Finally the lunch whistle droned, as always it seemed hours past due to Ven. Removing his thick leather gloves, smoked glasses, and heat shielded apron he stepped back from the smelter controls and joined the shuffling mass of other workers. Leaving the stifling heat of the mill floor Ven filed past stacks of still cooling refined ore ingots waiting to be moved to the finishing rooms. Moving with the press of bodies he exited the work rooms and entered the echoing mess hall.
This close to the equator the ambient temperature only seemed bearable after leaving the smelting room floor. The oppressive humidity was a constant of Wanax Secondus that its inhabitants had long learned to ignore. Better off then the damn fool miners, thought Ven as he stiffly took a seat at the long tables that stretched the length of the room built to accomadate the over 3000 laborers.
At 26 standard, Ven didn't feel old, but seeing the young dirt smeared boys pushing the serving carts down the isles he had to stop and wonder if he was ever that young. He knew he felt older then he did when he took this job 2 years ago. Remembering the constant pain of the first few months he absentminded rubbed his thickly muscled arms. A much different texture then the sickly, bony addict that took this job originally. He was proud of his hard work, and took his pains as badges of honor for the honest work he put in.
Taking a bowl of tasteless stew he thought to the pains he had felt before the mills. His arm stopped halfway to his mouth to stare fixedly at the solid 3 inch black square tattooed on his right inner forearm. The inking had hurt, but it was that or cut out the 3 headed serpent tattoo he earned with the Tripents.
When you left the Tripents they made sure you knew it. He was lucky enough to be alive to have to get his ink covered. Most members who left were buried with their markings and a few broken bones down the nearest volcanic vent or in the massive slag dumps to the north. No, he'd been lucky alright, surviving an street gang initiation was tough enough, but the group beating was nothing compared to the all out assault he got when he wanted left. Only after beating him to a bloody smudge on the ground, did Keagen tell him "you're free to go". Keagen, the averaged sized, wild eyed leader of the Tripents, has assumed he would die there in the forgotten allies in the oldest part of Wanax Secondus.
Luckily his bruised and battered body was found by a local and dragged to a near by community medicae's ward. He spent the next few weeks clinging to life while trying to fight off a bad case of withdraw. Most users who started shooting "drill" died within a few months, but the rest became life long users. Even the thought of it still made his muscles shudder and sweat beads prick out on his forehead. But something in Ven kept him going and pulled him through the 2 months stuck in the scrubbed filth that was the aging clinics trauma ward.
No his luck had gotten him through all that pain and suffering and now Ven Oypic wouldn't complain about a little stiffness from hard work.

Ness Pt 1

Without looking back young Elken Ness boarded the small ground car that would take him and his father to the waiting shuttle at one of Wanax Prime's many space ports. Fair skinned and still with the awkwardness of all young men Elken settled himself nest to his father who nodded for the driver to proceed.
"How long with the flight be father"
"just a few hours since we'll remain in the lower atmosphere" Elken's father spared a rare smile at his 16 year old son practically vibrating with excitement. His thoughts wandered back to his late teens when his father had given him the same chance. "A year in the mines, Whalt, that will toughen you up, if you ever want to run the family business you need to understand the operation from the lowliest miner to the highest executive." Well Elken's grandfather had been right. 14 months later he returned to Wanax Prime a man forged from the boy he left as. But Elken, he seemed almost too smart for his own good. A mind like a las bolt and so full of questions its a wonder he didn't burst. Well the mines had more to offer then burns and scars as lessons. Whalt thought warmly of the nights in the miner's taverns and the times when they had leave into town. He couldn't think of a better education.
"Will I be able to call home? Mother was adamant about that."
"Probably. Look Elken, don't worry about your mother, I will be here to stop her from worrying herself to death. Start thinking about how you are going to get olong down on the Sear"
Even the old miners name for the molten equatorial belt brought another rare smile to Whalt Ness's face.
Elken looked up into the hard scarred face of his father. He so desperately wanted to share that same grizzled countenance and natural aura of leadership. Sadly Elken didn't share those features, his pales skin was reminiscent of his mothers family and a level of shyness that led him to a life consumed mostly by reading. Well his data slates and holo-novels would be taking a back seat to work down on the "sear". Not only would be working alongside the managers and overseers, but also down in the smelting rooms and possibly on the surface extractors as well.
Possibly judging his sons thoughts Whalt said "Don't worry you will be fine." Ignoring a pang of doubt the Elken shared.
Before either of them could speak again they were coming to a halt on the blistered and burnt surface of the landing strip. Elken could already see a crowd of rough looking me queing up for the waiting shuttle idling on the pad.
Stepping out of the ground car Elken felt the heavy wash of the powerful shuttle thrusters preparing for takeoff. He turned to see his father emerge and place a hand on his shoulder. Whalt's dark eyes looked down at his son's fair hair and skin.
Supressing the urge to hug the boy, Whalt gave his son a firm handshake and another smile before saying "remember, you're no better or no worse then anyone down there, forget that and there will be a world of hurt to remind you"

Planetary Composition

The Imperial world of Wanax is the 5th planet in the Strome Binary System. Wanax is the sole inhabitable planet and was brought into the Imperium during the Great Crusade. Wanax is dual classified as both a mining and agricultural planet. The reason for this is a slightly denser gravity then the planets crust can withstand around the equator. This intense gravitational pull results in a weak layer of rock floating on a see of liquid magma. This magma is mostly iron ores but results in the natural formation of more complex metals. Mining is easy due the the already molten state of the ores. An advanced knowledge of smelting coupled with a hardy population form a profitable mining venture in the equatorial regions.
The thin crust around the equator leads to extensive volcanic activity in the tropic regions of Wanax. Presettlement it is estimated that almost 1/3 of Wanax was actively volcanic. Thankfully due to the gentle cooling of the planets core these middle regions have become inhabitable by humans. The volcanic history has lent much to the agricultural side of the planets exports. Mineral rich soil and year round tropic temperatures produce large yield crops for shipment to near by Imperial systems. Farther north and south from the tropic regions the vast networks of fields give way to sprawling urban areas. Almost 3/5ths of the planets populations live and work in the major urban centers where further refinement of ore and crop preperation provide steady jobs in a more temperate climate. This temperate zone reaches almost to the poles where a small ice marks the extreme north and south regions.
Wanax is divided into 4 major continents and has 3 distinct oceans. 2 of these oceans are the northern hemisphere and 1 in the southern. The largest continent spans the molten fields of the equator completely circumnavigating the planet. The south is home to the second largest continent that extends from the tropic regions to those of the southern pole. The Northern Hemisphere is divided into 2 smaller continents surrounded by much more water. The smaller of the two remains almost entirely tropic while the larger is home to the capital (Wanax Prime) and most other industrial centers.