GC 29 Vol 3 Eric Olafson, Basic Training

When I read story offerings, I justify format them; set to Times New Roman 12 pitch, line spacing to 12pt before & 0pt after the line. All this to help my tired old eyes to read them better.

As I go through them I “edit or proof read” them to fix typing, grammatical & spelling errors that often occur because the author can get so caught up in the writing that they can miss words that the mind has put there, also wrong letters can be added by accident. I have done this.

All that being said; if you find a story with these problems don’t bitch about them, do something. But also read the story for what it is – the content. This why I do my proofing, not only for myself, but also for some writers who have asked for another set of eyes to pick up things. They can then adjust the story for themselves.

The Rev.



This is my take on this story for Vanessa's consideration.

Eric Olafson, Basic Training 

by Vanessa Ravencroft 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal; mso-outline-level:4" align="center"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Copyright© 2018 by Vanessa Ravencroft 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">(Volume 3 GC 29)

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:center;line-height:normal" align="center"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">A Galactic Chronicles Tale

Forward
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Foreword by the Author

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This is the third volume in the Eric Olafson saga and the 29th book in the Galactic Chronicles Saga.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the first volume, ‘Eric Olafson, Neo Viking’ tells us about how Eric grows up on the harsh and cold world of Nilfeheim. As much as he wants to deny it, he is a true child of that world. While he grew up and faces his first challenges and meets his first teachers. It also reflected on the awakening of his secret desire.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The second volume, ‘Eric Olafson, First Journeys’ follows Eric as he steps of his home world for the first time but it does not focus on Eric alone. It introduces many of his future friends.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In volume two he was also accepted at the United Stars Fleet Academy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Eric being Eric, his first days at the Academy weren’t anything but eventless.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Chosen to be part of a diplomatic mission to entice the Yokuta to consider Union membership, Eric was tangled up in a Nogoll terror attack, the culmination of actions of an Human purist and a Kermac plot to turn their loss of the Nogoll into an intelligence victory.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Year is 5017 (Old Terran Time)

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Eric is 198 cm tall and weighs almost exactly 90 kilos. Right now, he has very short regulation cut blonde hair. He has gray eyes and some say he moves with the same purpose and grace as a Nubhir Wolf.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Colonists of Nilfeheim received genetic tailoring before they left Earth to better adapt to their harsh new world. Like everyone from Nilfeheim he has a greater tolerance to freezing temperatures and is able to stay submerged under water for a very long time, has a set of gills and eyes that are adapted to see well under water thanks to a second set of clear eyelids. His muscles are denser than that of a standard human, allowing him to swim longer and deeper. Due to that he has greater endurance and is much stronger than a standard human of his size. He left his home world seeking to become a star ship captain in the Union Fleet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He loves fish, has a very clear sense of honor and hates unfair situations. Even though he doesn’t like to admit it, he carries the same short temper of his father and is more often than not ready to face a challenge with his fists or weapons. This and a secret desire he tries so hard to suppress, gets him in more trouble than the average guy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Eric and the other cadets have just returned to the Academy on Arsenal II. The climax of the events that culminated in Eric fighting Kermac agents in a mail processing center underneath the Yokuta space port prevented a potential catastrophe, however two cadets had paid with their lives. (see Eric Olafson, First Journeys)

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Yours truly

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Vanessa Ravencroft

Chapter 1: Leaving Arsenal
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The memorial service for Rodney Barack and Deadan took place almost immediately after our return to the Academy. It was a solemn affair and it brought home to me just how serious the affair on Archilerb really was. I was certain the affair was far from over as far as it concerned the fleet, the Yokuta and the level of hostilities between Union and the Galactic Council.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shot two of the Kermac bastards but I knew there had to be more. The Yokuta I fought were still under psionic control after I had killed the two I had encountered. While that was the job of the PSI Corps and NAVINT and not that of a cadet. Out of that reason I was certain I would not be briefed with any follow ups.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All cadets were wearing dress uniform for this memorial service. They had us assembled on one of the lawns, that like gigantic slices of green pizza, separated by the dark red concrete applicant paths centered on the Academy tower in the very center of this pressurized installation, protected by a transparent Duranium dome.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Beyond the dome I could see the titanic shape of the USS Shetland. This dreadnought made of millions of tons of molecule compacted Ultronit, dwarfed the Academy. Yet just as we had started to gather, she was starting to rise into the sky. Pushed against the planet’s gravitation by bright green glowing artigrav generators.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She soon disappeared into the dense sulfuric yellow clouds.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed and directed my attention to my friends and to the sad affair ahead. Potsema, the female Garbini tree polyp being a methane breather could hold her breath for days, and Ninio was able to willingly slow down his metabolism, this is why they survived the ordeal being packed into plastic by a robot while forced to let it happen by armed mind controlled Yokuta. Rodney, being a normal human being could not survive sealed into a tough plastic skin, without being able to breathe he suffocated and died a painful death. Deadan had been killed by Kermac agents using Psionic means. Not that I knew all that much about any of my new friends, I had virtually no contact to Rodney and only exchanged a few words with Deadan, yet their death felt like a great loss to me. I felt guilty and wondered if I should have done something earlier.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two metal coffins were set on a raised dais and each of them was covered with the Union flag. We, the seven surviving members of that group stood separated from the rest of the cadets on the side of the coffin stand. Admiral Stokes and two high ranking officers waited in silence until everyone had found their spot and stood in attention. He then read an eulogy talking about the lives and the families of both cadets and gave a brief account of our mission and the events that lead to the death of the two cadets. After that he motioned to me and said. “Cadet Lieutenant Olafson was chosen by the group to speak a few words.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before the proceedings Admiral Webb had asked us if we wanted to say a few words and the others had elected me. It was a great honor but also a quite difficult and emotional task. I had only a few minutes to prepare for it and it was the first time, hopefully the last I had to do something like that. Admiral, Officers and Instructors and fellow cadets, it is not easy for me to find the right words. Standing behind the lectern looking in all the faces I shivered and begun.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I never was asked to do something like that before. I am, like most of you just over a week in this Academy and it is not enough time to really get to know someone. We had the great honor to participate in a real diplomatic mission. I am sure Deadan was one of the instrumental factors, with his great knowledge of political matters that the Yokuta decided to begin the membership application process. Rodney was quiet and didn’t say much and if he said something it was usually to ask for some extra food. He was the only human in our group who really enjoyed Yokuta food and music. Both cadets were well liked and we going to miss their presence for sure. May Odin or whatever deities they worshiped welcome them in a better place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I lowered my head and then stepped down.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Deadan’s body so I learned was to be shipped home and Barack’s coffin would be shot into space as his family requested.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The instructors postponed all training for that day and allowed everyone to reflect and talk to others.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That evening I learned that Potsema and Ninio wanted to quit the Academy. Ninio told me that he felt responsible for the death of the two and Potsema told she was not cut out to see friends die. Even when I argued that Ninio discovered the Kermac plot and doing so saved a lot of lives, he had made up his mind. He gave me a hug. “Eric I owe you my life and I will never forget you. You have become a very good friend in this short time, but this is not for me. I decided to pay my respect to the parents of Deadan and then become a musician. I realize now, this military life is not for me. Plemo is different; he wants revenge now and has signed up for the Marines. Potsema is going with me; I think we will become the first Elly-Garbini couple in union history. Don’t ask me how this is going to work, we don’t know that either, yet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Potsema also gave me one of her trademark squiggles and the two went, to finalize their decision officially. I wondered if I would ever see or hear of them again. Plemo also said his good bye and suddenly our group that had been ten beings thrown together by chance was reduced to four.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The next day we were separated by the Black Nogoll Instructor.” I am sorry to do that to you, but training groups are always ten.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had a few moments to say good bye to each other and promised to keep in contact, knowing deep down that we would probably not see or hear from each other again.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was assigned to a new group, as one of them had quit the other day.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">By now they too had formed initial friendships and I was the newcomer and felt somewhat excluded. The next days were filled with class room and drilling exercises. We learned how to march, stand at attention and salute correctly. Class room and drill was only interrupted by physical exercise and formal dinners.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Five days had passed since I had returned from Archilerb and still I barely knew the names of the others in my dorm group. As every morning this day begun with breakfast in the big hall and I started to get used to the drill and class room routine and was not surprised when instructors came in, hovering on their floating platforms above our heads, carrying PDDs in clip board mode and started called names. Mine was called right away and I was sent into a nondescript unfurnished waiting room with about 200 other cadets. I did not see anyone I knew.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A gray skinned Shaill, a semi rigid intelligent mollusk being from a Star system far in the Coreward sector wearing its version of a black Navy Uniform floated into the room on his own hover sled and said: “Listen up, Cadets. This group is complete now. You are going to board transport 342 to be shipped out to Camp Idyllic.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The mollusk floated towards an exit and said. “Everyone gather your gear, clear your bunk and meet me at 09:15 hours at Rim Exit 12.” Then he passed out little plastic cards with the number 342 on it. “Don’t lose them and be on time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Camp Idyllic?” A greenish skinned humanoid next to me asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged: “I have no clue. But it does sound nice”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A humanoid completely shrouded in a green monk like garment spoke with a deep voice: “Camp Idyllic is one of the basic training camps the Navy operates. It is located in the Nardir System, one hundred and twelve light years from here on a garden world called Green Eden.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh boy!” A massive looking human, two heads taller than me, grunted. “I heard of Camp Idyllic. My brother went to Camp Allure last year. He said it was pure hell and he heard that Camp Idyllic is supposed to be the worst.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As I packed my gear from my locker into the tube shaped sack with carry straps, I noticed crews of civilian employees and robots cleaning the dorm, stripping beds and removing name tags from lockers. I was certain we would not return to these dorms. Rim Exit twelve was exactly opposite to the main entrance and while I waited before the entrance I saw orange dressed academy aspirants stream from the main entrance and fill the applicant roads. The green skinned human said. “I guess we passed the first hurdle.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I agreed. “It looks like that. I wonder if they do the inmate routine to them as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He shook his head. “No I think I heard the Nogoll instructor say something about the Mutiny routine. Whatever that is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Shaill officer appeared checked his PDD and collected the number cards, and then he herded us onto a slide belt that carried us to a waiting transport ship. Twenty minutes later the military version of a small space bus left Arsenal II.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The shrouded man now sat next to me in the starboard seat row. His garment had an attached hood and he wore it pulled over his head obscuring him completely, except for two eyeholes. The massive humanoid sat in the seat on my other side.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The deck plates vibrated slightly as the Leyland’s ISAH drive kicked the ship past the trans-luminal threshold. We now traveled in quasi-space a thin layer between the Planck Universe and the Hawkins Omniverse.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The muscular strong guy glanced at the hooded being.” Why are you hiding your face under that hood?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because I am Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I never heard of Narths. Are you ashamed of your face or something?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The green skinned one spoke from across the Isle: “Limbur let him be! He is a Narth. You don’t want to mess with a Narth!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur pointed at his massive arms. “Do you think someone with guns like these is afraid of a goon in a hood?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The green one seemed to know Limbur raised his hands. “Physical strength doesn’t mean much when you’re dealing with a Narth. Trust me on that! Now relax and come with me. I found out this ship has a refreshment bar on the lower deck! I’m buying!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur readily agreed and the two left towards the back.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was quite tired but I turned to the hooded being:” What is a Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He didn’t move his shrouded head as he spoke with that deep voice. “It is very complicated to answer your question in terms you would understand. One is Narth. Narth are very old and to many beings our true nature is unsettling or even harmful. This is why Narth chooses to cover one’s selfs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wasn’t sure if I said anything to him after that, since I fell asleep even without the sleep inducer.

Chapter 2: Green Eden
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There were no machines, no robots, no ships or vehicles and no one waiting for us. Someone from the flight deck addressed us via the com system: “Welcome to Camp Idyllic. Grab your gear and debark through the rear air lock. Hurry up; I have a Schedule to keep and two more transports to make. Wait here and someone will be with you shortly.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everyone debarked and just as the last cadet stepped of the ramp, the Airlock closed and the transport ship climbed back into space.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was very humid and hot. The air was pungent with the stench of rotten plants. Strange sounds came from the surrounding jungle. Small insects buzzed all around us. The exposed dirt on the landing field was reddish in color and very moist. It stuck to the soles of my boots.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I counted one hundred and fifty cadets and everyone was standing there waiting for something to happen, but even after almost two hours no one showed up to tell us what to do.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The crowd of cadets became a little restless.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur scratched his polished scalp. “Now what? Are we supposed to do something? Isn’t anyone coming?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His green skinned friend, his name I had learned was Wintsun appeared to like the environment judging by the smile on his face, but the smile vanished as he replied to his friend. “I don’t sense or hear any sentient being in the vicinity. While I am not a full telepath, I am usually able to detect sentient minds. I feel nothing and I begin to wonder myself!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Narth who was standing next to me agreed: “One cannot sense any sentient or coherent thoughts, but there are life forms out there considering this group as a viable source of sustenance right now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The group became quite worried after he said that and the word spread. At least three more hours passed and still no one showed up. The mood of the group has deteriorated even more. Some complained about the heat, the moisture, the insects and no place to sit down.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I picked up the Fleet issue garment bag that held my spare uniforms and personal gear, shouldered it and started walking towards the buildings at the other end of the landing field. The Narth did the same and followed me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Where do you think you’re going?” Asked Limbur.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I decided to inspect those buildings and then wait there. It seems to be a better place to wait than here in the open. I expect the sun to set soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth didn’t turn: “The Neo Viking’s plan of action is logical. One shall follow his lead.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun took his bag and said:” Can I come along?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged.” Sure you can. I am not in charge here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Actually according to regulations, someone has to be in charge and since you are doing something and you are a Cadet Lieutenant you are in charge!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur followed us too.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A cadet with bluish skin and coppery almost metallic shimmering red hair objected: “You can’t leave! We were ordered to remain here and wait!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Wonderful. Why don’t you wait and let me do my thing? “I said and kept on walking. He yelled after us but I simply ignored him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">About two clicks away from the point where we landed, at the long end of the crude landing field we reached the three buildings I had seen from the air. The jungles edge was about 200 meters further away and the cleared area packed with pebbles and rocks. I did not see any recent tracks, neither of machines, humans or animals for that matter. Anyone or anything not flying would have to make tracks in that surface.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What is so interesting about that dirt?” Limbur wanted to know as I squatted down and touched the ground to gauge its moisture

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tracks I am looking for tracks. If you look behind you can see the ones we made. Around here there are no recent tracks and the ones I see are very old and almost disappeared, I think those triangular ones are made by an animal.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth also knelt down. “Interesting, by evaluating the surface marks left behind by others you can actually deduct surface movement. It is quite logical. How do you come to the conclusion these surface marks you do see are old?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Look at our tracks in the dirt. They are crisp and well defined; I can see the sole imprints of our boots and probably deduct shoe size, gait distance and weight of the person making the tracks. Limbur is the biggest of us and his tracks are deeper than the other, his steps are further apart. Now over here we have a few vehicle marks, made by something on tracks I think, but the edges are round and washed in, by rain and wind. Now I don’t know the rain and wind patterns of this world but they have to be at least several days old, since I see no foot prints. I think these tracks are weeks or month old and the lighter foot traffic is already obliterated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth touched his own foot print.” This is fascinating!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur agreed.” I didn’t even really notice the tracks until you pointed them out to us. I never knew you could read so much out of them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun shrugged. “Of course everything leaves tracks. Did you never go hunting?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur smacked Wintsun in a friendly manner. “Of course not, you know where I am from. Nothing ever leaves tracks in a big city on Duro Crete and slide ways.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun rubbed his side. “Yes I know your world. Three times the regular gravitation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. I guess if you look close enough you might even find tracks on Duro-Crete.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth said to me. “Will you tell me more about how you interpret tracks?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes gladly but maybe we should check out the buildings first and establish a base of operation stabilize our situation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One agrees with your assessment of our situation and will look forward when you further one’s education in the interpretation of tracks.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A weathered sign above the entrance read,” Camp Idyllic”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I went walking around the buildings first, and they kept following me. Two of the buildings looked like storage sheds and the middle building was a two story deal made of manufactured wood.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a roofed porch surrounding the main structure. It had rectangular windows and a solid looking entrance door. “Anyone here?” I yelled as loud as I could. “Hello?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth shook his hooded head. “One senses, no thoughts or brain activity.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well I learned there are life forms immune to Psionics or able to shield their presence. Maybe there are machines or some form of acoustic relay.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth nodded. “Again you speak quite logical! One is learning much today”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You keep saying that and I will start to believe I actually can do that, speaking logical that is”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everything looked solid, somewhat weathered but in overall good condition. I slowly went up the front porch stairs and checked the door. It was a simple hinged door with a mechanical lock and knob, but it wasn’t locked so I went in. I stepped into a foyer with four doors to each side. A flight of stair leading up and one leading down, the door opposite to the entrance was obviously the back door leading back outside. There was no furniture, no machinery. The air was less humid than outside and felt a few degrees cooler. Wintsun behind me said.” I wonder what purpose these buildings serve. They are certainly not big enough to house all cadets.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. “Maybe these are meant just for the instructors and we have to build our own or sleep in tents or so.” To Narth said: “Do you sense anything now?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He shook his shrouded head. “No conscious thoughts here, but back on the landing field the situation among the remaining individuals appears to be deteriorating. There is confusion and there are indications that soon will lead to violence. The situation is quite unstable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s not our problem. Let that Admiral Kid deal with it.” Wintsun snorted at that and then looked at me. “What do you want us to do?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let’s check out the rest of this house and then look at the other two buildings.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The entire building was empty. There were four large empty rooms on the second floor and a tiled bath with working plumbing and fresh water coming out of the faucets. The lights worked as well. In the basement we found a water recycler attached to a well and an Industrial Power Cube with a charge that would last at least a hundred years. Two sets of Laundry Machines and storage room full of blankets, padded jackets, and stacks of soap and hygiene articles. Back up on the ground floor we discovered, three more empty rooms and as we opened the last door of the ground floor Narth asked: “What matter of place is this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s a kitchen.” I responded happily. “A kitchen with a wood stove, sink and freezer unit.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How do you know this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Many families on Nilfeheim prefer this old fashioned traditional way of preparing meals over Serv-Matics.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Fossil heat, raw fish and meat; the images you transmit are, exceptionally primitive!” Narth said, slowly shaking his head.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I truly appreciate your abilities and I think you are a very nice person. I just wish not every third person I run into can sense what I am thinking!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth do not communicate verbally at all, we do not use acoustic voices and one is not accustomed to be among humans. One is very sorry one offended you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His usually emotionless voice had a note of sadness and I felt sorry for snapping at him. So I put my hand on his shoulder. “Narth I think we are going to be stuck here for a while. I won’t be offended or bothered if you know my thoughts. I am sorry I barked at you.” I held out my hand. “Friends?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth didn’t make a sound or move for quite some moments then he slowly took my hand into his gloved one. It felt cold even through the leather like fabric. “Yes Eric, one shall be your friend!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you’re welcome to read my thoughts anytime. I just need to get used to all those Psionics.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This can be corrected, you know. Narth can change you so that no one can ever read you again!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Now that is something I will consider, but for now let’s check out this kitchen and see what is there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The freezer unit was stuffed with labeled packages and the pantry held Vac-packs of vegetables, meat, fish and rice and other packs with food items I could not identify right away. There was enough to feed an army of many different species over an extended period of time! The pantry was stacked to the ceiling with boxes of conserves, flower, raw food ingredients, spices and condiments.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In a drawer I found all sorts of kitchen utensils including knives. I armed myself with the largest mono filament knife. It had a convenient butchers sheath as well that easily attached to my belt.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why the knife?” Wintsun asked, looking over my shoulder into the drawer.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I feel better with some sort of weapon especially after Narth told us that there might be life forms that consider us prey. Besides a knife is a tool and could come in handy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun followed my example right away and took a knife as well. “How about you, Spooky?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth turned on the spot as if he stood on a mechanical turntable. Wintsun took several steps back startled by the sudden and strange move. “One assumes that you addressed me?” He then snapped his gloved finger. “One just comprehended the application of your word choice. I understand you exercised the human habit of addressing me with an epithet, a moniker or nickname.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Uh, yes exactly! That is what I did!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One shall research that more! As for your initial question: No, one does not need a weapon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I patted him on the shoulder. “It’s what humans do. In a potential hostile environment you are better off with a weapon than without one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of the knifes floated all by itself out of the drawer and Narth took it and put it under his long sleeve. He then moved his hooded head to look at us both. “Simple Telekinetics!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Maybe Psionics are quite useful!” I managed to say. “And don’t cut yourself.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your concern for one’s wellbeing is duly noted, One shall not cut oneself. Even though it might be an interesting experiment.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I sure don’t know anything about your society my new friend, but cutting yourself with a Mono blade is anything but interesting.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur grinned.” It is quite messy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I yield to your expertise. Narth do not use Knives on Narth Prime.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How do you cut your food, then?” Limbur wanted to know.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth do not consume food that needs to be cut.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Quite a time saver, I imagine.” Wintsun shrugged and handed Limbur a big meat cleaver. “That thing has Limbur written all over it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth leaned forward. “One do not see the word Limbur on this tool at all. The words read: NSF – stainless. Your name is NFS stainless too?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While Wintsun tried to explain to Narth what he meant he also tried to teach him to use I and me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I left the Kitchen and out to the back and checked on the other two buildings placed next to each other behind the main structure.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There where storage huts and both structures were locked with simple padlocks, the monofilament knife cut through the wood frame like butter.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you think it is wise to break in?” Asked Limbur, who had followed me and looked over my shoulder while I was cutting around the lock plate.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well nobody said we can’t. This is a Fleet installation and in lieu of any higher authority we represent the Fleet and should be authorized.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This storage building held pallets stacked with self-erecting tents, emergency food rations, construction tools and several power cubes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other building was stacked with even more food rations, spare uniforms, water containers and stacks of boxes and crates with other stuff

