Eric Olafson Space Pirate Vol 5 Chapter 10 Reunion
- 3 years ago
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The poison had not killed me, but the pain that radiated from my swollen leg made me almost wish it had. I was terribly thirsty and wondered if I had ever felt that miserable. I was able to answer my own question, yes I had. I had it much worse back on the Burg of my father, and back then I did not see any chance of escaping but here I was not out of options. I was still alive and I had weapons.
I used the little light of the first aid kit to check out the room I was in.
It was not as empty as I thought it was before. There was a pile of garbage and waste in one corner and there was a rusty metal door.
Something between the dark plastic film bags and discarded boxes, moved. I was certain I had seen a pair of shiny eyes. I thanked Odin for watching over me while I was out and nothing decided to have me for dinner while I was sleeping.
I cut the leg of my pants open, my calf and thighs had swollen and there was an unhealthy looking white blister around the area the spider thing had bitten me. There was no other way; I had to cut it open. Part of my training was first aid and I had served a spell in Sick Bay, combat and emergency aid was a subject they stressed.
I disinfected the sharp blade of the combat knife and my leg with a disinfectant spray that was part of the first aid kit. I put the blaster in reach of my hand, eyed the pile of garbage one more time and then bit down on the sleeve of my jacket, so I would not cry out too loud and cut the wound open. It was not as bad as I thought; I was already in tremendous pain so a little more did not really matter. Puss and blood drooled down on the wet and dirty Duro-Crete floor. I had to let it bleed out a little but also had to make sure I would not lose too much.
Again the pile of trash moved and I readied the line blaster, whatever it might be was big enough to move the sacks of waste. “If you are sentient say something, if not I am going to shoot.”
Even though I was ready for some reaction, I was completely surprised as something jumped out of that pile in an explosion of garbage.
A dark shadow catapulted itself towards me. All I really saw was fangs, gleaming eyes and claws. I fired but did not hit it, that shadow of fangs and teeth was lightning fast and it collided with me. Needle sharp claws penetrated fabric and skin. My eyes were still blinded by the bright bolt but I saw the outlines of a humanoid face, and an obscenely large mouth filled with teeth snapping after my throat. I hammered my left fist across that face as I tried to bring the line blaster in line with that monster. My blow connected and whipped its head back; it screeched and I could not tell if it was a human voice or the sound of an animal.
Claws raked over my shoulder; my eyesight was clearing and I managed to get my right arm free enough to move. I pressed the muzzle of the blaster against that furious thing and fired. This time I could not miss and burned right through its chest.
It gargled and collapsed. The stench of burned flesh mingled with the foul odor of waste and the reeking smell of this creature.
In the dim glow of the first aide box light I examined the thing, it was humanoid in shape but was partially covered with fur; its face looked as if a human had been merged with a deep sea fish, with bulging eyes and a huge maw.
It was mortally wounded but not quite dead. From the garbage pile it had come I could now see a rugged hole in the wall that led to even deeper regions of this place.
At this moment the rusty steel door flung open with a creaking sound and a muscular Oghr like creature appeared, holding a Kartanian Flamer stomped past me and held its weapon towards that hole and fired a stream of superheated plasma, into the crack. A chorus of high pitched screams and the sizzling sound of fire consuming flesh echoed from below.
The being cursed in Squawk,”Damn Subzombs, I knew they had a hole coming in somewhere.”
He turned and said. “We don’t like Skaakh squatting in our basements either. You are certainly not a tenant.”
The brutish Oghr stomped his heel on the skull of the mortaly wounded Subzomb I had fought moments ago which crushed with a sickening sound. “Get up and get out of here, before I change my mind and have you for dinner.”
I struggled to my feet, gathered my meager belongings and put my jacket back on.
The big brute eyed me in the faint light coming from te still open door. “For a Skaakh you are well armed. I wonder where you got that Union fleet Uniform.”
“I am on my way out, I fell through that busted crating up there.”
“I don’t think you need all these weapons and that nice first aid pack. Its way to good for a Skaakh and seeing you fought a Subzomb, you don’t even know how to use them.”
