Interlude 2 - Harkun

Interlude 2 - Harkun

Harkun felt like a fish out of water. This planet was insane! He longed to be back on Nilfeheim and luckily that is where he would be headed in a few days. But before he could board the Space Bus for the long journey back he had to complete his Lords instructions.

He stood at the window of his Portel room and stared outside. The height alone made him dizzy. He could barely make out the ground and yet the Holiday Inn at Spaceport 14 of Pluribus Unum was not a very tall building by the standards of this world. The entire population of Nilfeheim would have had no problem booking rooms at this Port Hotel or Portel as it was called, and there would still be room for plenty of other guests. A Hotel that could cater to one and a half million guests at once was something he could not grasp and process in his mind. The staff of beings, and robots was certainly a sizable army by itself. Yet one of the porters laughed and told him that this was by far not the biggest hotel and that they had a quiet week with only 950,000 bookings! He found it amazing that every staff member greeted him by name. He had trouble finding his room even after they explained to him how easy it is to follow a direction bot; one could be summoned simply by speaking into the air.

It all started after Erik Gustav Ragnarsson, curse that name showed up at the Burg and made a fool out of Isegrim. His master pondered for many weeks how to get rid of that meddling tiresome old man. Then as if Loki himself had its hands on the wheel of fate. The representative of a Mega Corporation arrived on Nilfeheim, seeking exclusive contracts to market the seafood products of Nilfeheim. He wined and dined the leading patriarchs and invited them all to a Seafood Exhibition and Conference on their Corporate World. At first Isegrim was of course against leaving Nilfeheim. It was not traditional to fly in space ships, even though the Elders themselves guaranteed him that there was nothing in the Ancient Book of Traditions that specifically prohibited travel and that the restrictions in it had only meaning on the planet not away from it.

It was Gretel his wife who secretly watched GalNet Shows in her chambers with Isegrim’s knowledge who came up with this plan, he was now executing.

Isegrim forced to whip his own wife before witnesses after she was caught spying on men’s business would have loved to do the dirty deed herself. Not that Isegrim even broke her skin with his whip. Harkun had seen him flail men to death with it and almost cut them in half.

The man servant was very proud of his Lord who secretly was his half brother. He served him without question and openly showed the devotion a good servant was to show in return Harkun was the undisputed king over all staff, both Olafson and Ragnarsson, at least while the old Ragnarsson was away on Pluribus.

On Harkun’s word alone Isegrim would dismiss, hire, whip and kill any servant, workman or Low man and Harkun admitted to himself he liked that kind of power, because they had killed their father together, and once Isegrim was the undisputed master of the riches that were Ragnarsson, he would step out of the shadows and receive a clan of his own. Of course he knew of the rotten deal Hogun dealt to his own brother, but Isegrim owed him.

Harkun took any woman of the staff and the Low families and did whatever he wanted with her.

If she would tell who would believe a woman and besides they all knew about his power over life and death. He always got excited when he tied them up, and told them they would die by the hand of the Lord if they did not do as he told. That they often called him the Gray Demon behind his back actually pleased him. Lately he discovered he had a graving for younger girls! He was convinced that Isegrim knew about, but as he was the unquestioning loyal servant who knew all the secrets he had little to fear.

Gretel had seen in one of her GalNet programs that everything was purchasable on Pluribus, including professionals who would for money kill anyone. She even knew how to get in contact with assassins, by securing the services of a so called Connector.

Harkun did not understand how this exactly worked, but Isegrim was suddenly very eager to leave Nilfeheim, attend the Show but only for a day then travel to Pluribus and talk to a Connector, Gretel found on GalNet.

Harkun did not even know exactly how to operate a GalNet terminal and since it was forbidden technology he didn’t want to. Isegrim had to return to Tyson world and then to Nilfeheim, both Gretel and Isegrim risked much going off planet because they both were on thin ice. No one would miss Harkun. So he had to remain on this horrible confusing world. In his pocket detailed written instructions and a loaded Credit strip. Harkun snickered when he thought that they would use the Old Mans own money to kill him. Money he had set aside for Eric’s education and allowance, money that this undesired and unwanted child would never see of course.