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A bright yellow and red painted dura steel locker with ID lock caught my eye.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">On it a sign in bold letters read: “Armory! Authorized Personnel Only”.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth approached me: “A fight broke out at the landing field. Someone got hurt.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let them fight! We got all the food we need!” Limbur made an old but still popular and vulgar hand gesture into the direction of the landing field.” It’s not our problem.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Does it not strike you odd, that no one showed up to instruct us? Maybe the camp personnel was attacked and killed by something in the Jungle!” Speculated Wintsun with a worried look on his face and gazing towards the dark green wall of vegetation.” I come from a Jungle World and we have colonized it for a long time and still we discover new and often dangerous life forms.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shook my head. “This seems unlikely to me. We would have found some evidence of occupancy in the main building. All this stuff is stored and locked away. No one left here in a hurry or unexpected.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun rubbed his chin. “Makes sense to me but where are they?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged: “I don’t know why no one has shown up to give us any instructions. Maybe the ship with the instructors was delayed somehow, or we got dropped off at the wrong planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur rolled his eyes. “That just could be our luck, some clerk filed the wrong flight papers and the shuttle pilot has long forgotten about us. It may take weeks till they know we’re missing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I examined the lock at the Armory. It was a state of the art ID lock. Then I looked over my shoulder and said: “Maybe this is simply another test to see how we react. Until we know for sure we cannot completely eliminate your first speculation either. We should make the best out of the situation. It’s not like we are completely screwed. We got all this stuff! I think we should go back and tell them what we found and then see if we can find something in here that can be used to send a Trans Dim message.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They all agreed and we went back to the landing field.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we reached the others we found one of the cadets lying on the ground not moving, bleeding from a head wound and another one was sitting in the dirt, pressing his hand over a bleeding wound at his neck. There was a hushed silence and everyone looked at us.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The blue skinned guy stood before them holding a wooden stick like a club. His other fist prodded against his hip and barked at me: “Cadet you have left this area unauthorized. I am placing you under arrest until superior officers arrive! Resist me and I will deal with you as I have dealt with those deserters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I gasped and said:” You are doing what?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Swybin, Son of Admiral Swybar. I assumed command. I know everything about the Fleet and its regulations. You all will call me commandant, address me with Sir and only speak if I give permission. Most of all and you will follow my every order. Anything less will result in severe and swift punishment.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Narth shook his head. “Relationship to a ranking officer does not give you command authority. Rank is not inherited but earned by completing the process we all have started by joining the Academy. You have no authority to place anyone under arrest or assume command.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun stood straight with a serious face, and said with loud voice holding a PDD before him and it was blinking in record mode: “United Stars Fleet General Orders section one, paragraph 35. In the absence of higher command authority and during situations where only equal ranking personnel is present, the fleet member taking charge in said situation is by default of his action commanding officer with full authority to issue orders.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first cadet taking action was Eric Olafson and I hereby evoke said General Order. You, Eric are to take charge of post and all government property in control reach. Until such time you are relieved of command by proper identified command authority.” He took a sharp breath and added: “Put on record on this day and this hour, by Cadet Alsher Wintsun. Service number 4523232-W-23234.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth nodded. “He is correct, that is the text of that general order and by evoking it and putting it on record it has been made official and legal, he now is our commanding officer. Besides Eric is a Cadet Lieutenant and even though it is a rank without command authority in absence of any higher ranks it gives Eric command privileges.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin didn’t like that and it clearly showed. “I am the son of Admiral Swybar and I am the logical choice here. When the Instructors come they will listen to me alone because a single word of mine can cost their career! You records will mean nothing. Be warned I will report you all as deserters if you do not follow my instructions and orders!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A female cadet held up her handbook. “What Wintsun said is correct. It states it right here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin raised his wooden club to strike her. “Silence, that book means nothing. My word alone is to be followed!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I would not allow anyone hitting an unarmed woman in my presence ever again. I had seen my own mother being beaten to death and no one would do so again while I could draw a breath or lift an arm, but he was too far for me to reach him in time to prevent the first strike.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The wooden club was stopped in midair as if was hitting something very hard. It splintered and Swybin yelped in pain. The pieces of the wooden club flew in a high arc away. Narth eye slits glowed visibly with a dark red light. “You act in a highly illogical matter and your mind is clouded with self-delusion of imagined importance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin held his hand in pain and growled in open hatred. “My father will have you hanged for this. No one disobeys an Admiral! You will all hang!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Enough of this!” I yelled! “One thing is certain you are not an Admiral. You are a cadet like me and everyone else here. I promise you if you ever raise your hand in violence against an unarmed and weaker person I will break every bone in your body!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I frankly don’t know much about regulations or Fleet orders yet, heck I didn’t even know we have handbooks. I am in this Fleet for less than a month.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pointed at the wounded. “We are now getting the injured cadets into the buildings and see what we can do to help them. There are self-erecting emergency tents and there is food and water. It makes no sense to wait here on the landing field. If someone comes they surely will be smart enough to look for us at the buildings over there!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin fumed: “Anyone disregarding my orders will be court-martialed and I assure you my dad will listen to me! We were ordered to wait here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is getting us nowhere. I am going back to those buildings and I will take those wounded cadets along. I am taking full responsibility for my actions and you are welcome to report whatever I did to anyone you like. Anyone that wants to come along is welcome!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun barked loud and with a stern face. “Cadets follow us!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">About twenty cadets remained with Swybin, the rest followed us.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I knelt down to the bleeding cadet and said:” Can you walk?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think so!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright then, go lean against me I get you to the building.” To Limbur I said:” Can you help me with the other one?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur grinned: “I don’t need help with that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He lifted the unconscious man like a weightless toy from the ground and carried him away. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">By night fall we had enough tents erected for everyone. I had them arranged in a circle around the main building as close together as possible. In the building we arranged one room as mess hall and another as an infirmary. One of the Cadets, a girl with skin so black it had a bluish shimmer was a certified EMT, before she joined the Fleet. Her name N’Buga and she found first aid supplies in one of the storage buildings. The one with the head wound seemed alright after N’Buga, the EMT treated him, but the other one was still unconscious. N’Buga bunched the towel she was holding and grinded her teeth. “He most likely got traumatic head injury from that first blow Swybin struck and I don’t have the scanners or tools to check for bleeding or fractures. We must assume the worse and there isn’t much I can do. He needs medical attention as soon as possible!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled at her.” I know you do your best. We’re trying to find some way to call for help.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If I could put him in a stasis field, which would be the best solution for now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I’ll check the supplies maybe they have space suits.” Wintsun said who was standing next to us, rubbing his chin and looking like he had an idea.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What would a Space suit do?” I asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“All Fleet space suits have an Auto-Doc and are stasis system capable in case someone get lost in space and needs to conserve energy and life support.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well let’s tear those storage sheds apart and see what we can find!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Almost an hour later opening countless shipping containers one cadet held up a sealed package and said.” Not a space suit but the bio-stasis replacement module for one, complete with Auto Doc.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two cadets with engineering skills rigged a make shift space suit out of repair tape and tent skin, we placed the injured cadet inside and N’Buga activated the Cryostasis unit.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Her face relaxed as the indicator lights went green.”Well that should stabilize him better than anything else we can do until help arrives.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was standing at the door to our improvised infirmary when Narth approached me, he didn’t make any sound when he moved. “The tents are all up. Wintsun and Limbur passed out ration food bars and water. One ... I posted the guards as you asked. Two are on the roof and the other two on each side of the camp. Now what do you want the rest to do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are you sure no one resents me giving orders and all that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth put his hand on my shoulder. “No Eric, the sentiment on our side has drastically improved. Be assured I do whatever you order!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked around to collect my thoughts. “We should inventory the items in the storage buildings. Ration the food, water seems to be no problem, but until we know how long we have to be here or know what native resources are consumable. I think we should ration the food. We post double guards at both storage places. No one is to help themselves to food outside of meal times.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A wise precaution indeed, I shall convey your orders! I also suggest we open the armory case and supply the guards with better weapons than clubs and knifes. Only a few are trained in any sort of combat and I foresee we might need real weapons before the night is over!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright but I am going to open it myself, in case we get in trouble for it, it’s only me they can punish!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is comendable, but I will share this responsibility with you!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The lock and the armory would not yield to a simple knife so I pushed my thumb on the lock and a voice said.” Biometric data not on file. Access denied.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I m Cadet Eric Olafson. I am in command of a group of cadets, as per General Orders section one, paragraph 35. No higher fleet authority present. Access to the weapons is vital.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“ID chip information recorded. Command authority accepted. Access granted.” The lock snapped open.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The box held ten brand new military issue Directed Energy Blasters. With Narth’s help I picked eight cadets with the most prior experience handling such weapons and armed them with DEB’s, located them strategically so they could rest and eat yet rush to the site of any alarm in short time. Two guns I kept in reserve, just in case.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then I had them break out the construction tools and equipped the rest with power saws and similar tools that could be used as makeshift weapons. I myself armed myself with a vibro blade axe. I still was a novice when it came to blasters and guns, but this was a weapon I understood.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The two cadets with engineering skills had rigged an air conditioning system for the infirmary from parts they found in the store room and they were quite proud as they showed off their handy work. Both were human. The taller one of the pair had black hair and it stuck so tight to his skull it looked almost as if it was painted. He had big eyes and a small mouth, his name was Albert. The exposed skin of the other guy was covered with colorful tattoos in bright blues and blacks. His hair was red almost orange and his eyes where the greenest I ever saw, he listened to the name of Shawn. It was Shawn who proudly demonstrated the workings of the air conditioning system and explained to me. “Al rigged it with four tent units and I tied it into the building energy supply box. We can keep the place warm or cold.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That’s a good job you did.” Was all that came to my mind? It surprised me that my comment caused proud smiles. Albert didn’t say much, but he had fashioned himself a tool belt and stuffed with all sorts of tools.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Shaun asked “What do you want us to do next?” He looked eager to do something and so did his friend Al.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We need some sort of central watchtower. An elevated place we can see everything and if you could rig something like a TransDim comm. anything that might be used to send a message that would be good.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Shawn shook his head. “Can’t do, Sir, None of the spare parts have transdim spools and without them nothing goes past the LI thresh hold.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Albert said something to Shawn in a language I never heard and Shawn nodded.” Aye we could try that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What did he say?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Shawn punched the other. “Don’t speak that German-Irish gibberish, he doesn’t understand the old Engineering Language!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Albert grinned sheepishly. “Sorry Captain. I am just so happy that I found Shawn who speaks one of the old engineering languages that we started to use it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had no idea what he was talking about but nodded anyway.” That’s fine. Can you make a TransDim Radio?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not exactly, but if we can take one of the DE rifles apart and use the containment field modulator and use the Computronic of the ID Lock from the Armory, I am sure we could make a TransDim Morse code transmitter. No voice no images and we couldn’t receive but anyone with a TransDim Set in range could hear us. The Containment field is TransDim bases you see and by modulating it we would have a crude transmitter.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Why do I get the feeling you all know more about this than I do? Have you done this before?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Albert shrugged. “I haven’t. I was raised on a ship and haven’t been much dirt side, but I think I know pretty much all non classified techs inside and out. That’s important, especially if your family space ship is a rust bucket about to fall apart. You learn to jury rig and improvise from early on!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Shawn explained. “Morse code is truly ancient and comes from Earth Pre-Astro time. But its simplicity and usefulness made it an almost universal thing. Every Comm Officer aboard any ship military or civilian knows Morse code. Besides any Computronic will recognize it as artificial transmission and can translate it.” Then he added. “It’s my first time in the Academy for sure, but I was born on Kikenny and being an Engineer is more than a tradition to us, it’s a religion.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Then you should try doing what Al suggested.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Aye Sir!” The black haired cadet rubbed his hands. “I am all over it. And tomorrow I use the rest of the parts and some odds and ends and install a high energy fence around the place.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Shawn was as excited. “Yeah we can do that with the box of energy coils! But first let us built a watch tower for Eric as he ordered and after that we build...” The two walked away chatting and making plans. Another cadet I had not noticed before handed me a PDD in clip board mode. “Here is the inventory of the food items in the kitchen, Sir. Kaila, Ivax and I are now tackling the other storage locker.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Thank you, Cadet. Good job. When you done and after your break. Could you make a list of all Cadets, their species and their names?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You got it Sir!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I took the board and glanced at it and handed it back. “Very efficient and orderly list!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">She smiled warmly.” Thank you Sir. Wintsun was right when he picked you.” She turned and left with a light spring in her step.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Night and darkness finally came after a long sunset. Narth was confident he could calculate the duration of a local day after tomorrow.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Nights on Green Eden, so it became apparent where very dark, there was no moon to reflect any sunlight. The stars however where spectacular!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">And soon we learned that night fall caused a sharp drop in temperatures and it was getting colder by the minute. The tents had heating elements and we found plenty of blankets and padded uniform jackets and I was certain we would be fine.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth told me the situation on the landing field was getting worse by the minute. The handful of cadets that remained with Swybin where cold, hungry and confused aggression and fear tensed to a breaking point. He also sensed aggressive emotions from beings in the jungle and that there was more of that activity now than during the day.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I had the guards equipped with hand held search lights and we worked out a guard schedule. I was just inspecting the tents and talked to a Cadet from Earth, who was one of the armed guards when Wintsun came down the steps of the main building and said “Everything looks fine, everyone is contempt. Sure everyone is wondering what happened to the Instructors, but there isn’t any fear.” He pounded my shoulder. “I hand it to you, Viking you know your stuff!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Wintsun, I really don’t anything and the more I talk to other the more I realize that.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">He said nothing just smiled at me and wiped on his feet and I was about to return to talk to the girl from Terra when he said. “What do we do now?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We wait, keep our guard up and see what happens.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“There are plenty of idle cadets with nothing to do. They want to help and do something! They are eager to do whatever you tell them.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Alright, let’s run this place Fleet like! I don’t know much about it yet, and all I was instructed about was food and appearance. So I want the hallway made into a mess hall. Find chairs and tables make them out of shipping crates or something and get a group on heating ready meals. Everyone not on guard post will attend, perfectly groomed and dressed.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Guard posts are to be relieved half way through dinner and also need to groom and bathe before they attend. I want all rooms scrubbed and cleaned and the kitchen sparkling clean. Have a few of them check out those Uniform laundry machines in the basement and see if they work. We need two guys that keep a schedule on the Shower and bath room facility.” I spread my arms and said. “That will keep them busy!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">To my surprise she and Wintsun smiled from one ear to the other and almost yelled. “Yes Sir that it will!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I too took a shower, put on a clean uniform, shaved the few beard whiskers that had sprouted on my chin and combed my long blonde hair, braided it as it was tradition and then went with Narth to the storage sheds. We looked over the food supply list and calculated we could serve three meals to everyone for about thirty days, and then still have emergency bars for another six month.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Let’s not hope we will be here for that long.” I said.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth shook his hooded head. “It is highly unlikely we will be.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Still I think we should keep the guard and household with what we got.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The situation dictates such precautions and is logical.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You really think I am that logical?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am unable to make a conclusive analysis of your logical capabilities as my exposure to you is limited to a relative short time span, but all instructions you have given and all actions taken, show that you follow a clear defined path when it comes to challenges as the one we are currently faced with.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You always talk like that?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Certainly not. We Narth do not converse using acoustic verbal means and I only talk to you or others if the situation requires it. Therefore I do not always talk. It would be illogical to do so if there is no one to listen for example.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You made my point.” I smiled at Narth. “I am sure the day comes you and I actually really understand what the other means.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I share your vision of this future.” Narth and I inspected the camp and the guard posts.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Wintsun joined us. “Ah here you are. We have prepared the west facing room in the upper level for you and Spooky. So you have a place to sleep and work. You should also see what the crew had done to the hall.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You don’t think I should use a tent like the others?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You are in command and according to the handbook it is preferable to find separate accommodations for the CO when the situation permits it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I sighed.” Let’s check out what they have done and then you should tell me why you know that handbook so well

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Wintsun shrugged. “I downloaded a copy from GalNet before I applied and read much of it. I like to read and I thought the Academy Handbook would be a good thing read since I was going there.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth pointed at Wintsun. “This was a perfect example of logical reasoning, Eric.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I actually agreed with Narth and I should have thought of doing the very same thing. “I wonder why I don’t have one.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Wintsun shrugged. “They handed out actual real printed copies to everyone about six or seven days ago.” He showed me a small book with soft plastic cover and very thin pages filled with text, drawings and small instructional visual recordings.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">In sighed. “I guess that happened during the time when we went to Archilerb.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Now I remember! You were the Cadet who gave the Eulogy to the two dead cadets. Everyone knows something about that story, but I bet most is scuddlebud.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">We had reached the back door and entered the main building. The empty hallway had transformed rather nicely into a make shift mess hall with two rows of tables with bed sheets as table cloth. Field mess kits had been arranged as place settings and someone had found a Union flag and hung it from the far end wall.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">And almost every seat was taken. Wintsun pointed at the crate at the short end and I felt awkward taking this obviously prominent spot, and uncomfortable because every eye was on me. Wintsun leaned over. “Since we don’t have servers, the food is already placed but we waited on you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I cleared my throat, took the water bottle and raised it. “Unknown is what lies ahead, let us face it like Fleet officers. I know still little about the ways, regulations and traditions of the fleet. I did not ask to be in this leadership position, but since I am in that position you can rest assure I will do my very best. Tomorrow is a new day, we are deep in Union space, and we have plenty of food, weapons, and a great pool of talents, good shelter and lots of work. Our instructors will show up sooner or later. Until then I raise my glass and drink to you and all of us. To the Fleet, to tomorrow.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I drank and sat down and began to eat looking sheepishly around. Not one face of those I could read showed amusement, but I could almost sense the collective pride.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">A frail looking Cadet who almost looked like a skeleton bowed his bony head and blinked his sunken eyes. “This was a good toast, Sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">During the sixth hour of darkness, after I had few hours of sleep, I climbed on the roof, where we had installed our makeshift Watchtower, to take my post and my turn of the watch. The temperature had dropped below freezing now. Someone had taped a tent tarp between four posts and used the heating unit as blower making it not a bad spot at all.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I just made it there when a bright light finger suddenly stabbed into the darkness from the left guard position below me and then came the shouts of alarm!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I didn’t know the names of the cadets sitting there, but they where humanoid and one asked me in a hushed voice. “Mr. Olafson, what is going on?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I don’t know, Cadet. But we are going to find out!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I took his spot light and pointed it into the same direction as the first one. Something large with green scaled skin and six legs was caught in the strong bright light beams. It was so big I could see its teeth gleaming from up here. The beast was confused by the sudden light and had stopped its advance. It was at least twenty meters long and perhaps five tall. I shouted. “Two gun men to the North west corner guard post. Everyone else remain where you are!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The beast overcame its hesitation and started to advance towards the camp. I waited for the cadets with rifles to be in position and then I yelled:”Fire at will!” Two sun bright bolts of energy lashed out, caught the beast and the sharp crack of displaced air by bolts of super heated plasma vibrated through the night. The beast was hit by bolts of millions of degrees hot matter; almost half the animal was instantly incinerated.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">We repelled and killed two more within the same hour and then it became quiet. I could smell the burnt flesh and saw the dimly glowing remains of whatever was left of the animals

