Eric Olafson, Neoviking 26

Chapter 26: Astrid

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 through such times!’

I offered him my underarm” Your honor is intact, noble Sir of the Arnske clan ! Until indisputable proof is brought before the High Assembly that this was the deed of Sif, judgment on her guilt can not be made!

And what are hard times if not to test the truth about allegiance and pledges made in times of merry. It lifts my heart to see you well and the day you die Sire shall be with honor in battle with a worthy enemy called Old Age and not by the scheming hand of a masked vigilante. I pledge to you my arm and sword no matter the outcome of these matters! I am the only person in this who could question your honor and Sir be assured I do not!”

His eyes glittered and he took my arm. “Eric of the Olafson Clan, you speak with the authority of a man far beyond your years. It is the immortal spirit of thy great Grandfather that guides you, that is clear!”

I recognized the two Elders, they were the same who sat in when grandfather’s will was opened and the taller one spoke.” I am Olaf Roslund , Elder of the Inner Circle , we know each other son of Isegrim and indeed Litfas speaks true. The very fact that the Eldest, the Holy one has made you his successor as the Guardian of the Pillar is proof to us, that you are speaking with the same authority as he did, but the fact remains that one of us has been murdered and it was done by the hand of woman identified by one of her co conspirators as Sif the daughter of this noble lord.”

“Identified and accused by a woman in pain and fear of her own hide, trying to better her position by naming others. Indeed those are strong accusations, but accusations and not proof. These events have clearly shown that the elders were right asking for a police force, back when the first murder occurred and it became evident that our world has grown and but still lacks the basic necessities of an emergency response establishment.”

Now the other Elder, I think was of the grandfather of Torkel Cederstorm, spoke.” So young you are and yet you highlight what we have spoken in council only an hour ago. Speak Son of Isegrim, I like to hear more of what you have to say. One day you will be the Clan chief of perhaps most powerful clan with mighty friends and alliances and while you are not yet of age, your word has weight!”

Maybe that was easier than I thought. Maybe I was able to calm this dark storm just long enough for the Old man to recuperate and speak. I had to be very careful now and hope I had enough sense to say the right things. I was not even sure where I got this confidence but they had conjured my Grandfather’s legacy and perhaps there was something like his spirit now present. I could almost feel it.

I said: “Most honorable Elders. Your age and wisdom is so far beyond my abilities as a silver flicker is to a Tyranno fin. The Events have shown beyond the doubt of the lowest Lowman that your warnings against the poisons of the Worlds beyond Nilfeheim are more than valid!”

Both of them nodded gravely and Roslund put his hand on my shoulder.” You are a mighty warrior already and it shows you learned humility during your time in Hasvik as well, yet the clan chiefs even in the face of these tragedies do not see what you just pointed out so clear.”

“Yuletide is not far. All the clan chiefs and the elders will meet thereafter. These events call for all the Wise men and all the Elders and the Eldest and the Holy One will certainly be able to ad his wisdom. In the meantime it might be prudent to gather all the facts and present them at that meeting so the elders do not stand against the Chiefs, but Nilfeheim stands as one against the forces of evil united, and with all the facts and the true culprits revealed decisions can be made that will shape the very future of our world in decades to come. I cannot even begin to fathom the wisdom and experience of the Circle of Elders so I am certain they too must know that these events could not be the work of a group of young women. Someone or something much more sinister must be behind it all and it must be uncovered and destroyed with heavy hand!”

I was as surprised as the men present seemed impressed by what I just had said. Both elders and the Clan chiefs kept nodding and now Roslund said. “Your words I shall repeat tonight at the meeting, you have put in words what I expected all along.”

I bid them farewell and left the clinic. I wondered myself where I came up with all that, but then maybe the old man was able to make me think at least a little bit.