Harkun hated Eric almost as much as he hated Erik Gustav mostly because his master hated them.

He glanced at his pocket watch; he drew the line when Gretel offered him a PDD. He would not use such things. The Elders said it would destroy a man’s brain to use Computronics too much and they had to be right!

It was almost time. He carefully checked everything one more time, memorized the instructions again and ate the piece of paper to destroy it, as Gretel had instructed him. Completley oblivious to the fact that the recycler chute would have destroyed the paper note much easier. Not that anyone around here used paper notes in the first place. Then he left the room stepped somewhat awkwardly on the central beige carpet strip in the Corridor and was carried away by the carpeted covered slide belt. Not even using their own feet was convenient for these weak non Vikings. There were slide belts everywhere.

That he had to use the Inter Hotel Transport Lift was another matter. Even he did not want to use the stairs to descent hundreds of floors to the lobby. That the IHT had transparent cars rushing up and down at the outside of the building was however most disturbing.

“Do you want to remain in the Lift and choose another destination?” A voice asked him. He realized he had arrived at the Lobby level and he still held his eyes closed. Transparent walls were bad enough at these heights, transparent floors were truly disturbing!

“No I do not want to remain in this cursed contraption!” He muttered and stepped into the lobby. He did not hear the Lift system’s response as the doors closed.

The lobby was far from the actual ground level he had learned. Past the revolving doors on the far side of these fairy tale surroundings of white marble, golden brass and transparent materials was the Taxi and floater landing platform, where he first arrived. He dreaded the fact he had to get out there again.

For a moment he just stood there, trying once more to adjust to the rushing of beings and humans all around him. Even though Harkun went like everyone else to Union school, it was long time ago and he deliberately tried to forget as much as he could about this off world garbage. Three insect like beings scurried by. Age old cerebral uploads still provided him with the information. Those were Klack, members of the largest member civilization. Four human women giggled, chattering floated by in flimsy veil like things and nothing else; like a school of colorful but useless Regnbyn Fish. Women dressed like this! Harkun was outraged and thought a man was needed to beat some moral and decency back in those whores! A Robot floated behind the women loaded with shopping bags and boxes. He finally made it to the revolving door, outside was seemingly nothing! The scantily clad women however simply walked out there as if walking right through the air and boarded a black limousine.

The Doorman in his impressive livery also seemingly defied gravity. Harkun knew it was actually a floor of an unbreakable refraction free material and an invisible force field fence acted as barrier to prevent anyone from walking to far, at least that what the door man told him as he arrived here.

Harkun never went up the towers of the Burg because he hated their height and those were made of rock and honest solid Duro-Crete. This platform was only 600 meters above ground according to the doorman and he was assured that not even a herd of raging Nul wearing Ultronit stiletto High heeled pumps could even scratch this material.

Not that he could visualize this colorful analogy. He did not know what Nul looked like and he had no idea what high heeled pumps supposed to be.

The doorman was not the same as the one that greeted him here; this one was quite obviously not human, even though the general shape was right. He had chrome metal like skin and was perhaps a robot addressed him after he finally got enough courage together to step outside. He had his head angled up so he would not even get a glimpse of the chasm below his feet.” Do you want me to call you a cab Sir?”

“How do I get to the Matter tunnels to Ripley’s Canyon?”

“You can take a cab of course or you simply go to your right take sky bridge eight to Halifax Tower and board the next shooter to MT Main Station.”

“Call me a cab!”

“Your sphere is ready, Sir” Was the almost instant response.

He had to lower his head somewhat to actually see the bubble like contraption with the open side and immediately felt dizzy as fear constricted his throat. It took willpower to make the four little steps into the Taxi and he felt better sitting down. He didn’t mind flying in a floater that gave him the illusion of a solid floor.

“Thank you for choosing Pluri-Cab as your transportation provider. To what destination would you like to go?”

“Home!” He sighed.

“There are 177 Million destinations with the term home in the Address on this continent and 536 Trillion entries Union Wide would you be so kind and give additional information or do you want me to choose a random one?”

“Of course I do not want you to get me home! You could not possibly get me to Nilfeheim If I could go home now. You Loki cursed contraption!”