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth who was my watch partner had literally floated up to our position without moving a limb. “The beasts of the jungle fear this place of lightning and thunder and won’t bother us anymore for a while. The sentiment here at the camp is of an alert confidence. There is no panic and no fear and I sense they do trust you now more than even before”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“What about those on the landing field?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The probability that there won’t be as many there tomorrow is very high.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We can’t let this happen! We have to convince them to come here or at least protect them!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Why? The son of the Admiral thinks very bad thoughts about you and it was their free choice!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Because, they are cadets and they are in danger. We have to go!” I said while climbing down. Narth floated effortlessly next to me and without making any sound.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You got some grav device under that cloak of yours?” I asked.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No I levitate myself using telekinesis. It is quite simple and I am not all that heavy! I can levitate you too, if you care”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I think I should learn more about the Narth.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I shall endeavor to provide you with all the information of Narth you desire.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“At another time though! We need to hurry! I have a bad feeling about this! <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">While I was running I said to Narth who was right beside me.’ Can you contact Wintsun with that telepath brain of yours?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Yes.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Have him and two cadets with blasters and lights come after us as fast as he can. Lina, the Terran cadet is to remain and take over on the central look out.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I have relayed your commands and they have been received and understood.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I said between breaths.’ You know that Psionic stuff can be useful after all!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“One is pleased that you amended your verdict.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Reverting to referring to yourself as one again?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The concept of I and One are distinct different. I am still contemplating which one is more appropriate.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">While I was running Narth floated beside me, his feet about ten centimeters of the ground. I glanced at him. “You sure are a spooky sight! Floating and dressed like that, you look like a real ghost.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I was not aware there are unreal ghosts!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">His answer gave me the chills. I suddenly thought that if Narth believed in ghosts that there might be indeed such entities. I promised myself to ask him about ghosts sometimes later as we had reached the others.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Swybin stood in the middle of the twenty cadets, who looked cold and some of them raised their heads in hope. The Admiral’s son was wearing several uniforms in layers against the cold and hissed: “It is too late to ask to come back, Viking. The Instructors will come and you will face a court-martial and I will personally watch your execution!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">My eyes always able to see in dark conditions, had adjusted well to the star lit night and I almost immediately saw the lumbering shapes approaching the group of cadets. I could make out three of the same beasts we had encountered before.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Just then someone yelled. “ Look out, behind you!” At the same time something strong pushed me just as I turned, I stumbled but managed to stay on my feet, a scaled claw with sickle shaped razor sharp talons slashed through the air, where I had been standing a heartbeat before. A fourth beats had approached from, behind perhaps following us.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Without really thinking, I hefted my axe in both fists, turned and charged the big lizard. The humming axe vibrated in a very high frequency. Its razor sharp Ultronit blade able to slice through nearly anything without much effort. I swiped with a powerful swing it across the lowering head of the beast as it snapped at me, the axe cut through its jaw and showering me with scales, blood and broken teeth. The animal roared with a high pitched scream and in obvious pain, without giving the animal a chance to gain its bearings, I swiped the axe across its belly. An avalanche of wet glistening, stinking guts broke through the tough scaled skin, I actually felt sorry for the now mortally wounded lizard. In the last moment I managed to jump out of the way of the thrashing spiked tail, and chopped a piece of it off, before it could hit me. There was not much fight left in this poor creature and with one heavy blow I cut open its throat, killing it and showering me with a spray of hot lizard blood.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The animal collapsed. I whirled around. There was panic and screams, chaos! Cadets were running in all directions. One of the lizards snatched a cadet as he tried to run from another! The human was lifted off the ground his arm all the way to the shoulder inside the monster’s maw.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Everything happened at once and barely a minute had passed since we arrived I vaulted over a female cadet that crouched on the ground in fear. From the side I saw one of the monsters attack another student, but before it could snatch its prey, the whole animal lifted off the ground and as if catapulted by a big rubber band flew in a wide arch away into the darkness!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Without stopping, I was amazed and quite a bit terrified of Narth’s incredible powers! He just dispatched several tons of living flesh with nothing but the power of his mind!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">If the Lizard would have a chance to use its claws to rip the cadet apart, all hope for the screaming victim would be gone! I yelled at the top of my lungs an ancient Viking war cry, like Uncle Hogun taught me, to distract the animal and make it aware of me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I put as much force as I could muster behind a powerful chop and brought the axe in a wide swing across the front leg, severing most it. The beast opened its maw to scream and let the wounded cadet go. Instead of dropping, the cadet floated away, caught by Narth’s telekinetic powers. The monster was wounded and confused and with an up to down swing I split its lower jaw and cut deep into its neck. Despite this mortal wound it managed to rake its other claw across my arm, shredding much of the padded cold jacket, my uniform beneath and judging by the burning pain, also some of my skin.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I disregarded the injury; it had to be nothing more than a scratch since I still felt my arm and finished the beast with two more blows against its head.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Bright lights stabbed the night and the loud crack of super heated energy beams mingled with the roaring screams of the remaining beast.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I took a breather and looked around; no other lizard was within sight.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth appeared next to me and said. “I have dispatched the other Dinosaur and there is no immediate danger.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I have seen it and still can’t believe it! You threw that lizard at least 50 meters or more!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Since you have seen it, it is illogical not to believe it and your estimate was somewhat incorrect, I threw the Dinosaur 98.6 meters. Also if I it interests you, these animals are not lizards but warm blooded. A true lizard would not be active in temperatures like that!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I grinned.” I stand corrected then.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I must confess I am in deep awe at your deeds! I have not seen anything like that before! You are injured!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Nothing but a scratch, it will heal. What about casualties?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">We checked and three of Swybar’s cadets were injured and the one rescued by Narth was most severely wounded and barely alive his left arm was mostly gone, and he had deep bite marks in his side.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“He needs aid fast.” I was looking to Limbur but Narth said. “I shall convey the casualties and be back soon!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">All three injured cadets and Narth disappeared with a loud popping sounds, when the air rushed into the void he had left behind. I knew about telepaths and had seen telekinetics when the Old man of the Pillar demonstrated it to me, and I had heard about the rare power of teleportation in school. It seemed my new friend was gifted with all three talents.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Limbur came over and motioned towards the dead beasts. “Remind me never to make you angry, Eric. I thought I was strong and badass but not like you going to town on those with just an axe!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Swybar got up from behind his gear pack. “Crawl back now and surrender your command and I will ask my father to take that in account when they pass judgment over you!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Oh shut up. You are repeating yourself.” I pointed the bloody axe at him, “One more word out of you Mister and I do with you what I did with those Saurons.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I yelled as loud as I could. “Everyone gather around! The danger has passed for now. We need to make a roll call!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The scattered Cadets came around and Limbur used his impressive voice to repeat my call much louder. “You heard the Lieutenant! Line up all of you! That goes for you as well Mr. Swybar”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">He managed to line them up and I said to the admiral’s son. “How many were there with you? I remember twenty one counting all of you, right?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">He didn’t answer but a beautiful girl with big black eyes said. “ Yes, Mister Olafson. We have been twenty one.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Narth took three. That should leave us with eighteen, but I count only seventeen. Anyone missing?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Swybin actually reacted and looked down the line and then said. “I don’t see Lydia Caldwell. I do not think she was one of the injured.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The girl blinked and nodded. “I remember now. I saw her running from one of the beasts in that direction!” She pointed north.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Still facing the admiral’s son I said: “You tell your father whatever you want. I don’t care. But right now the lives of these cadets are in serious jeopardy. Take them to the camp. There is food and warmth. You can blame me for everything later on and put it all on me, but for Odin’s sake go now. If you hit or hurt anyone else, I take you apart piece by piece. Do you understand that?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">He was about to protest, I raised the axe. “Don’t test me, if they are going to hang me like you said, I have nothing to lose and killing you won’t make a difference! So move your ass, now!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth returned without a sound. Seeing him appear like that in his hooded robe out of thin air was more than a little unsettling, but I was glad he was back. To Limbur I said.” Get them back and showered and fed. You are going to be in charge till I am back I turned to Narth.” How are the wounded doing?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“N’Buga is confident she can stabilize and aid the injured. The Cadets Al and Shaun are working on a second stasis tent.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am glad to hear that.” To the gathered cadets I said. “ The wounded are taken care of. Now take your gear and follow my big green friend here, you all will be able to shower, eat and sleep.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Where are you going?” Asked Swybin a little less hostile sounding.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I am going to search for that missing girl.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth said.” I shall accompany you. I can sense her. She is frightened but she is alive.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I remembered the name of one of the armed Cadets and said to him “Cadet Renoir hand Narth your blaster please.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth refused.” I am unfamiliar with these weapons and would not use it correctly. I am by no means defenseless.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I have seen that!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I took one of the hand lamps and I watched the cadets leave and then said to Narth. “Please point the way then.”

INTERLUDE: In Orbit around Green Eden
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Commander Letsgo looked over the shoulder of one of the operators onto one of the view screens. It showed a high resolution bird’s eye view of the camp.The satellite allowed them a high resolution view of the scene, At this magnification they could easily read the name tags on the Cadets uniforms, the image was light enhanced and to them it was like watching in day light.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“What was the name of that Cadet again?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Olafson, Sir. Cadet Eric Olafson.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">He turned to the Holo Avatar next to him. “You were right, Admiral. He is the one that took charge.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">McElligott’s avatar smiled. “I was almost certain he would be the one. Are any of the Cadets in serious danger?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We have casualties, but according to our spy ware they are all stable. They used space suit stasis modules in an ingenious way. When we run this test, we do have casualties occasionally, but this is the first time we are running the test from so far away.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“It is necessary. The Narth would detect you if you are any closer. Narth Supreme has suggested we should stay at least 100 kilometers away. Only so can we guarantee correct test results from this scenario.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“It sure is the first time we have a Narth! I am eager to see how he performs and interacts with the others.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Yes that is part of the reason for this test, my friend. I am for the first time in contact with the Narth Supreme and from what I understand he is as much interested in seeing how this works out.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Letsgo nodded. “Well some of them show great promise while others need a lot of work, and I see already several who are not cut out to be officers.” He motioned towards the screen. So are we going to phase two, or are we interfering?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“We go to phase two of the ‘Abandoned scenario’. I did not have that much fun in years; I should have made a point and watched Cadet training more often.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“This is an unusual group I have to admit. I done this for over twenty years now and I never seen a Cadet charge and kill two Novaks with an axe.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“He is a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim. He attacked a space bus with a submarine only recently, and destroyed a Dai Than battle ship while being at the Conn of a private Yacht!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You are kidding me right?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“It’s all in his file. It is a worthwhile read!” <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">

BACK AT THE CAMP
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The rescued cadets, looked tired, were covered from head to toe in the reddish mud and cold, they looked at the mess hall with great eyes. Limbur had them sit down while Wintsun and a few others organized food for them. Limbur said. “While we ready the food for you, I suggest you all take a shower first, and put on clean uniforms. Go upstairs, Cadet Ross is waiting for you. He is in charge of the bathroom facilities. Since we only got four showers, please limit your time.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Then take your dirty laundry into the basement, Cadets Paulsen and Brennan will take it of you and run it through the laundry machines. After that you come here and you receive dinner. Once you have eaten, Cadet Wintsun will assign you to a tent. Tonight you won’t have any chores, but tomorrow you will all be assigned to do your share.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">One especially dirty cadet, looked impressed. “You organized so well and in only those few hours?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Limbur looked very proud.” Yes indeed!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Swybin had a sour look on his face.” I am not taking orders of anyone! I do as I please. You are all just Cadets and in deep trouble when the Instructors come!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Wintsun looked at him cold. “I am not so sure about that. If they see what is in our infirmary and that you are responsible, I am not so sure even your Admiral dad can get you out of trouble. There are over hundred witnesses who will testify what occurred if it ever comes to any sort of hearing!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Cadet Swybar did not like to hear that and it was obvious he had not thought about that. “There won’t be any hearing! There are careers on the line, they will listen to me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Limbur crossed his massive arms and stepped close to Swybar, “If you cause any more trouble, I’ll show you what my father did with unruly sons. He took us behind the shed and beat the crap out of us.” He grinned wide. “It happens to be that we have two sheds. Now do what you are told or I adjust your attitude the Lomax Limbur way and N’Buga has another patient!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You would not dare lay hands on me!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I was not thinking about hands, more like a good ass kicking! Now get moving and if I even hear so much as a complaint, your father will have a hard time understanding what you say through all the bandages!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Swybin left without saying another word.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The first clean cadets appeared moments later and received their dinner.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">One of them was telling the others with big gestures what happened. “You should have seen the two! That Olafson Cadet did not even hesitate a second and fought those beasts with a ferocity that was almost more frightening than the lizards! He had just an axe and butchered them. He killed two of them in no time. The Narth gestured and used telekinetic powers to throw one of those lizards back into the jungle!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Limbur looked thankful at Wintsun. “I am sure glad you warned me back then in the space bus. That Narth is something else!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Wintsun shrugged.” There isn’t much known about the Narth. They live totally isolated, but there are plenty of rumors and legends about them and if only half of them are true, they are perhaps the most dangerous species!” He looked around. “Speaking off, where are they?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“They went after a missing Cadet.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Swybin came in, also clean and in a fresh uniform. Next to the door leaned one of the Blaster rifles, put there by one of the armed Guards so he could take a break and eat. Swybin snatched it and laughed. “Now I guess I am in charge after all!”

Phase Two
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had already covered almost two kilometers and I asked. “Are you sure she went that far?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Being unsure is a concept quite alien to me, Eric. Unlike humans we Narth act or speak only if we are certain about our action.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you never guess?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is not in our nature to guess.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Must be nice to be always right!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This Narth is quite capable of making erroneous judgments and wrong decisions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pointed at a fallen tree just at the jungle’s edge. “She is close!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I turned the light on and called.”Cadet Caldwell!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no answer.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth said.”She can hear us but she is very afraid of us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we approached the tree, I said. Well maybe she isn’t used to shrouded, eye glowing hood wearing floating Narths!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That could be the reason yes; however she might not be used to see a blood covered axe wielding Neo Viking either.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you think I am some sort of brutish barbarian?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a giggle from between the branches of the fallen tree.” You really are Cadets! I was so afraid when I saw you. You didn’t look like...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sorry, Ms Caldwell, I was concerned about your safety and postponed my shower! Are you injured?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I think I broke my foot or something as I fell over a root of this tree.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth, can you take her back to N’Buga?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I can do that and I could take you too, there is no reason to be afraid of Teleportation. It is quite safe.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not afraid of it. I just think I prefer walking back!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You still do not like Psionics!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not really!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As you wish, but you could trust me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I trust you. I just think you strained your abilities quite a bit today. Are you not getting tired?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I am experimenting with several states of weariness and fatigue and I feel tired indeed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t come back for me then, eat something and experiment with a pillow and a blanket and perhaps you find falling asleep doesn’t take much skill, besides it is only maybe four or five kilometers and I be there in no time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I shall comply and follow your recommendation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As I walked back through the dark, towards the distant shine of light, I wondered where the Instructors were. Somehow it all felt like a test, but then the casualties were real. Or was this all just an elaborate Virtu experience? Of course this was possible, and all I did and experienced was just a direct neural input, but unless Narth was part of the Virtu I wasn’t so sure they could fool him with a simulation for long. Everything felt real even the smells and that was something no Virtu as far as I knew could get just right, simply because the smell of sense was more than all the other senses based on memory and everyone interpreted and everyone had just a little different ideas and memories about smells and so Virtu world makers never really managed to get the more subtle smells right.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It wasn’t all that far to walk and I covered the five Klicks quite quickly. The house and the tents looked quite inviting. Whatever the challenges were tomorrow and I was certain whatever this was had just started, could wait until I had a nice hot shower and a few hours sleep.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There were five Guard posts with two cadets each, one the roof and one on each corner of our little compound. I did not want to get shot and called out to the post on the North West corner, the one I was approaching. There was no response!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I managed to reach the post unchallenged and I could feel my own anger rise! No one on Nilfeheim would ever abandon a post like that! It wasn’t abandoned after all! I found only one Cadet and he was comfortably reclined and looked like he was sleeping.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did not know his name but I cursed at him. “When you are on guard, you don’t sleep, Mister!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked up without moving much.” You are not in charge here anymore! Cadet Swybar is! I decided to be on his side. He said he already called his father and the instructors will be here tomorrow and everyone that listened to you will be in trouble!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Besides Jack is with me and he is awake. He just went over to the trees to take a leak!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I said to him as calm as I could. “You are on guard post, Mister and you will keep your eyes open and ears open until you are properly relieved. I know you have learned the Eleven General Orders for a guard just like I have. I will deal with this Swybar now once and for all...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A high pitched scream of a person in pain came from the Jungle’s edge. The cadet before me lost his entire swagger.”Sir that was Jack!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no rest for me tonight so it seemed. I turned and ran after the scream. I did not really surprise me that Swybar made trouble, but I wondered how he had convinced Narth. Maybe it was true and he somehow had the means of contacting the Instructors and they already received new orders and perhaps the word of an Admirals son did mean more than regulations. If he was the son of an Admiral he basically grew up in the Navy and knew more about the reality of things than we all did.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I reached the forest edge and it looked like a solid dark wall. I stopped and forced my breath go slow down so I could hear.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I jumped almost out of my skin when Narth suddenly appeared next to me and he pointed to a smashed path, made by something large. “He is alive and is dragged this way! I rushed into the direction he had pointed and despite the fact that no starlight penetrated the forest roof. Eerie glowing tree trunks illuminated the surroundings with a faint bluish light, plenty of light for my eyes adapted to dark oceans. Even though I had this new sense growing in me, I still preferred my eyes. He was no longer floating but walking like me along the narrow path of bend and smashed thicket. “I am sure glad to see you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sorry. I think I have failed you, but after I have brought the female cadet to the Infirmary, I did as you said and experimented with sleep and it worked. I only woke mere moments ago, as I heard the scream and received the strong thoughts of distress.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t blame you for doing what I said you should, but this cursed Swybar is causing problems!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sensing the thoughts now. Most of the Cadets have been locked away in the basement storage room and are guarded!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was going as fast as the thicket let me and said.” We deal with that later. The guy we following is he still alive?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes he is, and it appears we are gaining slowly! I estimate the distance now less than 1500 meters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Let’s hope the beast is not slowing down for dinner. There is only one reason why an animal would drag something that far.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is a reason why the beast is doing that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Wild animals don’t do things for fun, or like to spend unnecessary energy. I bet there is a nest somewhere with young and we are pursuing one of the parent beasts and judging by the previous attacks these predators do not hunt alone but in packs. So we might be faced with more than one animal.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your knowledge and intuition about nature is truly fascinating!” Then he asked: “Many of the others experience an emotion called fright. Aren’t you afraid? You charged these animals armed with nothing more than a primitive axe and now you are pursuing one through this alien landscape!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am afraid all the time, but it doesn’t affect me much as long as there is something I can do about it. I was raised hunting huge carnivorous fish in a very dangerous environment. This is scary I tell you, but real fear I learned of my father so I am used to fear I guess; besides a Vibro-Axe isn’t exactly all that primitive. And what about you? You don’t strike me the as the big outdoors type. Unless you are invulnerable or something like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am as vulnerable as you and my physical body is not much different from yours, and you could say it is the first time I am experience outdoors in quite this way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So why are you not afraid then?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is a good question! Logic dictates I should feel fear. This is an unfamiliar environment and there are too many primitive life forms around us, without sentience but almost everything around us feels hunger, fear and aggression!” There was a pause. “I am afraid!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then he disappeared!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Splendid! First he didn’t know what fear was and now I made him realize it! Good going Eric! I was trying to catch my breath, but dared not to slow down. I was the only hope the cadet had. I just wished I did not have to face a whole herd of these things.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth reappeared and kept effortlessly pace with me. “Yes I am afraid but I am not helpless and I am not alone. I apologize for leaving. It was quite a new emotion I must say and my first reaction was to get away!” Narth grabbed me by the shoulder and jerked me back with force. At the same moment something broke through the jungle floor in an explosion of leaves and wet dirt. Sharp mandibles clacked together before a ring mouth filled with sharp teeth, missing my head by less than a centimeter. I swung the axe before I knew I was doing it, blood sprayed all over me for the second time this night and I had cut the creature in half. It was large centipede, multi segmented thing with six small eyes still fixed on me. I took a deep breath. “That was close! Thank you Narth! You saved my life twice today already”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No mention is necessary. The being caught me by surprise as well. It has no detectable thoughts and its primitive neural impulses blended in well with all the others around us. Logic dictates that saving the life of a friend is an endeavor worth pursuing”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wiped sweat, blood and pieces of foliage of my face and we kept pressing on. After a few hundred meters more, Narth stopped and pointed between two bushes. “Cadet Jack Landon is right behind these branches and there are a number of animals with strong hunger emotions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We do it as before.” I whispered. “I fight the beast and as soon as it lets go of the cadet you take him and get him back as fast as you can to the camp.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What about you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No time to arg...” I had no longer time or air to spare to finish what I wanted to say. The lizard beast had just broken through the thicket before us and it directed a terrible hissing scream at us. The Lizard’s maw hovered only inches before me but did not move. It was as if its head was caught in an invisible trap. I did not waste the opportunity and chopped the beast’s head off. I needed several swings but it was more butchering than fighting with the animals head held by Narth Psionics.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We passed by the still twitching cadaver and found the badly wounded cadet, much of his legs already gone, ripped apart by four little lizards in a nest! I felt remorse as I killed the young, but I had to get them off the terribly wounded man and Narth snatched the Cadet and disappeared.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took a breather but I knew I could not stay. I was certain there was an army of beasts smelling the blood and ready to fight for it. So I went back in the general direction from where we came. I had to fight three more of the centipedes, was stung by the needle sharp leaves of a bush as I evaded something large I did not want to see close up, only to run into something large with lots of teeth and claws that looked quite different from the other lizards and had many more legs and a snake like body. Of course I did not expect Narth to return. Most likely he was exhausted from doing that teleportation and even if he returned I was already several Klicks away from the lizard nest, but I could not deny a certain disappointment. Finally I made it out of the jungle and stood on the banks of a river or lake and I realized I went into the wrong direction. I usually had a good sense of direction but it was difficult to keep a straight line of walking in a dark foreign jungle without any landmarks to go by. I was certain I would not find my way back to the nest not in the dark. The stars, I could see them now, they were brilliant and beautiful but foreign and gave me no clue as to where I would have to go. The best thing for me to do was to wait till day break and then trace my own tracks back from where I came from.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I went back to the jungle’s edge, climbed a tree and made myself comfortable to wait for the first light of day.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was a miserable night and I felt stiff and cold. The bush that had stung me had left little bleeding wounds that itched like hell over my hands and face. I almost nodded off, when I heard a faint metallic sound and then again, I closed my eyes and through all the mess and confusion of so many life forms around me emitting electrical nerve impulses. I clearly made out two upright walking beings. I only sensed their heads; it seemed the rest of their bodies did not emit anything. They were now close enough for me to open my eyes. Two men in battle armor and big blasters penetrated the thicket. They didn’t look like marines and I saw no rank or unit designation. Perhaps they were responsible for the missing Instructors, pirates, spies or enemies of some kind. Somewhere in that general direction was the base and I doubted my Cadet friends were up to repulsing the attack of even one professional with full working battle armor. I needed to act fast, before they had a chance to activate their shields.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I jumped smashing my heels into the first and swinging my axe against the weapon hand of the other. He screamed both in pain and in panic while I went down with the first. Had he worn a helmet, I would have not been able to knock him out like that, he grunted in pain and went limp. Still on the move I took his gun. It was a fleet issue TKU and dialed it with my thumb to max aiming it at the wounded. “Drop your weapon and power down your suit. You can’t establish your shields fast enough to deflect a Max level blast!” I was certain he heard the faint beeping of me dialing the weapon to its highest setting. He held his cut hand but did not say anything just stared into the muzzle of the TKU

