Eric Olafson Space Pirate Vol 5 Chapter 10 Reunion
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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 rock core approximately the size of Sol systems Pluto. It orbited along with five other similar small planets around a very old bloated red sun named Herman’s Star that probably swallowed most of the bigger planets as it expanded.
We had made it. I was back in Union space. The dark gray inhospitable looking ball we approached looked better to me than Netlor which was a a garden world.
It appeared our transport had received landing permission as it descended fast.
Now we could see the first details of a sprawling space port, vast Duro Crete surface, modern looking sturdy surface buildings.
There at the other end, as big as a mountain and shaped like wedge; sitting on enormous ISAH pods, a Union Fleet Battle ship. Seeing this beautiful symbol of Union might caused a knot of pride in my throat.
Octo-bots rolled busily around and brilliant flood lights bathed everything in cool bluish light, separating the space port from the stark darkness of the rest of the planet’s surface. There was an orderly business-like, efficient atmosphere over everything.
A mechanical arm took our transport like a toy and guided it with machine precision past a force field curtain into a passenger unloading terminal.
I could barely wait until the doors were opened.
Moments later we stepped on a spotless clean surface and at that moment as if a weight was lifted off my shoulders, I felt free again.
Working slide belts, advertising signs for McDonald’s, Arthur’s Swine and Dine and Fat Eddies Stir Fry made my mouth water. Outside on the landing field a fleet destroyer descended. It was a new Barracuda and a platoon of Marines stomped in perfect military precision towards the waiting ship. Even out here, far from Union core everything was in perfect repair and working order.
Never in my life was it clearer to me, that my decision to become a Union service man was the right one. It was my calling to join the fleet and defend all this and our way of life against Slaver scum, Pirates, scheming Kermac and whatever else out there trying to do us harm.
She said standing next to me.”It does feel nice to be back home, does it not?”
I could barely contain my excitement and said after giving air to a deep sigh. “I never thought arriving on a little Outpost would feel so good. I have to restrain myself not to get o my knees and actually kiss the ground. There were times in the past month I thought I would never return. It makes me realize how fortunate we are to be Union Citizens.”
She pointed towards public rest rooms. “Before we go through customs, we need to get changed.”
She didn’t wait for a response from me but walked briskly to the busy restrooms, deposited a few credits to secure a stall and said to the system. “Human Females.” The facility adjusted to the needs of human females and she basically pushed me into a roomy stall with her.
I said. “Can I not rather use my own stall? I don’t mind being frugal but I got millions.”
She giggled. “Silly goose.” She pressed her hand against a wall tile and the tile lit up. A voice said.” Deepa Lydaa NAVINT Commandant recognized.”
The entire floor of the bathroom stall turned into an elevator platform and lowered us fast through a metal shaft and stopped at the entrance to a short corridor. A beautiful Saran woman that reminded me of Elfi wearing a tight black velvet jumpsuit with only a stylized silver pin in the shape of a human brain on her collar greeted us. “Welcome back Admiral Deepa, it is such a rare pleasure to greet you here on this side, Admiral.”
“I am glad to be back Commander Alena, even if it is only for a while. I am bringing a wayward midshipman that is in need of his uniform and his other belongings.”
I was still processing what just happened. Not that I was surprised to find that a public restroom was also a secret entrance to a NAVINT post, but that Mother Superior was not just member of an old Saresii intelligence service, but the actual Commandant of NAVINT, and carried the rank of an Admiral. No wonder Stahl knew her.
Speechless I followed the two women through a slide door marked NAVINT into a typical Navy style Union Lobby with the same mustard colored carpet, the same wood paneled reception desk and the NAVINT logo illuminated behind it on the wall. There even was the obligatory pseudo leather seating group with a few magazines and a potted rubber tree in the corner.
We didn’t stop there and ended up in an office with a large shipping crate sitting on a table and an auto dresser.
The Commandant of NAVINT said. “You will find some of your belongings in the crate and the Auto Dresser received its uniform assembly program from the Devastator so you should be fine. I’ll meet you in ten minutes in the lobby. “Without waiting for me to say anything she left chatting with the Saran PSI Corps officer.
A few minutes later I had used the Auto Dresser and looked at myself in the mirror field. All the female things were gone. No Bioflex mask, but my own face, I was me again. Wearing a crisp black Uniform with mirror shine polished boots, the Uniform blouse diagonally parted with the white lining forming a triangle across my chest. My ribbon read out on the left and my name tag to the right, on the wide black belt a low slung holster with a Union TKU Hellbore Type VI side arm. Over it all, my leather jacket with the Fighter patch, black gloves and a black duck bill hat with the Navy logo at its center and white circular top completed the outfit.
