Eric Olafson Neo Viking Vol 1 Chapter 3 Union school
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Father, so I was told was still in town. Celebrating the sale of the Tyrannos at the Xchange. Greifen caught me right by the gate after the school flier had dropped me by the gate. He still looked sober and miserable but he grinned as he closed the gate. “Looks like even your Father could not find a bad world about you today. Word is they got a very good price for your Tyrannos and from what I heard they are celebrating at Hogun’s Inn. Many clan Chief and Elders are there. They will drink many barrels empty and sing to the wee hours.”
I frowned. “That means the Burg is under the hand of my Stepmother.”
He kept grinning. “Nay, heir of my liege. She gotten a share of thy spoils and has taken the Volvo and is meeting with other clan ladies to shop at the Space port. No doubt she will have no trouble spending the purse Lord Isegrim had given her.”
I felt lighter and better already. “If that is the result of my hunt. I need to do that again.”
“Many have not returned doing what you did. Aye you slain not one but two, but hunters skills and hunters fortune might not be with you the next time. Besides finding Tyrannos so far north at this time is not that common.”
I shrugged. “I rather die hunting than die under the steel whip of my father.”
He put his hand on my shoulder. “Come then, Midril has prepared you a special treat today.”
He was right, Midril served me Tyranno Fin Stew, my favorite, with lots of Snapper bacon filled bread. Instead of water she gave me milk. I could not finish half a bowl before she added another ladle. She appeared proud and angry at the same time. “Going against two Tyrannos all by yourself! You could have been killed.” She complained, but with the next helping she poured into my bowl she smiled. “Everyone talks about you today, everyone!”
“I thought they forgotten about that with all the War news.”
She looked puzzled and then shook her wooden spoon against the old audio only GalNet receiver she had on a shelf besides the spice rack. “Oh right, there was something about a war, but it was the usual Off World garbage. I turned to Nilfeheim Radio and they had an Elder speak about your deed and aye it was a tale that made my blood curl!” Now she became angry again. “Oh Eric, you must not tempt the Norns. Your lot is a heavy one but it, but you will grow and become strong.”
From behind the new working table in the middle of the kitchen I saw a pair of big eyes watching me, of course it was little Elena. I was sure, but she did not show herself and when she noticed that I saw her, she retreated completely behind that table.
The Kitchen was a big place, while there was a second kitchen somewhere under the North-side buildings, serving the workers of our Tannery. It was here where all the food for for the clan was prepared. Midril lorded over seven helpers and they were busy pretty much all day and around the clock.
A woman in a blue dress, white apron and pasty white arms and feet, came in the kitchen. She was one of the Freemen who worked in the Tanneries. While she was a young woman, I found she appeared to be particular bland. “She carried a big basket and I heard her say to Midril, as she put it down.”This is the fur cape of the Lady. She ordered it mended and newly lined.”
Midril had her put it on the table, handed her a fresh roll with bacon and said. “I see that it goes to her chambers.”
The pale, red haired woman noticed me sitting at the kitchen table, curtsied in a rushed fashion and said with a breathless voice. “Your Lordship.” then she turned and left.
I pushed the bowl away and said more to myself than anyone. “Lordship! She must be new and doesn’t know who I am.”
Midril pulled the string that was connected to a bell in the Chamber maids quarters and said. “No matter how thy Sire treats you, no matter what Lothar thinks. By all our laws and customs, you are the Lords first born. Her name is Loki, she and the others that work and live under the Nord House do not come up here that often.
Sometimes I wondered what the other kitchen looked like and what was actually done in our Tannery. The Ragnarsson clan was famous for its fine leather products made of the hides of Nubhir Wolfs and Fangsnappers. It was the domain of Gorgard the Tanner and Ishild his wife, often called the finest leather seamstress and furrier. Both where members of an old Bondi family that had been with the Ragnarsson clan for almost as long as the clan existed. They had a special status and some said that not even father was able to tell them much.
According to Greifen, they had a contract and agreement with the Ragnarsson clan that raised them in status above all other clan Bondi. Their domain was reached over a flight of stairs that was next to the Nord House, the huge building where the Bondi and most of the clan members lived. I was not allowed to go there, not by a decree of my father of all things, but by my mother. She told me while she was alive, never to set foot into the North House or the Tanneries until the day I was the clan Lord myself.”
