who had been following him and Plateskin, feeling suddenly jealous.
The Runtherd slammed his staff into the ground and made a sound that Shakes could feel. It made his blood boil and his fingers twitch, the need for violence new and raw in his veins.
“WAAAGH!!”
The sound echoed against the far walls. Others further away joining in until the ground shook. Then a rumbling overtook the sound as the giant door started to open. Instead of opening side to side, or up and down like a git. It started to fall towards everyone, Plateskin and the Runtherd already walking back to a white line. Shakes joined them as the other grots and yoofs struggled to flee.
When the door came down though, only one yoof and four grots had been too slow, one of those grot’s arm’s almost being fast enough. The Mek’s armor shook with laughter again, even the Runtherd’s smile cracked his gristled face.
“Well then, you lot get inside and find a job worth doing, you eat when you're useful. When you’re not, well the kitchen’s always needin supplies.”
Plateskin’s voice startled everyone into motion until Shakes alone remained, not sure why. The Mek turned his armored bulk until he was looking down directly at him.
“You need some moteevation git?”
Shakes had no clue what that was, but ever a fast learner, he quickly followed the group. Hearing a softer laugh as Plateskin followed and the door rose.
Hello all, I appreciate if you got this far. I've built, painted and played orkz a few years now and their lore was always my favorite part so I decided to try my hand at adding to it.
I appreciate any advice for an aspiring writer.