I checked the crate and to my delight there was the brown leather holster with my Colt 45, the H & K Missile rifle and the Kermac Line Blaster I had found on Sin 4.
I put my 45 back where it belonged and TKU Side arm in an fast draw low slung hip holster. I felt right as rain, but I could not help but miss being female, that part of my adventure I had to admit to myself I enjoyed very much. However it was time to be Eric again.
Out in the lobby Mother Superior was gone as well, in her place stood a Union Admiral without any insignia that would tell what she was responsible for.
I saluted and stood in attention.
There was an Admiral on deck after all and this time I even felt joy in this simple military protocol routine. “Midshipman Olafson reporting as ordered, Ma’am.”
She smiled and returned the salute. “Seeing you like this makes me realize that you are also a very handsome young man. I guess I won’t be able to call you Soja anymore, but I think we still can forgo the military protocols. I am sure you heard my name and you can call me Deepa and as our time together draws to an end, let me say I feel blessed to have met you both, Eric and Erica your female side. I have enjoyed your company and I hope you can see past the Admiral and past the things you know about me and we can remain friends.I will answer your calls when I can.”
“Yes, Ma’am, I mean Deepa. I have no words I can use to express the gratitude I feel for all you have done for me. I am very proud I was allowed to be your Soja, to be Nightshade and to be allowed to call you friend.”
She stepped closer and simply hugged me. “I’ll keep an eye on your career and you, I promise and I am certain we will see each other again.”
I didn’t know if I should return the hug but I did and then we stepped apart and she said. “I will remain here to take care of a few things and then I must return to Sin 4. You however will take the elevator back up, pass through customs and report to the Fleet Office. They have standing orders for you.”
Ten minutes later, I resurfaced in the passenger terminal and with a purposeful swing in my steps almost tempted to whistle.
At the security custom point to access the concourse I swiped my CITI and the customs officer said. “Welcome back citizen. Did you bring any luggage, weapons or illegal wares?”
“No luggage but I carry weapons.”
He checked them and my readout.” The Kermac Line Blaster needs to be registered or disposed. The H & K cannot be carried loaded but other than that you are cleared. Your duty side arm is of course permitted.”
I simply left the Kermac weapon with him.
He pointed down the terminal and said. “Officers and fleet personnel do not have to go through civilian customs. Next time you can use the military terminal down there.”
I thanked him and joined the people and beings in the busy space port terminal. The golden robes were everywhere, mostly queuing at the space bus terminal for connecting flights to their actual home destinations, but there were also other civilians and service members of many different Union species. There was a Takkian merchant talking to a tall Spindlar and a Saran. Two flawless Saresii beauties with long silver hair and skin tight cat suits sitting at a Café in the company of a Klack and a Terran, discussing something, the Terran of course recognizable by his sunglasses.
A giant Petharian in police uniform and his robot partner giving a group of tall Andorians directions.
Six Union Army soldiers with planetary defense patches laughing at jokes a Three-Ozian made.
This cauldron of species and individuals dressed in a myriad of colors and fashion choices, shopping walking, traveling in a bright environment that was despite all these beings, clean and free of trash was such a stark contrast to Sin 4 or Alvor’s Cove.
No one here was afraid and tried to hide what they were. No one seemed it necessary to hide from where they came. My good mood observing all this got a serious damper as I saw a group of five smudgy, sloppy dressed GalDrifts, some of them bare feet others wearing beads and purposefully torn clothing.
They were sitting underneath a tree that was part of a grass and fountain area with benches and bushes. One of them was playing some sort of stringed instruments. Two of them smoked; a fourth and fifth simply sat there and watched. As one of them saw me he began to make obscene and loud remarks about the violence loving, government sanctioned murderers of the fleet.
This was Union and everyone had the right to express their opinion and lifestyle they preferred, but it still got to me, especially since one of these derelicts ejected the core on Alvor’s Cove and betrayed us all, thinking he could save his hide that way.
I wondered if that group would yell insults if they were in a slave pen, waiting to be sold. I could already see the entrance to the local Fleet office, marked by two Marines guarding it and below the Fleet logo. My temper had caused me enough trouble and I certainly didn’t need any right now.