Like most Oghr species he was almost twice my size and I knew how strong and tough they were, as I had seen Az-Az in action. With all the energy I could still muster, I kicked his gun arm. Putting weight on my bad leg was a bad idea, it sent waves of pain up my spine but I had no choice. With all the pain and misery I was getting angry and I felt my own rage coming up like a storm surge. He yelped and dropped his weapon as I pointed the line blaster right at his broad nose.
“I am new on this rotten planet of yours, but one thing I noticed, you all talk way too much and think you are all so tough. So far I am not impressed.”
He howled. “You aren’t a Skaakh. You’re Union! I rip you to pieces.”
He raised his massive arms and I fired.
I hissed, “Yes I am Union and proudly so” and watched as he fell back with a burning hole where his nose used to be.
He didn’t wear much in ways of clothing but I took his wide utility belt, slung it across my shoulder and used its pockets to arrange and carry my small arsenal and to holster the Flamer.
He carried a handful of dark gray coin like discs, more of the same rad shielded polonium based currency I had found on the other dead man. I am certain it wouls come in handy.
Not wanting to make this wet hole my permanent home, I finished bandaging my leg and took another pain killer. I had only four pain killer patches to begin with and was now down to two. By the rate I got wounded and attacked I wanted to hang on to the rest until I absolutely needed them.
I limped to the open door and looked down a sparsely lit corridor with a dozen doors just like this one and a steep flight of Duro-Crete stairs leading up at the far end. While I wondered what kind of building this was I heard the wailing of a baby from one of the doors. It was not closed completely so I peeked through the crack. There was a woman and I was certain she was human despite the rag she had slung around her head, nursing a baby on her thin empty looking breasts, while another kid not much older sat by a smoking little fire, the smoke wafting out a similar crating I had fallen through in the other room. This wasn’t a basement for storage.
Those were rooms, apartments for the poorest. The kids and the mother were filthy, now I noticed a third kid banging with a hammer on a piece of metal. A pile of bowl shaped metal pieces on the side.
I should have gone on and left this depressing scene behind, the money I had taken from what perhaps was the landlord or rent collector would be invaluable to me, but I could not.
I opened that door wider and the woman wrapped her arms even tighter around the baby she was nursing and stared at me from underneath that rag she wore with a hollow haunting look of fear, hunger and resignation. I could only imagine how I looked to her, blood caked, dirty and bandaged, armed to the teeth.
I held my hand out and said.” I am not going to harm you, Lady. I wanted you to have these.” I put a number of the coins before her on the floor. “It’s not a lot but I hope it helps you to get you and the kids some food.”
There was utter disbelieve in the eyes and the face of the woman. Now as she looked up I guessed she might have been about twenty or twenty five. She had ashen skin and large dark eyes that reminded me of Galmy.
She looked at the coins then at me and I nodded. “Yes Ma’am I am not sure you understand me but you can take the money.”
She shivered and groaned then she put the baby aside and opened the rags she wore exposing her naked body.
I stepped back and turned to the door. She would take the money eventually. I had to leave and somehow find a way to contact fleet command. I wondered if Wetmouth was born in a hole like this.
The woman said. “You give me money for nothing?”
I turned to look back at her. “It is for you and the kids; I don’t want anything from you in return.”
“Who...” She stopped and then begun again. “Who are you?”
“I am Eric Olafson.”
“Lows usually don’t have two names, Skaakh don’t give Lows money and don’t have weapons.”
“I am not from around here, lady and I need to leave now and take steps to make sure I won’t lie the next time I have to say that, but maybe you can tell me where I am exactly.”
She grabbed the coins and said. “I never seen that much, these are nine Twenty-weights. We earn a Twenty-weight in a year.” Then she looked up again and realized I had asked her something. “You are in the sixth Skirt district, just outside the Spaceport. This is Bottom level; below us are the Subs and the old Sewers where the Subzombs and Light-Shys live. You better stay away from the Subs, Stranger Eric, not many that went down there ever came back. Not even the Uppers dare to go there.”
I said. “I have no intention to go explore the underground of this Hell Hole.”