While she was alive I tried to go there anyway, just to find out what it was that made her prohibit me to go. I was caught and scolded by her; now that she was dead I treasured and abided by every thing she had ever said.
Midril insisted that I find room for a Sweet roll and hot honey milk and promised the rolls to be oven fresh and ready in a few more minutes,
While she returned to her chores, I pulled my PDD and brushed over the brochure, Mr. Flensburger had given me. I didn’t open it as a holo but kept it on the screen. The same stirring music I had heard earlier played and words flashed over the read out. “United Stars Navy, Academy recruitment. Your first steps into an exciting and meaningful career.”
I tabbed pause as Midril placed a plate of steaming sweet rolls, a pitcher of Hot milk before me. “You can do your homework later, now enjoy. No one here to object.”
While I reached for a roll, another woman came in. She wore a black dress and a white apron. Her flaxen hair was braided and wound up into sweet roll shaped buns to each side of her head. Unlike the other woman of the tanneries, I knew her and had seen her before, her name was Raghild and she was one of the chambermaids of my stepmother. She was maybe sixteen or eighteen and she always had a good word for me, of course only when no one was around and she never said much when the other hands and servants sat in the kitchen and gossiped about everything and everyone. I wasn’t supposed to know such things, but because I spend a lot of time in the kitchen and caught some of the gossip, I knew she had eyes for Greifen’s son Uwe. He was a deckhand on one of our surface fishing boats.
She gave me a smile and then talk to Midril. They did not talk loud enough for me to understand most of it, just fragments and phrases. I never was much of an ear dropper anyway and was about to resume checking out that Union Fleet Info brochure when Midril came over and said. “I got the soap suds going and can’t leave the kitchen. Could you help Raghild carry some things up to the Mistresses chambers? I would not ask if she would be here, Tyr and Lothar are with her.”
I got up and said. “If the dragon isn’t in her den. I am not afraid to enter the dungeon.”
With that I grabbed the big covered basket and Raghild took a stack of red garments and I followed her across the cobble stone bailey of our burg to the Great House. The Isle was called Ragnarsson’s Rock and while we simply called this compound of rock and Duro-Crete, the Burg. It was officially known as Eyrie Ragnarsson and the clan called it the Falcon’s Nest.
While there were no native birds on Nilfeheim, it was important to know all the heraldic symbols and animals. Only the Old clans were allowed to use Earth based heraldic symbols. The younger clans had to chose local symbols. One of the newest and youngest clans was the one of my friend Yngve. They carried four colors in their shields and of all things chose the Thick leave seaweed plant as their symbol. While it made perfectly sense as they harvested and sold all sorts of sea weed, kelp and water plants, it was another source of ridicule
Eyrie Ragnarsson was one of the oldest and biggest burgs on Nilfeheim. The Old Olafson Burg, and traditional home of my father’s clan could have easily found room in our court yard.
In the winter food and supplies form the Kitchen and Work rooms were delivered to the High Halls by a Tunnel that led from the Still Room below the Kitchen to the old furnace room underneath the High Halls. It was where our Hydrogen Power plant was that supplied the Burg with electricity and heat for the Great House. In the old days, so I was told there were many lights and every room was heated during long night. All this had changed with Father’s reign. “He only allowed the Solar and the High Ladies rooms to be heated. The Main Hall was kept warm by a large fire place, the rest was no longer heated, not even during Longnight.
We reached the Main doors, ten inches thick. Made of Ultronit and wood. These doors were over a thousand years old, according to Greifen, big enough for allow the biggest Petharian to enter with room to spare. A skilled artisan had carved scenes from the Book of Legends in its wings. It was a dark and foreboding scene, and depicted Ragnarök, the final battle of the Aseir.
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...
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...
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The eating and drinking, mostly the drinking went on well into the early morning hours. As the guest of honor I had to remain of course until the very last guest finally left, was carried away or slipped under the tables. It was always windy on Nilfeheim, now during the height of Shortsummer less than usual but a sudden surge of wind made me turn and I saw the enormous ship slowly climb into the sky! Even though I knew about Arti grav, our fliers used it. To see such an enormous object defy...