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not going to repeat myself mister!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Bright lights suddenly flooded the scene. A new voice out of the lights said. “Cadet, I am Commander Letsgo. These are instructors looking for you. You may lower your axe and the TKU”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got to my feet and I saw a fleet officer and six marines in light battle armor step into the light.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got up and saluted.” Cadet Olafson, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The dark shadow behind the bright lights looked human and he stemmed his fists in his hips. “The Neo Viking, I know!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The real Camp Idyllic so it turned out was about hundred kilometers away from the landing field and the wooden houses.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was a collection of buildings in the middle of the Jungle covered with soil and foliage, undetectable from above. The flier that brought the Commander, the Marines, the two instructors and me to this place hovered over a jumble of green moss covered rocks and fallen trees that turned out to be camouflage to a vehicle elevator as the scenery split in the middle and the flier descended on a platform into the underground base.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Without saying so much as five words to me, an Ensign in black uniform led me to a large hall.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other cadets were already here and standing in the reception hall with green carpets and windows that allowed a view of the jungle and a lake that shimmered in the distance between tall trees and thick underbrush. All eyes turned to me as I entered, but no one spoke. Narth stood in the back and waved and I took the spot next to him and waited for whatever was about to happen. The Commander stepped behind a lectern and he was accompanied by a dark fur covered being to his left and a Pan Saran Officer to the right. Commander Letsgo looked less human than he did during the brief encounter in the dark jungle. His skin had a metallic dull color and he had neither ears nor a real nose. His head was completely hairless and the eyes looked like cybernetic implants.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He is a Stellaris.” I could hear Narth’s whisper as if his lips where direct next to my ear, but he had not moved. “Bionetic engineered of Terran origin, to survive with minimal protection in deep space.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander gave us all a long look then he began: “Good morning Cadets. I am Commander Letsgo and I am in command of this training facility. To my left is Commander Propeel. Some of you may recognize her to be a Nu-Uiit she is my Executive Officer. To my right you see Lieutenant Aurelius’; he is Pan Saran and your Chief Instructor.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You will spend the next eight standard months on and around Camp Idyllic in Basic training. As the name suggests it is where you learn all the basics you need to know as members of this Fleet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You learn to be soldiers and officers. It is our job to educate, train, and inspire you cadets sothat those who complete this graduate as commissioned leaders are also of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, and Union and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the Nation as an officer in the United Stars Fleet. That means we must make sure that you are indeed officer material.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The United Stars Fleet is unlike any other organization you might be familiar with. We are not a Club or Association, not a Corporation or a Church or whatever other civilian organizations there might be. The United Stars Fleet is one of the military arms of our union with many missions. We explore space, make sure the Union is safe from outside threats, and police the trade routes and the space inside Union space so commerce and peaceful ineraction between all members is possible.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are here to aspire to be more than soldiers. We want you to be scientists, diplomats, explorers and above all we want you to be officers. Perhaps you are sick and tired to hear us say and stress this word so much, but we want to drive it home to you that it is not a word but a condition, a way of life.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As you probably noticed, many thousands applied with you and many more have done so at one of the 164 Academy satellites to become Fleet Officers. Of all those applicants only about 20 percent make it to the final year and graduate.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As I mentioned before Instructing and teaching you is only a small part of what this Basic training camp is all about. We test character, abilities and personal values. Knowledge can be learned, skills can be taught but there are aspects to each personality already there, aspects that make each of you a distinguishable individual. The Fleet looks back at three century’s of history and tradition. Many ways of finding good personnel and officers have been tried, using the combined experience and knowledge of all member species. Neural Uploads, Genetic engineering, Computronic psych and character simulations, mental prenatal conditioning, robots, cyborg, androids and combinations of all these methods have been tried and none yielded the same results as the training and selection program we are using now.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Officers even more than enlisted are ambassadors, representatives of these traditions and values. We developed a complicated but proven process to weed out those unfit to wear this uniform and of course find those filling it out perfectly. The old saying goes like that: Fleet Officer uniforms come in all sizes for every shape, but still will fit only a chosen few.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He paused for a moment and scanned the room from left to right: “You were dropped off and left alone on the landing field. As some of you correctly guessed, It was a staged scenario in order for us to see how you adapt to new situations that have not been anticipated.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You see, as an officer it is very likely you come across an unexpected situation in the course of your career. A situation not trained for, not covered in any regulation and still it is expected that you make the right decisions. It doesn’t matter how much training one has or what regulations he or she knows. When it comes to the unknown it is just that, unknown and unprecedented.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You had basically two options last night. Remain on the landing field or occupy the buildings. And both choices have been made. One group went to the buildings, broke locks, liberated equipment and damaged Fleet property, but they were warm, safe had food and shelter. The other group remained where they had been dropped off, sticking to the order exactly as given by the shuttle pilot. That group was cold, suffered a severe break down in morale and had casualties. One leader used physical violence and verbal threats to gain obedience. The other simply took the initiative and was chosen. I am asking you which were the better solutions to the given situation?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The commander pointed a finger at Swybin. “Why don’t you answer me that question, Cadet?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin straightened his stanch and said: “The loss of personnel can be expected in hostile environment and a few dead men should not change the objectives their leader demands to be reached.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Just like every commanding officer I expected casualties and I punished those disobeying to assure that. Of course I was raised by an Admiral, my father. This is why only I was qualified to be in command. These are expendable troops after all. It is imperative that any soldier or service person carries out orders exactly as given. The common soldier cannot base his or her decision to follow an order on potential danger, even deadly threat. He or she must remain at post.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It is not important if that soldier is warm and well fed, out of harm’s way or safe. It is however important that he keeps his post and obeys every order given by a Superior and thus assures said command officer’s safety! The average foot soldier is expendable and that is what they are for. A person of my background is of course much more valuable, than a common as dirt average Joe cadet. I fully expect you will ask me to forgo much of this basic training and to join the ranks of Command staff and instructors right away.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He crossed his arms and looked very self-assured into the room. “I told you they would listen to me. It is too late to ask for any leniency.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Turning his attention back to Letsgo he concluded. “So without question my decisions were the correct ones. I am fully prepared to be a witness at the court-martial proceedings of this imbecile brutish Neo Viking Olafson, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commanders artificial looking face did not change its expression as he looked around and pointed at me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Cadet Swybin made his statement and answered my question. Now answer it as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, the pilot said, wait here and he did not specify where exactly we had to wait. Here could have meant the entire planet for all I know, he was a shuttle pilot after all As far as I knew it wasn’t even a real order, just instructions. The Pilot did not identify himself with rank or name. He could have been a civilian employee.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In any case there were buildings only two klicks away. After no one came for hours, those buildings looked like the logical waiting place to me. Since I didn’t know what delayed you, our instructors. In my opinion it was necessary to make the best of the situation. The buildings provided us with that option. Anyone looking for us would certainly look in those buildings, besides I posted guards that would have seen any approaching ship or search party.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It all really started when another Cadet started to quote regulations and hand books and general orders and all that.” I sighed and said. “That matters little however as I accepted command and therefore I take full responsibility for the break in and the use of Fleet property. All the others acted under my instructions and orders, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you are willing to accept all responsibility for everything?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin laughed with a snorting sound: “Wonderful, have Olafson arrested Sir! He has confessed and accepted his guilt! I believe a nice flogging is in order, before we hang him. Floggings are still on the books I believe!” He laughed pleased and added. “Of course I will convey to my father how diligent you execute your post! I am sure the word of an Admiral has much weight when your next promotion will be discussed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander glanced at the blue skinned cadet. “How nice of you. So if I have that cadet arrested and punished you make sure I get a promotion?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin looked around to make sure everyone saw how important he was. “Arrangements can be made most certainly, Commander, My father is Rear Admiral Upper Half Swybar, you have heard of him of course. There are few of more importance in this fleet of ours and often he listens to my recommendations!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Again he looked around to make sure all eyes were on him. “I accompanied my father to every important posting. I am on first name basis with much of the echelon of this fleet. I even once saw the Admiral of the Fleet himself and in person! From early on I was called the little Admiral and I am sure in no time at all I am going to join Fleet Command.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo’s voice had lost all friendliness and just short of shouting. “You are not a commanding officer. Your father’s position and rank has no bearing on anything concerning you. Yes we expect our soldiers, service personnel and spacemen to follow orders and execute them regardless of possible danger or personal comforts but an officer is not only responsible to achieve the objectives of an order given but is also responsible for each and every being under his or her command.” The commander tried to stay calm. “I have never seen such a severe case of egocentric, self-importance and I cannot understand how you managed to pass the Psych Exams and tests. There will be an investigation and should your father’s position had anything to do with you ending up here, there will be consequences.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The chrome metallic face of the commander turned to us. “If we wanted blind obedience we could send robots and not beings. We want officers that are able to think and question orders. Every time you receive an order you must evaluate it and decide if you follow it or not. In the far distant past horrible crimes were committed and those committing them refused to accept responsibility because they were ordered to do so.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“When you leave this auditorium, stop a moment and look at the Academy flag and read the motto underneath our logo: It is an ancient quote from pre Astro earth. ‘Quiz custodiet ipsos custodes’? It means ‘who will guard the guards’. We are not the marines, who are trained to prize unquestioning loyalty and bravery as the highest ideals. We want thinking beings knowing when to follow an order and when not. It is often difficult to decide which orders to interpret and which ones follow by the letter or even refuse to execute. Don’t understand me wrong on this. Mutiny is a serious crime, disobedience is severely punished. It is very complicated but we expect each officer to make this decision for every order and every day. This is why robots cannot replace us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He paused and slowly shook his head as he continued: “I experienced a lot, Cadet Swybar, but that is a first. Trying to bribe me right out in the open. I am not impressed by your father’s rank, nor am I impressed by your conduct out there. Assuring obedience by violence is despicable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I’ll have you sent to Arsenal II and charged with the attempted murder of Cadet Owar and a host of other charges, none the least trying to bribe me! Let me assure you there will be a full investigation as how you managed to even get this far.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin was caught off guard by this and started to protest: “I’ll have your head for this! I am a Swybar!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo gestured to a marine standing by the doors. “Get him out of here of this Installation at once!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander returned his attention to me, while Swybar was escorted out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I commend you for your performance and actions. I especially liked the Dinner and your acts of bravery to save fellow officers. However you failed the test as well. Do you know why you failed?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pressed my teeth together and nodded. “Yes Sir, I think I know.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo pointed at Wintsun.” You seem to know the regulation handbook by heart. Do you know why he failed?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun was caught off guard and shrugged. “Sir, I memorized the General Orders because my brother said they always come up in tests. It does not make me an expert in evaluating another cadet’s action, but I think Eric did a great job, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Mr. Olafson. Why do you think you failed?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I feel responsible for the wounded cadets, Sir. I should have done something much earlier.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And responsible you are! Cadet Wintsun put it on record. You were in charge of the post and all government property within control reach from that moment on. The second you accepted command you assumed responsibility over all personnel in your unit. If you would have restrained Swybar, took all cadets to the houses you would have scored perfect for this test. Once you took command, storming off to save others is commendable but also wrong. You were responsible for all and should have delegated and organized a rescue party. Command is not easy and sometimes staying behind and let others do the action can be quite difficult.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You also broke into the armory locker. It was clearly off limits and marked Authorized Personnel only! Do you have anything to say for your defense?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir! I did not break the lock it accepted my authority and thus made me authorized.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Slick answer I give you that. But why did you open it?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir we did not know what happened to you. We speculated and quite aware that this could have been a test, but you also could have been delayed or killed by a hostile force either native or foreign to this world. Later events made me glad I did open that gun cabinet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He whispered to the furry Lt Commander and then said. “I will announce your punishment later. Now I am going to dismiss you so you can clean up, unless someone else has something to add.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth floated just a little off the floor making him quite visible. “Sir, I am requesting to share his punishment.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To my surprise Limbur stepped forward. “I will share it as well!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The black skinned girl stepped next to Limbur.” So will I, Sir. He saved lives. I fail to understand why it is necessary to expose cadets to preventable death and injury. Death and injury received during an accident or while performing under real conditions is one thing. This scenario was excessive and I will contact my Representative and thus the Assembly.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The black pelted officer next to the Conmander answered. “The first inclusion of a Narth made it necessary that we monitor the scenario from a greater distance than usual. We monitored everything closely. A combat medic was undercover included in your group and the vital signs of all injured were monitored closely. The actions of cadet Swybar were also not anticipated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then you are as guilty as Mr. Olafson by your own arguments you just made. You are responsible for our safety.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The cadets applauded her and more and more stepped forward.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Cadet that had been rendered unconscious by Swybar said: “Sir, his actions saved my life. I will gladly take the punishment for him. I also will file a formal complaint, as outlined in the handbook.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And yet another said. “I was dragged through the jungle, half dead. I held to Swybin at first, but Olafson went after me. Not even my friends did that. I volunteer to take whatever punishment you have for him.” Morthil, still covered with regen bandages gave me a thankful look and thumbs up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander crossed his arms and looked us over. “This is going to be an interesting class this year for sure. We have taken your complaints and will use them to investigate and re-evaluate. For now you are dismissed. You will be assigned to dorms and allowed an eight hour resting period.”

Chapter 3: Basic Training
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Pan Saran Officer was already there. “Good Morning Class!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We saluted and he ordered us to sit down.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Lt Aurelius. As you can see I am of a human species, called the Pan Sarans. We are native to the Upward sector in the M-0 Galaxy. Like most humanoid species of this Galaxy we share ancestry with the Terrans, Saresii and Sarans.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Why the Pan Saran Empire split form the Saran Empire and why we Pan Sarans dress in this anachronistic fashion is your assignment to find out by tomorrow.”He obviously referred to that polished brass chest plate he wore.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Once you are established officers you are allowed to display one or two things on your standard uniform that shows and links you to your heritage as long as it not interferes with your regulation equipment. Mr. Olafson that means you will have to cut that hair and shave for now. You may wear braids and beard if and when you are an officer. Cadet Olafson!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blinked as I had almost dosed off and was startled by his sudden calling of my name.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I struggled to my feet wanted to argue but instead just mumbled a grumpy.” Yes Sir”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You will cut your hair to basic training requirements for standard human males. Braids are not acceptable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He picked a few others and told them to change their appearance or grooming habits.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only then he began the actual class: “You will be instructed and drilled to stand, march, run and respond to orders in an unquestioning manner. Drilling performs a psychological function, by inculcating the response to commands and training; you will act unhesitatingly in the face of real combat or danger situations. It can also serve a role in leadership training. Combat situations include not only commands to engage and put one’s life in danger, but also commands to disengage when military necessity so demands. This conditioning is essential for military function, because without it a military unit would likely disintegrate under the stress of combat and degenerate into a mere armed mob.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I felt a strong invisible force pulling my head up. Before I could yelp, Narth who sat next to me whispered.You where about to fall over!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Aurelius continued his lecture unaware of my almost predicament and kept on with his sermon: “You will be subjected to rigorous physical training, both to prepare for the demands of combat and to weed out the less able or insufficiently motivated. That means all of you regardless of species or origin; you must be on peak of your species physical development. You are trained in marksmanship with standard and exotic weapons. We teach you the maintenance of personal weapons. How to assemble them, clean them and perform basic repairs if necessary. You will also learn to use bladed and other archaic weapons. Unarmed combat and martial arts, first aid, protective equipment usage, and basic survival techniques in every environment you might end up: deserts, ice planets, jungle worlds, deep space and everything in between. Further training will focus on basic spacemanship, and skills such as firefighting, damage control basic engineering, and signals.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He took a deep breath and kept on listing:”To top it all off you will have classes in astro navigation, propulsion physics, xeno linguistics, xeno biology, xeno technology, diplomacy, strategy and tactics, geophysics and a host of other classes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He took a drink of water.” Simply listing this is a tiresome and exhausting exercise, but everything is exactly planned out and millions have done it before you, so you know it can be done!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“After you finished Basic your almost over the hill and the following years won’t feel as demanding because you get used to it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is my sincere wish that just once, everyone be here in this auditorium one year from now. However not all of you will make the entire journey. I challenge you to prove me wrong. Show me you are the class that can do it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The dorms where simple, with beds that had to be made up every morning manually. Always Nine Cadets to a dorm. I shared my dorm with: Narth, Owar, Wintsun, Limbur, Naxwax, Azey, Galmy and Olia.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Azey actually was called Azey Azey Azeytytalitonitusiviy and he was from Oromarl. Most had problems saying his name. even the instructors called him as we did Az-Az. Oromals had humanoid characteristics, meaning he had two arms, legs and a head with the usual sensory organs but due to their size, about two heads taller than me and known body strength as well as their gray greenish skin, pronounced lower jaw Terrans often called them Orcs. Naxwax came from Oromal as well, but he belonged to a subspecies similar but twice the size of Azey. Needless to say that his name was a similar word monster so Naxwax was all anyone remembered.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy was a female from Maltyr. She was almost human, had really long black hair, black eyes and her skin was white as deep frost snow. Her body was extremely thin and fragile looking and she appeared to be no older than maybe 15, despite the fact she was almost 60 years old in standard years. She was very quiet and appeared to always like a nervous animal that was about to run at the slightest sign of trouble.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Owar was a sickly looking human from a Terran colony world at the galactic rim area. He was quite intelligent but I wondered why they let him into the Navy or why he wasn’t treated for his conditions. His skin reminded me of dull dirty yellow candle wax; his eyes were sunken deep into the skull and had a reddish color. He explained to me that his appearance was due to a not entirely successful genetic tailoring, to make the colonists of his world more adapted to their new home. On his planet, they lived underground for many generations and they farmed mushrooms of many different kinds.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun’s home world was like Nilfeheim one of the earliest planets Terrans migrated to, after the Galactic Awakening of Earth. And just like Erikson led his followers of the Viking movement to a new world to live according to their own rules, Alice Brown, of a militant communist and back to nature group led colonists to Sunflower, as Wintsun’s home world was called. Local conditions and genetic alternations with plant DNA made their skin green and allowed them to absorb light and turn it into additional nourishment via photosynthesis.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur came from a world with triple the standard gravitation. His muscles and bones where denser and made him quite strong under one grav conditions.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth and his home world were still mysteries to me and everyone else.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Making our dorm complete was Nena Olia. She came from Europa moon in the Sol system and had the typical arrogant attitude of Terrans (all planet and moon colonies in the sol system considered themselves to be Terran.). She wore her hair short and used holo-dye making it sparkle and change color depending on the light source. But not for long as Lt. Aurelius confiscated her bottle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had to get up at 0400 standard and went to bed lights out at 2200 every night. The time between was planned for us down to the minute. Physical training, small arms training, hand to hand combat. Classes on xeno biology, military history, tech and science. Learning was different from school. In addition to Hypno-training, Neuro-direct uploads we had old fashioned standard classes, with books, hand written notes and teaching instructors