Her information did not help me much. I was in no real condition to linger, but I said. “You are not a Skaakh?”
There was almost something like pride in her face as she shook her head. “Oh no, I am a Low, Bottom Low but not a Skaakh. I have a place and me and my kids scavenge for metals and we make half-a-weight every week.”
I left her and did not want to know how the Skaakh lived.
I managed to get up the stairs without meeting anyone and after a while I learned how to keep my leg stiff and walk decently fast without too much discomfort.
After the stairs I looked down a similar corridor and an open door to the outside. A Shiss stood guard holding a spiked club and a wicked curved Vibro saber in his upper hands, his lower arm pair he kept crossed before his chest. The Shiss turned as he heard me coming and barked. “You don’t look like any tenant I know. When did you move in?”
I had my hand on the line blaster and held it so he could see it. “I am not a tenant, your friend the Oghr showed me a room but it didn’t have the ocean view I wanted and it had one hell of a vermin infestation. Now I want to leave and I suggest you let me.”
I had been around Shiss for a while and Captain Zezz told me much about his species so I knew this red throated lizard was agitated, by the way he ruffled his throat folds. He held up his lower arms. If Nugth has shown you in, then that is fine by me and you can leave of course. I just wanted to make sure you are not a Skaakh or trying to steal something.” Under his breath he muttered in his native Shiss. “I am going to kill you little human.”
It wasn’t that hard to pronounce Shiss correctly if you simply kept your teeth clenched and uttered this vowel free language as if you would eat hot soup. I was certain Zezz was a better teacher than any Cortex uploads and said. “You try that Red Throat and you are going to see your own guts exposed to the night air.” This was a slight variation of a Shiss curse I heard Zezz say to another Shiss while we boarded their ship.
He stepped back and lowered his weapons. “This little human knows much about the Shiss and speaks our language like a nestling. Go Human and be safe”
I went past him, not letting him out of my sight for a second and then went as fast as I could around the corner.
This was the bottom street level of a towering city, none of the buildings were the size of the mega structures of Pluribus and no city planning had gone into the placement of the buildings but these were still sky scrapers of towering heights. Some looked well maintained and others were dark ruins, the sky was black and either it was still night or I had slept longer than I thought I had. I had lost all sense of time that was for sure.
The road gleamed wet as if it had rained just recently and even out here the air smelled dirty and foul. I found a piece of dark plastic tarp and fashioned it into a makeshift cloak, in the hope the thing would blend me at least somewhat into the shadows and hide most of my weapons.
I must have walked for at least ten klicks. The pain killer had worn off and the pulsating pain of my leg was killing me. I had to force myself to make each step. I knew I could not really slow down. Not that I had a clear cut target or destination, but I hoped that I would find some kind of Elevator or stair system that would take me up to the higher levels, where the Light signs were. One of the hotels or Casinos up there must have some kind of communication system I hoped.
I was not alone; there were beings of every size and shape, scavenging through the ever present garbage and waste. Lingering in those narrow alleys and at all times I felt as if there were thousand eyes watching every move I made.
I witnessed a brutal beating in one of those alleys, three beings of humanoid shape beat on a tall being that was either a Spindlar, perhaps an Andorian or member of a species I did not know. The beating was savage and I heard the wet blows of clubs and the painful groaning of their victim.
I should have gone on the other side of the street and put as much distance between me and them, but my cursed values of hating unfair situations overtook all common sense, but before I could intervene. Another group of five beings broke from out the shadows and attacked those who did the beating, from the few words and curses I heard, friends of the victim. There was no way I would get involved now and I increased my limping walking speed to get away before they decided to turn on me. Part of me wanted to fight everyone I saw, simply kill everything and everyone in sight and cleanse this cesspool and as I was thinking those thoughts with the still bubbling anger in my stomach. I suddenly remembered my ring and for a moment I thought it felt almost hot. If I only had Mördaren or that axe I had found. I shook my head freeing my mind of these strange thoughts, most likely fever delusions caused by the spider poison polluting my body.
Among all those foul smelling odors, a new scent wafted across my nose. Seared meat! It was a mouthwatering smell, making me painfully aware that I was thirsty and hungry. This smell banished all my fever fantasies and put me back into reality.
