Eric Olafson Captain Black Velvet Vol 6 Chapter 4
- 3 years ago
- 38
- 0
I was losing time watching this. I needed to find my friends; nothing so far had told me how he managed to capture them and where he kept them. I was about to get up and call for a conference to hatch a plan when something happened on the screen that shocked me deeply. The next man that walked through the door was my former friend Wintsun.
Our tiny spy still invisible in the room said. “This is the Union officer we followed.”
Donheer greeted the green skinned man saying. “You have been successful in capturing the Dai Warrior and I appreciate men who get me results, but then you used to be a Union officer and they do train their people well.”
Wintsun was the same and yet he had changed. He seemed much older than he was and his face had a lost all of the openness it had before. What was he doing here on Sin 4? Did he recognize Har-Hi?
Wintsun said. “That is why I was able to use the P 4 Paralysator to get that Dai. He had his Clan glyph removed so he is most likely an Okthi you know a renegade and not associated with any clan anymore.”
“Wonderful, we have a nice full program for tonight. The Terror Hammer will make his great come back tonight and die heroically as I must punish him for deceiving me and running off, playing dead for so long.”
Wintsun grinned. “I think he is a Saturnian. I never liked these brutes anyway.”
Donheer leaned back in his wide seat. “You will enjoy the big fight tonight and I see a great future for you Wintsun. You have risen fast in my organization since you came here.”
Wintsun sat down and said. “I am your man Mr. Donheer.”
“Have you activated the Loki torpedoes?”
“Yes I have, and they are the full size Type IV, one will be more than enough to destroy that pirate ship and level most of the city as well.
“Are they that powerful?”
“Four of them will buckle the shields of a Union battleship and the sixteen you got would be enough to take on anything short of the Devi. What we lack are propper launchers, but our engineers managed to create a nice launch rack. No matter how fast she tries to leave, those torpedoes are faster.”
“Splendid, the Kermac are very interested in those and made a generous offer and since you activated them and made them useful, I think I will give you a nice bonus as well.”
I didn’t hear what Wintsun said as just then I felt Narth’s presence in my mind.
“Eric I am alright, but we were surprised by a paralysator shot over a distance. Since there are so many minds out there I must have missed them. The person who captured us for the Duke is Wintsun.”
I felt a wave of relief and responded. “I know, I am watching that bastard right now. Where are you?”
“We are held in a prison underneath the Donheer fight Coliseum. It is a state of the art containment facility to hold all kinds of life forms. Unfortunately there is a very strong Kermac psi screen, effectively neutralizing most of my Psionic abilities.”
“Do they know you are a Narth?”
“No they did not recognize us or me. I am not even scheduled to fight. They think I am a weak scholar and I am scheduled to be sold as a slave.”
I was deeply relieved to hear my friends were not harmed and then I called my senior officers to a conference in the den and said. “Here is my plan...”
Shea was brushing my hair out and said. “I am not sure if anyone has told you that, but you are very beautiful, and tonight you look quite stunning.”
Her comment touched the vanity of my female persona as I looked at myself in the reflection field. The long blonde hair had the same color as that of my mother and suddenly I was reminded of her and I felt guilty for no longer having nightmares or thinking much about that event, but now I saw her, right there in the mirror. Not that my mother would have worn something like this. I wore a low cut clingy gown of thin black Saresii silk and black velvet I had purchased during our visit at the secret NAVINT base.It was hanging on thin straps from my shoulders. To it I added a shiny black fur stole, gloves and a tiny purse. Shea was finally done with the hair and Elfi handed me a feather domino with veil. I sighed, “Maybe I should simply wear an Atlas Battle Suit and we storm the place.”
Shea gave me a look from underneath her long lashes. Sojonits have an old saying. “Lace underwear felled more warriors then the sharpest swords. In some instances a dress like this can be just as effective as a battle suit.”
Elfi added. “We can still change the whole thing. It is your plan after all.”
I pulled on the gloves and said: “No we better stick to the plan. I want this to be over with so we can concentrate on the Red Dragon and our mission. I want to leave this world. It really gets to me.”
Shea said. “If everything goes well then we will have done our part to change this world and to me that makes it all worthwhile if there are no longer Skaakh girls seeing their mother torn apart by scavengers and no one else dies of hunger.”
Looking at it all this way made me feel much different and I said: “You are right, we do make a difference and that is what counts. I just pictured my first mission as a Starship captain completely different, more uniforms and less silken underwear.”
Elfi blushed: “I am not wired that way but even I thought you looked extremely hot in your undies. Besides you enjoy every moment, so quit whining, Captain.”
I was split in my opinion inside as always. While part of me extremely enjoyed the feel and the look, the other found it exposing, impractical and not what a Starship Captain should look like. Would I ever find true peace inside?
At the agreed time, a luxury skimmer approached and I left the ship via the ramp and not by the IST. I found out it was anything but easy to walk down a declining metal surface in stiletto heel pumps without falling.
An Oghar and a Togar stepped out from the drive compartment and held big blaster weapons looking nervously around.