The voice remained very friendly and said:” There are 98 locations with the designation Nilfeheim on this planet and 453 locations Union wide. Please add additional address information, or do you want me to make a random selection?”

Harkun got angry. How could they get anything done on this insane world if they had to argue with mindless machines all day long? He took a deep breath and despite all his devotion to Isegrim and the wonderful outcome his mission would cause he wished the Olafson clan leader had chosen someone else for this errand. Of course there was no one else, and sending a woman was out of the question, even though Gretel had offered.” I want to send you and your creator to the deepest pits of Hel.”

The machine chirped happily. “Your invitation to the manufacturing staff of Sky-Floaters Inc to the nightclub Pits of Hel has been forwarded. Destination recognized. Estimated travel time 89 minutes. On board entertainment and refreshments are included in the fare for trans -continental destinations.” The cap was already well on its way before Harkun even had a chance to think and realize what the machine was doing.” I want you to get me to the Trans Matter Tunnel terminal of Pluribus and nowhere else!”

“There are 40 Trans Matter Tunnel Stations on this planet. To what station do you want to go?”

Harkun was screaming now.” I want you to get me to the nearest Trans Matter Tunnel Station.”

“Destination accepted. Do you feel well? Do you want me to contact Emergency Psycho Medical services for you, or do you wish to talk to a counselor?”

“I want nothing from you. Nothing! Do you understand! I want no mindless machines babbling to me everywhere I go. I do not want to argue with a taxi cab to get me to the Cursed Trans Matter Station. I simply want you to get me there!”

Again the machine chirped.” New Destination accepted.”

The cab swooped down from its lofty altitude and dove into these Duro-Crete and metal canyons dove under sky walks and reached an area sunlight could no longer reach. Light now came from an endless barrage of lit signs, three dimensional projections through which the cab simply passed. More than once he thought a collision was imminent and it turned out it was nothing but a projection. At any time it seemed to him half the planets population was going somewhere. Not that he could even comprehend what 40 Billion inhabitants really meant.

He became a little suspicious, according to the doorman it almost sounded like you could reach the next Tunnel on foot. The very reason Gretel had booked him a room at that Portel because it was supposedly close to a Trans Matter Tunnel. But then he had learned that denizens of this world considered dinner on one of the outer planets of this system a short trip. He hated to ask the machine again but he had an appointment to keep. There was still plenty of time but he had to ask.” How much further?”

“At this point the distance to your last selected destination is 7 kilometers and our ETA is 3 minutes.”

That was more like it. He noticed that there were much less fliers in the air now and the floating signs had all but disappeared and the advertisement now was fixed to buildings, illuminated by simple elements. The cab sat down on a dark wet Duro Crete surface and it was dark down here like Halstaad Fjord during Longnight, the light came from artificial sources. There was actually little in terms of advertisement, but one Red Glow sign read:” Cursed Trans Matter Station”

He wondered why they would give such a name to a public transportation facility but since he had no clear idea what a TMS was or how one looked like he shrugged and wanted to leave the Cab, the door would not open. “Please deposit 34 Union Credits. A receipt will be issued to your PDD.”

“The prices here on Pluribus are outrageous as this planet is a stinking cesspool.” He complained and said.” And I refuse to be the slave to one of these PDD things! I don’t have one!” He paid anyway.

“A printed receipt has been issued. Please collect it below the Pay Sensor. With a flimsy paper strip in his hand he left the cab and it hummed away. Only in the back of his mind he wondered why there were almost no floaters and virtually no one on the street. It even smelled differently here, there was a scent like brackish water and the green moss smelled when the harbor washed against the slimy rocks. Maybe there was water close by and a TMS was some sort of harbor. What looked like a woman at first from the distance standing close to the entrance of the TMS was an almost four meter tall male humanoid dressed like a female. He knew it was male because the genitalia was not only exposed but had a pink glowing aura enhancing it with glittering small lights. He greeted him throaty.” Hello Stranger. You look lost or are you looking to get lost?”

Harkun barked.”Silence you abomination! Filth like you should be raked over glowing tips of Iron for even daring to look at me! No be gone!”