The smell of flame broiled meat directed me towards a dimly lit flickering light sign displaying alien writing, mounted over a hole someone had busted right into the foundation wall of a skyscraper.
A sturdy board had been wedged across the lower half of that hole. Behind it was an Oghr, wearing a filthy apron and working a fire grill with strips of meat on a steel grid. Several sod blackened pots with something that bubbled and steamed on the other side. Skinned animals of various sizes and shapes hung on steel hooks all across the low ceiling of this improvised food kitchen. A dozen beings, seven Oghr, three human shapes, a Quadiped and a Togar stood before the hole talking to each other and eating whatever they sold here out of paper wrapped packages.
Half concealed by the flickering light sign I also noticed crude but deadly looking automated Nuc Flamer heads, mounted on a remote arm. The red blinking sensor over the remote weapons made it clear the thing was active. I wondered how many non-paying customers had been roasted instead of the meat on the grill.
I felt into the pocket where I had more of the coins and hoped it was enough for whatever they sold here. I probably did not want to know what it was exactly but at the moment I didn’t care and I did not plan to ask too many questions about the origin of the food.
Several banged up looking heavily armored flyers were parked near that group and they all were painted black and orange, had gun turrets of various weapon systems mounted on their hoods and roofs and each of those flyers had a lit sign on the roof. The signs switched writing and lettering every five seconds or so and the word Taxi was displayed in clear Union writing in regular intervals.
I crossed the street walking towards that food stand when one of the Oghr, dressed in black rhino leather yelled. “Skaakh, get away from my Taxi if you want to live.” As he yelled the gun turrets on the nearest fliers swiveled around and targeted me and I stopped in my tracks.
The Quadiped laughed throaty. “Maybe he needs a ride. Never turn back a fare, Sigpah.”
The black dressed Oghr yelled again in my direction. “I only take Polos, Telluriums, Union Creds. Not recy scrap.”
“I have money. I want to buy some food and I need a ride too.”
He waved his big hand and the gun turrets moved to point into the sky. “Come over then, if your money checks I take it, Skaakh or not.”
I stepped into the reddish light from the sign above and they noticed the H & K which I could not hide like the other weapons under my make shift plastic cloak.
“He isn’t a Skaakh, not with this kind of hardware.” The Quadiped grunted.
The Oghr behind the counter leaned forward. “Don’t see too many hunters around here, but I ain’t buying Skaakh meat regardless of the species. I fry only Lum-Lums and Kultis, but there is Bonguu’s five blocks up towards the District border, they take anything that bleeds.”
I pointed at the grill. “I want to buy some of that and if you have water I like some too.”
The cook said “You must be new around here. No one in their right mind asks for water in these parts. I sell Ogahr Brew but I think I have a squeeze bag of Nul Milk if you prefer that. I don’t know how fresh it is, never had a Nul customer but I heard humans can drink it.”
Since the selection was limited and I had no desire to experiment with Nul food I said. “I’ll have Ogahr brew then.”
He wrapped a piece of seared meat in a flap of white dough and put it in a round Oven made of sud blackened Duro-Crete bricks and added a few pieces of wood into the fire underneath. “Be ready in a minute. Brew and Lum-Lum Chew that will be half-a-weight and I only take Telluris. I don’t have a fancy Credit strip like my Taxi friends here.”
I handed him one of the big coins and he snorted. “Hunting must be good, paying with a twenty.”
He handed me a handful of smaller coins, a round plastic bag filled with a yellowish liquid and then took the meat and dough combination out of the oven, wrapped it in brown paper and gave it to me as well.
I went to the side and leaned against the wall so I could keep an eye on things. The plastic bladder had a metal clip that when removed allowed the yellow liquid to flow through a short tube from which it could be sucked. Ogahr brew, so I found, was a flat and extremely bitter tasting beer, not even a drunken low man would touch it, but it was wet and quenched my thirst. What he had called a Lum-Lum Chew was actually quite delicious. It was a strong tasting very spicy piece of stringy meat inside a bland bread pocket. While I was eating I was watching them and they were watching me.