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After the third month only one hundred thirty one Cadets remained. Both Naxwax and Azey had left, but it was because they had to attend the funeral of their king and would be allowed to return with the next cycle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We learned to survive with only the bare essentials in almost any environment. Snow and ice, mountains, jungles, ocean world, forests and every extreme one could think of. I was surprised how many cadets had never seen open fire or knew how to make it. While I too learned new ways of making fire at least it was not strange or new to me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We were educated about bobby traps and hunting for survival. Every one physically able learned how to ski, Arti-Grav belt flying, sky diving, riding on horses and a host of other animals, swim and dive. The instructors yelled at us, insulted us and did not let up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The number of cadets every morning at breakfast was a little smaller each day.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I hated dancing and culture class most of all. Why was it necessary that we knew how to play chess and a host of other games? Everyone had to pick one and learn how to play a musical instrument. Why did I have to know how to sculpt in clay or draw a picture with coal on primitive paper?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I rather went on another survival training mission than sit in that class room and listen to samples of music from hundreds of cultures and discuss the nuances and highlights.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But it was required so I did my best.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before I joined the Fleet time had little meaning to me. Time does not mean much too a civilian. What was the difference if you slept in a minute or took a little longer to eat your meal?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To a cadet at the Academy, a minute had sixty seconds and each second counted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Instead of getting up at 0400, getting up at 0348 was a better idea. In ten minutes you could shave, bathe, polish your boots and have time for mending a rip on your uniform.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Yes they made us do small repairs. And two minutes to spare if something else had to be done.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the rest of the Union was supposed to adjust to the new time keeping system, where the minute had one hundred seconds, the hour one hundred minutes and the day had 20n hours. Day names were replaced by numbers. Instead of Monday it was First Day of the week. A week had ten days. Each week had a color name and the word month was replaced by annual divider or simply divider. There were ten to a standard year. It was more than just complicated, at least for me and I was glad that the Fleet resisted that new time format and still used the old Terran time system. It simply felt right and I could estimate the time of day or the length of an hour more or less by intuition. It turned out many others had the same problem and thus oposition to the new system that was supposedly more inclusive to everyone and not Earth centric.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We just completed a grueling nine day march upstream along the muddy banks of Jones River, a local stream about five hundred miles to the East and to the river’s source. Loaded with full gear we were ordered to map the river, record life forms and take samples. After we returned tired an exhausted we had to spend twelve hours in the labs to analyze the water samples, catalog the specimen and everyone had to dissect one of the specimens with making careful scientific notes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All could be done with scanners, robots and machines. They did teach us the use of the most advanced drones and remote probes but usually they wanted us to do things first as hands on and as simple as possible before we moved on to more advanced ways doing things.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Dr. Gary our scientific educator checked on everyone with meticulous sense of detail and he would not ever miss a thing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was Dr. Gary who told about the planet. Originally Green Eden was slated to be colonized. It was a moderate garden world with lots of life and water. The planet had a gravitation of almost exactly one grav and neither harsh winters or blistering summers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The six by one kilometer brown dirt strip and the wooden houses were left behind by the original colonists. There were many more buildings all over the place, but most were overgrown and mostly rotted away. The ones by the landing field had been restored and kept in good repair for various scenarios.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We came across quite a few of those ruined and totally overgrown left overs of the old colony. Left especially on our march up to the rivers source.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was not entirely clear what happened but the settlers split into two groups and the dirt strip was made not just as a landing field but as some sort of demarcation line between the two sides. Armed conflict broke out and the settlers wiped themselves out. According to Lt. Aurelius there were only about twenty survivors and in very bad health when the Colonist Bureau sent a ship to check on them. Dr. Gary said it was some sort of religious matter and the difference of opinions. He told us that few things got humans as riled and as ready to fight as about insubstantial matters of spiritual believes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something I could attest to reflecting on the history of my own world.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Navy maintained the strip and the buildings both for various welcome scenarios and as a reminder for what happened. While Dr. Gary dismissed it as fairy tale, there was a rumor going around that there still were colonists living in the jungles, more animal than human now and more ape than man. Another rumor was that the colonists found a great treasure and were not willing to share. Since the Navy needed a training facility it started to use the planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth leaned back and pushed his hands under the sleeves of his robe. The twenty centimeter long snake he had caught on our trip neatly dissected and separated. His work space was always clean and tidy. I knew he loved the lab classes as it appealed greatly to his inquisitive nature. The PDD on his right in drawing mode showed a perfect drawing of the animal with detailed notes about its anatomy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I got along with everyone, and I had made good friends, Narth had slowly but surely become my best friend. Even now I did not know much about him, even though he tried to explain whatever I asked. I learned that the Narth had no concept of names. They were a society of perfect telepaths, and they recognized each other on a completely different level. Names were not needed. Narth not only meant him but every Narth and the civilization as whole. He told me that the word Narth itself was not a name either but the acoustic expression of a descriptive thought, whatever that really meant. He once said Narth was not so much a race or a species but a level of existence. We learned about many humanoid and non humanoid species and civilizations in Xeno Class but not matter how alien they were, they all shared some common ground. Whenever I talked to Narth about his home I felt his was the most alien of all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All this however did not stop us from becoming close friends.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was still working on the big fish I had caught. Narth turned his attention to me and said.” It took you less time to catch and cook ten fish over a fire while we were walking to the Jones Spring then to dissect this single specimen.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth, there is a difference between gutting a fish and dissecting it and you know that! Not everyone has such neat Psi powers to help in dissecting.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have not used any such means to dissect the snake and you do not find psionics neat, but I shall offer you assistance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The fish before me was dead and cut open, so it was quite unsettling to see it move again and turn on its belly. A fine line appeared and it neatly split along its length, exposing its viscera.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy who was long done with a beetle turned to us and said.” What do you think happened to those colonists? Do you think it was a religious reason?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Differences in opinion on traditions almost wiped out the colonists on Nilfeheim. So I think it very likely and I am sure it happened more often than not, especially during the second Exodus.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth used a stylus to make perfect scientific sketches of the now separated innards of the fish on my PDD said. “Why the migration of Terran groups is called the second Exodus? Before that they had no means of faster than light travel.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Dr. Gary had approached our group and answered. “There was a religious historic event described in one of Earth’s most important religious books called the Bible. The first Chapter was called Exodus and describes the migration and wanderings of a particular tribe. When Earthers left Terra by the millions to settle other worlds, they called it the second exodus.” He then checked on Narth’s snake and my fish.” Good work you two, now it looks the same artist made both drawings. Eric do draw me that fish’s heart.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took the stylus and my hand started moving over the drawing surface without me doing it. Narth’s voice in my head said.”Stop fighting me, I never get the lines neat that way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Dr. Gary however was satisfied. “I guess you two have similar precise styles.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then he addressed the class. “You all did well both on the expedition and now in the lab. All of you have scored at least 60 percent and that means you passed this challenge. So I give you the rest of the day off. Regular duty begins tomorrow at 0800 hrs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was rewarded by a loud cheer.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Camp Idyllic installation was mostly underground and spread over several habitat modules connected with corridor tunnels. The installation had twenty levels. Our dorm was at the east side module Sub level two, and the lab we were in was in west side module Sub level three. Now there was an Inter base transport system and slide ways, but we cadets were not allowed to use them and had to go everywhere on foot. The fastest way to the dorm was via main lobby in the center module. There also were a series of GalNet terminals. My plan was to get there as fast as possible, since there were more cadets than terminals and they could only be used during spare time, something we almost never had.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The lab vanished before my eyes and a strange pulling sensation in my neck and the next thing I knew I almost walked nose first into one of the GalNet terminals. It took me a moment to realize what happened. Narth said with a happy tone in my mind. “Now you will be the very first to use GalNet and you teleported without any ill effects.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you, I guess. You could at least warned me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pointed at Gaarl, who was a Quadiped coming out of the connecting tower. “Any delay and we would be too late, Eric. There are those who are very fast on their legs!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was right and I was glad to be able to make a call. Then I said.”You first Narth, maybe you like to call home as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do not need GalNet to call other Narth. I am in contact with Narth Supreme as we speak.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are certainly full of surprises.” I said and activated the terminal. “System, I like to make a call to Planet Nilfeheim, Olafson Clan.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The GalNet logo flashed over the two Dee Screen. These GalNet terminals were not Avatar enabled. The Olafson logo of the two wolf heads appeared and then the call was answered by very pretty blonde young girl wearing her hair in braids. She was standing by a terminal in father’s study. It was Exa, the orphan I had encountered on Twilight and managed to send home to Nilfeheim.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She yelled excited.”It’s Eric! Eric is calling!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father came into the sensor view and I realized how long it was I had even thought about them. He looked the same and yet there was something different. His brooding look was completely gone. My father had a smile under his mighty black beard and the smile reached his steel blue eyes. “Hail my First Born! I hope thy call brings good tidings!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have this opportunity to call home. I am still in basic training. I wanted to hear how things are at home.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you will not come for Yuletide. It is less than four weeks to the festivities?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I made a surprised face.” Yuletide was never celebrated on the Burg.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Many things have changed, my son. I am not only free of the drugs but I also see the errors of my life and there are many things I did that cannot be excused by the influence of the drugs. As you decreed, the Burg is no longer a place of sorrow and fear. I have the court yard decorated this year and everyone is invited and we celebrate Yuletide as your mother always wanted it to be.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As he mentioned mother, I clenched my fists and old rage and horror boiled inside me almost to the surface and somewhere deep inside I cursed myself for not making good on my promise and killing him. I knew neither Tyr nor Old Egill would approve of such thoughts and I did not let my feelings reach my words. He noticed anyway and his smile vanished, but little Exa tried to push his bulk aside and twirled around in a deep red velvet dress with snow white fur trimmings.” Look at this dress, Eric! Uncle Isegrim got it for me for my birthday!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I cleared my throat.”Why are you not with Uncle Hogun?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Father and mother went off planet. They and about two hundred others went to prepare Nilfeheim specialties for the Assembly.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Isegrim stroked his beard. “You know of course that Egill, Eldest is our planetary representative and there is a big planet product fair and my brother and the others are cooking and grilling for the delegates. Elena is there as well, she represents the Olafson Clan.” He looked very pleased. “We are the biggest and most influential clan now, not in small part due because of Elena. I hate to give a woman credit, but she might just be one day the best clan leader. Even the other clan Chiefs respect her now, it helps that she is becoming more beautiful every day.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Exa held up a book.” Uncle Isegrim is helping me with my homework for heritage class. I am learning much about the history and all that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blinked.”It sure looks like things have changed a lot!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father knew what I meant and he changed the subject. “Maybe you can call Egill? I am sure they would love to hear from you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I’ll do that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then I said good bye and had the system make a connection to Egill on Pluribus.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It took several call signals before the screen changed and the face of the Ancient came on. He grunted. “What part of not disturb do you not understand? We just talked a few months ago!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I barked back. “I don’t care about your not disturb signal. I wanted to call and so I called!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His eyes glittered and even though we were too far apart for his Psionics to work, I knew he was smiling. Then he no longer was able to keep his grumpy façade up and smiled broadly.” How is everything, Eric? Is the Navy life treating you well?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Everything is going fine.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You couldn’t stay completely out of trouble even in the Navy!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was not sure what he meant and said. “I am not in any trouble I am aware of.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A few weeks back I was invited by the Yokuta delegation after they made their membership request and they told me about a certain Cadet Olafson from Nilfeheim who saved their planet from a Kermac Spore Bomb attack.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh that one...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He kept smiling. “We do have a Nilfeheim booth at the Pavilion of Planets and it is a great success. Your Uncle Hogun’s grilled fish and fang snapper made the front page of the culinary section of the Pluribus Herald and your new sister is quite the business woman I tell you. If she keeps going she will outdo your Grandfather.” His face became serious and said. “I have also some very bad news.” Elkhart, the Ancient has disappeared. The Keepers say he went into solitude somewhere to finally die.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This was sad news indeed. The Old man was one of my mentors and teachers and I had been very fond of that old man. “How did it happen?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They don’t say. But I assume his cells were deteriorating faster than he anticipated and his organs failed. He probably was beyond the help of regular medicine. He told me that he was ready to go home and looked forward to that. The Keepers think he went to Earth to die there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He did ask about you and told me to send you his greetings and well wishes and that he is proud of you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is still very sad. With him died much incredible knowledge. He was there on Nilfeheim from the beginning. I just wish our people would know a little more about him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not to worry. Nilfeheim knows all about him. I made sure of that. Besides I am not so sure he was what he claimed to be and maybe we see him again. He always has been a big enigma.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Someone behind me said.” Come on Olafson, find and end! There are others who want to call home.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course the Terminals here had no privacy screens either. Even though I wanted to call Elena, I knew it would be unfair to make a third call. So I asked Egill to say hello to the others and let the next cadet use the terminal. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Three weeks had passed since I made that call and this Friday morning we were all sitting in the courtyard mending uniforms. A cadet voiced his anger about the futility of using primitive tools like needle and threat, when we had auto dressers and nanite factories that could make an entire uniform in less time it took us to sew on a button.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Aurellius heard it and asked. “Mr. Wintsun do you agree with Cadet Applegate’s complaint, do you think this a waste of training time?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun bolted upright dropped his jacket he was working on and snapped in attention. “Sir this cadet will perform repair tasks as requested but I must say I also do not see the reason why we have to know this. I fail to understand why our uniforms are made of primitive fabrics and have stupid buttons that come off all the time. Why can’t we have Uniforms made of Memo-Fab? It doesn’t rip, doesn’t get dirty, it closes securely without the need of buttons and it is around for at least a thousand years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Mr. Olafson. I noticed you are quite handy with needle and threat and it looks like you did that before you came here. Tell me why?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Like Wintsun I jumped to my feet. “Sir the culture I was raised in finds value in such activities. We manufacture leather and leather garments in our clan. A Neo Viking also sews his first pants out of Tyranno fin leather and then is allowed to sit at the men’s table and eat with the warriors. The leather has to come from his first kill.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So your skills are born out of tradition and your native culture. If you would be stranded on a planet, you could make a net to fish, fashion you perhaps protective garments or even a tent.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A net, no problem Sir. The other things I imagine I could, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Aurelius motioned us to sit down. “Yes we have nanite factories and auto dressers and it would be no problem supplying you all with new uniforms every day made out of the most advanced Intelli-Fab, have auto-beds that make themselves and why not a modern Colgate Complete body hygiene center that does all the shaving and grooming for you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Applegate, the cadet that had complained in the first place smiled at that. “I sure would like that Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even Aurelius had to grin. “To be stranded on an uninhabited planet might never happen to any of you but you need to know what to do if it does happen.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We expect you to be officers of the Navy and be as well groomed as possible. Even if you never get rescued and you are on that planet for the rest of your life, and we finally find your dried out corpse, it better shows signs of proper grooming.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Applegate nodded and mumbled. “Or else! I can see it now! Instructor Aurelius punishing a corpse for a bad haircut. Yeah it sure is going to be in trouble for that one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was trying to make a point.” The Instructor said. Aurelius so it became evident did have fine hearing and gave him a stern look.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The instructor said to all off us. “Such basic skills will help you find solutions to problems as shelter, food, survival and defense. The simple skill to know how to sew can be combined with other skills to manufacture weapons, traps and find solutions to obstacles and problems.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Next week you will learn basic carpentry skills, how mud bricks are made. Fundamental masonry and agricultural skills. How a pot can be made out of clay and how metal can be cast. You get to know basic engineering skills with all sorts of tools and materials.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All those skills might never be needed, but if you do you are glad you know how to use an old fashioned hammer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He picked up a hammer.” Even at our advanced Tech Level, you will find a hammer in every engineer’s toolbox. Mankind’s oldest tool is still with us and there are no real high tech solutions to replace it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth shook his hooded head barely noticeable, Aurellius saw it anyway. “You don’t agree Mr. Narth. Don’t they have hammers where you’re from?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Sir. We do not have hammers. I shall however take one along once I return so we do have at least one!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are spending way too much time with Mr. Olafson. You even developed a sense of humor.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth raised his head. “I did? Fascinating!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He gestured with his gloved hand and one of the sewing needles started to float and hissed like a projectile across the room and buried itself deep in a bedpost.” That is how we used to do it on Narth, but we will have a hammer!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Impressive display of Psionics, but what do you do if you are unable to use them. The Saresii for example have developed methods of suppressing Psionic powers and I am certain the Kermac have as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth was about to say something but Aurelius shook his finger. “This is not open for debate, Mr. Narth. You too will learn how to use primitive tools. After hours you and Mr. Olafson will repair the compound fence by using hammer wire, nails. I was told there are three clicks of fence and it is in bad shape.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I protested, “Sir, what have I done?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I just wanted to teach you two my kind of humor!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He grinned and looked quite satisfied and then kept explaining. “Let’s say you are on a planetary survey mission. You are the Officer in charge of the survey party and you come across a primitive civilization. You don’t speak their language and the linguistic translators still have problems translating. But you see a group of natives mending nets.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Instead of being totally clueless you could join them, take up a tool and sit down with the locals and help mend nets.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Actions like these break down barriers faster than any display of superior tech that might frighten them or make them hostile towards you. In the process you might pick up phrases and names more intuitive than a translator could and you begin to understand them faster than the Linguistics-Processor of your Translator. Situations like this did happen many times before and might happen again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He sighed and went on. “When you see a battle ship you think all the Navy does is parade around in known space, patrol shipping corridors and fight wars. This is of course part what we do, but only a small part. Space is so vast and there is still plenty of unknown even inside consecutive space inside the boundaries of Union territory. This means there are endless combinations of situations you might have to face. We can’t give you guide lines for all of them, but we can give you all a working base that covers as much about our combined civilizations knowledge as we can cram into you.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Mr. Appletree I want you to take the afternoon of, go to the library and research how many times the skill of sewing came in handy to an officer. You have access to every report and log entry Navy personnel made in the last three centuries. Tomorrow I want you to give us a lecture on that.” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Weapon training was my favorite subject. It was fascinating to learn just how many different weapons all the known species had come up with. Narth said it didn’t surprise him that Terrans where the unchallenged champions in that field. He surmised that it had to do with the fact that Terran Humans were neither the strongest, had no real specialization and had the unique ability to excel both as individuals and in groups.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had learned how to throw an axe or a harpoon from as soon as I could walk and the instructor for primitive weaponry was very pleased with my results and even let me show others how to fight with ax and harpoon.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">However I was as green as can be when it came to bow and arrow, or more modern weapons especially blaster weapons.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">About two week ago a new teacher, his name Lieutenant De la Lupe, a human from Terra itself introduced himself as our fencing instructor. He was showing us how to use various swords and fighting styles. I recognized many styles and blades from the instructions I received from Carl and Richard back on Nilfeheim.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After we went through the usual training routines he made us interrupt our training and sit down. His face was stern and it was clear something of serious nature was on his mind. “Class I am very pleased with your general progress, but do you know why we stress this kind of fighting so much?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Applegate answered quickly. “Because a Monofilament Saber is still one of the best weapons in close quarter fighting such as boarding actions either in attacking or defending.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">De la Lupe smiled briefly. “And this is indeed one important reason why it is important you know how to use edged weapons. But repelling boarding action with a bladed implement does not require style or finesse.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked down the length of his rapier, but his eyes saw something else. “Officers of this space fleet live by a strict discipline and an equally strict honor code. You all know the official words., United Stars Officers will not lie, cheat, or steal, or tolerate those who do’

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was totally quiet. None of the usual whispered comments or someone trying to catch a few winks of sleep in the back, everyone was listening. Lupe always treated us differently than the other instructors. He never ridiculed anyone, never resorted to punishments. He respected us and was able to show it without saying it. This was the reason he also was the most liked Instructor.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I felt he was about to open a little known Chapter of Navy knowledge that was never the less very important.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He continued after his reflective pause. “Honor is not an easy concept to define or quantify. It is however the most important core of every officer. It is what determines a person’s character. Whether or not the person reflects honesty, respect, integrity, or fairness.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe stopped playing with his sword and put it on the table behind him. “This is the official side of the honor code. Not that it is codified or written in about in regulations. Honor is earned and respect is given. It is as vague and undefined as can be. Yet it can be felt, the visual expressions of honor are the citations and decorations military branches and also civilian organization bestow. These things are worthless symbols, the physical representations worth a few credits of metal at best. Yet the true value of a Medal of Honor for example can not be measured with credits or physical means. These are the official aspects of this subject, but there is a little known other side to it as well. It is neither publicized and some academy branches don’t ever mention it, but as officers you may come into a situation where another officer challenges your honor or claims to be insulted and his honor injured.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Since pretty much my entire home civilization was based on more or less that very idea, I had no trouble understanding it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth landed over to me and whispered. “There is nothing more illogical than humans in this entire Universe.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe grinned as he heard Narth. “What is it you find illogical?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Honor is a concept, how can it be insulted or injured?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let me try to explain that in an example. Captain A accuses Commander B of lying. Now it could be that A was indeed lying and by doing so offended B, or A did not lie and therefore the accusation is a lie.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth raised both his hands. “It is easier to understand the physics inside a black hole than to follow this logic.” Narth actually sighed. I patted his shoulder.” I feel for you my friend.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe nodded knowingly. “Yes it is quite antiquated but this situation I described could still lead to a duel. Duels are rare, officially not sanctioned but not illegal. It is expected of you to react in such a situation according to traditions and always as an officer and Gentleperson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. “That pretty much describes Nilfeheim. A challenge can be issued when honor is injured or questioned.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So does that hold true to Cadets? Can someone challenge me?” Asked Olia, she was one of the finest rapier fencers in our group.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is a tough question as there is no official rule to this effect. We want you to act like full officers as soon as possible. One could argue that you are not officers yet, besides it cannot be used while on duty or duty related issues, only in private matters. You cannot challenge or be challenged while on duty.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Olia sighed and smiled.” That rules out Cadets anyway. We are on duty more or less all then time, no spare time for us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe bowed slightly before here and when he did it looked elegant and full of style. “This is a good thing, lovely Ms. Olia for you are quite a fencer already”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She blushed and we could see that she also deeply enjoyed his courtesy. “I am not the best by far. Wintsun and Appletree are better and Narth and Eric are the best!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It behooves a fighter never to overestimate him or herself. Before you begin a fight you must always think this is your last fight and your opponent might be better than you, stronger, more experienced or has some other advantage.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He took up his rapier once more. “I am proud of the entire class this year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He dismissed earlier and said. “Please do not start any duels and remain out of the other instructors eyes or they might find something to occupy you with!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we filed out the training hall he said. “Not you two. Mr. Olafson and Mr. Narth would you please remain for a moment? I like you to have a word with you both”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He watched the last of the others leave. “I know you two have earned a little leisure time like everyone else, but Olia was right. You are both very talented fencers and I would like to train you in more advanced techniques and further I would like to ask you a favor.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth bowed slightly. “I greatly enjoy the physical aspect of this fencing activity. I find the methods of moving, attacking and defending actually quite mathematical and fascinating. I am eager to learn more of it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I had seen myself to be a swashbuckling ruffian at best.” I said. “I would be deeply grateful for lessons and you may ask any favor of us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t even realize that I included Narth but we really begun to understand each other on that unexplained friendship level that developed between good friends.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe put his hands together and looked at us. “A cartel was delivered to me and I must answer it. Thisnis also the reason I brought up this subject in class.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wrinkled my forehead in a involuntary expression.”Sorry Sir, they delivered what to you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A cartel is a hand delivered written notice of challenge describing the cause of the offense.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Who would challenge you?” I asked perplexed. “You are exactly how I always imagined officers should be!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth agreed. “Indeed, my friend is quite correct. I still learn much about how humans act and live but your way of educating us appeals to me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your comments make me prouder than you realize. I would like you to be my adjutants and Seconds.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He stopped us with a motion of his hand. “Before you agree let me tell you exactly what it means and what you will have to do. I also need to tell you why and where this takes place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I simply nodded and Narth was listening as well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let us not talk here. We will go into the officers’ lounge and have a drink and there I will fill you in. Only then I would like you to answer me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are we allowed in the officer’s lounge?” His invitation was the most incredible development to me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I am inviting you. I am not asking you anything illegal or secretive. I did discuss this with Commander Letsgo as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I never tried to imply that, Sir. I was merely surprised.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Of course as I would be in your place. Now get cleaned up and get dressed in off duty civilian clothing and meet me at the Officer’s lounge at 1900 hrs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With that he left us standing and walked out.