“Either you are very brave bearded one or you are very stupid! I might be a little down on my luck but I am still and Andorian and I can take you apart not breaking a sweat!” The being then laughed.” Oh I get it you look for some rough time! I gladly accommodate for fifty credit the hour!”

Harkun decided not to argue anymore and he passed in an even darker place lid by blinking red and blue lights. Beings only identifiable as dark shadows hunkered at a bar and on tables. There was a stage in the middle and a technical contraption with blinking lights and a large black center. Over it a Holo read:” The Cursed Trans Matter Station. Destination Pleasure and dark fantasies guaranteed!”

A bulky being with four arms covered in black leather, much bigger than even Hogun came real close and rumbled with a rock crusher voice.” Cover is 15 Credits; a ride with the Machine will be 25 credits. The first drink is on the house.”

“What manner of place is this?” He was outraged as someone rubbed his behind with something that felt like a broom stick! He was not a famous warrior or very well known for his fighting abilities, but he was still a Neo Viking and had his fair share of fights and brawls. More instinctive than not he drew the Skinner knife he carried like everyone on Nilfeheim and wanted to turn but the four armed being grabbed him. Harkun stabbed the giant with force but the blade simply careened of the tough skin leaving a small scratch. The knife was snatched from him and someone pulled his pants! The big giant being holding him now on both arms grumbled. “We do not like trouble makers or Psych Cases here! We will teach you a little lesson now and let you leave alive. Come back and we won’t be so kind again!”

Harkun stumbled upon the dark wet pavement after they shoved him through the door. His pants ripped around his ankles. He was bleeding from a few small scratched and he had a burning pain in his behind. Some little physical pain was something he could live with, but the anguish he felt for what they did to him, the shame and the realization he would feel violated like this for the rest of his life and suddenly for a moment he wondered if the Girls at the Burg felt that way. His time piece was gone and so was everything else he had on him. The credit strip he wanted to pay the assassin with was gone, and so was his private one. Luckily they could not use them without his biometrics. He kept close to the wall and did not know how to get back to the Portel from where he could contact Gretel. He heard steps following him and whenever he turned he saw nothing. The burning shame of his violation was so strong he wished someone would actually kill him. Then he saw a massive looking deep blue vehicle hovering slowly over the pavement. A bright search light caught him unexpected and a voice said. “Hold it right there Citizen! A human policeman in an armored battle suite and a similar threatening robot approached. “Is it not a little early advertising like this?” The Cop asked.

Harkun didn’t realize he was crying;” I am Harkun of the Olafson clan on Nilfeheim. First Man servant of my master.”

The Cop nodded with an understanding face.” And while you served your master he went a little rough on you is that it? Happens in the best relationships of that kind I guess. Do you want to file charges?”

“No Officer my Master is on Nilfeheim. I am here on clan business to complete an errand. I left the Hotel to use a Matter Transfer Tunnel and this is where the taxi let me off. I was attacked by a group and robbed of all my possessions.”

“Did they rape you do you need medical assistance and psych support?”

“No, no! I fought them off; no one touched me in that way!” He lied more to himself than to the cop who had seen it all and then some.

“I cannot make you to give me all the information, but it would help to get your property back. Give them long enough and they hack your Credit strips and your accounts are cleansed out before you can stop it!”

He became pale knowing how much money was on the lack strip. “There in this place!” He pointed to the Cursed TMS.

The cop took him to the Floater.” Have a seat in the back, Citizen. This is a very dangerous part of town and usually no place for tourists from Prim Civ Worlds.”

“Nilfeheim is not primitive!” He protested loudly, but did what the police man asked.

The cop raised his armored arms.” Whatever you say Citizen, according to your CITI you are from Nilfeheim, Classified as Culture Type 191 P. The P stands for primitive and 191 means that you jokers basically just barely above Stone Age. While I understand your peril and I will assist you but don’t raise your voice again while I sort things out.”

The Robot remained with Harkun while the Policeman stomped into the Establishment. The robot said.” Do you wish for medical assistance? I am able to provide first aid and a Med Team can be here right away!”

His shame and embarrassment, the failure of the mission and him feeling homesick and sorry for himself; but most of all the endless barrage of machines talking to him made him react the Viking way and he kicked the machine and screamed.” I am sick and tired of machines! I do not want you talk to me. I do not want you to offer me anything. I want you to shut up and leave me be! Now I know why we reject all this on our home world oh I know now!”