I also was quite certain that this was far from over. Who could know what the Elders were really thinking and as I thought about my own words, I realized I touched a hidden truth. This was far more than the work of a firebrand teacher, someone was behind all this. Someone with a motive far deeper than the proclaimed cause of women’s equality, not that the conditions of the women was not worth fighting about, but this out of proportion escalation of violence and the willingness to kill on such a scale seemed too strong a reaction.”

I wished I could talk to the Old Man. He would know or he could use his mental abilities to probe behind all this. The other sobering fact was, that without me really wanting to be in that position, I was one of the few that could do something. I did not believe in predestination and at least hoped that the future was something that hasn’t happened yet, but whatever Gods or Fate there were they did hand me out a heavy load.

I slowly walked through the cold night back to the wharf. I needed to get to the Bredenberg Island and talk to the girls. I did not have the ability to read minds but the Gods managed to put me in the middle of things. The elder was right as he pointed out that the Olafson clan was very influential, especially now after incorporating the Ragnarsson and the Steiner clan. My Grandfather, now dead over a year still was a very influential factor and because of him I met the Ancient Keeper and the Old man of the Pillar, why I ended up being at this pivotal point I was not sure, but I was. I did not want to be back where I was, being the unwanted son and beaten and tortured every day, but my life seemed less complicated only a year ago,

The events of the day had kept Halstaad Fjord and most of Nilfeheim awake and the wharf bathed in flood lights.

It was very cold and the moisture had coated everything with a fine dusting of white frost. It was now less than twelve month away from Longnight. The pack ice of the poles was already expanding. I was sure Ragnarsson rock would be already surrounded by ice floes.

This was the time of day the surface fishers loaded their boats with tackle and gear to head out. Uncle Hogun and his helpers were busy already clearing the tables, the rubble and everything else. I stopped by the Inn to see if I could lend a hand, but Hogun said, there wasn’t all that much left to do. So I stopped by Thunberg’s Café five housed down, got me a cup of coffee, as I loved that stuff and went to my boat.

Just as I reached the mooring spot, Piotr came out my boat wiping his hands on a rag. His robotic tool box walked past him collecting the rag as Piotr threw it away and he smiled at me.” Well as Sid told you, there wasn’t all that much to do, we refurbished your reactor and it’s now good for another 500 years. I upgraded your shield generators with new field coils and your Computronic with a bunch of upgrade programs. That was pretty much it.”

Winslow now appeared as well, shooing his tool box out of the way as he came down the gangway.” Well, we did repair the robotic Torpedo loader and your Forced Energy projectors are no longer jammed and come out smoothly. She got some teeth I tell you, but I suggest you do get them registered if you ever plan to take her off planet.”

“I am not planning to do that.”

“We are all done and you can take her out anytime now.”

“Did you guys actually sleep or work all night?”

“With all the craziness around, we decided to get an early start. Besides we got over eighty boats to fix and the earlier we are done, the earlier we can go home.” Piotr said.

Winslow grinned.”Nothing against your world, but it is getting nippy and I like to be home before your world really turns into a freezer locker.”

“How much do I owe you?”

“The labor is on the house, it was a pleasure to work on such a well kept antique. For part we need to charge or our boss gets grumpy.” He looked at his PDD.” We didn’t replace the missing ISAH Pods since we don’t have any with us, so all in all 5000 credits and we’re even.”

“Are you sure I can’t pay you for the labor or give you a tip or something?”

“No worries our company made good business here and we will be busy for the next six to eight weeks boats and subs.”

I paid the guys, thanked them and went inside.

The Command console before the Operators chair however looked bigger as the previously gray weapons screen and the controls below were lit up.

I raised anchors and retracted the gangway. I decided to take her out of sight before I tried the flying mode. Seeing a Sub fly might get others to have bad ideas. Then I saw the cloaked figures on the small boat waving, I would have almost plowed into the tiny inflatable boat. Who would even consider putting something like this into the water at night and get so close to a turning sub, but then I had an idea who that was. I turned the boat sideways so no one from shore would see what was going on and stopped then opened the side lock on the conning tower. The two cloaked figures climbed aboard and by the way they moved it was clear under those long hooded cloaks were girls. It was Sif’s voice under the hood.” Eric please take us away from here, I beg of you! It isn’t as it looks!”