I was glad I wore a mask as I saw Wintsun getting out of the skimmer as well. I felt nothing but contempt towards this traitor. I wondered what had turned him so completely, or maybe it was always there and I was just too blind and naïve back then to see the signs. It was he who shot Narth while I was unconscious in the Crawler Cat. For that alone he needed to pay, not to mention that he was a traitor and now responsible for the capture of my friends. He had a crooked smile on his lips as he undressed me with his eyes and he said: “My, my what a scrumptious sight. I had no idea pirates could look that hot. Now I need to make sure you don’t have any hidden weapons other than the obvious ones hidden under that thin dress of yours.”
I said. “Touch me and you are dead.”
He laughed dirty and said. “Be civil, pirate whore. We have the better cards. Your crew mates die if you don’t comply and we blow your rust bucket sky high. Now let me scan you or I’ll have the Togar perform a manual search.”
He did use a handheld scanner and his hands were sliding up and down my dress and legs, around my breasts and down my thighs. He as breathing harder and I had never felt so angry and violated. How much worse must it have been for Jolai.
I felt very vulnerable and cursed the thin dress that was such a great idea just a while ago. He finally stepped back and said. “What a nice firm body you got, I think we will have some fun later. You and I after the Duke is done with you. Now get in the Acron-Lux skimmer, we do not want to make the Duke wait.”
Elfi’s voice came on over my tiny inner ear receiver. It was made almost completely out of organic components and was of the finest Saresii spy technology from the first Saresii Empire and beyond anything the crooks on Sin 4 or pretty much anyone else could possibly scan for.
She said. “Teams are in position. Circuit is almost there and the Marine Team is on it’s way too. We have you clear on the surveillance equipment.”
The Coliseum was a huge ring shaped building bathed in multi colored lights. Hundreds of heavily armed skimmers patrolled the sky around it.
While we were underway Wintsun put his hand on my knee and said. “No worries pirate whore I’ll be gentle the first time.”
I did not know where I got the strength to remain calm and say. “You should worry scum face. The time you wish you had not done that is soon at hand.”
He laughed. “It’s over, you lost. Playing as a girl in a man’s universe has its dangers. So accept it and you might get an enjoyable ride out of it, or two.”
We approached a landing platform high above the ground and the fat Duke was standing there flanked by two Togar male warriors armed with Kermac Line blaster guns.
He greeted me with what I could only describe as a slimy smile on his thin lips, revealing his needle like teeth. “Oh how lovely and mysterious. Well I am sure you will share your identity and show me what you have hidden behind those feathers and veil. You see I always get what I want.”
I said. “Why this interest in me?”
“Friends of mine on Brhama port told me what a strong woman you are and I love breaking beautiful, arrogant women.”
“Is it because you were rejected by one and couldn’t get her? Or did you mommy spank you a little too much?”
He pointed his finger at me, almost touching my nose and I knew I had touched a raw nerve as I he hissed. “You will beg for my mercy. I promise you!”
I smiled under my veil and said. “The night is still young and might hold a few surprises for us all.”
“Now that you are here I think we can come to a business agreement where I get your ship and I let you live. It’s a real good offer, I assure you. I am not always that generous.”
I said. “I thought I was here to discuss a price for my crew members release.”
He raised his shoulders and said. “I lied, I always do that and I’ve got you now. I am sure I can persuade you to give me all the necessary access codes.”
“I’ll have my ship blown up before I give it to you.”
His grin returned and he said. “Our little pirate lady thinks she still has choices.”
His face became hard and the smile vanished. “Pirate, I do not know who you are and frankly I don’t care. Let me make it perfectly clear to you. You will die tonight in a most unpleasant manner if you don’t do exactly as I tell you.”
One of the Togar extended his claws and growled.” Follow him or I will make you.”
So we went into the VIP box with the best view over the fight arena. I estimated at least 80,000 beings in the bleachers around the arena. There was a GalNet Team complete with a group of flying Robo Cams.
An ocean of flags, project-a-signs and every surface that could hold advertisement was used to promote well known Union products.
He offered me a seat right next to him and said. “Until I kill you I will be civil and you can enjoy your evening as it will be the last you have in such freedom. How about some Terran Champagne or something else perhaps?”
I declined and sat down.
The lights went out and a single spotlight caught us, the fat Duke and me. He got up and said to me: “Get up and cling to my arm or I kill you right here.”
Pure rage was building up and as always I felt it first in my stomach, and only because I used a mental calming exercise I had learned from Narth was I able to do as he asked.
He held up his arms and his voice was magnified to thunderous levels. “Ladies and Gentle Beings from all over our pretty Galaxy, I Duke Donheer, welcome you all, here in person and via GalNet, Shiss-cpjt and all the other broadcasters that are here tonight. Welcome to another Fight to the Death night, here at the Donheer Coliseum, the home of the genuine Ultra Gore Kill League.”
