Eric Olafson Captain Black Velvet Vol 6 Chapter 4
- 3 years ago
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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 arrogance was gone, but she kept a small remnant of it to remind her of her own long lost civilization and perhaps as a shield to not let anyone get too close to the vulnerable woman she was underneath it all.
She was an excellent physician, trained and educated by the Seenian civilization, and everyone aboard respected her deeply but she rarely smiled. To see her stern features transformed like that was a little side note in the current events but I found it noteworthy nevertheless.
The Ithe woman had so far not spoken a single word and only after several assurances by Cateria that she would not harm her children, did she let go of the small one so my CMO could examine the infant. While I knew next to nothing about the Ithe, I estimated the bigger child to be around four or five years old and male.
He stood next to his mother while a Med bot hovered overhead weaving a new layer of skin over a cut on his mother’s arm. His eyes on short stalks moved independently. As alien as his face and appearance was, I could no longer see him as an alien as I noticed him clutching a little stuffed animal.
She turned to me and said, “Physically there is nothing wrong with them, save for a few scrapes, small cuts and superficial bruises. Generally speaking they are all a little undernourished and suffer from vitamin and mineral deficiencies. I cured a range of allergies and hypersensitivities in all three of them, but emotionally and psychologically they are in shock; their world as they knew it is gone. They had been simple workers till yesterday and now they are homeless and state enemies. As they are supposed to be dead, they can’t go back to their homes. At least in the case of the female I would suggest some psycho surgery, but that would be ethically wrong without their consent.”
“No Cateria, I won’t order you to do Psycho surgery. It always will be the last option.”
The white furred Togar female, another one of those we collected along the way fussed over Har-Hi, tending to the many little cuts he had received. Cateria noticed my glance and her lips curled to a faint smile. “Jolaj learns very fast and she is working full shifts. Our Togar snowball is very popular especially among the human male portion of our crew for some reason.”
Despite my growing comfort being female, this was not a mystery to me. Aloud I said. “I guess we need to make her an official member after all, send me your recommendations.”
“She already takes Union class with SHIP and the XO.”
It was only about 30 minutes since we had returned to the Tigershark. Cateria insisted on scanning and examining me too, especially after it turned out that the biting bugs had done more than just bite, but also deposited eggs into the wounds they caused. Har-Hi was his stoic self as the beautiful Togar told him he was infested with with thousands of alien bug larvae inside him, but I too knew him well enough to see the disgust in his eyes.
Cateria pushed the med scanner up and said. “There is nothing wrong with you, Captain. The Micromesh prevented the bugs from hurting you. I still suggest a hot shower and a change of clothing. There are hundreds of dead larvae sticking all over your suit. There is an auto dresser in my office you can use.” She did not have to ask me twice.
After a refreshing shower and getting a new suit I returned to the treatment room. Cateria was checking on the infant while she was closely observed by the Ithe women. Her little boy stood forlorn in the middle of the room.
I walked over to him and he backed off hugging his stuffed animal even tighter. So I went to my knees and said as soft and friendly as I could. “What is the name of your friend there?”
His stalk eyes focused on me and he said with a weak voice, “Crancy.”
“Do you have a name too?”
“Crancy is very afraid and I am Drenc.”
“I don’t think Crancy needs to be afraid, he is safe here.”
He looked around. “Is this where you have taken Daddy too? Can I see him?”
“No your daddy is not here, but we will look for him.”
The mother finally spoke. “You are from the Union are you not?”
I got up and said to her, “Yes we are.”
She too looked around, moving her eyes without moving her head, and said, “It is all so bright and clean. You help me but why don’t you help us? Why don’t you do something for all of us?” She spread her arms. “We are simple people. I am just a Seamstress working on sewing machine 3454 in factory 865. My life partner was a pattern cutter in the same factory. We know nothing of galactic politics. It is forbidden to know anything about other worlds. It is forbidden to ask questions.”