“Get in the boat and we figure it all out.”

I closed the hatch and put the boat on course, I needed to get Bifrost behind the horizon before I would go into flight mode, then I swiveled around. The girls took off their cloaks and the stocking masks and it was indeed Sif and Astrid.

Sif also held a modern small looking blaster gun aimed directly at me. Astrid simply stared at me, but her eyes seemed hollow and she was drooling out of a half open mouth, and then collapsed on the floor!

“You don’t have to aim that thing at me! We better check out Astrid! Is she injured?”

“Shut up, Olafson! It was hard enough tor me keep her under control but don’t worry about her. You are only alive until I figured a few things.”

She sure sounded and looked like Sif, but there was something odd about her. The weapon was no joke; I could see the shimmering beam focus field at its muzzle.” Was it necessary to shoot your own father?”

She laughed and smirked.”You are a bigger idiot than I thought you are! I aimed at you, but that primitive spear gun had more recoil than I thought and I missed. Not a big deal I will kill you soon enough. I won’t miss with this thing!”

She kept the gun drained and sat down in the command chair, crossing her legs and resting her gun hand on her knees.”Impressive move how you saved that man’s life that was quick thinking. Way too quick for a dimwit of such a primitive world, you had training and a good Psi shield.”

“You are not Sif, right?”

“And you are some agencies undercover agent? That’s why you still live! I want to know who sent you and who you work for.”

She reached for her neck and with a sucking wet sound she pulled her face of her head and revealed a black haired woman with almond eyes.” I will not ask again! This is a Kermac Neuro ripper, in case you don’t know it is probably the most painful weapon ever invented.”

“I am Eric Olafson and I don’t work for anyone. I haven’t even left this planet yet!”

It was as if my entire body was submerged in boiling oil. The pain was so sudden and so intense, I suddenly found myself on the floor coughing blood and spitting out a broken tooth.

“This was a setting 3; do you like to find out how setting 4 feels like? Why can’t I read your mind? Who shielded you?”

It took me a moment to find my own voice and when I spoke I did not recognize the wheezing pressed voice as my own.” I don’t have any Psionic abilities!”

I thought I could hear the hum of the weapon a fraction of a heartbeat before the pain returned.

“You are one tough cookie, I seen bigger men than you scream on setting two, but it matters not. I give you a few moments to think about it then I hit you again!”

My mind raced, she was clearly Off World and she admitted to have Psionic powers. She was only perhaps three meters away from me, but with that weapon she might as well have been ten clicks away.

She looked past me and her face changed from arrogance to fear, then the boat rocked as if hit by an enormous hammer. I wondered what we could have hit, the auto helm should have been able to avoid obstacles, but I did not waste the opportunity and drew the knife I had in my shirt and threw it, I wanted to jump right after but my knees buckled as I tried. The effects of her weapon had taken more out of me than I realized, I had aimed at her chest, but my throw as far from accurate and I missed! She tried to get up, her face full of anger and fear and she aimed the weapon at something behind me. “This is impossible! She screamed.” Get out of my head!” Her weapon dropped to the floor!

I managed to gather enough strength flung myself forward, freeing Mördaren and again the reassuring feel of the swords balance in my fist seemed to infuse me with new life

I set the point of the sword at her throat. “This is a simple piece of Ultronit, probably one of the most primitive weapons invented. This is setting one!” I increased the pressure, just enough to draw blood from her thin neck.”Care for setting two?”

She lost all arrogance.” Please let me live! You wouldn’t kill a woman!”

“I have no idea what you are and if in doubt we Norse kill and don’t ask questions later. Let’s see if that is your real face of if I can peel it off, too!”