Chapter 4: Alcohol
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We watched him leave and as we left the training hall, Narth asked. “Lying can be polite sometimes, is that so?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was thinking for a moment what he meant and then said. “We humans always say we prefer the truth, but in certain cases we rather not want to hear or tell the truth. Especially when dealing with others. Why do you ask?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You said to La Lupe that you are a ruffian at best, and yet you are the best fencer and I am not certain our instructor is much ahead of your skill level, but I think I begin to understand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I had a lot of practice before I left Nilfeheim, but when it comes to style I am not very refined.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“When we have time I would like to learn how to throw the knife like you do”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sure glad there are a few things I can show you, but why would you want to? You can throw knifes with those Telekinetics of yours, better than anyone.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Like Aurelius said, there could be situations when I am unable to use this ability, besides I find it quite fascinating how you do it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I’ll make a real Neo Viking out of you yet!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While we walked down the hallway he said after a few moments. “That is an an interesting goal indeed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I elbowed him in the side. “I am just not sure this galaxy is ready for a Barbarian Neo Viking Narth!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked at me from the side. “The galaxy is ready for a very long time, Eric. However I think we should postpone the goal for me to become a Narth Barbarian amalgam.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then I remembered. “I do not have anything civilian. All my effects were taken at Academy entry.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I can give you one of my robes.” Narth offered.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why did they let you keep your robes anyway?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“My robe is more than just a garment to me Eric. It protects all Non Narth from our true form. Humans cannot look upon us without getting mentally injured, weaker minds often cease to function and die. I am the first Narth ever to join the Navy and nothing could be found that gives an equal amount of protection. The Navy however insisted that I would wear a robe in cadet green, instead of my usual black”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Is that why your eye slits glow and there are no real eyes behind them?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would say they are real eyes, just quite different from yours. The light my eyes emit is not visible light at all. It is seen by your mind not your eyes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So a robot would not see that glow?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No a machine without bio-neuro components would not register it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One of these days I still like to see how you really look.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One of these days I shall take you with me to Narth. Narth Supreme is eager to meet you. The Narth Supreme will find a way so you can see me as I am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I look forward to it. Meeting your folks and your planet and see how you live.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had reached the showers and we disappeared moments later each in a shower stall. I thought how honored and touched I felt by Narth’s invitation and I promised myself to learn everything about the Narth so I would not make a fool of myself. While I showered I was trying to imagine how his Planet would look like. I was certain that whatever I was thinking was completely wrong and perhaps I would not even be able to understand what I was seeing. As I left the stall, he was already done wearing a black robe. The eerie glow behind his eye slits appeared more intense.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He handed me a dark red colored robe.” Here, I choose this color so they can tell us apart.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I doubt anyone would mistake me for a Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“All you have to do is do the spooky thing and let your eyes glow!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I laughed as I slipped into the robe.”You know what Aurelius is right; you did develop a sense of humor! Do the spooky thing. That does not sound like you at all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No perhaps not but Olia is saying it all the time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The robe material felt almost like liquid metal. It felt smooth and not at all like a fabric. It was also quite cool and that I thought was worth it, on a humid and hot world like this. A darker metal like belt appeared all by itself and girded the garment around the waist.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Hey that isn’t bad at all I could get used to it, even though it reminds me of a very dark episode of my life.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One is pleased that you find Narth garments acceptable!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I laughed at him.”Now that’s how you’re supposed to sound.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He handed me a pair of gloves and I put them on and I liked the feel of them quite a bit. You knew you were wearing gloves but, just barely. I thought how practical they would be in a fight, when you never get sweaty hands and always keep a good grip.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are welcome to keep them, of course!” Narth answered to my train of thought. I was so used to him answering to my unspoken thoughts that I didn’t even bother to ask my next question out loud, because I wondered where he kept all those things. Since he, like everybody else had only a small locker. It was forbidden to store anything in them except issued standard items.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I utilize a subspace pocket inside my left sleeve. I can store any number of items there, only limited by the size that fits trough the subspace hole.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Wow! That sounds quite practical. I doubt even Fleet has anything like it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am certain they do not. It requires a different tech level as Humans say.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I somehow knew he didn’t want me to tell anyone about it and he only told me because I was his friend.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He simply nodded and changed the subject. “Will you tell me about that dark episode of your life?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes of course, but this is a longer story, it might be better I simply think about it and you check out my memories.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You will let me do that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You know how I feel about you and that I trust you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He fell silent for a little while I was recalling the hanging and being the Assistant executioner. Then he said. “This is a complicated matter and I must process the information, but I will have many questions about it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ask anytime.Not that I am very proud of my participation in these sad events”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I went to the door and Narth followed and then he said. “The entire situation with Lt. De La Lupe makes me consider this an unusual event as well. It does not appear that way to you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s another test. I am sure of it. Whenever something seemingly odd happens it ends up being a test. Besides I think the Lieutenant is trustworthy if he thinks we can do it, let’s make him proud and do our best.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we left the showers Narth said. “It does sound logical.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I actually had no idea where the Officers Lounge was. We stopped at the next Inter Base Transport Unit and stepped into the transport cabin. “Officers Lounge, please.” I said to the voice pick up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Identity scanned. Cadets are not allowed to access.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth said. “I can sense La Lupe. Let’s go the other way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The IBT cabin vanished and the world changed before my eyes as if someone switched a holo-program. I unexpectedly stood in a softly lit room with low ceiling and comfortable looking seat groups around small tables. There was a bar on one side. Amuse-matics lined up against the facing wall along with a few GalNet booths. The most striking feature was the large transparent wall across the room, showing a greenish underwater landscape, submerged Tree roots and plants. We saw a scaled lizard swimming past, of the same huge kind that greeted us on our first night. The officer’s lounge so it became apparent was under the nearby lake.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo and Lt. La Lupe jumped out of their seats, even more startled than I was, because of our sudden appearance.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Holy mother of God!” The Lieutenant’s hand darted to his sidearm, but stopped before pulling it. “You need to warn others before teleporting like that, and dressed like that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I nudged Narth and grunted. “That includes me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But Narth acted as if he didn’t notice. Despite the fact that I just knew he was grinning behind his hood. He snapped in attention and I followed his example an eye blink later. “Cadets Narth and Olafson report as ordered at 1900 hrs at the Officer’s Lounge wearing as requested civilian attire.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Several officers most of them Instructors we knew, but also beings I had not seen so far turned to us and a few of them looked as if they disapproved our presence and then continued with whatever they were doing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo pointed at the seats across the table. “Have a seat Cadets. As you can see most of the officers present are not in uniform and neither are you or we.”We sat down and so did the two officers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander leaned forward.” This is no reprimand, just information for further reference. It is quite dangerous to teleport inside a Military Installation and appear out of thin air and unannounced. This could result in intruder alerts. Trigger automatic defense measures or be seen as attempted espionage. Teleporting into an area that is supposed to be Psi shielded and safe could get you shot!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I understand, Sir.” Narth answered, “The Psi shielding of this place however is quite inadequate. I was able to locate Lt De la Lupe without any difficulties, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are going to improve on that, especially since we are supposed to be are also conditioned against psionics.” Letsgo said with a smirk on his face. “Anyway you were not ordered here, you where invited. This is your first time in an officer’s lounge but hopefully it won’t be your last. You do not salute when you are out of uniform. You do not need to snap into attention even if the Admiral of the Fleet happens to be present. You know I am a Commander but I am wearing no uniform and no Rank insignia therefore I am simply Mister Letsgo. Of course we all are expected to act and behave like gentlemen.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.” Narth and I said almost simultaneously.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He waved to a wait-bot and said. “Order what you like, the tab goes to me. You are welcome to order Tox as well”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To the Bot I said.”Got any Aquavit or Absolut Vodka?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We carry a selection of Aquavits, currently no genuine Absolut Is available. However we have the Molecu-Scan on file and can replicate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I scanned over the list of Aquavits scrolling over is belly and with happy anticipation ordered. “I’ll take a tankard of Halverson’s Dark warmed a bit and double shot of very cold Alborg Aquavit.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth shook his head first but then he said. “I’ll have the same!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Letsgo held up his hand. “I have to try this as well, so I can say I drank with a real Neo Viking.” De La Lupe motioned the robot that this was his choice as well and said.” No one is going to believe you drinking with a Narth!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was quite odd to see the instructors act that way. I still was convinced it was some sort of test but I could not figure out what the goal of it was.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The drinks came.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They looked at me obvious to show them how it was done. With a quick tilt of the hand and my head I downed the Aquavit and enjoyed the cold fire shooting down my throat, smacked my tongue to get the aftertaste. Then I lifted the mug. Its size would had made any Viking laugh, and took a long drought, leaving some foam width in the liter glass.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth did the same putting the glasses one after the other under the loose cloth of his hood, both glasses appeared empty.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo shook his head with a smile. “Comets and Quasars you two can drink! If we had a drinking class you would be instructors for sure!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They both repeated my example and Lupe praised the Aquavit. “This liquor is quite enjoyable and has a smooth character.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth didn’t say anything but I saw him wave at the Bot ordering more. So I started the conversation. “Would you be so kind and tell us what this is about. I can assure you it is indeed an unexpected turn of events, but so far I am unable to determine what the goal of this test is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Our dark haired blade instructor leaned forward. “How you react in this situation is not part of your evaluation and this is no test. There will be no official record kept.” He sighed and explained. “The edged weapons instructor of the Newport elite academy, Lieutenant Commander Milieu claimed in a recent article, published in the Squadron News Magazine that his students where the best fencers bar none, and that it would be foolish to ever challenge any of his students in a duel and it be best to claim satisfaction or to submit before it came to a fight.” He took a sip and dabbed his lips with a napkin. “The SNM is the most widely read magazine among Fleet Officers, by the way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo put his glass down and interrupted. “You know there are Naval Academies all over the United Stars. 164 branches to be exact, you for example came from Arsenal. Your friend Narth was accepted at Annapolis Academy Earth. I graduated from Quallstone in the Spinward Sector.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I noticed Narth ordering a third time, but did not think much about it because I paid close attention to what the officers had to say.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo was not done and kept on. “One of these academies is called Newport. Over the last hundred years Newport became known as the the elite Academy. Only the brightest and best prospects are sent there, but for the last twenty years or so it became even more elitism oriented, due to Admiral Dent who commands the place since 4997. Now the Squadron News is the oldest and most watched and read magazine in the entire Fleet, just as Fernando said, and...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe played with his empty shot glass and interrupted. “I wrote a reply and published it under the readers comment section and stated that other Academies educated good fencers as well and that I would know his fighting style since I bested him and his grandmaster under which he studied many times.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo pushed a plastic film sheet across the table entitled Squadron News. “There you can have this copy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Our fencing instructor took a piece of real paper out of his pocket along with a single glove.” I received this hand written cartel and this glove this morning. I am challenged to a duel because I offended Milieu’s honor. I am to face him and two of my best students are to fight two of his best pupils. We do have the choice of weapons but since it is about fencing it should be edged weapons, preferably in the sword or saber variety.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander said.”To make this very clear, you cannot be ordered to participate and I assure you if you decline it will have no negative effects on your evaluation. It is truly a matter of private affairs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We don’t even have to think about that one, Sir. Of course will we participate, right Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Right Eric! We participate!” Narths voice sounded different than usual.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo smiled proudly. “I will give you officially five days R&R so you do not have to participate in the routine classes. You are going to stay in the landing field buildings, the ones you know from your first days here.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There you will have two days, where you can further train and rest and on the third you will travel to the planet and the actual duel. The duel is fought to first blood. Meaning even the smallest wound will be accepted as satisfaction.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">De la Lupe saluted us with his glass. “For these days you will not be cadets and I will not be a Lieutenant. We will be comrades in arms. I thank you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He drank and Narth did too.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth placed the glass rather hard on the table surface. “Eric?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Did you know that these beverages have a component that influences one’s thoughts and behavior, even perception?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes it is alcohol.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ah yes, an organic compound in which a hy ... I mean a hyd ... excuse me a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom..., Eric I feel quite strange!” I knew we were in trouble when he started to giggle! Several tables began to rise in the air! Aurelius our Chief Instructor sitting on another table was showered with beer out of his own glass floating over his head! Narth giggled even more! “Did you see that ... he hehe ... Eric I don’t feel too well!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth slumped over and his head banged on the table!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The floating things around the room fell as if invisible wires had been cut.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your friend had a tad too much alcohol.” Lupe said.”We better get him to Sickbay. Before he wakes up and teleports all of us halfway across the planet or something like that!”

Chapter 5: Commander Ebor Letsgo’s Office Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This exercise had been used by Navy trainers even before the Galactic Ascent on good old Earth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course it didn’t work as well for some non humanoid life forms. But Humanoids and non humanoid life forms where part of the Navy and both had to learn to work together. Letsgo was humanoid himself. His base DNA was human Terran and deep down he considered himself to be Terran. Something no Stellaris would of course never openly admit. After Earth’s Galactic Ascent, Terrans tried to colonize everything. Terran Corporations and government labs used genetic tailoring to manipulate Terran life forms so they could live in environments unfit for normal humans.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Stellaris originally were a quite successful cyborg/DNA clone project of Honda-Benz-Quon Jan Corp and declared a sentient independent species, along with a host of other clone types, at the end of the Super Clone Wars.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">HBQ-Corp. had tried to create human-slaves able to work as unburdened by cumbersome space suits as possible in deep space and still able to go planet side or inside space stations with normal gravitation and interact with their masters. The goal could not be achieved with biological DNA engineering alone and so cybernetic parts were added, for example the flexible chrome metallic skin, to protect the Stellaris from the massive radiation in stellar deep space. Commander Letsgo and every other Stellaris could work and survive in deep space without protection for many days and still had legs, the necessary muscle and skeletons to work and interact on planets. The Garbini were natures answer to a similar environment and they no longer had a skeleton and consisted only of arms and body.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo was dedicated to his work and was very proud of his posting but often missed deep space. He never felt really at home dirt-side. Spacers and Stellaris always referred to planets as Dirt Side. He preferred a space station or space ship over a planet anytime.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">On his desk was a holo of Harman’s Village, a small deep space colony halfway between the Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda. Harman’s Village was part of the Bridge connecting the two spiral galaxies and about light year away from Midway Station. He had purchased a large condo there many years ago, but had been there only three times. One day he planned to move there for good as soon as he retired. His wife, who wasn’t a Stellaris but a Saresii, had signed after renewing their partner contract twice in over twenty years, a perpetual marriage contract with him. She also loved that new home to be and wanted to retire there. However she was currently commanding an Explorer ship and on a five year survey mission deep into the completely uncharted Coreward sector. Maybe when she came back he would put in his retirement request.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Deep down he knew when the time finally came to make that decision he would find an excuse to continue, like he had done twice before and he silently chuckled, maybe he was used to Dirt Side more than he wanted to admit.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He didn’t hear the door; Stellaris did not have very good hearing, since they lacked outer ears. So he was completely stunned by someone close to him saying: “What do you find so amusing, old friend?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He spun around and was pleasantly surprised. “Admiral Stahl!” Letsgo straightened his stance. “I was thinking about retirement, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man who had entered his office was tall. The body under the black uniform appeared to be in peak athletic condition. The Uniform was immaculate, from the mirror shine polished boots to the mirrored sunglasses. The white blonde hair trimmed into a short buzz cut. The strong jaw line and the scar on his left cheek, every detail of this man’s appearance was well known to literally everyone in the Union! He belonged to the fabled mentors, picked by a mysterious entity called the Guardian so long ago.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl was immortal; this Admiral was born on Earth in 2067, even before the Ascent. He along with the other two hundred mentors had guided humankind from a feeble one planet society to perhaps the mightiest member of the Union and now those who remained guided the Union to be the premier force in the Galaxy. The man in his office had lived for three millennia and did not look older than maybe forty years.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Officially he was one of the two five star Admirals and second only to McElligott, the Admiral of the Fleet but his real position was closer to deity than anything measurable human. It was rumored that these Immortals had received powers and abilities far beyond those of normal beings. Commander Letsgo met this living legend demigod, about twenty five years ago and they actually became like friends. As much as a mortal being could be friends with someone like him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The immortal officer grinned at him: “Sorry If I startled you. Your assistant let me in right away.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He probably is still paralyzed and mortified actually meeting such a legend in person.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl sighed:” I do have that effect sometimes.” He brushed over his short hair. “I tell you the idea to quit and finally retire crossed my mind more often these days.” He sighed.”I am at this longer than anyone should be.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You can’t retire! Not you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Humankind has grown up, Ebor. They don’t need us Mentors anymore. Our job is done. Of the two hundred that where called by the Guardian so long ago, only about sixteen remain today. Not that immortal if you think about it”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thought you are all immortal?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Impervious to age and disease, but we still could get shot, wounded or atomized. Heck I could break my neck in an accident and be gone like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo digested this information without further getting into it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Have a seat then, Sir. I still have some Terran beer, your favorite brand in the cooler.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl sat into the visitors chair, leaned back while Letsgo went to a hidden cabinet and retrieved two brown glass bottles handed one to the Admiral and said: “Have you come here to tell me you going to retire?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No, that is more a wishful thought than a conclusion. There is a dark storm brewing at the horizon and I like to make sure we are prepared for it.” Stahl put one leg over the other.” You should talk; you wanted to go that place of yours on the bridge five years ago!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well yes, but I am not in a hurry either and Helen is on her way to the Aspar Cluster and won’t be back for a few years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How is she, I would not mind trying her famous Sarequits again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“She and the USS Aquarius are almost 45,000 light-years away and about to reach the outskirts of the cluster. Thanks to the relay buoys they are dropping, we have regular chats. You should call her, Sir. She would be thrilled if you would.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He nodded.”I will do that. Helen loves her work, just as much as you and I must say I am glad you stay on for a little while longer, good Training Commanders are hard to replace and with you it be almost impossible.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">If a Stellaris could blush he might have done so, a compliment from Stahl was to him just like a medal.” So why have you come?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The usual reason.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Every so often the admiral would come and talk about the new cadets with Letsgo.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander opened the bottle took a sip.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl drained half the bottle and smacked his lips.” Ahh! That hit the spot!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t tell me you don’t have ample supply of that stuff aboard your big ship.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral put the bottle down. “I got a complete brewery aboard, but good beer is still good beer.”He looked at the label.”This is from Planet Holstein, about as German as it gets. Got anything I might be interested in?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo grinned and leaned back.” We got a Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl’s left eyebrow rose.” You are kidding me, right?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am not. When Admiral McElligott called me that Webb is sending a Narth I was as surprised as you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wonder why I wasn’t informed about that. This is truly historical.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Ebor also took a sip of his beer.” Can I be frank, Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Of course and you know that! You also know you can drop that Sir stuff.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think McElligott wanted to outdo you once and that is why you weren’t informed. Those who know you. also know about your interest in the unusual cadets and students.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Richard laughed heartily. “You know Ebor; you probably nailed it on the spot.” He still grinned and said. “What do you know about the Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Ebor leaned back.” Not much, to be honest with. The Encyclopedia Galactica hasn’t much on them and most of the Narth’s file is empty the rest is classified Blue-Blue-Red. Way out of my clearance. I know they are a very mysterious species and they are very old.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl put the bottle down and leaned forward, very animated and excited “The Saresii think they have been around even before the Uni and the Pree ruled most of the galaxy over ten million years ago. Some think that they are around since the First League.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“First League, Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Some sort of association of space traveling societies united for some common cause, a billion standard years before our time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo’s mind could not imagine such a time span and wondered where the Admiral knew about that, but he did not ask.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral continued talking.”Anyway it is safe to say they are around for a very long time. The Narth never expanded or colonized other planets as far as we know and no one ever found out where their home system was until very recently.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I have been to some strange places in the span of my career, but I never seen anything like Narth Prime. I was invited there and talked to the Narth Supreme, that happened now over five hundred years ago and to this day I don’t think I understood perhaps five percent of what he tried to tell me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Narth, as you might know have never involved themselves in galactic politics. During the Y’All war that occurred before the one we fought. The Narth did not fight with large battle fleets

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii tell us they contributed only one ship and that one ship that made all the difference and not the Wurgus Super Nova. Of course never say that to a Wurgus!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the Admiral talked, Letsgo paid unwavering attention.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“When the Y’All came back 1500 years ago and we fought them with great losses, a battle occurred near the Narth solar system without anyone of us knowing that, because Narth cloaked or hid their entire system somehow. The Narth Supreme once tried to explain it to me by saying the Narth removed their entire Solar system one minute into the future and leave an impenetrable no time space bubble in its place.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Y’All slammed in it, I think by accident in the heat of that battle. The Y’All then forgot about us and went berserk against that shield.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That was our chance to do emergency repairs, reboot shields and restock munitions.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We attacked them again while the Y’All kept pounding that impenetrable field with everything they had.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Letsgo listened to the account of the Admiral about an event that happened so long years ago. A war that to him was nothing more than distant history. He knew Stahl was immortal, but to actually realize it was a different matter. Stahl had been there from the first moment. Three thousand years! How could he still be called human? The experience and knowledge gathered over such a time removed the Admiral from normal human understanding.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl continued with his story: “To give you an idea of the magnitude imagine a fleet of fifty million Ships. All the size of the large Kermac battle ships. All armed to the teeth with weapons that took out our ships with two three hits and armor that took the combined firepower of three battleships on our side to show damage. That was the size of the Y’All Invasion. No contact, no demands, no requests to surrender. They simply attack and attack anything and everything.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Was it not that time when you came back from your mysterious exile bringing along that gigantic ship of yours and the secret of translocator cannons?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Indeed I came back a few weeks prior to that engagement I was telling you about. Yes I did bring the secret of that weapon back and the Devastator along with the technology how to built TransDim shield generators. The Devi is incredible and after all this time, even today the most powerful ship we have, but it was and is only one ship. One ship against millions. The secrets I brought back were construction instructions, blue prints and not ready to use weapons. It took us decades to start manufacture Translocators in mass quantities and supply every ship with it. What would I have given back then for just hundred of our new Ultras equipped with those long range TL-Carousels, N-Hull Armor and triple TD Shielding, we would have swept those Y’All out of our Galaxy in weeks not in years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He drained the rest of his beer.” I am getting away from the actual subject and about the Narth. As I told you, the Y’All were attacking that shield. All of their ships firing everything they had. You could snuff out stars with the firepower they poured into that shield while we destroyed ship by ship of theirs, without receiving much fire. That went on for almost a week! We had convoys of civilian ships going to bring ammunition and fuel.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then there was suddenly a crack in that spherical shield of star system size and a perfectly spherical ship appears. Exactly one thousand meters in diameter. No visible propulsion, no antennas, nothing. As perfectly round and featureless as a billiard cue ball and there was no visible form of attack yet the Y’All ships exploded one after the other before they even could come into firing range and for the first time the Y’All retreated! We did finally destroy the last of them 2 years later, but that’s another story. That sphere contacted us, identifying itself as a ship of the Narth. They tell us how impressed they were of us trying to defend Narth. Even after I explained to them that we had no idea about them and their hidden system they insisted on thanking us for our efforts and sacrifices protecting their system. A little later they joined the United Stars with the expressed clause to remain isolated. The space around their system is to this day off limits to all Star ship traffic within one light year. There is a small space station called the Narth Gate and is serviced by space bus, but I doubt anyone ever goes there. There is no commerce and no other interaction. The only real contact we have with them is via their representative in the Assembly who until recently rarely if ever spoke. We know virtually nothing about their culture, physiology or history. Narth citizens rarely travel and if they do they simply appear no one seen them use ships ever since that time I saw that sphere. Their Citizen ID data is classified. We know they have vast Psionic powers far superior even to Saresii and Leedei standards and the Saresii claim the Narth are beyond Psionics and mastered some sort of magic.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo snorted:” Magic! Nothing like magic exists. I am surprised to hear the intellectual and rational Saresii even pay any deed to such claims.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wouldn’t be so fast dismissing legends and magic. I am a man of science myself, but long ago when I was a kid the idea of traveling faster than light was considered impossible. Most Earthers laughed at the idea there could be intelligent life on other planets. Since then I made friends with the most unusual life forms and I crossed this Galaxy from end to end more than once. I even went way beyond what we call the local group. I have seen things and experienced events I still can’t understand or explain.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One day perhaps we will advance far enough and there will be no distinction between technology, science and what some define as magic.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo digested that last statement but he still didn’t believe in anything like that. For everything there was a scientific explanation.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The immortal admiral lit a little smoking stick. It was not a totally uncommon habit and especially Terrans and Colonial Terrans smoked. Letsgo neither had a nose nor the necessary lips to make it work. His oxygen supply came from two oxy cassettes he placed in his chest every 10 days, so it didn’t bother him at all. “Tell me, Commander how is that Narth interacting with the others?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Narth is very quiet and not very social, but he made friends and particular with one human, they are basically inseparable. According to the Narth Supreme he has limited telepathic powers. However we were told to stay at least 100 kilometers away for the Initial test, or he would detect us. The Narth demonstrated enormous telekinetic abilities by throwing a two ton Sauron hundred meters into the jungle and he can teleport into areas shielded by the finest Saresii Anti Psi tech taking his friend along. If he has other Psionic abilities I can’t say. We tested his Heidelberg Psi rating and he is simply of the scale.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo pulled up Narth’s file and said looking at the Admiral. “The best Saresii talent ever to be recorded Alyica Lichfangh scored a little over 9000.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know her well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narths suggested HPR is well beyond 10,000 and that is a very conservative estimate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl almost fell out of his chair and jumped to his feet.” Did you say ten ... thousand?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I can’t believe I wasn’t informed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is Blue-Blue-Green classified, Admiral Mc Elligott ordered me to treat the Narth like any other Cadet and by the wish of the Narth Supreme this Narth was not to join the PSI corps but the fleet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will have to have a word with that old Scott about that. Now tell me about the other one, his human friend.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“His name is Olafson. He is a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim. Webb ran into him as he did his malfunction suit test in the application line. Olafson took charge to save the Ult from drying out. And then again took charge, during the -No one showed up- Scenario right here”.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl leaned forward.”Olafson you say. Eric Olafson?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How did he do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He failed, because he was too much hands on after he took command, but I have never seen any human Cadet charge Saurons with an axe to save others.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo gave the admiral a detailed account of the events, played him the recordings of the hidden visual sensors.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl grinned broadly.” Where are they now? Call them!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo suddenly didn’t look to happy. “I can’t Sir. They are not here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They are not? Where are they? Sickbay, Brig?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They went to Maritime.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Please don’t let me ask every detail just tell me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I gave them officially ten days leave so they can accompany one of my instructors on a private gentleman’s affair. The Narth got terribly drunk and was out for an entire day. We had him in sickbay. We were contacted by Narth Prime not to interfere and simply let him sleep. Then they trained another day and this morning left for Maritime for a Duel.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You allowed the very first Narth in Fleet history, a Psi Talent more powerful as twenty Saresii together to go to fight a Duel?” Stahl’s voice became harsh. “Beside the fact that both of them are first year cadets and not allowed to fight duels. Nor should they even know about such things until they graduate!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They are very good fighters!” Letsgo defended himself. “The Neo Viking is perhaps the best sword fighter I have seen, not the most elegant fencer but he fights to kill like a Dai and the Narth is the fastest fighter you are ever going to see. They are with Lt. Fernando De la Lupe. I trust this man!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“De la Lupe? The old blade master who wrote that wonderful reply to that arrogant bastard Milieu...” Stahl paused. “Oh I get the picture. Milieu threw the glove; De La Lupe had to respond. Milieu is of French descent and De la Lupe of Spanish origin. Neither of them where born on Earth but things like that is in their blood and because of men like them we still have these traditions. Why did he take Cadets along?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That was part of the challenge, Milieus’ protégées against Lupe’s pupils in a test of skill. It’s only first blood, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl had calmed down and said. “That is between you and me but I am glad if one of Dents lackeys gets a little humble pie.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why do you let Dent do what he does? No one likes him. You are the one who could do something about that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl shook his head. “Not even I can simply fire Dent and I tell you I would love to beat the guy up physically with my bare fists just because he is such smug and slick bastard. As long as he runs his academy without breaking the rules and delivers good officers I am unable to do anything. Especially because of what I am must never ever be above the law! I am aware of my status and I could tomorrow declare myself sole Imperator of the Galaxy and I know at least half the fleet would follow me. On Earth we had an old saying: Power corrupts, Old Friend and I have lots of power. To prevent even the slightest chance I might become corrupt without even knowing or recognizing it, I live by our rules as strict and as diligent as a third year cadet!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo respected the ancient Admiral a great deal more after hearing that. “I never really thought of that, but I am very glad you do think that way. I always wondered who watches the watchers.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is why I insisted on the Immortal Act to be made into law and so it is you, the citizens watching Us!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am very glad of this I must say. But what about Admiral Dent?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl tapped his nose. “This old snout tells me that Admiral Dent made many mistakes and you can’t keep skeletons forever in your closet and that they will come to light sooner than later and because he put himself on such a high pedestal his fall will be that much harder.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am inclined to trust your nose as well. We did have a similar incident not so long ago right here on camp idyllic and I frankly hope the other Admiral is placing that much restraint onto himself as you do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tell me about it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo told Stahl about Swybin and Admiral Swybar and said after completing the story. “I never heard anything more of this. I expected some sort of report or official message explaining to me how Swybin could circumvent the psych evaluation in the first place and what happened to him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The old Admiral had a serious look on his face. “This is news to me. I have heard nothing about that. I will personally check on that and make sure you do get a closing report on this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do believe in our Navy, our rules and the system. I am only a Commander, my experience might be nothing compared to yours, but I saw and experienced injustice, Officers abusing their power and I have seen the workings of the Worm more than once.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So have I, old friend. This is one reason why I have not retired yet.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Maritime