So I told myself that there were only a few of them and that the entire GalDrift culture was laughable small. Yet my fists clenched as I saw these leeches.
One of them, with long filthy blonde hair in long dreads got up and actually approached me in strange almost dance like movements. “Hey killer got a few Creds to spare? Instead of killing defenseless aliens, do some good and help out a few free spirits, trying to get of this ice ball.”
I was actually proud of my own self control as I simply ignored him and walked on.
He didn’t give up and danced around me. “Come on, Killer. You love to be called Killer don’t you Soldier boy?” He kept dancing around me. “I know you government slaves got paid today, so how about some Creds?”
His choice of words and seeing that the jacket he wore was a torn, mutilated Fleet issue uniform blouse made me wish I could rip it off and stuff it down his throat, but as far as I knew it was not against any law to wear surplus uniform pieces.
“So what was your last assignment, oppressing a peace loving culture? Or perhaps forcing Union laws upon a civilization that rather wanted to stay free?” Then his eyes went big and he actually poked me with his finger.
“You’re from the Devastator, a Wolfcraft Fighter jock. How does that work out for you, government crook? Getting orders from a non-existent propaganda lie thinking it would impress anyone? If that legendary piece of garbage really existed he should be arrested and turned over to the Kermac and then we would have Universal peace.”
I said slowly and while reciting General orders in my mind.
“Why don’t you take your filthy arse and that ragtag bunch of leeches and go there if you don’t like it here? I also suggest you let me go now.”
“Give me some Creds and I think about it, but you can’t tell me what to do. No one can, that’s what we are all about. No rules, no laws just freedom. Not even if that swine Stahl would exist and be right here, not even he could make me do anything.”
He wasn’t finished ending his sentence when I grabbed him by his collar, twisted it tight and pulled him close. “I say that only once, so listen carefully. If you ever insult the Admiral in my presence again, I will send you on a journey where you don’t need any Credits. Do you understand?”
He spat me in the face and snarled. “Go ahead Government bully, beat me up. I am not afraid of you and everyone will see what you are!”
Despite all my efforts, my stomach begun to cramp and I could almost physically feel my own rage boiling to the surface. He suddenly changed his facial expression. His defiant stare melted away and was replaced by sheer horror.
I had never seen anyone with so much fear. He groaned and cried. “Please, please take it away.” He screamed on the top of his lungs. “The black flames, they burn!”
I let him go and he dropped to the floor crawled backwards, one arm across his face still screaming. “Take it away, please let me go, don’t take me to that abyss, please.”
I wondered what he was seeing or screaming about. The Petharian police men came running, his robot right next to him. “What is going on here, Midshipman?”
I pointed at the GalDrift that was now curling up in a fetal position, sobbing and crying.
“He tried to pan handle money and harassed and insulted me. After he started physically touching me, I took him by the collar and told him to back off. He then started to scream and that is pretty much all.”
The robot said. “Polio-Scan results complete, Citizens statement was 98 % accurate.”
The police officer glared at me from his six yellow eyes and then growled. “I am sorry, Midshipman Olafson. We usually don’t have many GalDrifts on Checkpoint 96 but during the Pilgrim season they come like swarming vermin to panhandle and pick the pockets of pilgrims and travelers.”
More cops had shown up and they rounded up the rest of the GalDrifts, while they protested loudly about police brutality and government oppression.
The robot lifted the still sobbing and almost catatonic dread lock guy from the floor and said. “Medical scan inconclusive, but subject carries a five gram vial of Califerm. Drug induced side effects are likely cause for mental condition.”
The Petharian Officer made a sound like breaking rocks and I realized he was sighing. “Califerm, now that explains everything. Thank you Officer and sorry for the inconvenience, we’ve got enough now to arrest and charge the bunch.”
The robot carried the man away and he was still crying and muttering. “Take it away, please. No more fire. No more black flames, please.”
I didn’t know much about drugs or Califerm, other than it was some kind of illegal and dangerous drug.
With a handheld scanner the Petharian scanned me and said. “Just checking if you got any Califerm on you, that stuff makes you an addict by skin contact alone.”
He checked his read out. “Looks like you dodged the beam, Sir. I still suggest you check with a medical facility for decontamination. You got lots of his genetic material and some body fluids on you.”
That statement made my skin crawl with disgust and had the cop show me the next such facility.