Fear glittered in her eyes.”You are a native! A primitive male of a primitive planet has bested me. Curse you and that fucking white fish of yours!”

I smacked her as hard as I possibly could against her right temple, like Carl had shown me. She groaned and rolled her eyes, then slacked into the seat.

I turned my head to see what she had seen, but outside the main view port was nothing, perhaps the boat hit an ice floe, too big to crush through. I stripped her naked as fast as I could. Underneath her dress she wore some sort of cat-suit made of an incredible fine mesh like metallic material. From the On-board tool box I took a tube of ‘Stick-and-Fix’ and glued her wrists together behind her back and did the same with her ankles. I turned the Stick and Fix can around and sprayed the activator over the sticky goo, it instantly hardened and bonded to her skin to the molecular level. In all this I remembered when Argyle Swenson glued his teacher Mr. Henderson to the teacher’s toilet that way; of course Argyle was severely punished. I shook my head to get that funny picture out of my head; the situation was way too serious. Now I had time to check on Astrid. She seemed catatonic, had a pulse and her eyes were open but she did not move or react, no matter what I tried. I was not sure what role she played so I glued her limbs together as well.

I took the boat underwater and set it on the ocean ground, went into the ships bath room and had a cold shower. The effects of her strange weapon slowly subsided and I could think clearer. When I got back the Alien woman stirred and then opened her eyes and struggled against her bonds.”Now you got two girls naked and bound, you pervert, is that what gets you off?”

I picked up the weapon and aimed it at her.” It’s my turn now. I think you start from the top. Who hired you?”

“You bastard glued my legs together!

“That’s right, now I am not an expert on Off world weapons but I think the last setting is still on and all I have to do is press the trigger.”

“I would have never thought I end this way on a primitive planet, bested by a man! The downside of my profession is a strict honor code. Never tell anything!” White foam came out of her mouth and her body arched in spastic convulsions, then her eyes rolled up and she slumped and slid out of the chair. I checked her pulse and could feel nothing. She was dead!

But now Astrid stirred and moved then she said.”Where am I?”

“You are aboard my Submarine. Now I think you need to tell me why you wanted to kill me and who your Alien friend is!”

She realized she was bound and naked she pulled up her legs in a protective manner. “Eric?”

“Yes I am Eric. I am tired of these games. I really am. You are in a world of trouble and I suggest you tell me all, so we can figure out what to do!”

“Eric, the last thing I remember is meeting with Sif, Snøfrid and Elena in the basement of Hedda’s house. The leader warned us not to do anything before she gave the word. So we just were making plans. Then I remember seeing Sif using her right hand to do something and I asked her why she is suddenly right handed.” Astrid stared at the dead woman and then cried.” Something creeped inside my head and I remember everything! I don’t remember wanting to do any of it, but somehow I did. It wasn’t a dream wasn’t it?”

Somehow I believed her. The Alien woman was dressed like Sif, looked like Sif and talked like her. I remembered how the Old Man’s Psionics made me switch bodies or believe I did and maybe that dead woman had similar abilities and made the girls do things they didn’t want to do. I told her all I knew.

She sobbed and even more after she heard that Snøfrid was dead. It took her a while to calm down and I felt awkward and wanted to be mad at her, but then I simply knelt down and took her in my arms and comforted her.”Let us think now what to do and let me find that dissolver. I hope there is any.”

Luckily there was, for exactly that purpose if someone accidentally got stuck on ‘Stick-and-Bond’ there was a small spray bottle emergency release and it was enough to get her unstuck.

She then said. “We need to talk to the Leader. She will know what to do and she will know where the real Sif is.”

“Who is the Leader?”

“I cannot tell you, but she is at the Bredenberg Burg.”

“Well maybe it was her who had sent me that message in the first place.”

I raised the boat and activated the flight modus. I had flown clans and before but still taking a seventy meter boat into the air was something else. Astrid had put her dress back on and sat next to me.” Your boat can fly?”