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth was very quiet since he had recovered from his drinking binge. We both sat in one of the cargo holds of a civilian Meteor Type IV freighter and were on our way to Maritime. De La Lupe had left the bay to organize something to eat and talk to the Captain of this ship. Commander Letsgo had organized the trip on this freighter, since we could not use official navy transport resources.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The ship was on its way from Olivio to Maritime and had only to go ten light years out of its way to accommodate us. According to Letsgo the Captain was a former cadet and a friend glad to help. There were a few Vari Matic bunk beds, a bolted down hygiene cube, a simple table and a few chairs. It seemed the freighter captain did occasionally take a few passengers along. The rest of the cargo bay was stacked to the ceiling with standard containers. Most of them were bright green and according to the freight management robot filled with Olives, Nuts and other tree fruits, destined to a food product factory on Barabbas. Twenty containers with booze and beach chairs were destined for Maritime, just like we were.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Since Narth was not speaking I wondered if I did something that angered him. “Did I do anything to offend you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Eric. I was just very much occupied relaying my experience to Narth. It was an extreme unpleasant experience and quite fascinating. All of Narth is sharing it now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are telling me that all Narth feel what you felt?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Indeed I am relaying all my experiences. This is part of my mission if you will. Narth wants to learn more about humans and other civilizations. It was decided that observation from a distance was inadequate. So I was chosen to become an explorer of sorts. My original mission has not changed even though I do now want to become an officer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I should have warned you about the ill effects of Alcohol. I know it is illegal for telepaths to pry into other minds, but what if I expressly allow you to go as deep in my mind as you need at any time? I am human all my life and maybe through my memories, my experience and emotions it will help you to understand better without putting you at risk about things I should have known to tell you about.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth looked at me directly, his glowing eyes no longer bothered me and it seemed the glow had lost much of its intensity since I met him the first time. He stared at me and again didn’t say a word. I couldn’t even feel him for a moment. Then he finally said. “You are giving me the greatest gift possible. To Narth nothing is more sacred than what we call the Innermost Shell. While we Narth share all the outer shells with the condition that is Narth, this innermost shell is what makes us individuals and it is not shared with all Narth, only with those close to us and of course with the Narth Supreme. It is an area of your mind if you will where a thinking being’s personality is located.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It is where the most private memories and most intimate part of one’s being is located. No Narth ever touched the Inner Shell of any being outside of Narth, are you certain you want this? Is this what you have offered?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth you know the answer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It has never been done. Therefore I do not know if there are any risks for you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. “Diving after a Tyranno Fin is risky. Getting out of bed might get you killed. If it helps you I am all for it. Besides what risk could there be, you knowing my deepest secrets? I would tell them to you anyway if you asked.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth eyes glowed even brighter and suddenly so bright I didn’t really see anything else but the bright yellow light. It was brighter than sunlight and yet it did not hurt my eyes. For a brief moment it was as if I was brushed by something immense. It was as if I would float in the ocean in complete darkness and touch a Tyranno Fin just with just a fingertip. You would never know how big the thing is, by this touch alone but somehow you knew it was big. Then it was over, the light subsided and I was still sitting on the floor leaning against a shipping container and Narth floating across me his legs folded underneath his robe, hands on his lap.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That was it?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth nodded his head very slowly. “Your perception of time might have been suspended while your Innermost shell was in awareness of the Narth Supreme; an hour has passed since we began to associate your Innermost shell to me and in doing so also associated it with the Narth Supreme. It is magnificent! Primitive and incredibly complex at the same time, and I barely touched the surface. Your mind is so completely different and alien from Narth. Chaos and confusion without end, time not seen or felt. No concept of spatial levels and yet there is a clear direction and purpose to it all. I cannot express adequately you how thankful I and the Narth Supreme are.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No need. At least now I know how I look from the inside. The Chaos and confusion part needs a little work I guess. I didn’t expect visitors and forgot to tidy the place a little!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I believe you will in time do just that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He handed me a piece of dark red cloth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What is this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A hood like mine, your eyes and face radiate Narth. It will last only for a short while, the Narth Supreme conveyes it will have no ill effect or continue for more than perhaps an hour. You are the first, thus even the Narth Supreme estimates.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are you saying my eyes glow like yours?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not just your eyes, Eric. What makes Narth so dangerous to look at is radiating from you as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Cool! Now we can both do the spooky thing and freak out Galmy and Olia!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I doubt the glow will last very long.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pulled the cool fabric over my face and head and it was quite comfortable.” How do I look?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Like a Neo Viking wearing a Narth hood!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I look no different to anyone wearing a shroud like that. How could you tell?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are sharing the innermost shell. You no longer need a name either and you will be recognized by Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t think I really understand what you are saying.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know, but I am confident you will in time and then you will be capable of seeing my innermost shell, as I have opened it to you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe had returned with food and left again. He told us that he was teaching the captain of the freighter some fencing moves, which was part of the deal for the free transport.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then the freighter captain’s voice came over the PA. “Just so you know we are about to land on Maritime.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wondered what kind of place Maritime was and Narth responded almost immediately: “It is the third planet of the Palapos System. It is mostly a vacation planet; it is not as popular or famous as Para-Para but comparable. It has several Vacation Colonies, meaning the houses and apartments are owned by beings not permanently living here. The planet has a small fishing industry and produces a high grade mineral sea salt. A load of this salt and fish is being picked up by this freighter, in exchange for the freight bound for this world.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Its Capitol Pearl Rose is a domed city under water and on the bottom of the middle of the largest ocean. The Class C space port is suspended on a scaffold above the water surface and directly above the city. Other communities are usually small village type places to be found on one of the eight small continents and thousands of islands.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I thanked him as it was actually not only nice to have a friend but quite practical if he was a Narth and a walking encyclopedia.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The freighter landed and we debarked. While automated freight handlers started to unload the containers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two suns in a cloudless blue sky illuminated everything in bright light. While it was very warm, there was a mild breeze of air and I could instantly smell the ocean all around the landing platform. I could see the glittering ocean surface beyond the landing plat form and I filled my lungs deeply. White birds croaked in the sky.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray blue freighter we came with shared the platform with a beautiful green and yellow cruise ship resting on a central single landing strut, elegantly shaped like a flower with five pedals, elegant leaf shaped wings and a bright yellow flower head. I never seen an artful shaped space ship like that for real, but I had seen advertisments. Some looked like birds, fish or in this case like a gigantic decorative plant. It had lots of large view ports.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A slide belt carried us towards the space port buildings, a collection of fragile looking transparent spheres hung suspended from a framework of filigree looking metal girders. It reminded me of a mobile hanging decoration. The different sized spheres were connected with tube tunnels.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">La Lupe said as we approached the construct. “It looks pretty but I just don’t care much for Saresii architecture.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It certainly looks different from the rock and Duro-Crete buildings on Nilfeheim.” I said. The Instructor looked to Narth and said. “Do the Narth have a certain architectural style?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No, there are no construct of any kind on Narth Prime. But if we need any sort of solid construct we create one and it usually takes the shape of a sphere as it is a logical form.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There were robots and crowds of beings in colorful clothing moving back and forth from the Cruise ship and it was as if I could feel their carefree vacation mood.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">At the customs point where two humanoid beings checked the CITI implants of the arriving tourists our arrival caused a stir. I was not able to determine what exactly caused the commotion but the crowds parted and let us approach the Control point ahead of them. The Officers checked De La Lupe but not us and simply waved us through.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What was that all about?” I wondered aloud and De la Lupe said.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think they thought you both are Narth and since even Eric’s eyes glow as much as Narth’s since this morning I am almost convinced as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We conducted a Narth ritual and Eric’s eyes will return to human standard in a short while.” Narth explained.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we walked past huge mirrored window panels I checked myself and while I did look quite uncanny and I was glad the robe and hood did look differently from the Executioners robes, I saw only my own eyes behind the slits in the smooth material. I was a little disappointed that I did not see them glow.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth whispered with an amused tone in his voice. “You can not see your own PSI shine and in time you will cease to see mine as well and when this happens, I no longer need to wear the hood when you are present.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled as I saw the waving pig of an Arthur’s Swine and Dine and I hoped we had time to eat there before we left.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Lieutenant walked determined across the space port sphere, it looked like he knew where to go. We left the main sphere opposite the landing field and we followed him to a Taxi stand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Moments later we flew in an open floater only a few meters across the sparkling surface of a deep blue ocean and I had to restrain myself from not simply jumping over the side and plunge deep into the water, just to dive and swim once more.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth leaned closer. “I now understand your desire to dive and swim. Your emotions make sense! To see the world through the eyes of a human is more fascinating than expected.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Whenever I dive and I am under water I feel like I belong there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do understand and it now and I am sure your love for water has to do not only with your genetic alterations but with the fact that you humans have evolved from water borne creatures on Terra and for all its land masses, Terra is almost a water world.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you have oceans on Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is a body of a substance that can be liquid and it is as vast as an ocean but it is not water. It is an essence.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth sounds like a very unusual place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is no similar place in the entire Universe.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And I am really allowed to see it?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth will be your home, Eric. All Narth welcomes you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I might even fit right in. Hooded robe, mask and glowing eyes!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We do not wear these robes on Narth. There is no need for them. Besides you are not radiating anymore.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was so looking forward to freak out Galmy, Wintsun and the others!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sure we can find a way to make them glow again! I too think it might provide a comical situation!” He cocked his head to the side and then said. “I believe Lt. Aurelius is right. I am developing a sense of humor. The concept of a comical situation is no longer completely alien to me! This is a day of achievement!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Speaking of comical situations, if you do not wear your robes back at Narth Prime, you all float around in your birthday suit?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Birthday suit...” He paused. “A way to describe nakedness. Yes in a way Narth are naked when not with other beings. I also realize how much you need to learn about Narth before you understand what Narth is, but it will be a pleasant task to educate you my friend about Narth. I also see you begin to understand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will do my best to understand.” I handed him the hood. “It is odd how fast I got used to it. It makes me feel somehow exposed suddenly.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The process of touching the inner shell is not a one way affair. The more you open to Narth the more you share my Inner Shell as well. This feeling is of such nature. Maybe you should wear it a little longer then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe turned to us.”Why are you both so quiet. You didn’t say a single word since we left the Space port!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I said. “We did talk Sir, just quietly I guess.” But In realized I was talking to Narth no longer using my voice at all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh okay, I thought you have second thoughts about the duel.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not at all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe had to talk to the human pilot and returned to his forward facing position.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The taxi carried us towards a green island with white beaches and between the foliage almost hidden a few buildings, designed in an ingenious way to blend in the surroundings without being camouflaged. They simply looked as if they belonged there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Taxi dropped us off on a sandy beach. About fifty beings awaited us next to a raked, round arena marked with rocks.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">De la Lupe turned to us before we got out the taxi. “Remember to let me do most of the talking. You are welcome to answer questions but you do not have to reveal anything you so not want.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This is a private affair and the ranks of any present Navy member mean nothing to this duel. Most of them are here to observe the bout and to witness it. I suspect there is a reporter here for Squadron News and over there I am sure you will recognize that Ult to be Admiral Webb Stokes of the Arsenal Academy but he is here just like we all as private person. He was accepted by both sides as the Impartial.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">De La Lupe shook both of our hands.” Thank you for coming with me and good luck to both of you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We followed Lupe through the fine sand and approached a group of beings, standing separated from the rest. One of the beings was an Ult but without De La Lupe pointing it out it could have been any Ult, but I assumed it was indeed Admiral Stokes. Instead of a uniform he had on a colorful shirt, like the tourist at the space port, and nothing else. His fishlike skin and huge hind legs exposed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Next to the Ult stood a tall sandy haired man with a three point beard wearing a dark gray advanced Flex armor suit, we had learned about those form fitting flex metal suits developed and marketed by the X101 in Xeno tech class. He was flanked by a four legged being of at least two meters to one side and a Spindlar to the other.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Spindlar had very long arms and thin legs they could extend in a telescopic fashion. I had seen Virtu-Documentations in school about the amazing race competitions they held each year on their home planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It could tell Lupe was very concerned as he saw our opponents. “A Spindlar and a Quadiped, I should have known you could not play fair.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man in the armor suit I was certain was Milieu, sneered. “You are piling insult upon insult. I might not be satisfied with first blood if you insist on questioning my honor!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are going to fight in that armor suit?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Of course, no stipulations have been made regarding armor or dress. I fully expected you to show up in a Quasimodo!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Spindlar and the Quadiped are your best students?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What better sword fighters can you think of? Quadipeds train the art of edge weapon fight from the moment they can walk, and being four legged they can walk right after birth. They are strong and can lift swords of tremendous weight. Spindlars are the fastest beings alive with a reach both of us can only dream of! Yes they are my best fighters. I wager they might be the best bravado fighters in the galaxy already. This is in no small part due to my instructions of course. That they will also use their naturally given abilities in the coming duel is something you can hardly hold against them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was Webb who spoke.” I recorded your conditions. The natural abilities of the combatants are allowed in the duel.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, yes. Now introduce us to your hooded men you brought along. A nice show effect I must say.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe smiled.”You heard the opponent, Narth you are welcome to use your abilities.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Milieu lost his smile and gasped. “Real Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A Saresii bystander bowed deeply. “Yes, without a question. I can sense a vast Psionic presence, Narth without a doubt.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Psionics are not allowed!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth spoke with his deepest voice. “You declared that natural abilities are permitted. Do you say my abilities are not equally natural as those of your contestants? Shall I demonstrate to you the full extent of my natural abilities right now? Perhaps I disembowel you, from the inside out? Do you wish to examine one of the local stars from the inside? Perhaps I simply simulate pain to your every nerve ending. I cannot guarantee how long you will last, but you will learn to appreciate the natural abilities of a Narth. I shall not stand here and have you insult my honor and those of all Narth!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Milieu looked suddenly very frightened and tried to back up. The Ult agreed. “You did question the Narths abilities. So it will only be fair if he did demonstrate them to you! You did question his honor and heritage.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth stepped forward and Milieu and both of his students where pushed by an invisible force through the sand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Spindlar cried in fear.”Master, what can we do against that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth put his hand on Lupes shoulder. “To show you how well our Master trained us. I shall refrain from using my natural abilities and fight your student with the skills learned from Master De la Lupe alone.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took my hood of. “I am not Narth. I am just dressed that way since I was short on civilian clothing at Camp Idyllic. I have no Psionics whatsoever. I am just a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim and there is too much talk! Let’s get this thing over with.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral recognized me. “I must say I am not surprised to see you here, Mr. Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Ult then said even louder. “I agree with you, let’s get started.” He held up a PDD and read aloud the article in question and then Lupe’s response. After that he repeated the cartel and introduced each of us. By drawing lots it was decided that I had to go against the Quadiped and Narth would have to face the Spindlar.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My mind suddenly filled with detailed information about the Quadiped. I knew it was Narth feeding me that information and I was glad he did.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The monstrous alien cadet stalked towards me and said. “You are but a weak human, so I will make it quick. Now choose your weapon”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I can choose any weapon?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Humans!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I see Boarding Axes over there on the Weapon rack. So Axes I choose.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do not blame me if first blood means I kill you. I am simply strong!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe held up his hand in protest and said to Stokes. “First blood was agreed upon. Why is that Quadiped talking about killing?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Ult’s face was unable to display any emotions I could read as he responded.” Cadet Amboo-du are you intended on killing?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Quadiped laughed. “It is hard for me to control and measure my great power and a little tab of mine kills those weak and fragile humans like Tilsis. Besides it does not say how much first blood is to be spilled. I just spill all of that weakling’s blood and if he dies it’s his fault. That human should simply give up and I will accept this as satisfaction.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My old rage started to boil and was once again overwhelming any common sense.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I jumped into the fight ring. “Just quit talking and get it started. I never give up without trying my best, so bring it on Four legs!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stokes made a sound that sounded very much like a human sigh and he said. “Let the first duel begin. The Contestants have accepted the conditions. You must cease all fight activity if I call to do so or after the first blood is drawn from either opponent.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Quadiped stepped into the other side of the fight ring. Stokes dropped his arm. “Let the fight begin!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I yelled.”Hey Amboo-Du is that a Quadithaal behind you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The giant turned right away as I hoped he would and I threw my axe as hard and as fast as I could. The Blade hissed true and sliced a nice chunk of flesh out of his upper left leg, blood sprayed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">From the information I got from Narth I had learned that a Quadithaal was a sexual aroused female Quadiped on a rampage, I was certain he would turn! If I mentioned that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stokes yelled.”Cease all fighting. First blood has been drawn. Duel was decided for Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Quadiped yelled in pain and roared. “I am going to kill you, Human! You tricked me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was about to stomp forward but a bolt of plasma peppered the sand before him. It was Stokes holding the blaster.” The Duel is over. Continue and you are in violation of the Duel condition.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t care about Duel conditions! I will kill this human. Interfere again and I kill you too, Ult!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Milieu yelled too. “Get back here at once you dumb brute. If you attack now you hand them the Victory!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only now the Quadiped stepped back and towards his master.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe patted my shoulder.”Quick thinking there, Eric!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth was next and he chose Saber.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This time no words were exchanged between the combatants. Stokes dropped his arm and the Spindlar extended his legs and arms rose to almost 3 meters and approached Narth with great speed. The Spindlar attack was lightning fast and his saber made a hissing sound as it whisked through the air, aimed at Narth’s neck. It was clear the Spindlar too was not out for first blood but to kill! Narth bend backwards equally fast and only so much as to avoid the blade by the fraction of a centimeter, as soon as the blade passed him he stepped forward took the wrist of the Spindlar and added his own weight to the tall aliens move. The Alien could not fight the momentum and was sent flying. Narth didn’t let go of the wrist and leaned back. The Spindlar screamed in pain and his saber fell into the sand. Narth stepped close and slashed his own saber across the arm of the alien and cut it right behind the alien’s glove. Dark blue was the blood of this alien and this contest ended just as fast as mine. The entire attack and Narth’s incredible fast counter lasted no more than maybe half a minute.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The only sound was the churning of the waves. Stokes dropped his arm again and announced Narth the winner.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now Milieu and Lupe stepped into the ring, both with rapiers and it soon became apparent both men where supreme experts in that style of fighting. Lupe was better and he had slashed the other man several times but always hitting the armor and no blood was drawn.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The clanging and screeching of steel filled the air of the now darkening beach. Torches were lit and their light cast long shadows of the fighters as they danced, feigned and attacked, parried and counterattacked. The fight must have been on for almost 30 minutes now. Both fighters sweating and starting to slow down, especially Milieu looked fatigued as his armor suit, as flexible it was, was not good at exchanging heat or moisture. Something the X101 engineers had no experience with and the reason flex armor suits were not adopted by the Navy as official personal armor. Lupe however seemed to enjoy the entire thing. A collective scream of disappointment and anger went through the watching crowd as Milieu kicked sand in Lupe’s face and used the distraction to cut Lupe! The sharp blade sliced through the shirt Lupe wore. And Milieu stepped back, lowered his blade, bowed and said. “First blood!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe ripped the shirt off to show his body.” You didn’t even scratch me, only sliced the shirt!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With these words he stepped forward, before Milieu could react and with a flick of his wrist cut an L shaped wound into Milieu’s cheek, this time there was blood!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe stepped back and curtsied to the on lookers. Stokes declared Lupe the winner.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Milieu howled with rage and was no gentleman at all. “You cretin and your abominable escort only won through cheating!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had enough of that guy and my temper got a hold of me once again. “You better quit calling me or my friend’s names! You’re the one cheating from the start. Simply go away!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You whelp dare to insult me?” He raised his sword and pointed it at me!” I should skew you like a rotten fruit!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I grabbed a rapier from the table and stepped back into the ring.”Bring it on Loudmouth! You and me right here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wasn’t certain I did the smartest thing, he was an expert with that blade and while I considered myself a decent fighter and I trained endless hours I was not sure if I was in his league, but I couldn’t help it as much as I tried to deny my heritage, deep down I was a true child of my planet and a hotheaded Neo Viking just like all the others.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We fought and I stopped trying to fight as elegant as Lupe taught, but reverted to my own Nilfeheim style. Hard powerful and with the intent to kill.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe at first trying to prevent me from fighting became as quiet as the others.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Milieu was good, but not better than Curt. He was sweating now, the Armor was cookig him slowly I was certain and I let loose. Our blades screeched as they deflected each other. The blade instructor from Newport clearly showed fear in his face as I drove him across the fighting area. With a precise flick of my wrist and a lightning fast attack I sliced through the fastening control of the flex armor and the whole thing reverted to its semi liquid metal state and fell off Milieu into a metallic puddle to his feet. He was so shocked of his sudden loss of the armor and his complete exposure to the night wind that he forgot to fight. I poked the blade of my rapier under his chin. For a brief moment I wanted to kill him and the very thought of running the razor sharp blade through his throat seemed a very good one. I think he saw what I was contemplating in my face as he paled and cried. “Have mercy!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I growled at him. “You will now loud and clearly apologize to Mr. Lupe and Narth for your insults or I start cutting and poking.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He gasped and gawked, his rapier fell out of his hand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I heard Narth behind me. “One further step, Quadiped, I will consider this an attack on my friend.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You can’t stop me. Narth are not as strong as we are!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Quadiped attacked or wanted to attack and flew in a wide arch over our heads. I could hear him splash into the ocean behind me and put a little more pressure on the rapier drawing blood. “I can’t hear you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I, I apologize. I recognize Mr. De La Lupe as the better fighter and accept his critique in the magazine to be justified and correct. I apologize for insulting you and the Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He swallowed hard and then with a begging and miserable face he said. “May I please get out of the light and put pants on?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I stepped back curtsied to him. “Apology accepted. I suggest any bystanders turn now and let him regain his dignity. I will challenge anyone laughing at his predicament and consider it a personal offense.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stokes was the first to turn and he started clapping and Lupe stepped into the light offering Milieu a beach towel then turned around.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did so too and went to Narth. I whispered.” You guided my hand across that armor control. I had no idea I could cut into it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I accessed an article and technical specs and instead of telling you I thought this would be faster. I had to do something you would have killed him otherwise.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“True enough. I must work on controlling my temper a little better.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is a worthy goal my friend!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe and the Ult came over to us. The Admiral shook my hand. “Fine display of fencing skills and chivalry, Mr. Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then he complimented Narth as well and said to both of us. “When we meet the next time cadets, I will be Admiral W. Stokes again. This was a private affair and has never happened officially.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“However before that happens, I am just Webb, the Ult and there is a little beach party going on and you are of course the guests of honor.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lupe simply motioned us to follow the Ult and while we did he said. “You are a true Master fighter, Olafson. You don’t need any more training, at least not from me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh yes I do, Sir. I need to learn much in terms of style and every moment of practice will not be wasted”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth said. “You never were in much danger being 5.6 times better than him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Five point Six times better?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, taking into account his experience, skill level and practice and comparing it to your skills. I also factored in...”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Five point Six, eh?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth nodded. “You were about to end his existence and sliced him into that Tyranno bait, you were thinking off and I did not think it would have been a good idea if you killed him.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Lupe blinked his eyes. “I think that is the difference. You fight to kill! I hate to admit it but there is no such thing as style in a real fight, the only score at the end is who is alive and who is not. In any case I owe you both more than words can express and I am deep in your debt.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“So are we.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I said taking the glass of beer the Ult offered me. “I mean we are here at least for a night while the other Cadets do something much less pleasurable.” Lupe nodded.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You’re right of course!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“How long are we going to be here?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The other arranged freighter passage will leave in nine hours.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb the Ult still standing near said. “There is a fast cruiser leaving tomorrow afternoon. It has to make a stop at Camp Idyllic so you can party tonight. The cruiser captain knows you are going with them and he is waiting on the landing pad.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Thank you Adm ... I mean Webb.” To us he said. “We will be here all night then.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“That was all I needed to hear.” The Narth robe was off in a heartbeat.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Lupe raised his arms. “What are you doing?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Taking a swim!” I yelled back already running as fast as I could in my Fleet Issue boxers across the beach and then dove head first into the rolling waves. The water was much warmer than that on Nilfeheim, even during Shortsummer but it was a real ocean. The salty water running through my almost dried out gills, feeling the fresh water energizing me was pure heaven. A shape was sliding next to me through the water. At first I thought it might be Narth, but it was Webb the Ult pushing past me with powerful strokes of his enormous legs. I pushed as hard as I could but without fins I could not keep up. Down here the Ult looked completely different than on land. Powerful, fast and I knew instantly they had developed from a carnivorous background. It was clear that water was their true environment.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth’s thoughts reached me.” They have food out here and wonder where you are, you and the admiral are gone for two hours.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am on my way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I had to swim quite a distance to get back. The crowd seemed bigger than before and there was the savory smell of grilled fish and meat in the air.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth stood with the Saresii and was in a deep conversation. Webb came out of the water a moment after me. “You are the most excellent swimmer I have ever seen that is not Ult. You simply must visit Ulta one day. You might like it!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“And I saw the true element of you Ults. You present quite a different picture when you are swimming.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">His fish eyes looked at me and while his emotions and his face were as unreadable to me as before, he seemed pleased by my observation. “Yes indeed. It appears you are among the few who really understand the Ult.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I put on the robe again just as I was done a plate of roasted meat and a mug of beer was floating before me.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Narth waved from where he was standing and said. “This primitive roasting of raw meats over open fire is quite delicious.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Taking the plate and the beer I thanked him and started eating like a starved Tyranno. <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">