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...
I turned to run up the stairs and was already inside the staircase entrance. I was certain the big fish had no problem snatching a little human from the narrow ledge. There had to be a Harpoon in the place somewhere! “You won’t find harpoons or Slayers in old Egill’s home, Eric.” A thundering voice said! I felt like hit by lightning and could barely find the courage to turn. It could not be! The fish did not speak! “There is no one else here, Eric!” I did turn, not even knowing holding...
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(checked by Jason) Not in the last five hundred years had the Olafson Burg look as spectacular as it did today. Gone were the rag-like remnants of cloth; replaced by brand new flags in vibrant red. But not only Olafson red waved in the stiff breeze of Longnight winds, but there were also black flags with the silver falcon of the Ragnarssons. The obvious cracks and patches of crumbling concrete had been filled with expensive Duro-Crete or were simply hidden behind a decorative banner. A...
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...
They had shown me to a small cave in the big caverns wall. Inside, behind a curtain was a real bed and I slept deep and dreamless. This time I did not wake on my own but was called out while I still felt tired. The perpetual small fusion sun made any guess what time it was completely impossible, at least to me. The woman stood just outside the curtain and she was dressed very much like I expected a woman warrior to look. Hard leather armor molded to accommodate her female shape. Underneath a...
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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...
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...
I did not let go of the Harpoon gun but pressed the button that recalled the seats.” Is it true one of you has killed an Elder?” Snøfrid undid the cloak and sat down and said to the others. “Take of your masks and lower the weapons.” Then to me she said after crossing her legs and folding her gloved hands in her lap.” Yes Eric one of us did and it won’t be the last!” She made a deliberate pause probably to see a reaction in my face then she said. “We are an underground organization. We...
I had returned to the Pillar burg after my fateful meeting with father and had bought me a used but decent Opel Blitz flier at the flier garage in Isen. The mechanic knew me well by now and made me good deal. I still didn’t know his name. Everyone in the small City at the southern Pole called him, “The Mechanic” and that’s what the sign read over his business. The Opel was red, but then he didn’t have many color choices for me to choose from. Very expensive models could change their color on...
Bredenberg Island was part of a cluster of five Islands close together, known as the Five Clan Cluster. I was just hundred klicks west of the Uhim Grounds and long ago all five Islands belonged to that legendary Uhim Clan. The Uhim’s had perished in the last clan war. Four of the rocky islands were occupied now by the Burgs of individual Clans and the fifth held the third and smallest city on Nilfeheim called Trondheim. If one would draw lines between the five islands you would get an almost...
5004, Year Isegrim stood at the bar in the Xchange cafe, watching through the large windows into the large warehouse, as his men unloaded the last crates of Flicker fish and Fangsnapper meat. The door opened and along with a flurry of snow flakes and a gush of cold wind Leif Elhir stomped in, cleaning his heavy boots over the snow grate. He looked around to see who was there and then he noticed Isegrim. “I see the winds also dragged in the steward of the Ragnarsson riches, running errands...
The masked woman in the red Cloak said.” Welcome Eric, or should I say welcome Freya?” I blushed despite the fact that my secret was no secret here and they probably all laughed as they used me back then, but I tried to concentrate and said. “I don’t care if you make fun of my secret and I told Astrid I am tired of being played and taken for a fool. It was you or one of you who wanted me here to discuss the very serious problems you have. I can leave right now.” She got up from her Chair....
The banquet was about to start. Sif and I were the guests of honor of course. Egill came out of the round house and smiled. “Well it isn’t perfect but it turned out better than expected.” Sif turned to look at him. “It is a bit frightening to be at the center of such a historic event that will most likely change our planets history.” “That is a very astute observation, young lady.” She made a gesture towards the banquet preparations. “At least they celebrate and don’t prepare for our...
I brushed the last crumbs of dirt onto the dust pan and got up to look around. The basement area was clean! The stone floor patched with Duro-crete were the rot was so bad it actually had crumbled stone. The walls scrubbed with disinfectant and the few small windows now glazed and clean. The big Recycler was turned off and pushed to one wall. The small Nanite Unit was more than adequate to take care of the Old man’s trash every day. By now I was well equipped. I had shovels and brooms and...