The Black dressed Oghr said, after I had finished the last bite. “I mistook you for a Skaakh, but sometimes these hungry bastards do crazy things. Still needing a ride?”
I nodded. “Yes I do.”
He directed me to one of the armored and armed flyers and at his command the door opened. He said. “I have not lost a customer yet and my Hoogley is well protected. So hop on in.”
I climbed into the passenger compartment, there was a bare steel seat and two Neuro Rippers pointed at whoever would be sitting on that seat.
I heard his voice through a speaker. “A word of advice, hunter, touch your guns and the Computronic will fry you on the spot. Fare is 10 Union Creds per 15 minutes or Two-weight Telluri coin.” I saw him turn behind the transparent barrier that separated us and he pointed at a slot below.” First payment is upfront and don’t try to cheat. I don’t take Kerms, too much of a hassle to fly out to the Kermac enclave and try to argue with those white skins.”
I dropped one of the bigger coins in the slot and he grunted satisfied. “A fiver will certainly do the trick. Very well then, where would you want to go?”
“A decent hotel.”
“You’re in luck. My wives’ brother works for a fine establishment. Clean, heavy security, right in the Donheer District and all Insurances paid to the Syndicate.”
The Cab whisked up through these artificial crisscrossing canyons diving underneath sky bridges into a higher region of the city where the advertisement signs became brighter and the sky bridges were lit.
After about eight or nine minutes the cab slowed down before the entrance platform of a Hotel with a bright blue sign reading ‘Sleep save on a Budget Hotel’ and two line blaster armed Oghrs guarding a heavy looking steel door.
The Cab pilot turned again and said. “Here we are and be so kind to deposit another one weight, that is the Opening Door fee.”
I swallowed what I wanted to say, arguing with an Oghr behind a trans-plast shield and looking at two Neuro rippers was not a good idea so I dropped another coin in the slot and the door opened with an oily sounding groan. The speaker connection was still open and I heard a voice from his Com System saying. “We are looking for a male human shown on this holo likeness, there is a rew...”
I was already out as I heard him yell.”Get back in now.”
I ran as fast as my leg let me away from the hotel door across the sky bridge. I had to get some kind of cover before he could fire. There was another Sky bridge, about six meters below diagonal to the one I was on, I prayed to Thor to give me strength and courage, flanked over the hand rail and hoped I could land favoring just one leg and roll over my shoulder to lessen the impact of the fall. I was still in the air as a blaster shot melted the hand rail where I had just been.
Trying to use only one leg didn’t work out so well and the impact of the landing made me feel as if I had been hit by a gigantic sledge hammer. I was certain I heard the breaking of a bone. I rolled over on my shoulder and almost tumbled over the edge, this Sky Bridge turned out to be a service pipe or sky tunnel, and it had no hand rail or safety force field of any kind. The surface was slightly curved to each side and slippery metal, still wet from the last rain.
I almost slipped as I struggled to my feet, hoping the All terrain soles would still work and adjust to the slippery condition at least somewhat.
There was no time for safety; the Taxi Cab was already coming after me to get a better firing position. I doubted the H & K rockets were strong enough to damage an armored flier, but I had to buy me a little time, so I turned, knelt down, aimed carefully and fired a five round burst in armor breaking mode right at the narrow wind shield sandwiched between two armor plates.
The mini rockets peppered the windshield and perforated it, one of the taxi cabs guns fired but the blast went at least two meters above my head and slammed somewhere into a wall; the cab went into a steep dive and collided with a sky bridge below me. I limped to the end of the bridge, pulled myself over a railing onto a balcony type side walk circling around this building.
I simply kept on going, to put some distance between me and that cab, who knows if he survived or managed to tell someone that he had seen me. Up here there were few places to hide, but luckily there weren’t many beings out on foot either.
How many hours I limped through that strange city, always staying in the shadows as much as I could, I could not tell, but the sky above me began to brighten and a new day was dawning. My leg was completely numb and my right shoulder throbbed after taking the brunt of the fall, I was sure it was broken. I was at a point where I actually contemplated jumping, simply to end it. What was the point of trying to keep on going? There was no one and nothing on this planet that I could reach out to for help, and at this point I needed help badly. Then I saw what looked like a Dance Club with bright lights and expensive skimmers whisking from and to the Entrance platform.
