Eric Olafson Neo Viking Vol 1 Chapter 3 Union school
- 2 years ago
- 35
- 0
Sif and I hatched our plan and I was supposed to meet her on Monday right after school. Dreadful for what I expected at home I waited for Hogun to pick me up, but he seemed pleased with himself as he showed up and climbed into his floater. “Your father has allowed for you to stay with me again for a while. You don’t need to go to the burg.”
I sighed relieved and told him about father’s strange behavior and then about the visit. He threw his hands in the air in a resigning gesture. “The Arnskes are about as traditional as they come. I think they don’t lift an arm before checking if it is traditional.” He then grinned and looked at me.”But they are loaded and from what I hear that Sif girl is one good looking girl.”
“I didn’t see too much of her she wears a Veil all the time.”
He leaned closer, winked with his right eye and said. “The face doesn’t matter so much. It’s what’s below her chin and above her hips that counts. Well I do like hips of course as well. If you know what I mean.”
Then he became serious.”Your father is feeling the pinch, you know. He now sends Greifen to the XChange to do his business and since he has no longer access to any bank accounts, he uses Harkun. Of course neither Harkun nor Greifen have the same Credit rating and every spare part and everything else he needs has to be paid straight away instead in invoice. He depleted the Nubhir farms to raise cash but a farm will only give so much and then it needs to grow and that takes time. It won’t be a cozy Longnight this time.”
We reached Bifrost and he was about to land.”I guess it is upon me now to teach you about how Fangsnappers and Human Babies come to be.”
“No worries Uncle Hogun we had that in school.”
“I am glad. This was one subject I rather not talk to you about, so how about some Blue Finner Steaks?”
I was supposed to meet Sif two days later at the Space Port and I was nervous. I never actually had gone to the Space Port that was only a few clicks south of Halstaad Fjord. Sif was right, she had told me that the actual space port would be empty and it was nearly completely deserted when I arrived. The spaceport had two distinct areas, one was for the processing of passengers and space ships, the other was called the concourse and had restaurants, shops and even a virtu theater.
Since no one was about to travel anywhere, the passenger facilities were indeed deserted and it would only change when the post ship came or the monthly space bus arrived. The space port was different from any place I had been before. I almost felt as if I had left Nilfeheim already. It was well lit, had shiny gleaming floors. Floating Advertising signs for businesses and hotels in town. I did not even know we had a hotel. To my surprise I found a sign advertising Hogun’s Inn and it declared Miner friendly prices and hefty food portions. No wonder there were miners coming almost every weekend. Then I saw my first real robot outside of Virtu, a humanoid shaped machine pushing a floor cleaning machine across the already spotless floor. As deserted the Space port was, the Shopping mall side of it was not. While I saw no men, there were many women and girls and all seemed to be Off-Worlders as none of them wore traditional dresses. I passed the Entrance to the mall and kept on going into the main Arrival and departure area and stopped at a row of big viewports that reached from the high ceiling to the floor From here I had a good view of the landing field It was a wide smooth Duro-crete area and it glistened wet from the recent down pour we had. A huge gray shape stood at the far end on landing struts, it stood next to the freight transfer center. Out there were more robots and they loaded that ship with containers. Sif found me there and also looked outside.” That is the XChange freighter, they loading it with fish, Fanger Furs and ice.”
“It’s a Meteor Type VI Freighter.” I said. “800 meters by 400 meters. Accelerates to 120 kilometers per second to the square. Manufactured by De Noir Ships.”
She laughed brightly.”I never figured you to be a tech geek. You sure know space ships it seems.”
“I signed up for the pre entry program for the navy Academy and they gave me a few books and Virtus on space ships. One day I want to command a ship and fly all across the Galaxy.”
I turned and was very surprised. She wore a black mini skirt, a clingy blouse that showed her perky little breasts quite clearly and over it a short fur jacket. Her hair was combed straight back into a single tail on her back. I only recognized her because of her eyes. She giggled even more as I was standing there staring at her. “Do you like what you see?”
“Very much so! How come you are dressed that way? Will you not get in trouble?”
She still smiled. “I doubt my father would even recognize me this way. After all proper girls wear veils once they turn 15 and only drop it when they get married.” She made a gesture that incorporated the space port.”This is where most of the girls after school hang out, drink coffee, and go shopping. Wear the latest fashions of the Galaxy and gossip. Not all women and girls are as tradition minded as the men believe we are. It is an open secret right under their noses. Some of the city men know about it, of course none of the old traditionalists. When they do come here, they think we are Off-worlders.”
To say I was totally floored by that was an understatement. “I never knew. I too thought they were Off-Worlders.”
“You reacted just like any other proper Neo Viking responds. They ignore Spacers and Off-Worlders and feel so much superior to them.”
“I seen Pluribus during a Virtu excursion and I seen the battle ship. It is them who are superior.”