He made a pause to accept the applause and the cheers and then said. “I appreciate you all and because you have been great fans I have prepared great fights for you tonight. As usual bets can be placed until the Fight siren signals the start of a contest. Merchandise and Souvenirs can be purchased at the GalNet Donheer Site. Get them now because these will be collector items soon!”
The spotlight turned off and the lights came back on. An unseen promoter now spoke.
“Tonight you will get your money’s worth of blood splattering excitement. Men, women and beasts will die in the eternal sands of the arena to satisfy you. And what a spectacle our Duke himself has lined up for you. A Dai Warrior just captured from the most vicious Dai Clan sold to us by the Kermac who declared all Dai must be eradicated. A Half Dai Assassin from a far off world with a long list of skills. Will this sneaky dagger wielding coward have a chance in open combat?
Into the mix and smuggled from the deadliest planet in the Universe, three monstrosities from Green Hell, a real Stomper and two Insectosaurus’.”
The crowd cheers thundered. The speaker waited till the noise ebbed away somewhat and said speaking over a drum solo. “Our friends of the Union Fleet supplied us with a ghastly but powerful grey Nul warrior and to top this Royal Rumble to the Death we announce the return of greatest of all fighting champions this Arena had ever seen. The destroyer of life, the Terror from a far and unknown Galaxy, The one and only Terror Hammer has returned!”
A sea of blue and yellow flags and streamers appeared, held by fans who chanted rhythmically “Terror Hammer!”
Duke Donheer said more to himself than to me or anyone. “It is a shame to kill him, the crowd loves him, but no one defies me and makes a fool of me!”
The round arena was now lit and cages lowered from above. I saw Har-Hi in one and Hans in another. A third held a huge grey Nul. I had never actually seen a Nul in reality and I had to admit that being looked more frightening than a Y’All.
Of course truth to be told, ever since I knew TheOther I got used to the looks of the Y’All. The announcer presented six more ferocious looking beings: A Saurian, two Yellow Throat Shiss, a Togar fight champion and two Petharian Union citizens who had been captured and were forced to participate in this spectacle.
What galled me most was that this arena spectacle included Union citizens kidnapped and forced to fight and die and according to Donheer, he had billions of viewers and lucrative advertisement contracts with Union companies.
Every advertisement director that Okayed this should be held accountable for treason, every Union citizen considering this entertainment and supporting it declared to be enabling criminals and stripped of all citizen privileges.
The Duke said.” Kiss me.”
“Not in your lifetime.”
He gave the Togar that stood behind me a sign and said. “Defying me has consequences. Maybe that will make your Dai fight even more. There is nothing the crowd loves more than a Damsel in distress and monsters with slimy tentacles. The Togar aimed his weapon at me and snarled. “Get up, Pirate.”
The Duke said. “On your knees and beg for mercy, or I’ll have you tossed into the arena.
Not waiting for the Togar, making me comply, I vaulted over the railing of his floating VIP box and landed in the coarse sand about five meters below, rolling over my shoulder to lessen the drop impact.
The Dukes voice spoke loud addressing the crowd. “Captured by myself during a tremendous space fight. One of the Union’s most wanted Criminals. The lady pirate known as Black Velvet. Special bets can be made by whom this slender weak human female is killed first.”
Elfi spoke in my earpiece. “Team Aqua has breached the outer defences unnoticed and is in the process of neutralizing everything in sight.”
That meant my Marines had successfully landed on the Dukes Island and had begun searching for the Loki torpedoes.
Elfi then said. “Team Blackout is also progressing towards their objective.”
Narth said into my mind. “I have recuperated well enough. I am certain I can teleport.”
“Can you take the Golden along?”
The answer came immediately. “Yes.”
I was sending him my mental instructions. “Narth take the Golden home.”
The cages holding the fighters and monsters clapped open and a pile of swords, spears and sabres was uncovered in the center of the arena. The stomper a terrifying monster with eight legs with a mass of long tentacles on one end screamed and went straight for me. Hans was immediately attacked by one of the huge Insectos.Looking like a cross between a praying mantis, scorpion and dinosaur it had sharp looking scissor claws and a stinger oozing with greenish slime on a long flexible tail while it scurried fast through the sand on its six insect like segmented legs.
The grey Nul, as big as Hans, was wearing a slave collar. It blinked and I knew someone was causing the Nul pain, perhaps controlling him via remote controlled shocks or something of that kind and they had glued something over his only eye, making him blind.
The huge Nul staggered through the sand while he tried to get rid of the gooey sticky mess over his eye.
I kicked the nice open toed heels of my feet, and ran as fast as I could towards the pile of weapons. Barely escaping the Stompers attack I came close to the Perthanian and said. “If you want to see Union side again make your way to the spaceport and find the Silver Streak as soon as the lights go out.”
I didn’t wait to see if he understood and in my ear I could hear Elfi say: “The Golden has just popped out of thin air and now Narth is here as well.”
I asked “Is Circuit ready?”
“Almost, he needs five more minutes to hack into the power grid, because it is more primitive than he thought.”