My good mood slowly returned after I had my Uniform deep cleaned and myself showered and decontaminated at a Med Facility. Detailed scans of the attending Med Technician showed I was clean and unaffected, but he diagnosed that I still suffered from badly derma patched sun burns and a developing skin cancer. He fixed me up in no time and declared me fit and healthy.
This time I made it to the Fleet post and reported at the duty desk.
A small furry being, not much taller than maybe forty centimeters, with a long bushy tail wearing Navy Black and the rank insignia of a Lieutenant, sat on a vari-matic chair that looked like a very tall bar stool and looked to at me.
The being had shimmering black button eyes, a tiny snout and long whiskers. I had to restrain myself and not reach out and try to pet the shimmering soft looking fur between the Lieutenants round ears. I said instead. “Midshipman Olafson reporting, Sir.” I swiped my CITI over the reader.
This cute as a button officer scanned over a read out on a screen only it could see and said.
“Yes, Mr. Olafson. There are messages and an order chip for you.” His whiskers shivered and it exposed two prominent yellowish teeth and added. “Midshipman I might be the first Holdian you see in Fleet uniform. Let me assure you I am serving this fleet for six years now and well aware of the strange attraction we Holdians seem to have on humans, but please refrain from petting my head.”
I blushed. “Sorry Sir, I wasn’t even really aware I actually did it. I apologize.”
A document conveyor snapped open and the Holdian took a black dispatch envelope out and pushed it across the counter. “Here are you orders. Please sign here that you received them.”
I pushed my thumb on the presented sign pad and apologized again.
He waved his little hand and said. “Apologies accepted. It happens more often than I can count. Just resist that strange impulse if you meet the Outpost Commandant. She is a Holdian too and hates being cute.”
“I will Sir.”
I went over to the seating group and opened the film cover that sealed the Order envelope. If anyone else but me tried to open it, the message and the Order chip would have been instantly destroyed. I did wonder why I did not received my orders directly onto my Fleet Com PDD I was wearing with my new uniform.
The envelope had the Seal of Fleet command printed on it and a message appeared flashing over the envelope. “Open and receive included messages in secure environment.”
So I asked the Holdian who directed me to an empty office that could be made secure. Once the base Computronic had identified me, it verified that all anti eavesdropping equipment was active and the room secure according to the Blue-Blue-Red protocol requested to be established by the Envelope.
I put the message chip in the desk unit and Admiral Stahl’s Holo appeared across me, the red band below told me that it was a recording.
The message begun.
“Receiving this message means that you made it back to Union space and you have hopefully arrived safe and uninjured. The reasons for these orders to be delivered in such fashion are the details of your rescue that exposed you to the Gray Cats and the Commandant of NAVINT. You are not to reveal any details of your rescue to anyone. Not to your friends, not to Admiral McElligott or Captain Harris. Or putting it in other words, to no one. Even I do not know all the details. The Commandant and I are friends, the nature of her business and her position make it absolutely imperative that you keep those details to yourself.
I know you will understand that and you have been exposed to those secrets because we know we can trust you with them. I am aware that no Psionic trickery can make you reveal them; your friend Narth confirmed that with me.
Please be aware that the level and nature of some of the secrets you now keep make it also necessary to deal with you according to Blue-Blue-Red protocol if there is any suspicion you might have or will reveal them.”
It meant that if there was the slightest suspicion that I was compromised, I was to be executed on sight.
He leaned back and continued. “I know your integrity is unquestionable, but I am forced by our protocols to tell you all that.”
I simply said. “Yes Sir, I understand and I will comply.”
The intelligent recording appeared to have waited for that response and he nodded with a smile. “I know I can count on you.
Now as for your current situation, we have dealt with the problems on Newport. Your friends are back aboard the Devastator. It was planned to also extend your team by one person, your Narth friend, however he overextended his own abilities saving us all and has returned to Narth Prime, but he is well and will also soon return.”
I could not help but grin from one ear to the other hearing that my friends were okay. Even though hearing that Narth did something that affected him, I knew instantly and without doubt he was safe and well.
Stahl had not stopped talking to me, so I backed the recording up a few moments and started it again. He said. “ ... return.” and then continued. “The Devastator is on the way to Checkpoint 96 and our current ETA is fifteen days from when I made this recording.” I checked the displayed chronometer date and compared it with actual time and found that the Devi would arrive in four days.