“And fast too, we should make it in two hours.”

Interlude 7: HIGH AMBITIONS

Gretel watched from her chair as Isegrim entered the halls. Harkun appeared silently from the shadows and she wondered how that gray skinned bastard did that. She would have to kill him. He was a much greater problem then Isegrim and he turned out to be less and less responsive.

Isegrim was in a good mood and sat down at the big table. “A mug of our finest and let the kitchen know I am hungry.”

Harkun responded as usual with a stiff nod and rushing away to do his master’s bidding. Gretel no longer envied Isegrim in that regard. She too had wished to have a person she could trust and do things for her without hesitation now she did. But ever since she met Jon while in the Chat Lounge a few months back she no longer did. He was real, not a simulation she had created for herself. At first he was just another player and chatter, but he let her gamble on his account and he understood exactly what she was about. He was different, not a primitive bloke like Isegrim but a suave man of a gorgeous world called Azure-Delight. One of the ten most beautiful planets according to the famous ‘Cosmo Magazine’. Only the rich, the famous and the beautiful could afford to vacation there. The richest and most famous however actually lived there. Jon owned an incredible palace with transparent walls overlooking an azure lagoon with sandy beaches. From his living room you could see to the left an in the distance, the palace owned by Mystery Child, the most popular performance artist in the Galaxy and to the right, looking like a jewel was the mansion of Rex Schwartz of Schwartz Industries. The richest man in the Universe! She had seen him walk at the beach and wave at her avatar! Jon told her that Rex was a friendly rival of his and that he too was in control of a Giga Corporation.Of course she remembered how she got here and was almost certain Jon was the same man as the mysterious visitor she had met so long ago.

But this was the world world she really belonged to! Not this cold primitive world. There on Azure-Delight they had fashion events. Women would not buy dresses and outfits browsing GalNet Catalogs but the foremost designers either lived or came to Azure-Delight and designed for them!

Galpadore himself, a good friend of Jon and without question the most expensive and exclusive fashion designer accidentally dropped by to talk to Jon just as she had established her Avatar there.

Galpadore, every woman’s dream forgot about Jon and asked her at least five times if her Avatar was a real representation of herself. When she adjusted the Avatar to be her exact mirror image, he told her that she would be perfect to wear his latest creation to the Diamond Ball Reception held at Pluribus every four years to celebrate the begin of Union Week, but then he was disappointed as she told him that she was trapped on Nilfeheim married and unable to leave.

A loud burp by her husband took her out of her daydream. He put the mug down and worked on a piece of roast.

“I heard you purchased two new Submarines.” She chirped in an inquisitive manner,

“Aye, two New Sweden Boats!” He chewed with a proud smile. “Fifty meters each. Three harpoon turrets each. Auto loaders, fish grabbers and eight tow winches. The Olafson fleet will be the envy of all!”

“Expensive are they not?”

“I say! They are the top of the line. Two point two Million each plus delivery.”

“So I heard! And six Freemen and even two Low men of our clan leaving this very planet today to travel to New Sweden!”

“It is only prudent to have them trained to be real engineers. Smearing paint over rusty spots and not knowing how to fix a broken light is no longer acceptable. Besides we do have a sizeable fleet now and by Yuletide they all are going to be overhauled. It is a big investment and needs to be taken care off!”

“It is Yuletide soon, have you thought about presents for me and your sons?”

“I am thinking of letting you live for a little while longer. Should be the best present there is.”

“You let yourself be humiliated by that abomination in front of your peer? Will you challenge him after Yuletide?”

“I faced him already, go ask your sons what happened. I was humiliated all those years treating my first born like dirt. I stand with pride at the side of my peers, the Clan chiefs of allies and foes alike. The name Olafson is spoken with the utmost respect!”

He pointed his eating knife at her.” He dispatched Frederick Steiner being wounded and handicapped, Frederick Steiner was among the best swords men of this world! I challenge him openly him and you be a Widow!”