The Stomper collided with the Nul and grabbed him with his tentacles. I never liked the Nul but even he wasn’t here on his own free will. I threw a Vibrosword as hard as I could into my XO’s direction and Har-Hi jumped and elegantly took it by the handle out of mid-air and swung it immediately against the Insecto severing its right claw arm right off.
Hans had just shown what he could really do, grabbed the tail just behind the dangerously sharp stinger of the other Insecto and with a groan ripped it right out of the poor animal and used the tail like an oversized club beating the wounded animal with it.
The spectators exploded in a frenzied uproar and chanted his name even louder. I threw a sword to the half Dai who was just as agile catching it as Har-Hi and attacked the Sauron.
With a grim satisfaction I took a long handled battle ax with two sharp looking blades and swung it around. The weapon was not high tech. I did not have any Vibro or other function but it was made of a tough metal and had a razor sharp edge as I found out after slicing it through the upper thigh of the attacking Togar. The majestic looking cat warrior screamed and his shiny brown fur was dulled by his own dark blood.
I was no longer Erica or female. I was a child of Nilfeheim, Neo Viking by blood, savage warrior by heritage and all layers of my complicated personality peeled back as I put every ounce of my strength and anger into the second blow decapitating the Togar and sending his head flying.
Yeoman O’Connell came down the ramp from the back of the bridge carrying my monster cup said. “Itheamh is no longer in Freespace, Captain. No more loopholes or justifications necessary. No treaties with the Union exist or limit what we can or cannot do.” I smiled at her and asked, “What do we know about Itheamh, anyway?”` Sobody sitting in the Observer seat that was rarely used on Union ships but had become his station. He even had a console raised from its usual stowed away position....
When we gathered at the tables in the community room, I told my friends to be careful with the served meat. I politely declined the meat and asked for porridge only. Across from me sat the human boy and while I had little time in the last hours, I did notice his continuous stare. By now he should have been getting used to another human being and I said, pointing the spoon at him. “Listen, buster, I know you have not seen another human and I tried to ignore your staring until now, but it is...
AT THE TAVERN ONCE MORE We went once more to the Tavern, this time however openly to make our entrance as the pirate crew we pretended to be. The barkeeper eyed us with interest for about five seconds, took our orders and lost interest after we paid him. We found ourselves a table and sat down. I had no clear plan what we should do next and at this point I decided to just stir the pot a little and wait to see what would happen. One point on my agenda was to put the Bennett family out of...
DALBRA Ninohfiv, the guarantor of Kermac protection and guardianship to the Dolbarian society stepped out on the balcony of his residential tower overlooking the sprawling capital city of the numerous and industrious Dolbarians. Those perpetual nervous and laughable weak mammalians had the great fortune to be of interest and use to the Kermac. Ninohfiv longed for a real Kermac world, and despised these rodents. They were hairy and small; their technology rudimentary at best and their...
ROHGOR Former Commander Roghor had been shown to very nice quarters. Everything inside that Karthaninan armed merchant was gleaming, bright and appeared to be brand new. That everything was of the finest Union tech, there was no doubt. The Dai XO showed him the hygiene facilities and the controls of the Vari matic bed. “Tomorrow I expect you to be at class. SHIP will inform you and show you where to go. The first step is Union class, Mr.Roghor. Since we picked up quite a few strays since we...
I was still thinking about that meeting with the Karthanian as I sat at the table in our Den and had dinner the next day. Har-Hi took a plate and sat next to me. He forked himself several slices of roast beef on an open bun he gave me a side look and said. “If I see you stare at your food that way I would almost suspect you are contemplating doing something about that Karthanian situation.” I pushed a pea around with my fork and said. “Of course not, there is nothing we can do anyway. We...
STEEN The Hard Eight had made planet fall. Tirkov got up from his seat. “Well we made it. I hate flying across Freespace without so much as a cutting laser for offensive weaponry.” Lagda Phoenix his First mate.”She’ll might be here you know. We should make her pay for what she did to us.” “She let us live, let us keep the Hard Eight. We are not hunting her anymore. We are here to buy new teeth for our ride, hire and replace fighting crew and go back to business.” The cybernetic woman...
There was always someone in our Pirate Den. It had become the most popular recreation room of the ship. Even more than the actual R Deck facilities. It had become a second mess hall and if needed with dividing curtains raised there was plenty of room for the entire crew to eat. Of course it also provided a challenge for the galley, as this was a Hangar and not meant for food service. While there were vent-matics and drink dispensers on pretty much every deck. There weren’t any down here as...
Chula survived, his men did too, because most of them ran as fast as they could. However the prince regained consciousness, with a broken jaw a broken sword and swollen eye. His armor flex suit in tatters. A bird like being kept laughing.”Never seen such a lucky fool, threatening a Juth-Ni and surviving it.” Someone else in the onlooking little crowd said.”You and your goons better get up and get back to your ship or hotel. When the Karthanian street patrol shows up, you will dig for...