The Ancient Admiral smiled. “Don’t think we making this trip just to pick you up, Mr. Olafson but Fleet Command found it is overdue we show a little muscle in that area as there is increased pirate activity. Your orders are to stand by until we arrive. Take a day of R&R and then report to the Station Commandant for a duty assignment, which should help to keep you out of any unusual situations till I get there. Again welcome back, Stahl out.”
I destroyed the message. Knowing the Devi was coming with my friends aboard were the best news I heard in a long time.
With my personal mood once again completely restored, I left the base office and looked for a public GalNet terminal.
First I called home; the call to Olafson Rock was answered by my father. There was no hello or anything. We just stared at each other for a while and then he broke the silence and said. “It is good to see you son. You look every inch like the Starfleet Officer you always wanted to be.”
“Thank you father, how are things back on Nilfeheim and at the Burg?”
“Shortsummer is still three years away and it is a particularly cold Longnight this season. Ice fishers complain that the ice cover is thicker than usual and the fish even less active.”
He shrugged, “But you know how it is they say that every Longnight around this time. Our Clan is doing well and I am very proud of Elena and I will step down as Clan chief after the next Yuletide meeting and plan to make her officially the first female Clan Chief of Nilfeheim.” He paused and looked down. “You are not opposed to that, right?”
“No father, I made my decision and recent events made me realize that it was the right one. I am proud of Elena too and I know she will be a good Chief. But will she be accepted by the others?”
He slammed his huge fist on the desk he was sitting behind. “I will break anyone’s neck who gives her any disrespect. She is Olafson. Besides most of our associated clans have long accepted her, she has been runing things for quite a while now and she is doing a better job than I could have ever done. We are prosperous and our coffers are full with profit. She is courted by every single warrior, as she has truly become the most beautiful woman on Nilfeheim. I think there will be a wedding soon.”
I greeted the good news and asked. “How is everyone else, Uncle Hogun and Exa?”
“Elena, my brother and his family which includes Exa are off planet, they all went to a place called Para-Para. Ever since the first visit to Pluribus, the spell seems to be broken and everyone travels a little more. The space bus service is now weekly and the bus are always booked.”
We exchanged a few more words and then concluded the call.
Next I tried to reach Egill and got a connection too, but instead of Egill, it was Elena who answered. “Eric!” She yelled.
Then she turned and yelled someone outside the viewer field. “Hurry, Exa tell the others Eric is calling.”
Elena was wearing a dark red bikini and the PDDs visual sensor gave me a very nice look at her well developed chest. Her hand manipulated what seemed to be a small PDD and switched its optical to wide view. Now I could see her sitting on a wooden recliner right at a beautiful beach with white sands and an azure green ocean. There were many others around them; no one wore much in terms of clothing. Like a beaching landing tank making gushing tidal waves, Uncle Hogun came running form the water. I had never seen him just in a pair of swimming trunks, he was truly humongous. Most of his chest and his arms were covered with black hair. Right behind him surfaced Aunt Freydis. I saw Exa hopping up and down the beach and waving at someone to come.
Elena moved the PDD around and heard her say. “Uncle Egill went to the beach store to get ice cream, his Saresii friend went with him, but the Narth is here.”
I saw a Narth in his typical get up, looking completely out of place at the beach, but floating in a very relaxed body position as if he was using a recliner, a few feet of the ground.
Next to him floated a basket like contraption that was partially covered with a blue cloth. Even though Narth looked alike, I knew it was not my friend, but most likely the Narth representative.
I could hear Elena. “Uncle Narth is watching over little Eric. The Narth representative takes his godfather duties very serious.”
The Narth turned his head without changing his position, but now I could see there was also a glass of something orange with fruits and a straw floating on the other side of him. “It pleases one to behold the sharer of what is Narth to be well and safe. One likes to convey that your Hugavh sharer is also well and will return shortly.”
His voice was very low and then he said. “One wishes to ask you all to reduce the level of acoustic expressions perhaps by a factor of 17 percent. One observed that noises beyond this tend to wake my godchild.”
Elena objected before I could say anything. “Eric doesn’t call all that often and he should see his nephew. He never has.”
The Narth did change his position now and got up. “Analyzing human social behavior indicates that you have raised a valid objection, she who is Elena.”
The Narth, most gently took a baby out of the basket. It was a healthy looking boy of about one year of age.
He wore to my surprise a little version of a Narth robe. The boy stretched his arms and clung to the Narth.