“You are a coward then! Afraid of a 15 year old boy!”

Isegrim flipped the knife in his hand and threw it and it hammered into the backrest of her chair, only inches from her head. “Curse you and your vile witch potions!” then he looked over to Harkun.

The man servant said.” The treatment is working slowly My Liege, but it is working. These massive doses of Kermac Psych Drugs and the resulting hypnotic blocks she has poisoned you with over more than a decade, have taken deep holds and I am no Psych Expert to go any faster.”

Isegrim laughed at Gretel.” Bide your time, Gretel. Soon I am master of my own mind again and then you shall pay!”

She was clearly unhappy. “You meddling fool! What kind of hold has he over you? Join me Harkun and we make him once more a willing tool! There are many riches to be gained!”

Isegrim jumped up to strangle her but no matter how much he tried he could not get his body to do it. He dropped himself back into the chair.

Harkun glared at her down the nose.” Nothing this side of death could make me sells out to my master. And I am not under your influence, wench.”

She got up and stretched out her hand.” You have money! Give me some! I need more dresses and I desire a better GalNet Terminal!”

“He wanted to refuse but handed her his credit strip. It was empty.”

Harkun laughed, neither of you can hold accounts. “It is I who hold the purse.”

She groaned in anger.” You are pathetic, maybe it is time I become a widow! Then I can take care of my stepson’s inheritance much better!”

She left the hall and touched the golden pearl earrings she was wearing and activating the PDD inside, and then she fingered along her pearl necklace and pressed seven of her pearls in a distinctive sequence, to activate a preset connection.” It is me Adolph. Your first attempt on Eric’s live has failed as your fat brother was unable to deliver and instead of Eric it was him rolling down the stairs of Hasvik! Do you still want to take the leadership role in this Clan alliance? Then I think we need to discuss how to get rid of Isegrim first.”

She giggled as she heard the response. “Wonderful let us meet then at the usual place.”

After she had placed that call she went on to make another. “I love these new pearl ear rings, Brunar! They are lovely and my dumb husband has not even noticed them. Thank you so much.”

Gretel went in her rooms, dropped the ugly traditional dress and indulged herself in a feathery satin robe, handed to her by one of her silent handmaidens and checked herself critically in the floor length mirror. She would look gorgeous in a Galpadore Gown! Jon was nice and rich but why stop there? This Rex Schwartz was just a man after all and she heard he liked women. Now that was a goal worthy of her efforts. Not to play second fiddle to anyone.

“System tell me, where does Rex Schwartz live?”

The Computronic behind the Mirror that was adjusting her reflection to hide her added weight and did other minor adjustments, officially marketed to women as the ‘True Image Mirror’ was also connected to GalNet and answered her question with the same smoky voice as Jon had. “Rex Schwartz has residences all over the known Galaxy and owns several planets for his personal use. It is reported that he spends much time on Azure-Delight.”

“How convenient! I am planning to live there as well.”

“Do you wish to speak to a Real Estate agent with properties listed on Azure-Delight There is only one so listed.”

“No not at the moment. How rich is Rex Schwart

“Official or verifiable numbers do not exist. Do you wish to access the estimates of Forbes Magazine?”

“Yes.”

“Rex Schwartz personal fortune is estimated to exceed 1/64th of the GDP of the entire Union. Making him the first and so far only Centillionair in Galactic History. The only individual owning five personal planets. The largest private space ship, the Black Sirius is registered under his name. Mr. Schwartz controls over 80 percent of the stock in Schwartz Intergalactic Industries (SII) which is the largest of Ultra Corp.”

She swooned.” Centillionair now that has a nice ring to it. Is he married?”

“All official civil information on Rex Schwartz is classified under the VIP protection Act. Do you wish to access Glamour Magazine Issue 24 5011. With an extensive story on his private life?”

“Yes, display!”