Two hours later I too had boarded the alien ship had reached what must have been the bridge. Our Tech-Stop and Paralysators have worked like a charm this time, everyone was asleep and none of the alien ship’s equipment worked. Har-Hi stood beside me and said. “Don’t you think they look like Terran cattle?” He pushed a sleeping alien aside who was still floating, as there was no Artificial gravitation either.” Now as he mentioned it I had to agree, and I remembered the large feedlots on...
As I came back to my senses I sat at a long wooden dinner table laid out with fine china and silverware. The room looked like a natural cave of sorts. The place was elaborately and expensively decorated. The art and decoration was selected by a talented interior designer and the shelves and furniture had been expertly blended into the rough cave walls. Wall sconces and crystal ceiling lights illuminated the place and fireplace radiated warmth from what seemed to be burning gas. The place, the...
White Fur The USS Shadowrunner was another Chimera unit, a disguised ship. On the outside, a fairly old Oghar Ulmgar cruiser operated by an independent privateer named Kekotraa and on the inside, a state of the art Union ship. Kekotraa was a genuine Diechsen. A 350 centimeter tall Reptilioid of the Sauro kind. Warm blooded, fast and strong, a former GC species. Just like a regular Ulmgar, this Oghar cruiser was well armed and shielded but had bigger cargo holds. Captain Kekotraa explained...
HAR-HI Har-Hi still felt groggy as he came around. He found himself wrapped in plastic tape. A strong looking green skinned Oghr of one or the other subspecies before him, holding the Jooltar mask in one hand and a Kermac Neuro Ripper in the other. “Since you awake, you can hear me Dai. I want answers.” Now that his head began to clear he saw Elfi, still unconcious, also unmasked and to his great dismay a Kermac, who stood behind the Oghr. This Kermac was more gray than white and he did not...
Cateria had arrived and with her came several Med Techs and five med bots. Ha-Hi himself had piloted the tank down. Now my XO came over to where I was standing and smirked. “The next time I am going with you on an away mission, I wear a helmet. That rock hammered me real good, you know.” I squeezed his hand and put my other hand on his shoulder. “I am sorry, it was my fault. I should have listened to you.” He chuckled. “No it wasn’t your fault. We all picked a dangerous profession and...
The Minerva was an impressive, shiny golden water drop shaped, heavy armed ancient Ult freighter in excellent repair and with genuine ISAH pods of recent manufacture. Despite its apparent bulk this freighter was most likely the fastest thing within a few light years. It landed right next to us and I welcomed her captain in our pirate den. He was a Karthanian. Like all Karthanians he was not even remotely humanoid, having many similarities to a Terran Seahorse. External Bone structure, round...
Trash Island Circuit had done a terrific job, gluing and welding armor plates over the sleek form of a Landing Tank. Rusty steel chain curtains covered the wide Ultronit Tracks and the whole thing looked like an old, many times repaired, all terrain crawler with an ArtiGrav. The main cannon was still there but looked like an old artillery piece and not like the High energy QGP it was. The Mission Pod module on this tank had been changed from Combat to surface survey and science. Instead of...
We had traveled a good hour on that train. The local transport thing stopped frequently and the train cars emptied a few beings at the time. How the Kartanian knew where we were was a mystery to me, perhaps he had counted the stops or had some other indicator. He said, “We better get up, the next stop is ours.” We resurfaced a few minutes later. It was what the Karthanian called the Pulse district, a workers amusement section of the city. Jutika told us that this was for Ithe, and Drak...
Fivecheer and I arrived moments later at our Den. I was just sitting back down at the table as our little Holdian Engineer jumped out of his seat with a panicked shriek. I turned to see what had spooked him. It was Cateria and the white furred Togar standing in the door. The Togar had her hands demurely folded before her and she looked to the floor. She was wearing one of the white dresses female Med-techs liked to wear and she looked strangely alluring and quite attractive. Warner pointed...
The next day he did as he promised and took me with is rugged freight bed flier to the southmost tip of Bifrost island a deserted dark pebble beach. Most of the rocks where about fist sized but there many much bigger and a few almost house sized. “These are carried by the glaciers from the mountains and after every Longnight they go a little further till they end in the sea.” He explained, “Eventually carrying our small mountain range away to the sea.” He took the metal box with him, handed...
5009, OTT The days after her death were like a haze. I woke in the Union Clinic. It was the first time I could remember being away from the Burg. When I first regained consciousness I was floating in some kind of gooey liquid, whatever I tried I could not move and through the liquid I could see people moving. I was certain one of the shapes was father. When I woke again, I was no longer in the liquid but in the same room. All was gleaming white and clean. A man with a broad smile greeted...
The weeks to summer break went by faster than I liked. Mr. Walters came into class this morning and said after we greeted him. “Tomorrow will be your last day of school and you have three month to prepare for the next year. Everyone in class will advance. While your grades and results have much room for improvement, they are satisfactory. Today I want to ask if you know why we keep time the way we do?” He pointed his finger at Yngve.” You will not speak.” Since Mr. Walters gave positive...