The robot nevertheless responded.” I am police equipment and will be forced to restrain you if you keep attacking me, to make sure you will not harm yourself. Furthermore you are committing a violation of Law 355 section 12 concerning the attempt to damage autonomous police equipment. I am hereby placing you under arrest. You have the right to medical assistance and to call your societies representative.” A restriction force field issued from the robot and engulfed Harkun and made it impossible for him to move even a finger.

He had utterly failed. If Erik Gustav would hear that he was here on Pluribus, there would be an investigation. The Ragnarsson clan chief would learn that he had carried a credit chip issued to a bank account belonging to Eric Olafson. He was certain they had some sort of gadget that would make him talk or divulge his secret mission. An off world assassination attempt would certainly doom not only him but Isegrim and his wife. Not even if every elder would against all odds show mercy, the Union Police would arrest them and hang everyone involved. His mind raced to find a way out.

The human police man came back carrying his knife and other belongings. His face was all business. “Mr. Harkun of the Olafson clan. I just have seen security footage of you pulling an edged weapon with the clear attempt to harm another Union citizen on the premises of his establishment. Mr. Grrrhankah had your belongings in safe keeping and said he would not press charges. Now you have the right of course to file charges against Mr. Grrrhankah and we let the night court sort this out. Or you take your belongings put your damn pants back on and go back to your hotel and we all are an experience wiser and each goes back to business.”

Harkun nodded hastily.”I will not press any charges and leave this planet as soon as I can.”

“This is a very wise decision.” He wave to the robot.”Let the 355 slide partner. He did not cause any damage to you and we leave him with a citation.”

The robot deactivated the field and a printout appeared from an opening slot.” HQ Computronic calculated the citation fee of 200 credits.”

Harkun paid the robot. The cop even called a cab for him.

He returned to the hotel and his room, bathed as long as he could and consulted the hotels Virtu Doc who checked him out and fixed the physical wounds in no time.

He tried it again, this time he was less self absorbed and this time followed the door mans advice who even called him a way finder drone. A small ball shaped thing that floated before him to show the way.

Clenching his teeth he passed across the seemingly hand hold free sky bridge, and the Way-finder drone directed him to a vertical conveyor like lift system and snarled.” Exit the Verti- Shooter at level zero and you will not be able to miss the entrance to TMS Main station. I have reached the extend of my permitted operation assistance from the Hotel and wish you a nice day.”

The Verti shooter moved fast down the outside of an enormous sky scraper. Everything talked around here and even the Verti Shooter cab. “Reaching Zero level in 10 seconds. Trans Matter Station, Multi Shop and Post Office.”

This time he was certain he was at the right place. Four huge gates in the facade of a building with hundreds of beings coming in and out like a never ending stream. Above the gate he saw openings and taxi Cab bubbles, commercial and private floaters buzzing in and out without end or break.

He stepped on the slide belt moving in, packed with beings. Some of them holding PDD’s before them with activated field screens reading, others chatting with each other or eating food they got from vendors bots that flew back and forth from various restaurants and food stands.

Right before him on the belt was an elderly woman and a matching white haired man wearing big boots and what seemed to be rain coats. He heard her say to the old man:”I am so excited to pass through a Trans Matter Tunnel. Do you think it will hurt?”

A bored looking boy in a black one piece suit with deep purple swirls on the back laughed.” You won’t even notice it lady. There isn’t anything to be excited about! I bet you must be from some Prim Planet on the fringes!”

“We are from Splish-Splash.” She said with disappointment in her voice.”They have these transmitter tunnels only on the most populated worlds.”

The boy laughed again.”Splish-Splash eh? Well they had to name your planet something I guess. If you want an exciting ride you feel something I recommend the Super Express Slide way to Continent 3. Moves at 50 miles an hour through a transparent Ocean tunnel”

Harkun paid no longer attention to them as the Slide way ended and he stood in a cavernous hall. He was certain you could fit the Burg complete with the island at least five times in it with room to spare. Someone snarled at him to step out of the way and he observed the incoming people splitting up selecting from 12 smaller slides. Each slide way moved them towards huge hexagon shaped rings to the left of the buildings entrance The inside of the rings were utterly black and the slide belt carried the passengers right into it where they disappeared. Gliders and taxis flew without slowing down into these black fields. As he turned to the right he saw twelve identical rings and beings and gliders appeared in a steady stream.