I sighed. “Lady, I know very little about the conditions on your world. We are quite distant from any Union Outpost or planet. What are we are supposed to do?”
She cried while she pointed her finger at me. “It is all true, what the Instigators say. The Union is clean and mighty and powerful and cares little about others. Do you know how many Ithe died or disappeared just because they listened to the Instigators and their dream to join your shiny Union?”
She sobbed and looked at her children. “Now my partner is on his way to slowly die as a slave on the Smelter Moons on drummed-up charges to appease our cruel true masters, the lords of Karthania.”
She gestured over her children. “What will become of them?”
She put her hands over her stalk eyes and whispered, “What will become of me?”
I asked her, “Is there a place you can go?”
She uncovered her eyes and said, “I think I could find shelter with my grandparents. They have a small Nuktur farm in the mountains, the gray leather coats of the Drake rarely go there.”
I said, “Okay then that is where we will take you as soon as possible.”
She looked at me. “Rench, my partner, said there is a secret community of the Instigators and those who want to fight against the Karthanian oppressors and their puppets are welcome there.”
Her tone of voice changed and there was an edge. “I never wanted to have anything to do with them, but now I want to fight. Make them pay for what they did to us, but if I fight what will become of my children?”
The little boy held out his stuffed animal and said to me. “Crancy is hurt too; can you make Crancy well too? Daddy said I must take very good care of Crancy.”
I smiled and took the stuffed animal. “I am sure we can.”
I put the toy on the diagnostic station and Cateria pulled down the diagnostic scanner with a sigh.
“I knew I would get some strange cases, being your CMO. A wounded Nul, a Y’All with an upset stomach, but I never dreamed to perform surgery on a stuffed toy animal.” She then glanced at the boy and changed her tone and said. “Let’s see what is wrong with Crancy.”
The young Ithe boy looked in awe as his stuffed animal appeared as a large three dimensional scan image on the field screens. There was an obvious tear in the fluffy fabric and some of the white stuffing was coming out.
One of the scan images showed the interior of the animal. It had some sort of mechanical or electronic component inside. She glanced at me then she said looking to the ceiling. “SHIP can you call an engineer up to Sickbay we have a special patient here.”
SHIP responded. “Circuit is on his way.”
I smiled at the boy. “Crancy will be good as new I am sure of it.” To his mother I said, “I suggest you find some rest and then we figure out how to get you to your grandparents without being seen.”
She nodded and I left sick bay to check on the bridge and the ship’s status.
Outside I almost ran into Narth who just popped out of thin air. He said. “The Ithe woman is not as innocent as she says she is. She belongs to the rebels of that society.”
I looked over my shoulder towards sick bay and said. “I had a feeling she was. On the one hand she claims to be just a factory worker but with the same breath she accused us of not helping. I still sympathize with her. Maybe the civilians weren’t as innocent as I assumed they were, but shooting women and children after dragging them out of their homes is still the vilest thing I ever thought possible.”
He nodded. “It is and from what I can gather, they do fight for liberties and freedom and those are very strong concepts I can understand.”
“Anything happen while we were gone?”
“Of course many thousands of events happened while you were gone, but none of any significance to ship, mission or crew.”
“I thought you are getting used to human expressions by now.”
“Getting used to them is not the same as understanding them. Do you have any idea how many such expressions you corporal beings use every day? It takes a significant portion of my intellect and several thought levels at once to constantly analyze and reference them.”
“Well I am glad you found something to do with that superior intellect and all those thought levels of yours, it would be a waste to have them do nothing.”
“Do you want to talk about your first use of telekinetics?”
I stared at him. “My what?”
“You saved that child from falling, by reaching out with your psionic abilities.”
I wanted to argue with him that I had no psionic abilities, but it was a lie I told myself. What has become of the Neo Viking that left Nilfeheim not so long ago? Not only my outside had changed and it was not simply growing up. I evolved and mutated into something else.
I looked at my mysterious friend and sighed. “What am I?”