I sat in the Den to eat a light lunch with lots of iced tea. That planet always made me very thirsty. Narth and the Golden came back and they both looked very dusty. The Golden helped himself to a big glass of Iced Tea and said after he had drained most of it. “I am not sure what we can do to change conditions here. I guess we could buy all the slaves for now and see if we can stack them in our Cargo bay until we can transfer them. Maybe we could assassinate the Local Lord or try Narth’s...
Two days later, the Elders placed Ragnarsson flags and a shield with the Falcon symbol in a ritualistic ceremony into the Caves of Extinct clans and had the alcove bricked shut. An Elder smashed my Grandfathers signet ring with a hammer on an anvil and tossed it into the ocean. The Ragnarsson clan was no more. After the Ceremony Hogun took me downtown again, he explained that a lawyer had come to open my grandfather’s will. The building where Hogun landed the floater had three floors and...
Prelude Part 6: Naming Day A new egg-shaped stone cut from a single two-ton boulder marked the grave of the little girl. The stone had been dug out from underneath the snow; a stonemason had chiseled the name Freya Olafson and the date into the stone and then it was carried to the cemetery behind the community roundhouse. There, also under a thick layer of snow, were the rock mounds and rock markers of the graves of the most revered. On a planet with so little land, the dead usually...
Cateria, with a totally uncharacteristic warm smile on her face, handed the older kid a sparkle bright gum. Only after the big-eyed mother nodded did it take the offered candy and unwrapped it. My CMO had a reputation of being unable to show positive emotions and many considered her arrogant and cold. I knew she could have that effect, especially since she considered almost everyone primitive and far below Seenian development. Once I got to know her better, I knew much of her Seenian...
I found the Halls of Hasvik easily enough as they could not be missed. Next to the huge doors ;which were as I could see now, were made of dark wood with large Ultronit bands holding large timbers together; was a smaller metal door and I knocked there. It did not take long and another man opened, he too was dressed like the other one but he was the stark opposite of the Old man I met the day before. He was fat, Midril would have appeared like a weightless Elf compared to this man. His woven...
Non Union ships wanting to do business in Union space have to stop at one of these Checkpoints that dot the imaginary border between Union and Free space to get Customs clearance and a transponder code. While civilian ships could freely enter Union space, they could only land on Union Worlds with the proper Customs documents. Detected warships of other civilizations would result in a border alert and cause an immediate response from the fleet. Checkpoint 96 was a small ice planet with a...
The Devastator was an enormous ship and the outer corridor of Deck 54 circled the ship at the horizontal equator of the main hull. It was almost seventy clicks long. There were IST (Inter ship transport) stations in regular intervals, every 20 meters was a security door, open during normal operations that could be closed in an eye blink and reinforced with force field curtains. Dividing the entire ship in millions of individual sealed compartements.All Union military ships had the same...
Lothar’s beam burned through my chest. It felt as if my entire torso was on fire, but I was alive. I did not faint or pass out instead fulled by burning rage I ran towards him, his face was pure horror he still held the small weapon he did not fire a third time. I reached him in mere seconds, buried my knee in his groin and smashed the palm of my hand against his nose with the hope I would shove his nose bone up his brain. Something completely impossible f course, but I was furious and kept...
The Tavern was called the Mother Lode and had been chiseled and burned directly into the rock of the asteroid. The floor was made of metal grating placed in metal frames over more rough rock, Something small skittered between the pieces of waste and garbage that had fallen through the slots in the floor. The bar of the tavern occupied much of the left side of the tavern while a viewport with a good view at one of the Asteroid bases’ mooring arms was on the other side. The shabby looking...
The image of Ardalf’s face as the sword slipped into his body would not leave me and I dreaded going to sleep even more than before. When I finally was so tiered I had to sleep I would dream and see the scene all over. One particular dream was especially disturbing as I saw my mother standing by the dead boy and shaking her head. Father was busy integrating the Steiner clan and he left me completely alone, even when I was at the burg and he was there. I spend most of my time at Uncle Hogun’s...
The last thing I remembered was the stinging prick into my neck and then a nauseating spinning sensation that dragged me into nothingness. I was supposed to perform an Orbital assault jump as part of the final challenge and to win the Reagan trophy for the Devastator. My friends and I equipped with heavy battle suits had boarded a Drop ship. Strapped into the drop rack, my suit malfunctioned and nothing worked. At first I believed I was dead, but I felt still nauseas and I opened my eyes....
Even though I had little medical knowledge, my time serving in the Devi’s sick bay and getting basic med training at the Academy I was helping with the triage of wounded and somehow remembered Dr. Dwyer my old Nilfeheim doctor as I derma-patched an eleven year old’s scrape wounds he had suffered falling while running and hiding inside an service crawl. The Casualty numbers were depressing. “943 dead among them many civilians and 1532 wounded of which more than 500 were very critical. Over...
Har-Hi and I returned to our dorm and Mao greeted us.” Have you two decided to kill each other at a later time?” “Yes we decided to postpone that.” Har-Hi answered. “That is good. Because we are complete now and I am tired to be behind in everything.” I said.” We are complete in what and where are you behind?” “First things first.” Mao replied.” You got to meet the rest, just in case so you don’t bust furniture across someone else’s back.” Mao stepped into the middle of the dorm room.”...