Uncle Hogun and Aunt Freydis followed by Exa came into view and the greetings and hellos were heartwarming and I felt blessed to have family after all. After exchanging the usual greetings and news, Hogun took the child from the Narth, brushed back the little hood and said. “Eric, meet Eric Narth Olafson, your nephew. Don’t ask why he looks like a little Narth, but that’s what the little bugger wants, besides this robe is supposedly be nearly indestructible and his godfather is more protective of him than a Tyranno Fin mother of her nest.”
Egill and the Saresii representative arrived carrying a tray of ice cream and I was instantly reminded of Krabbel.
Egill looked completely different now as he had when I saw him first. He was no longer as thin.
While he still looked like an old man, he appeared to be very healthy. His skin had a nice tan and his usual yellowish white stringy beard was now white and full and neatly trimmed. I knew the Saresii was male but there was no telling. He looked as good as any Saresii woman.
After I greeted them too Egill explained that it had been Exa’s idea to take a little vacation on a nice place and so they all decided to spend a few weeks on Para Para.
I had to promise to call more often and come home after I graduated and spend my vacation with them.
These calls managed to push the bad experiences further into the background and Alvor’s Cove and Sin 4 became just another set of memories.
I spent the rest of the day eating at three different restaurants. I even found a fish restaurant that offered something called Clam Chowder, Boston style and it was almost as good as Tyranno Fin stew.
Checkpoint 96 main settlement was right by the Space port.
There weren’t many local attractions worth visiting. The independent tourist development board of Checkpoint 96 praised an amusement park, a large Terran style forest with lake and camping area and an Ice canyon tour. The very word Canyon made me decide against that tour and the amusement park did not really attract me.
So I went to the forest, protected by a large dome from the freezing near vacuum conditions on the outside. It was much better than I expected. Golden sunlight filtered through the green canopy of large trees. Birds made a pleasant noise and I saw a four legged animal with an elaborate horn thing on its head. Little un-intrusive holographic signs identified the trees as Oaks, conifers and birch trees. The animal according to the Computronic was a buck and all the plants grasses, trees, birds and animals came from a Terran region called North America.
The Holdian Commander sat across from me and watched Rock Hound working the controls of a Tabtil Tosser trying to win a game against the Takkian. Goal of the game was to maneuver a Tabtil that was a tetrahedron shaped object with different colored sides, inside the opponent’s colored holes, while tossing blockers with remote controlled catapults, to prevent the opponent doing the same to you. Almost every recreation room outfitted by the Navy had at least one of these boxy contraptions,...
There was about ten more minutes before the meeting was due to start. I had left the bridge and found my new quarters on the same deck and not far from the bridge. Everything was still sterile and new. My quarters were spacious and equipped with the latest technology, including an Auto Dresser, but to my astonishment it was not the standard Navy issue but an advanced Saresii model. I still had time to correct my shave, get a haircut and alter my uniform according to my new rank. As I stepped...
Cherubim had left the ship a few moments ago and I was on the bridge and together with the others went over the technical specs of our ship. Circuit had to explain to me again why we had no ISAH pods. “The reason we do not have ISAH Pods is that this ship uses TransDim Gravitonics as propulsion. Energy is tapped directly from Quasi Space and we have no need for fuel.The ISAH field too keep us in real time is generated by the same system. This ship could fly to the end of the known universe...
The other disguised Freespace operations unit turned out to be a Togar Claw ship. A truly ancient tech level six Togar warship that had the stylized form of a lion’s paw, at least that is how Shaka described it and it was 600 meters long. At first we actually went to battle stations but the Togar female identified herself as Captain Roranak of the NAVINT X Fleet and on the same special communications equipment we had and was exclusive to NAVINT. We met aboard her ship, officially named...
This was our third day in this star system called Auriga Xi. Somehow I pictured the start of our pirate career a little different. Right after our call to the Admiral, we landed on the first planet of the system. A hot, unfriendly world with temperatures hovering around 800 degrees, with puddles of liquid lead and molten sulfur, between cracked rocks and fine dust. Circuit, his engineers and Narth were outside fixing the Janus System. Shea and a team were also outside happy as can be...
The rest of the flight to Alvor’s Cove was uneventful and we descended onto a brownish planet that somehow did not just look dry but dusty even from space. TheSaresii woman who was also the leader of the secretiveSojonit Order dressed herself in a sand colored voluminous cloak and handed me a similar colored garment. Then she said.” If you touch the side of your mask, about here next to the eyebrows and tap the spot twice, a shield of thin transparent Duranium seals your masks openings. The...
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...
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...