She nodded “I have been on a tour to Pluribus as well and I think no one could possibly ignore seeing that battleship. But let’s go to the Space Bus lobby. It is completely deserted and no one will be there and we can get you in a dress. Having a male Viking, a Celebrity Hero of an old clan around the space port would not be good.”
The Space bus lobby had automatic doors and she swiped a little card over it and they parted. “The lobby of course is only for passengers.” She pointed at the card.” This is an old ticket but the door doesn’t know that as I have disabled the date section.”
“You sure know your way around here.”
She was still smiling. “I come here whenever I can, and so do others who are not as tradition minded. Especially those who are less favored by the old traditions, namely women and girls, you are not even the only guy who comes here dressed like us. There are quite a few who secretly date that way. This is where I got the idea for it in the first place.”
The lobby consisted of rows of conformatic chairs, a few Serv-matics and a robot attended ticket counter. The robot greeted us.”Welcome to Gray Lines Space Bus Services. Can I be of assistance?”
Sif shook her head.”No robot. We are waiting for inbound passengers.”
“Very well, Ma’am. The next space bus scheduled to arrive from Holstein Planet is due in 74 hours and 12 minutes” With that the robot lost interest and powered down again.
Next to the passenger bath rooms stood two big shopping bags and she took them. “I prepared a few things for you.”
The she opened the door to the Washrooms and said.”Human Females.”
A voice responded.” Human Females acknowledged. Bathroom facilities adjusted to selected species.” The bathroom changed from white tiles to pink, more mirrors appeared and several bathroom stalls rose from the floor.
She motioned me to follow her and inside, locked the door and handed me the bags. “Here is a dress and the other little things we use. As soon as you are in the dress call me and I help you with the rest. The fleshy things are artificial boobies to define your chest area the proper way.”
I blushed, she giggled some more and went outside before the stall. While I tried to get into the dress and the frilly things women wore underneath, she was talking to me and I learned that she was well educated, at least as intelligent as Yngve and that she had a mind of her own.
“I never knew girls would think that much!” I said while stepping into the skirt.
I heard her make strange sound and she actually opened the stalls door. Her eyes sparkled and it looked as if she was angry but the expression vanished and she said. “It is not your fault; you are a product of our society. Do you think your mother was thinking less than your brute of a father?”
I stopped and almost dropped the skirt.” I never thought about mother that way at all. I never had a chance to really talk to her.”
She motioned me to turn around and she fastened the thing that held the artificial breasts. “You never talked to girls, had no sisters and no mother.”
No wonder you think of females as if we were of a different species.”
“I did talk to Midril but she never talks about anything that isn’t really related to the kitchen and such.”
“This is called a bra by the way. If you get comfortable enough in your secret identity I show you what girls off planet wear instead of these ancient uncomfortable holders.”
“There are so much more items to a woman’s wardrobe than a man’s. It’s quite confusing.”
“Ah you get used to it. One day you might use the knowledge gained today to undress your bride. Much of these garments and pieces are meant to actually keep women in their place. You can’t go hunt or dive in these dresses and of course it would hinder you to fight.”
I wished I could tell her about Siegfrida but I had to keep my word.
The dress she had chosen for me was of a deep maroon color with nice bronze colored metallic shimmering seams and borders. It had wide flaring sleeves. The white soft belly fur of Nubhirs was used to seam the sleeves and the collar of the overcoat. I found the tight white stockings quite exciting and loved the silky softness.
She pressed a thing that looked almost like a Derma-Patcher on my face. It was black and had the letters CC in gold on it. The thing even felt similar to a Derma-Patcher but whatever it did took only a few moments. She observed the result with a critical expression on her face, nodded and placed a wig of dark brown shimmering hair on my head. I noticed her nose and found it quite exciting and when she concentrated she got a little wrinkle on the ridge of that tiny nose of hers. I wondered why I would find such a thing exciting.
Sif nodded and said.” You look much better than I even thought you would. No one will ever recognize you like that! She left the stall and gestured to the mirrors.
“Judge for yourself. The Chanel Box did wonders to your eyes!”
I could not believe that the tall girl in that pretty and quite regal dress was indeed me. That device had put make up on my face, shaped my eyebrows, my lips felt and looked thicker and bigger and shimmered in a color matching the maroon of the dress. The few tiny whiskers I had on my checks and lips were gone and so were the three acne spots
had since this morning. Long rich colored hair surrounded my shoulders. She handed me maroon colored gloves and placed a thin brass circlet with a maroon colored veil. It was thin and flared and moved with every breath.”
The shoes were a bit tight and she simply used my sword to split them at the heels.” It will do for now. We are going to get you a pair that fits at the mall.”
She then stretched her arm holding my sword. “I teach you to be a girl. Will you teach me how to use this?”
“Yes I will.”
