Eric Olafson Space Pirate Vol 5 Chapter 10 Reunion
- 3 years ago
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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 readouts. “The Janus device is damaged, and so is our projected appearance, the simulated Kartanian shields are completely destroyed but our real hull held and received no detectable damage. Petty Chief Gorragh reports a three degree burn after being dosed with hot water in Environmental. Lines are being fixed and the Petty Chief is almost ready for duty again.”
I acknowledged with a Nod.”Elfi hail me that voice on one of those PSION channels we supposed to have.”
“We do have Leedei Psion tech and communication, Channels are open.”
“This is Captain Black Velvet of the Silver Streak. Calling the entity that threatened and attacked us. I am open for dialog and establishing contact. I offer peaceful dialog but I will not accept any further attacks. I have the means to turn your moon into nuclear slack.”
The voice answered “You are the rock breakers. You destroyed Olours. You stole Olours. We are the Conck.”
Another massive bolt of concentrated energy hit the Tigershark.
Mao reported. “Shields at 44 percent. This bolt was stronger than the first, by a magnitude of 120 percent, equal to the Unions strongest FTL cannons.”
I think whoever is down there doesn’t believe me. Mr. Three-Four can your sensors pick up the approximate location of the Kermac escape ship?”
“I am able to narrow it down to a 12 kilometer radius. I can see their distinct energy signatures between all the other disturbances.”
“Close enough. Mao target that area and plant an Exo load. That should take care of the Kermac and show the others we are serious.”
I turned to Narth and said. “Any objections, do you sense anything or do you think you can communicate with them?”
Narth actually shrugged with his shoulders as he said. “There is so much rage, so much anger that I am unable to get through. It is a truly alien mind. I am currently in conversation with the Narth Supreme and no Narth has ever encountered a mind like this. All I can say it appears to be a mind of great power able to manipulate Trans dimensional energies. Narth Supreme suggests that your approach might be as good as any other.”
I wondered if I did the right thing, my orders where clear. Prevent the transform technology to fall in enemy hands and I didn’t have much time. My friends and Shea were in trouble and I knew it had to do with whatever was down there. “Mao, reload TL with a Giga load and fire.”
A Giga load was still developing the equivalent explosive force of a billion tons of High explosives. While such enormous explosive forces affected a target in deep space only by direct impact, as shockwaves could not travel through vacuum, it was an entire different effect when exploding inside an atmosphere. The Anti matter explosion was so intensive; it instantly cleared a huge section of the dense cloud cover and spewed material into space.
I had Elfi hail the Voice again.
“This was a small demonstration of what we can do. Now we didn’t break any rocks before, but I promise you I break any rock on that moon of yours if you continue the hostilities. You accuse us of crimes yet we have never been here before. What shall it be, dialog or war? Not that we need to remain here as our business here is elsewhere.”
“You murdered the gentle ones, the ones that promised to return the children. You abducted and destroyed Olours. The Gentle ones were right, you are a brutal and war mongering species. We have little patience for brutality and the kinds of atrocities marking much of the development of the Galaxies and those who worship Darkness and death.”
“At least we are talking, even if you keep repeating accusing us of crimes we could not have possibly committed as we never been here. If you refer to the Kermac as being the gentle ones you are on the wrong track. And if those Olours resemble a big blue egg like rock then I know where it is. You find it aboard a Kermac ship not far from here and I am willing to return that rock to you, if that stops you from accusing us.”
Narth said. “The mind is confused, it has no concept of ships, colors, big or small, but I cannot go deeper. That mind is not accessible to my probing as other minds are, it would require much study.”
“Shaka get us back to the Kermac ship.”
Three-Four said.”Captain I am picking up sixty very large space ships of unknown configuration but energy readings and material composition points to Kermac origin. None of our data banks have data on 5000 meter Kermac Units. They are heading this way. They are slow but will be here within two hours and thirty minutes away.”
“Narth see if you can restart or reconfigure that Janus Device.”
“I will try Captain. I am getting Shea and the others they are alive, but they are fighting and something aboard that Kermac ship is interfering with GalNet.
“Elfi get me the Admiral before we get to close to that ship.”
Elfi managed to get me a connection tothe Admiral and I talked fast and delivered my report of the events so far.Then I added “I will attempt to rescue my crew from that Kermac T Cruiser, before the Kermac Units arrive. I doubt I can fight sixty of them with or without disguise, but I will try to outrun them”
He said. “I don’t know what is more disturbing, the news of a previously unknown Kermac fleet of this magnitude or their willingness to risk war by entering Freespace in such a show of force. I will raise sector alert and contact the Kermac. You are on your own for now. If at all possible find out what is so important on that moon, that the Kermac risk all this.”