He remembered the last moments of his life quite vividly. They had led him up to the scaffold, after they had removed all his rank insignia. Commander Stone before him actually collapsed and the marines had to drag him to his spot on the scaffold. It took all his will power not to do the same and set one foot before the other. The solemn beat of the drums stopped and the Executioner asked him if he had any last words. He had none, the night before he had written a letter to his son Swybin and...
The ‘American Spirit’ was nothing I expected a space ship to look from the inside. It was more like a luxurious villa, complete with garden, swimming pool and green lawn. We stepped through a glass sliding door under a blue sky with a single yellow sun and on the green plant surface he called grass, was a table with umbrella and a few garden chairs. Rolling hills with forests in the distance. “All simulated of course,” Alex explained. “The walls are actually only 30 meters from us, but I...
The best day in my life was when I turned seven and I could go to Union school being away from the Burg and away from my father was like breathing lighter air. Everyone had to go to Union school. That was Union Law and it superseded local law. Union school was such a long part of our society that it too became an Old Tradition and therefore was good. At school I learned that Nilfeheim was a Water-World and that we all originally came from a Planet named Earth and settled here long time...
It was the last hour of our last school day. Mr. Walters handed out the final grades and said.” This is the last time I am doing this for you. When you return next year, a new teacher will try to pound some knowledge into your thick skulls. I am going to be transferred to another school, still on Nilfeheim but they thought I be best suited to try my hand on the even wilder Neo Vikings of the South Pole.” He then shook everyone’s hand and said a few words to everyone. When he reached me he...
We entered the outmost orbit of the Dover System ten hours before the deadline. Har-Hi who stood next to me sighed. “I wished it would have taken longer. This is what I am born for, to be aboard a ship and roam the stars’”. I felt the same way and agreed with him, saying. “Me too.” The doors opened and Wetmouth stepped through, taking her seat behind the small science station at the rear of the bridge. I observed Har Hi who acted as the OPS officer of our little crew dedicating sensors...
I went down the narrow stair case to find out if there was a God living in the Old Man’s basement. Now I had reached the bottom of the narrow stair case and it expanded into a large natural grotto. The old man had a very large, and from the looks of it a natural Sub Pen under his rock. It was cold and moist and without my light it would have been pitch dark. There was no god and no mystery down here. At least there wasn’t any more garbage either. I did for a moment see a movement in the water...
Mr.Flensburger was now gone for a week and we had a new teacher. Mr. Walters was his name and he was much different to the jovial and gentle Mr. Flensburger. He was stern and had a no nonsense approach. This Monday morning, right by the main doors I saw Yngve Lofdahl waiting for me. He had a busted; bleeding lip and his left eye was swelling. Like me he was wearing a fur vest over a linen tunic that reached halfway to the knees, linen breeches and boots. Usually he always looked like he wore...
(List of Characters) Eric Olafson – A teenage Neo Viking leaves his home world for the first time. To travel and eventually to join the Union Navy Elena Olafson – technically a cousin to Eric, but since she was adopted by Eric’s father, she is now known as his sister. Isegrim Olafson – The current clan chief of the Olafson clan, and Eric’s father Lothar Olafson – Eric’s half brother The Ancient – aka Elkhart the Keeper. An old man claiming to have forgotten to die. Officially he is the...
The Devastator had excellent recreational facilities and offered something for almost any taste, but the most liked recreation area was called The Village. It was a small down town area complete with shops, cafés, micro breweries, night-clubs, restaurants, Virtu-show halls and theatres. The sky appeared real with moving clouds and a warm yellow sun. It would even rain or snow once in a while. The Village centered on a park with grass, trees, flower patches and narrow duro-crete walking paths....
I was still as tired as a Tyranno during Longnight when the lights came on and a voice barked via the PA system: “0400 hours Cadets rise and shine. 0430 is Breakfast. At 0500 you will receive your first class in the Elbhard Auditorium.” And we found ourselves in said Auditorium at that time an hour later. Clean, fed and still tired. Again I tried to find a place in the back, so I could perhaps close my eyes for few moments. The Pan Saran Officer was already there. “Good Morning Class.” We...
Prelude Part 4: Volund 4999, OTT The crumbling walls of Olafson Burg were no longer on his mind. Volund was now the steward of Ragnarsson Rock. Erik Gustav had kept his word and had given him the stewardship and rule of all that was Ragnarsson on this world. There were tanneries in the extensive basements, several Nubhir farms on the permanent ice of the southern polar region, and large Fangsnapper herds. Best of all, there were five modern and well-kept fishing boats and three hunting...
The Hyperion approached Arsenal IV just as Captain Zezz said with only eight hours to spare before I had to report for my third year posting. The extended time of my stay aboard the battle ship appeared to have gone by even faster. The Klack XO touched my face with his antennae. “You have been outstanding at the OPS station. I have seen many others struggle with that position.” “Thank you Sir. Your guidance and the tutor ship of the other bridge officers was the real reason I managed.” To...