From a lofty sidewalk I saw heavy armed guards and robots and there a little to the side stood Wetmouth, smoking one of Shaka’s smoke sticks. My friends had found me.
That this could have been any Sojonit did not come to my delirious mind at that point. I balanced across a small ledge on the side of the building to make it from the sky bridge I was on to that platform and approached the Sojonit.
“Oh thanks Odin, Wetmouth. You guys found me.”
She looked at me and said.”I am not Wetmouth, I am Moistpromise, I am a Sojonit but do know of Wetmouth.”
A robot and a security guard were approaching but she waved them away and then she looked at me from behind her mask and said.” You are a mess, soldier, you better come with me.”
A sporty pink colored Mercedes open roof Skimmer came floating to the edge of the platform and its doors swung open. The Sojonit took my hand.” Get in fast, before anyone really sees us.”
I did and she sat down behind the controls. The floater was neither armed nor had it any visible armor, but then I saw the controls of a state of the art SII Security shield and knew why she didn’t need armor or guns.
She gunned the engines of this quick luxury skimmer and pulled it in a steep climb into the sky above the buildings. I wanted to say something, tell her who I was but everything became blurry and I passed out.
--””--
INTERLUDE: NEWPORT
There was no panic among the officers in the hearing room, but most of the ones present stared at Dent, his eyes rolled up, drooling from the corner of his mouth and yet he was speaking and making demands. “Six minutes left before this side of the planet and most of this continent are atomized and all of you with it.”
Alyica said. “He is under hypnotic control, but I know he speaks the truth. There is a bomb somewhere near and ready to be activated.”
The Narth declined his head slightly. “One would wager that such a device as the one that is directly below us is not sufficient to atomize half the planet. It is only a 1000 Kilo Bomb of Anti matter, it will however be sufficient to kill. Having been reincarnated so recently I must say I do not look forward to dying again and this time permanently.”
Richard said. “Alyica and Narth you can teleport yourself and hopefully some others with you to safety. Take McElligott and whoever you can. I will stay and try to negotiate.”
Circuit said to Narth, can you teleport me to that bomb? I am sure I can deactivate it.”
Before Circuit even completed his last word, Narth and he vanished into thin air.
The hypnotized Dent cackled with a strange laughter, “Too late, you all die now.”
Nothing happened, but Dent’s eyes rolled down and he looked completely surprised and baffled around. “What did just happen?”
One of the Academy Commandants looked at his PDD. “The ten minutes have just ended.”
Out through the window next to the glaring sun a new star flashed into existence and send blinding light erasing every shadow on this side of Newport for a long moment.
Stahl spoke into his PDD giving orders. McElligott got up and spoke for the first time since the ordeal begun.
“I don’t care what it will take or cost, I want every resource, every man, every ship to hunt that Worm. No one sleeps, takes a break or a vacation until we have eradicated this disease from our fleet.”
Dent still standing behind his desk said. “Never get into something without a Plan B. He pointed his PDD at Stahl, two streaks of sliver hissed through the air one decapitated Dent and the other severed his hand, while an energy bolt from the PDD hit the wall only inches above the head of the ancient Warrior.
Stahl brushed his hand over his singed hair and then gave Har Hi a brief smile. “Marines from the Devastator are dropping on Newport as we speak to secure this place, but you, my Dai friend, saved my life.”
Circuit came in carrying the Narth who appeared dead. “He teleported the bomb into space, he said it would drain all his energies and he was not sure if he could teleport so much weight far enough away so it would not do any damage. He did it, but he collapsed and hasn’t moved since.”
A solemn silence fell over the room and everyone stared at the limp shrouded body in Circuit’s arms.
Stahl was about to break the silence and say something when the Narth stirred and lifted his arm. “One is deeply moved by the feelings directed toward my person. I did somewhat overextend myself and need to return to Narth Prime.