Above each hexagon floating light signs designating destinations. None of them however read Ripley’s Canyon.

A blue robot with the Information I on head torso and back caught his eye and despite the fact he had no desire to talk to yet another machine he had to do it. “Where do I find the Trans Matter Tunnel to Ripley’s Canyon?”

“You can take Slide way nine. It will get you to Suburbia Planet and there you take slide way one to Suburbia Moon One. At the TMS station there you can take the canyon tram or a taxi to Ripley’s Canyon. Or you board a taxi here that takes you there without the need of switching slides yourself. Do you want me to issue you a TMT day pass for 25 credits”

He would never ever use a Taxi again if he not absolutely had to. He paid the robot.

“Unable to connect to your PDD, citizen. Please collect the physical pass at the printout slot.”

He took the slip and stepped on Slide way nine that carried him and many others towards the utter black field. After reading the info screen, he understood the machine would somehow send him very fast to another planet in the same system, but how this was accomplished without spaceships he did not know. The slide way carried him closer and he could now hear the low hum of something incredibly powerful. It was a sound that seemed to bring his very bones to resonance he could no longer see the octagon metal frame, only the black field were beings simply disappeared. As if the gates of Hel swallowed them. Six beings before him, now five, he felt all his hair standing on end as the hum increased as he moved closer. Now four, three, two ... he could see nothing but the black field and then he saw the beings in front of him again moving to the end of the slide belt. He turned and saw the black field behind him. The boy was right he felt absolutely nothing.

Slide belt one was much smaller and so was the Octagon field and only two other humans stepped on it before him. This time he looked at his time piece as he approached the field, suddenly the hands of his analog watch jumped ahead five seconds and as he looked up he had again passed the black field. Five seconds had passed without him experiencing anything. He didn’t like this way of traveling at all. It was too unnatural and certainly against the will of the Gods.

A woman approached him. She wore a tight one piece suit of a burgundy color and a wide flowing red mantle sweeping the floor behind her. She wore the mantel open and it revealed large breasts and wide hips. Her face hidden beneath a wide brimmed red hat and a similar colored veil.” You are from Nilfeheim?”

He was surprised she knew that but he nodded. Eager to get to the Canyon, he was now almost two hours late, even though he started out with 4 hours to spare this morning.” Why do you want to know?”

“Because you are one hour and 49 minutes late. We were supposed to meet at the Chinese Lantern restaurant above Ripley’s Canyon.”

He blinked.” I am to meet and talk to a woman? I am to do business with a female?”

“If I am female or not, if I am Human or not is not what you need to know. I assure you what you see is not my true form and appearance, but even if I was female what has that to do with anything?”

He looked down at her.”Women are good for...” He swallowed the rest and said.” Indeed it matters not. I have not made that choice I am only here to deliver certain things.”

She motioned towards an Arthur’s Swine and Dine.” This place is as good as any.”

Moments later they sat at a table in the automated fast food restaurant.

She began. “I understand your contacts want my contacts to do something.”

Hogun folded his thin hands.” That is so. That something is described on this.” He pushed a data coin across the table and she took it and after a few moments holding it without putting it into a reader she said.” I had to download an App to read that ancient thing, I had no idea those are still used.”

He had no reply to that as he was certainly no expert in those things. She also was silent for about three or four minutes still holding the small disc, then without any apparent effort she crumbled the tough little disc into a metal ball between her fingers.”Since the something you want removed is part of an important structure and the untimely removal will cause others to look into the matter. The fee is 2 Million credits all up front. You will never see or hear from me again and as stipulated on that little disc it will be done on any date we choose between now and the 25th of this month.”

“How do we know you don’t just cash in and leave?”

“No guarantees, no refunds no haggling. Take it or leave it.”

He took it and handed her the Credit chip.

Chapter 13 »