Narth put his hand on my shoulder and said. “The sum of all that is Narth would fail to predict what you are going to be, but I for the moment, I would say you are a very stubborn Neo Viking refusing to accept the facts and you should really begin to practice the exercises I have asked you to do.”
“Narth deep down, I am still a simple boy from Nilfeheim. I never understood my own desires to be female and I prefer a sword of cold steel over blasters and psionics.”
Then I added quietly. “I am more afraid of the unknown thing inside me than I am of anything else. Despite the efforts of the Narth Supreme to erase or bury memories of recent events, I can feel it stir. I can feel someone, something, move in the deepest regions of myself.”
He said. “I know, I can feel it too, but you are not alone. Har-Hi, Shea and me, I am not just Narth, I am your friend. “ He then added. “The exercises are very important though. You know how dangerous it was for Alice.”
“She is very powerful as you said. Moving a child and pounding a Landing tank to scrap is a different story. How is she anyway?”
“She is fine and taking Union school classes, her education was severely neglected on Trash Island. As for your level of...”
We were interrupted by Circuit who came out of sickbay and said. “The toy is as good as new and does all the things it supposed to do.”
I smiled at him. “I didn’t think a toy would pose a serious challenge to my Chief Engineer.”
He held up a tiny black wafer thin square shaped thing. “This however was not part of the original design of the toy.”
I looked at it. “What is it?”
Circuit held it higher. “It is a truly ancient program chip.Like the ones Mothermachine used many thousand years ago. I am sure it some sort of activation key for something like a Computronic.”
I shrugged. “Could it not be part of the toys program, or from some other electronic toy?”
“Captain, that chip is at least 5000 years old and it appears Karthanian. Yet it is way beyond Karthanian technology of today and certainly beyond anything the Ithe could produce.”
To me it looked just like a little bit of plastic and I said. “Can you and Shea try to figure out what it exactly is?”
He palmed the thing and said. “That is where I was going, as soon as Shea’s bridge shift ends.”
“Alright keep me posted.”
I went to the bridge myself and found Shea sitting in the Command chair. She smiled at me and her eyes told me she was very glad I was back. Aloud she gave me a situation report and then Elfi said. “The Red Dragon called and left a message. He said that we should meet him as discussed in sixty days on the second planet. He also wanted you to know that all associated with the quest were able to leave with all their possessions, but the pirate Nocturna has indeed died. Her crew elected a new captain and had left Itheamh.”
I said. “It looks you got things well in hand here. I need to return to Itheamh once more to make sure our guests get to a safe place.”
Shea said. “I heard you rescued a woman and her children. We saw the execution, as it was broadcast. Heavily edited of course but it was still horrible.”
“Yes it was. I was under the impression Itheamh was a lawful somewhat oppressed but normal world, but it is anything but.”
Sobody got up and said, “It is, Captain. It is just not Union laws they are enforcing. The Ithe have a long and violent history. This world is not their real home world after all. It is the second one, the first one had been made barren and inhabitable by a nuclear war. The Ithe society here grew out of a former colony. Ithe and Drak are the same species.”
He walked towards the main screen that showed the planet below from a visual feed of the dock the Tigershark was still in. He pointed at the world below. “This world is barely able to sustain life. It is a very dry world with very little water. The colonists needed help to survive and help they got from the nearby Karthanian. The help they received was not free; they paid and are still paying for it after over 500 years. The Drak, supported by the Karthanians oppress the Ithe that had been here, but it is lawful.”
He sighed. “The Karthanian are not like the Union who would help without asking for anything in return.”
I also looked at the ash colored planet slowly turning below and said. “Why haven’t they simply taken over then?”
Sobody explained. “The Karthanians are extreme xenophobes. They do not like other beings sharing their worlds with them. Yet they want to do business with the rest of the galaxy, so Itheamh and a few other worlds like this are used by them like store fronts. You can buy Karthanian tech and ships here, have ships repaired in docks like this that are in orbit. Most of them are as you know controlled by the Karthanian guilds.”
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....
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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...