Stahl said to Har Hi. “Take that Barracuda of yours and bring him as fast as you can to Narth Prime. She is the fastest ship.”
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We managed to reach Netlor without incident or pirate attack, which would not have been unlikely in this region of space. As we debarked the Velorian ship seven days later, we were greeted by a warm yellow sun and the surrounding area beyond the landing field was green. Netlor so I learned had its own life and had oceans. The temperatures hovered around 28 degrees on the c scale and that felt nice compared to the baking oven conditions of Alvor’s Cove or the freezing winds of...
The Janus Device was active and the Tigersharklooked once more like the Kartanian Battle Merchant. Krabbel said:”its official now, Captain. We are in Freespace.” We had left the Golden Bazaar behind us and were on a course straight to Brhama Port. The journey would take four more days, as we could only as fast as a Kartanian Battle Merchant with two added ISAH pods. Narth and Shea worked for the last two days at something and I noticed them now for the third straight shift. Now Three-Two...
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...
The woman in the red dress led me through a labyrinth of hallways, corridors and after an elevator ride, into the secret basement facilities of the Temple far below the surface accessible only through a complicated process of ID verification that made the Blue-Blue-Red Code process look like child’s play. We ended up in a small conference room of sorts with several chairs and a kidney shaped table in the middle. A Sojonit entered and handed the Mother Superior a PDD and said. “Arrangements...
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...
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...
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...
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...
I cursed the former owners of the ship; nothing was labeled or arranged in any way that made sense to me. Where were the controls for the viewers? Where did they put the weapon console? This would not been easy if I had time to figure things out. The Comm. system came on and a rough voice said.” I repeat, land your craft or we will destroy you.” I didn’t know who turned on the Communications or if the channels were open, but I had no time to spend time or concentration on talking. My mind...
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 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...
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 Bowels It could have been any Maltyrian but I was certain it was Galmy. At the same as I said her name I realized she would not recognize me. She still had these inhuman big eyes and that translucent complexion. Her hair was the same midnight black as I remembered. She said. “You know me, Captain... ?” Her eyes scanned over my uniform blouse looking for my name tag. “Captain Olafson?” She was out of uniform so I could not see what rank she had attained since I seen her last. “Yes 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....
As old as the Poodle was, it was surprisingly well maintained and the small crew kept it reasonably clean. I was not very comfortable, which was of course partially due to the disguise I wore. The fine and soft pelt of my costume proved to be quite warm and for some reason they kept the cabin temperature well above the thirties on the C scale. It felt just like sitting in a Nilfeheim sauna wearing a Fangsnapper fur coat. Well maybe not that extreme, but certainly close. “Cats like it warm.”...
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...
“Five Minutes to Quasi Drop.” Har-Hi said “Sound Battle Stations. Load all Cannons. Stand by on Sharp Shooters.” This was the very first time I called Battle Stations on my own ship for real. My Command seat moved back, the integrated Auto Dresser put me into a Battle Suit and the Direct Command Dome lowered giving me an unobstructed View of space, all around the ship. Sensor Data was linked to the visual read out. The same happened to every duty station. The range of our weapons was shown...
We approached the Asteroid base of the Golden. Wrecks and heavily damaged ships of various sizes and types floated all around us. To Elfi the chatter on the various channels was overwhelming and only with SHIP’s help was she able to filter through them. Narth and Shea were busy taking scans and making image recordings, as there were ships no one of us had seen before. Well almost, Har Hi proved that the Dai indeed had a deep knowledge of areas and species unknown to the Union. As big as the...
Trying to keep a cool head and made sure I didn’t raise my voice even a notch. I didn’t like those commanding officers who barked or yelled orders. I preferred the style of Captain Zezzh and Captain Harris and said. “Mao, full shields, extend Exo-load turret and load both bomb shafts with P Bombs. Har-Hi give me a full damage and casualties report.” Mao said. “Full real shields activated all weapons active, Bomb shafts loaded and ready for P Bomb deployment.” Har-Hi looked over his...
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...
“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...
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...