It took Egill and me almost 4 weeks to reach his rock. His sub was quite fast, but no submarine could match the speed of a flier. He showed me how to guide the sub and I let me steer it from the helm. Despite its age, it was equipped with a Computronic and a sensor array that would put modern Hunt subs to shame. He told me stories about Earth, when submarines were used in warfare against other nations and never for hunting fish. He said that during the last great clan wars, many hunting subs...
I had one spear left. Two of the Rock sharks floated belly up to the surface, the Slayer harpoon meant for Tyrannos was good enough to kill these triangle snouts. Even now fighting for my life I wondered why I called them that way. My last spear missed! Not that it mattered much, four sharks were now busy with the carcass of the ones I killed, fighting each other for the meat, there were three more now aiming for me, also that immense presence beneath me came closer. This was the largest...
I did clean the boat and the basement. The Old man made me recite the poems while I was doing it and made sure I read them before I went to sleep. I became a steady visitor of Isen Landsby. Not only to get Cleaning supplies but also the clear liquor, he liked so much and mixed with everything. Today I used a shovel to fill a garbage bag with things so rotten and decomposed I did not want to know what it was before. The basement as he called it was underneath his burg, accessed through a trap...
5004, OTT Outside the bitter cold winds of Longnight howled around the thick Duro-Crete walls of the Burg; but here in my mother’s drawing room it was warm and cozy. The soak-stones glowed warm with Tyranno Oil fire in the oven. I always thought her room was just a bit warmer than all the other rooms and halls. Here in her chambers the gray and drab Duro-Crete walls were mostly covered with velvet curtains and antique tapestries depicting the first settlers, the gods, scenes of great clan...
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...
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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 last thing I remembered was the stinging prick into my neck and then a nauseating spinning sensation that dragged me into nothingness. I was supposed to perform an Orbital assault jump as part of the final challenge and to win the Reagan trophy for the Devastator. My friends and I equipped with heavy battle suits had boarded a Drop ship. Strapped into the drop rack, my suit malfunctioned and nothing worked. At first I believed I was dead, but I felt still nauseas and I opened my eyes....
Even though I had little medical knowledge, my time serving in the Devi’s sick bay and getting basic med training at the Academy I was helping with the triage of wounded and somehow remembered Dr. Dwyer my old Nilfeheim doctor as I derma-patched an eleven year old’s scrape wounds he had suffered falling while running and hiding inside an service crawl. The Casualty numbers were depressing. “943 dead among them many civilians and 1532 wounded of which more than 500 were very critical. Over...
Har-Hi and I returned to our dorm and Mao greeted us.” Have you two decided to kill each other at a later time?” “Yes we decided to postpone that.” Har-Hi answered. “That is good. Because we are complete now and I am tired to be behind in everything.” I said.” We are complete in what and where are you behind?” “First things first.” Mao replied.” You got to meet the rest, just in case so you don’t bust furniture across someone else’s back.” Mao stepped into the middle of the dorm room.”...
He remembered the last moments of his life quite vividly. They had led him up to the scaffold, after they had removed all his rank insignia. Commander Stone before him actually collapsed and the marines had to drag him to his spot on the scaffold. It took all his will power not to do the same and set one foot before the other. The solemn beat of the drums stopped and the Executioner asked him if he had any last words. He had none, the night before he had written a letter to his son Swybin and...
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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...
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...
(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....
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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...
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...
When I came around, I was still lying under that purple thing. The armed and fully armor suited men were close now holding their weapons ready pointing them at my friends. The bearded dark skinned man wearing a battle suit of unknown origin argued with Cardwell. “I want you to open those Translocator storages now. We do not have much time.” Cardwell barked back and pointed at me. “I told you that two command codes are needed to open them, the only one able doing that was killed by your...
Swybar lounged in the comfortable chair behind the conference table aboard the Red Dragon. Soon the requested supplies would arrive and make him a very dangerous man. The table was laid out with a light dinner. Both of his associates had joined him and both of them had been very respectful and lauded his genius. Swybar loved it when others realized just how smart and resourceful he was. Even the disguised Kermac treated him like an equal, as it was proper. He was no fool however and knew...
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...