I acknowledged and the Connection faded out as we closed on the Kermac T cruiser.
I said.”Elfi try to hail them with normal Radio frequencies, we are close enough.”
I was out of my seat and on my way to the door when Har-Hi’s voice reached me.”Captain your place is on the bridge. Let me go.”
I didn’t turn.” Elfi you have the bridge. If we do not return before the Kermac arrive, you return to Richter base as fast as you can.” To Har-Hi I said.”Let’s go.”
The IST was too fast for any conversation, but as we both ran down the Corridor of the Marine Deck towards the equipment and deployment lock. I said. “I take your objection serious and you are correct, but that isn’t me. There are times I must remain on the bridge, but not now.”
“We reached the equipment deck jumped into Battle dressers, Ship had already dialed them to the correct equipment and he said as we came back out in Gilgamesh suits. “You are the Captain, I follow you to wherever you lead us, but this isn’t how it supposed to be done.”
I grabbed a boarding ax, not that I needed any additional weapons, but I always trusted bladed weapons more than anything else. We both ran through the membrane field and activated our boot thrusters. This time there was none of the usual fear I had when being in deep space. I was too worried about the others and to eager to get them out and leave before the Kermac came.
Like two miniature rockets propelled to projectile speed we approached the Kermac ship. A Kermac T Cruiser was at last until know the backbone of Kermac war ship technology and used exclusively by Kermac and their closest, most important Thrall species. These ships were formed like the letter T in the human Terran alphabet, with a long rectangular main hull of 450 meters and a cross bar at its end of 250 meters. The hull was 80 meters wide and 67 meters deep. The Crossbar section held the Kermac Version of two ISAH pods on each side. This T cruiser’s aft section was ripped to shreds by our initial attack, but now my suit sensors picked up energy readings of other Gilgamesh suits, sporadic weapon fire. While the Gilgamesh was overall almost a ton lighter than a Quasimodo, it was made of advanced materials and had better shielding, more power, better Computronics and improved weaponry. Har-Hi signaled me that he had seen the energy concentration too and without Psionics or long discussion we worked out a plan and basically decided to come in from the other side.
We entered the ship through a jagged hull breach and into the engineering section.
An Antimatter warhead of our TL sniper cannons had caused this and to see the result close up was sobering, as I noticed the Kermac had also crew quarters in this section. The further we went inside the ship the more evident it became just how effective an antimatter explosion inside a ship was. We moved as fast as we could but I did see the burned out shells of Kermac Battle and space suits, baked and molten in grotesque positions to the charred deck plates. I had no time to reflect on my own handy work, but I somehow understood why the Kermac risked everything to get their hands on the secret of this weapon. I also remembered the twisted wreck of the Seneca and almost like a ghost of my own making I remembered the frozen body of the Garbini.
Now my Comm. System picked up the others and I could hear Hans’s steady voice. “Solack and Forster fall back, and keep an eye on the ceiling and watch where you shoot. We just got to hold the fort till the Captain comes back. He’d never forgive me if we lose the loot and come back one man short.”
“Hans I am here. Forget about the loot, get out if you can, the Tigershark is close by. We need to evacuate fast, more Kermac are on their way.”
“Captain we are facing a highly intelligent life form on silicone, rock basis that is able to teleport and even deflect weapon beams. Shea thinks they use precise gravitation control. The blue egg like thing broke apart in hundreds of little rock things. They can be destroyed but only if you can hit them.”
“That’s all for later. Get out of here and make sure you decontaminate and scan. I don’t want these things aboard the Tigershark. Any casualties?”
“Yes we have wounded, and Shea is in Stasis. I evacuate now, but they are likely to follow us and try to prevent us from leaving.”
“I will distract them, are you all suited?”
“Yes there isn’t any atmosphere left in this ship.”
“Prepare to leave on my signal.”
Har-Hi and I muscled open a heavy air lock and my Dai friend said.”How do you plan to distract something you have no idea what it is?”
“I am going to break some rock.”
Har-Hi sighed as he pointed his gun in the next corridor. “I was afraid you would say that.”
Something the size of a soccer ball, with the form of a large asymmetric pebble appeared right before Har-Hi’s helmet and whatever it was forced him hard and fast to his knees, despite the Gilgamesh suit, the deck plates started to dent and around him. All happened in the blink of an eye, but Har-Hi managed to fire, his weapon bolt was not absorbed by a shield but deflected.
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(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...
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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...