The orange haired woman took the mirror thing from her face as I left the Admirals office and she leaned forward over her desk. “There is a washroom right over there.” I gave her a thankful smile. After I had freshened up I asked her.” How did you know I needed to go?” She smiled.” I am Cheeka and I come from Phantas. “She said that as if it would explain everything. Her purple eyes sparkled amused and she added. “Phantas is an old Terran Colony, much like Nilfeheim and we all have Psionic...
Green Eden appeared to be a beautiful green, white and blue sphere. From space it looked as inviting as any garden world. The transport descended through moderate clouds and approached a heavy forested land mass. We landed on a simple dirt field that had been cleared in the jungle. At the edge of the dirt field I saw a collection of primitive looking buildings made of wood. There were no machines, no robots, no ships or vehicles and no one waiting for us. Someone from the flight deck...
According to the time displayed on my PDD it was aready 10 am. The large view ports displayed a sunny serene mountain scene with a large lake dark gree forests and snow covered peakes. Dawn was sitting at the dresser and brushing her hair. I watched her doing it. I had made love to a woman for the first time in my life and it was a wonderful, glorious feeling and she was gentle and without many words had showed me what I had to do. For the first time in my life I did no longer feel like a...
I woke from a dreamless sleep and I was glad of that, the most recent events were not the stuff that made pleasant dreams. I rubbed my eyes, the sleep inducer of my seat had been turned off and that meant we were close to the next destination. After arriving on Palomino, a pleasant garden world. I stayed in a hotel for a week, and did some thankfully uneventful sight seeing to pass the time. Seven days ago, I had boarded a space bus and after a short layover at Corri-Door (This time I...
Wulf activated his cloak and put the suit in flight mode. Like a human missile he flew towards the ware house. Another energy beam emitted from the alien craft and slammed into the ground, where he had been a second ago. “Rusty, activate weapons and open remote control. He slaved the ships weapon control to his suit and a pair of green crosshairs appeared before his eyes. As soon as he lined up the cross hairs he pressed with his thumb on a small contact on the side of his index finger and a...
Longnight had once again descended upon Nilfeheim, the second planet in the Solken system. Nilfeheim was a water planet with with very little dry land. During Longnight, the winter period that could last up to seven standard years, the oceans froze over, except for a region called the Uhim grounds. Hot vents and underwater volcanoes kept the water temperature above freezing. Nilfeheim had been settled by colonists from Earth almost 3000 years ago. The settlers, belonging to the Viking...
Hans and Mao had received UWASPS. That stood for ‘urban warfare protective security suits’. Not the Quasimodo super bulky frontal assault battle armor but a sleek body shaped suit with a vast array of sensors, very smart weapon systems and advanced stealth and camouflage capabilities, normally only used by NAVINT Counter Intelligence and Elite Special forces. Much of the suits capabilities were highly classified and a source of professional pride to those considered good enough to wear...
The doctor smiled as he removed the Derma-patcher from my face.” The thing was missing you, Eric. You haven’t been here for a while!” “It was sort of quiet; at least in the being hurt part of my life!” He padded me on the shoulder. “I was joking Eric. I am glad you don’t show as regularly as you used to. No worries the rest of this crazy world keeps me and my staff quite busy.” “So you haven’t gone to that Kentucky place of yours?” “Not yet, but I am still planning to do so. My contract...
The Commander still stared at the torn off rank insignia of the former Midshipman as his Desk, Then hisCom flashed with the top urgent icon. He touched the screen and a Holo transmission from Fleet headquarters solidified. It was the Old man himself, Admiral of the Fleet McElligott. “Where is Midshipman Olafson?” “Sir, the Ex Midshipman is just transferred to the brig. That subject has been dealt with swift and harsh. I doubt he is conscious. Thirty five lashes and off to Brisbane...
October 4999, OTT Erik Gustav had arrived once more on the planet of his birth. This time he had not taken the Space Bus but arrived with his own brand new Clarion 7 luxury yacht, the Silver Falcon. A terrible snowstorm obscured everything behind a whirling flurry of white. The two massive snow removers fought a losing battle. His seventy-meter craft had just landed and already wore a thick cover of snow and so did the Volvo Flier that waited not far from the landing ramp. He girded...