The Attack came totally unexpected. The scanner operator of the American Dream was watching GalNews about the space battle between Dai, Nogoll and Union forces like everyone else on the bridge and thus missed the fast approaching contact. I was still sitting in the Command chair, while the main viewer showed high definition recordings of the space battle of Union Fleet against the Dai and the Nogoll. Titanic fists shock the yacht so violently that Calia Lethra, Alex and everyone else...
The Space bus came out of FTL and approached the blue and white sapphire sphere that was Nilfeheim. I had 6 month before I had to return to the Academy. This was my home world and I was longing to take a long deep dive and feel the fresh cold water all around me, it was of course still Longnight. That I had left Nilfeheim just a little over a year ago was something I could hardly believe. So much has happened since then; it felt I had been gone for much longer. “I wonder how Nilfeheim is...
Harris watched the young man disappear in his quarters and then went back to Stahl who was still there. “You know this was an exceptionally cruel test. I felt like an idiot acting that way.” “And he had the guts to tell you.” Stahl responded. “That is a first one.” “He is the first one I know off who went to the end, all the way to that triple rotten Light gag. I would have pissed myself without those Saresii Sonics, looking in a TKU and suddenly seeing a light.” Stahl raised an eyebrow....
“No need to be afraid First Daughter!” the Old man said and the gun spun out of Freydis hand and floated in mid air. “I am Egill Skallagrímsson, the Eldest. I am sure some of you have heard of me. My friend here is Elkhart the First Keeper of Hasvik. We are not here to harm you, arrest you, kill you or stop you from what you are doing! We came because this world of ours is in grave danger, because we too believe it is high time all citizens of this world are heard and because together we are...
I tried to get up and managed but I was stiff as a frozen snapper fur in Longnight, I was more sore than I realized and colder than I ever was. This time he let me get in. The door led into a short tunnel shaped corridor passing through the tall massive rock wall. Judging by the length of the tunnel, the walls must have been at least 10 meters thick. The steel door swung close behind us, making absolutely no sound as it did. Two boys perhaps my age, wearing dark long fur coats were behind the...
The commander stood at the window of his spacious office overlooking the lake and jungle with his hands clasped behind his back watching a group of cadets struggling with a heavy wooden log. They had to carry it over an obstacle course and only by working together could this task be achieved. This ancient time tested exercise promoted team work, group coordination and leadership. This exercise had been used by Navy trainers even before the Galactic Ascent on good old Earth. Of course it...
“Have we been hailed?” Harris shook his head.”No not yet, but the sphere is transmitting genuine Union Transponder Codes.” The screen changed and a hooded Narth became visible. The Comm. Officer looked at his console and shrugged. The Narth spoke. “This is the USS Narth. “There was a pause and the Narth moved his shrouded head as if he was looking at someone then he nodded and said.” One hopes to be forgiven, by the one who has command. One was uncertain of the correct address. It is the...
I had slept a few hours at Uncle Hogun’s and went to the clinic to check on Litfas Arnske and I found him, in a low gee bed. Two elders, Adolph Lindbergh and a young man perhaps two three years older than me was with him, most likely Sif’s brother I had not yet met. As he saw me, he first smiled and then his face dropped. “You have saved my life, and it looks like my very own daughter has tried to end it. The daughter I promised, my honor is in shambles and I am not sure I want to live...
The lights flickered and Astrid said.” Looks like his Tech stop has trouble to get through our armor and hardened systems. She then pried open an access panel and said.” I am sure I can fix this!” Her hands pulled chip connectors and reset them and then she turned. Eric flip open your left armrest. Beneath is the Code sequencer. They could not have altered your Command Codes, without your permission! All they did is bypass it and tying in their own!” I did and pressed my hand on the now...
We arrived in Halstaad Fjord and were greeted by a group of elders accompanied by twenty beefy looking men, all were dressed in the traditional Neo Viking way with leather vests and trousers and shirts. They all wore identical helmets and swords and all were dressed in the same dark brown color. Egill was also with them. As we stepped ashore he said to me, I know what happened, Eric and I will take it from here. You may have noticed the men; these are the first members of the Nilfeheim...
When I came around, I was still lying under that purple thing. The armed and fully armor suited men were close now holding their weapons ready pointing them at my friends. The bearded dark skinned man wearing a battle suit of unknown origin argued with Cardwell. “I want you to open those Translocator storages now. We do not have much time.” Cardwell barked back and pointed at me. “I told you that two command codes are needed to open them, the only one able doing that was killed by your...
Swybar lounged in the comfortable chair behind the conference table aboard the Red Dragon. Soon the requested supplies would arrive and make him a very dangerous man. The table was laid out with a light dinner. Both of his associates had joined him and both of them had been very respectful and lauded his genius. Swybar loved it when others realized just how smart and resourceful he was. Even the disguised Kermac treated him like an equal, as it was proper. He was no fool however and knew...