It was of course prohibited for a girl to learn and use a sword. Siegfrida told me that the women of the Vikings of old were trained and knew to use the weapons well, but the Elders of this world decided, that it was better to exclude women from that so they would accept their subservient role better. Some clans allowed their women to train with the knife and a few allowed the use of a Spear because the Elders could not really argue against the image of Valkyries but women were not even allowed to touch a sword, and a woman caught doing it was to be sentenced to death.
She balanced it before here and said. “We always say it is just an extension of the phallus and they use it to intimidate but actually holding one, you can feel its power. This is the famous Mördaren is it not?”
“Yes.”
“It was made on Earth so I heard by a famous sword maker and it supposed to have mystical powers. Did you notice any?”
“No I have not noticed anything. Other than that it is really, really sharp!”
“You killed the Steiner boy with it?”
“I wish I had not done that! It was not this sword but Hevnen the clan sword of the Olafson clan.”
She placed the sword back in its scabbard and helped me gather the things and we deposited it all in a rental locker in the Space bus terminal. She then said.” You do look very nice, but you walk like a Fangsnapper herder in Longnight furs. Put your feet in front of you as if you walk an invisible tight rope!”
She taught me the entire afternoon how to walk and sit down. The only witness to our efforts was the Robot in sleep mode.
We met at the airport as much as we could and she became my new best friend. She was different than Yngve. To my surprise, she was not afraid of much.
She was neither hysterical nor stupid, like Hogun and all the other men claimed woman would be. The women’s bathroom of the Grey Lines space bus terminal became our secret lair and she learned quickly. She was not as enduring and strong but what she lacked there she more than compensated with speed and agility. She could flex and bend her body in ways that made me hurt just looking. Equally she was my teacher and I learned to cross my legs, bat my eyes, walk the way she wanted me too and use my arms and gestures differently.
“You pass well, no guy on all Nilfeheim would take you for anything else than a pretty girl, but women are much more observant, especially when it comes to potential rivals. Women don’t look at other women like you men do. A false move and the wrong gesture can give you faster away than a bad fitting wig or sloppy make up.”
It was past Yuletide and the New Year was well on its way. After school after fight and heritage class I would train with Carl or help in the Inn, but Uncle Hogun would let me go downtown whenever there was not much to do or when Carl wasn’t there. He never asked me what I did downtown and I was glad. I knew I would have told him as I did not want to lie, especially not to him.
As I went to the Space bus lobby. I had my own ticket card to let myself in and I knew Sif would be there as she had send me a short message to my PDD, I checked with the robot to make sure no space bus was scheduled, opened the rental locker and retrieved my alter egos things and went to the bathrooms to become Freya, as I called myself. I could hardly wait each time to shed my boring troubled self and step into my alter ego. Everything girls had seemed scented and soft. There was scented lip color not only in a thousand different shades but equally as many flavors. There were perfumes and body washes and hair products and crèmes that turned the skin instantly a soft as silk. It all mixed into an invisible aura, along with whispering fabrics, shiny satins and lace into an invisible aura that seemed to lift my very being. As Freya I forgot about father and I could close my eyes and would not see the face of the Steiner Kid. Freya could laugh and smile and giggle about the silliest things and there was no guilt doing it. There were so few occasions that caused me to laugh as a child. I could remember each time. Back when Greifen gave me a Nubhir Wolf puppy when I was six, it lasted only a few days. Father found out about it and killed the helpless creature in the cruelest fashion by squeezing the yelping and screaming creature between his fists, throwing it in my face and told me that I would never enjoy anything as long as I lived. He had taken away all toys I had and given them to Lothar and forbade me to have any and promised servants and clan members alike severe punishment for giving me things. But now I could laugh and even cry and did not feel ashamed about it.
As I opened the doors to the bath rooms, Sif already waited for me and we hugged each other. As always she felt so lovely and I realized how much I actually cared for her.
She said. “I think you need to graduate today and we go to the mall together. My friends want to meet Freya.”
I didn’t feel all too good about to meet three other girls who I was sure could look through my disguise at any moment.
She tried to put me at ease. “Against the believes of men. Women can keep secrets and these are my best friends. You can trust them too. They won’t say anything and the best disguise you can have is four girls accepting you.”
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 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...
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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
The shock of being caught had completely cured me of that unnatural desire, at least that what I thought and I concentrated on the training. Time had no real meaning, Training was not getting easier. A man who listened to the name of Richard taught me how to use a sword. I knew he was not a keeper and I was firmly convinced he was the one who had trained me before. He introduced me to the different types of swords and showed me that there was more than the widely used broadsword, even though...
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...
The next day was different however. Even the older kids in the school flier came up to me and wanted to know every detail. Dietmar looked especially pleased.” You know they interviewed me for Nilfeheim Radio? They wanted to know things about you and all that! I think it is time you graduate to assistant pilot!” Dietmar pointed at the always empty Control seat next to him and explained to me the controls, there weren’t that many and most of the flying was done by the onboard Computronic but...
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...
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...
(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...
“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 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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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 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 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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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 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...
“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...