Interlude: Stahl
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb walked away past the fire, and wanted to get himself a real Utlanese. He was Ult and didn’t really have a sense of taste or smell, but he heard the Island Bars here served good Utlanese shakes with the right texture, to cater to the frequent Ult tourists when a man stepped out the shadows. “It is quite a sight to see a Narth here among other beings. Eating solid food and using his telekinetic abilities to serve a human.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The man speaking to Webb was of above average height, very athletic built and human but he did not recognize him. Webb lived most of his life among humans and could differentiate their faces and he was certain he knew this man from somewhere.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Yes it is.” Webb wanted to keep going but the man held a drink bowl of greenish Utlanese before his face. “I think you wanted to go to get some of this, right?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Yes but I rather get my own, if you don’t mind.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The stranger laughed.” It’s Utlanese, Huglan style with squiggle worms in it. Your favorite brand I believe. I also think you have no idea who I am. I had no idea shorts and a colorful shirt to be such an effective disguise!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb’s big fish eyes got even bigger. “Admiral Stahl?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No one around here wears uniform and neither are you. You know my first name!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb took the bowl. “It certainly is a surprise to see you here, but you’re right this is my favorite. I truly wonder where you found real squiggle worms.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I got a few Ult friends on the Devi and I knew you would be here. I just came from Green Eden, you know.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb wiped his snout after he had drained the bowl. “That was real pleasure. I think I shouldn’t be such a credit pincher and pay the outrageous prices they charge for shipping them to Arsenal.” The Ult pointed across the fire where the Narth and the Neo Viking stood. “I think you are here because of them.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You know I am. After Letsgo told me a Narth was among his Cadets I really wanted to see if it is true. Not to mention my surprise to hear he actually went to fight a duel.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Did you see the fight?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Yes I did. It takes a lot to impress me nowadays, but that duel did. The Viking is a beast but seeing a Narth engaging in a physical fight was the biggest surprise.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Haven’t you been the only man ever to set foot on Narth Prime?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl nodded. “As far as I know at least. The Narth are around for an awful long time.” Stahl gestured towards the two cadets. “This is why I am so interested and quite stunned by the recent development. I was on Narth. It was the most alien place I ever visited in all my life and during those few hours I felt like an insignificant insect that was allowed to see a glimpse of something so far beyond my ability to comprehend. I simply can’t adequately describe it.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“They treated you that arrogantly?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No, nothing like that, the Kermac are arrogant, the Saresii are often seen as arrogant when dealing with others. It was more like...”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb said. “More like a first year Cadet meeting Admiral Stahl aboard the Devastator eh?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl sighed and smiled. “Actually that’s a pretty good analogy. I was not very long on Narth mind you, a few hours at most, but the Narth is not the only reason I am here.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Oh you still look for those special Cadets and I bet the Neo Viking is on your scanner screen? What is it actually you try to find?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl sat down and waved a Serv bot. “It’s a long story actually.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am the Commandant of the Spatial Navy Academy. To get new insights from an immortal who has a track record of finding the special ones would be beneficial.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl sighed. “I know it seems that way and I thought at least you could look past the Immortal part. We know each other for quite a while, old fish face.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I wasn’t sarcastic, I really meant that. You appear every so often, no particular pattern and pick seemingly random cadets others might even consider misfits and put them through your brand of more than unusual tests, that sometimes seem out of proportion and inhumane.” Webb actually shrugged in a very human way. “I don’t know what happened to most of them, after you find them, but you found Harris that way who now steers that big boat of yours. Also I remember you picked that Shiss Zezzazzzzz. Nobody believed he would amount too much and look at him now. Then there was Lingodan the Shaill, Ilatora from Pertha and that woman Isadora. These are the ones I can remember right away. Each of them made history and will be remembered for a long time.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl patted Webb’s side. “I also found you that way and I think you turned out quite alright.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Of course I almost forgot. Yes you did put me through your strange process. I think I turned yellow for three month after you wanted me to steer the Devastator. I actually can understand why you are interested in the Narth, but what made you pick me for example? I certainly was not the first Ult in the Fleet.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“It is not all that easy to explain and not all the ones I pick turn out to be what I expected. For every Lingodan there are dozens I get disappointed in. I remember seeing you struggle in a desert survival test. Most Ult I knew asked to be excused from it, you did not. You nearly died and when you were told you failed you insisted in doing the test again and you only failed because you did not want to leave a human cadet who fell behind. After that I staged a few of those unfair and cruel scenarios and tests and you managed to succeed in every one.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl threw his bottle with accuracy into a waste recycler, five meters away. “The Academy does a great job of supplying our fleet with worthy officers who make this tremendous machine work every day. To do this you use a very efficient method of tests and training to shift through millions of applicants and Cadets and I think the Academy gets a little better at it every season, but to cope with the sheer size of all it is an almost automated process and this process turns out more or less the same flawless well functioning product. Officers that do their jobs and do it well until they retire or die.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">However I believe there are those with a special talent. A quality that cannot be taught or measured and has to be there from the beginning. It can’t be explained with genetics, race or gender or be found with Psionics. I tried using Computronic programs to shift through the applicants. You didn’t test any different from any other Ult in any of the Academy tests, yet I knew you were different. I tried you and was proven right. In the same year I picked a Vantax who did something very similar and I thought I found another one and he turned virtually insane as I gave him command over the Devastator and had to be removed by force. Zezz, the Shiss. Didn’t do much out of the ordinary, he simply was one of the first Shiss ever to apply to the Academy and he had a hard stand as he was considered the enemy and no one trusted him, despite all the tests confirming his integrity. When I picked him and put him through my own tests he exceeded every expectation and is now without question one of the finest Captains we have.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb nodded. “Not to mention one of the best Small Craft experts and pilots.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Indeed!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Ult looked across the fire. “If I understand your method correctly, I would wager that Neo Viking over there would be such a candidate.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I think you are getting the idea old Fishface. I checked his background and file. He does have some issues I am not so sure about, but he fits the bill otherwise. I will keep an eye on him.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Webb tossed his bowl in the recycler and hit it as well. “Since you are here and you tell me I should forget that you are actually one of the Immortals. Do you think I can ask you a question?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am all ears, go right ahead and ask.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I always wondered what really happened back then when you did get chosen by this Guardian. I mean all we really know are bits and pieces and mostly just rumors, legends and stories. Most simply accept your existence and don’t ask many questions anymore. A few think you and the others are just propaganda and artificial kept avatars. Unless it is some sort of state secret, I always wanted to know and I probably never get the nerve to ask you again.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl’s eyes stared into the fire and Webb knew he actually saw something that happened over three millennia ago.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“It’s not a state secret and you should never be afraid to ask me anything. I am not a dictator or anything like that.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No you are not and I know you are honorable and trustworthy, but you Immortals do have tremendous influence and power. It is hard for us mortals to really believe or understand what it truly means to be immortal. I was afraid of you not in a negative sense but more like a person is afraid and in awe when meeting something like a god.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am no god and you know that.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I do, but you know you are not really human anymore.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I feel very much human but I understand. You know before this all started I was just a Marine and I probably would have been afraid seeing an Ult... <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman""> <span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">

Chapter 6: Stahl Remembers
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman";mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Somewhere in the Mongolian desert, January 2097 

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Lt. Richard Stahl ducked behind the remnant of a wall, to reload his gun and to check on the others. “Smithers when are those Cobras coming? We need them now or we’re going to be toast!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Chinese tanks crawled over the ridge. Stahl spit into the sand and cursed.”Never fight a land war against China and what are we doing here?” Jones his SAW man grinned weakly. “Fighting a land war with China and it isn’t looking all too good, Sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Where are those choppers?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Smither’s pointed at his radio link and shrugged. “No response just chatter Sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Chinese tanks opened fire, tank guns are not the best artillery and not really meant to pound fortified positions, but those were still big guns and lots of them. Fire, debris and destruction rained on the small Marine Corps Recon Unit. Smither’s yelled something about the Choppers and while Stahl could not hear him, the Land warrior system, the electronics of his equipment had been turned off for weeks now. The Chinese managed to hack into the Satellite based, super advanced high tech land warrior battle system of the United States and provide Chinese artillery, missiles and every weapon in between with the exact GPS location of every American soldier.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">As a Recon Unit they weren’t really equipped to deal with a full scale Armor attack. The four Dragon IV rockets they had, already used yesterday.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">This was it, Stahl thought. The choppers would not come, either being busy elsewhere or being attacked by Chinese fighter jets. He was certain America would somehow survive this war, after all since Iran nuked Jerusalem and Jaffa and the Israelis retaliated by leveling Teheran, Baghdad, Riad and Cairo the rest of the world showed some restrain using nuclear weapons. Taiwan was lost, Japan would be next and he doubted the Russians could hold of the Chinese Juggernaut from rolling all the way to the Atlantic Coast. But then the Russians still had lots of Nukes...

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl cursed in his native German, he would not give up without a fight. He pressed his eye against the rifle’s optics and switched to armor piercing rounds. While hell broke loose all around him, he calmly targeted the driver’s mirrors and periscopes of the Chinese tanks. Suddenly blind and unable to see where they were driving the tank drivers opened their hatches, perfect targets for one of the finest sharp shooters the Marine corps had.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">He had defeated 4 tanks that way and won a small victory. He gathered what was left of his men and looked over the wounded, tired and dirty men and then everything changed forever!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Out of thin air, right there before him a black robed being appeared. It had no face, just darkness underneath a monk like hood.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl did the first thing that his live long fighting instincts had imprinted on his body, lowered the gun and wanted to fire. It was then the being spoke: “Be not afraid, my beloved Humans. I am the Guardian. I am a Machine and I was placed on this world at a time when dinosaurs roamed this planet. I have been here ever since and I have watched every step you took from discovering fire to harness the powers of the atom. You are often angry and violent children, but at the same time you created some of the finest music and art in all the Universe, developed philosophies and religions that touch indeed the true meaning of existence and you are technicians and biologists of great talent most of all you have incredible potential to become the most powerful and dominant force in the Universe.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I lay hidden and ordered never to interfere in your affairs until the day you ascend to the stars. You have not reached that point on your own; someone else has given you today the keys to the stars, but you are now able to reach them.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl suddenly saw images of Sphinx shaped UFO’s landing in New York! He saw Human beings, actually beautiful women coming out of these ships and talking to the President! He didn’t hear sound but the president was smiling and shaking hands.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The shrouded being spoke again. “The Sarans, a galactic civilization and close kin to you have come to Earth and revealed themselves to warn you about a great danger that is on its way to devour this world. They also have given you the technology to reach the stars.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“But the Sarans are much like children themselves. They fight a long and unnecessary civil war among themselves. There are forces who do not wish the Terrans to ascend to the Galactic stage. There are terrible enemies and dangers out there that you cannot face divided as you are now.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“This is my task and purpose. To unite you. The time of national states and borders has come to an end. You are just one primitive species among many, on a small planet and now the Universe has become aware of you. Only together you might survive.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The shrouded being moved closer, Stahl still had the gun aimed. “I don’t know who you are, but stay right there and don’t move till we figure that out.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Richard Stahl, your weapon can not harm me. I came to you because you are needed. You are chosen by me to aide me in my task. Come with me!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am going nowhere. I have orders and men I need to take care off. There is a war going on and we are right in the middle of it!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Look around you, Richard. The war has ended.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">His men did not move, there was no sound. It was as if time itself stood still! “What are you, God or Demon or something like that?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No Richard I am not a God. I am indeed a machine, an artificial construct with one purpose and you are among those I have chosen to be my tools to achieve that goal.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The landscape disappeared before Richards eyes and before he could really think he found himself in a large cave. He could not pinpoint where the light came from that made the entire place glow in an eerie red shine. The shrouded man was standing before him on a raised platform of stone.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Richard was a Marine to his very core and nothing really scared him, but the recent events made him weary. He rubbed his eyes and said more to himself than to anyone in particular. “Great, I got myself killed and went to hell.” He was not too surprised that he ended up in hell instead of heaven.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The hooded man chuckled. “No Richard, you are not dead and you are not in hell.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Then where am I?” Richard looked around and sat down on a big boulder; put his gun butt first between his legs.”Why don’t you explain it all to me in terms I can understand and keep in mind I am no rocket scientist, just a Jarhead.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“This is why you are here, so I can do just that.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Richard fished a crumbled pack of Camels from under his flack vest. “I guess it be okay if I light one?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Yes Richard you may smoke your cigarettes.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">His trusty Zippo made the characteristic metallic sound and he inhaled deeply. “Well Spooky I am all ears.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“The Universe is a very old place and there have been civilizations roaming the stars long before there was life on this planet. Some developed into great civilizations that spawned Galaxies and they attained technology that will appear like magic to lesser civilizations. I am the product of such a civilization. I am indeed a machine, something like a very advanced computer you might say. Of course I have as much in common with the computers you know as the Sun has in common with your Zippo lighter, but for now it will be a sufficient analogy. The civilization that has placed me here, have a special connection and love for this world and especially you the Humans. I am not allowed to reveal their identity or true purpose until you as a race are ready. When this time comes you will know who they where and why they placed me here. For now they shall be known to you as Friends.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Richard tipped his cigarette and a length of ash dropped to the otherwise immaculate clean stone floor. “So there are indeed Aliens out there, who would have known! I must say I am a little suspicious about the whole friend thing. I mean if the folks that made you placed you here and want to be called friends, they certainly want something from us in return. The Devil is known to offer great deals and calls himself friend and all you do is selling your soul into damnation.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I am not a demon and I am not the devil, I assure you. I will ask a great deal from the Human race and I will ask even more from you, Richard. The Human race has no choice in that matter. I will complete my mission and fulfill my purpose. You on the other hand, you will have a choice after I explained it all to you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Sounds pretty final to me, well keep going. I got a few smokes left and I am going to miss Chow time anyway. It wasn’t looking to promising for that today anyway.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I can provide you with any material things you require. Including smokes and food, your physical well being is of paramount importance to me.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“If that is the case you should not encourage me smoking. It supposed to be bad.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“Cigarettes or diseases will have no ill effect on you from this day on, Richard. For the task you are chosen you must live a long time. Aging has no longer meaning to you. Among the gifts I will give you is the gift of Immortality.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Richard wanted to make a sarcastic remark and write it all off as a bad dream he most likely had, lying mortally wounded in a ditch somewhere in the Mongolian Desert, but he couldn’t. Somehow he knew this was all real. “Immortal you say? As in unable to die?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No Richard, you still can die. Immortal as in impervious to age and disease.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Without waiting for another question or response of the Marine the Alien being continued. “I was placed here on Earth to watch over mankind. I was not allowed to interfere in any internal struggles, wars or problems and by the Spirits of the Universe you humans sure had a lot of those. More than once you came quite close to make my purpose meaningless by destroying yourself. I was to activate and reveal myself to you on the day you open the door to the stars. On the day you develop faster than light technology I was to appear to all humans and guide them on their way. You have not reached that stage on your own. While you fought the Chinese something else happened. Members of an advanced civilization openly landed in New York and met with your president. The Sarans are distant relatives to your kind. They are human as you are. I do not have the information why this is so and it is up to you to find out in the future. The Sarans have come to Earth once before and first met humans during the time of the Pharaohs in ancient Egypt. I did observe but not intervene as the Sarans did not share their technology with you back then and they left after a few months. Their visit became legend, lore and religion and was soon nothing more than tales of old gods.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“So the Pyramids were built by the Aliens after all!” Richard said more to himself as to interrupt the Alien.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“No Richard, the Pyramids were erected by you humans and without any help from the Aliens. The ancient Egyptians however tried to entice and appease the sky gods to come back with those monuments.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“All right, Aliens landed in Washington. That should have shaken the world pretty badly!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“It has, Richard. It was the cause of the increased attack activity of the Chinese you experienced for example. They feared that the aliens shared their technology with the Americans alone. A well founded fear, indeed. Because the Sarans left your President with detailed instructions as how to build faster than Light ships. You see there are many other extra terrestrial civilizations out there. One of these are the Xunx. An insectoids species that does not communicate or interact with others, they do only one thing swarm out from their home world every thosuand years and attack other worlds. To them it does not matter if that world is occupied by another civilization or not. Anything organic is considered food and will be consumed, anything that does not have six legs is not considered worth living. Much like the locust of Earth, like a biblical plaque they come and when they leave, once rich and vibrant garden worlds are nothing more than lifeless rocks.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">In about fifty years from now the Xunx will once again awake. There are not many Garden worlds left within their reach, and one of them is Earth.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Richard grabbed his rifle as he suddenly saw life size images of huge insect monsters that looked like a cross between Hornet, Praying Mantis and Cockroaches, only twice the size of a man. Before he actually pulled the trigger, he realized that he only saw realistic three dimensional images. The insect monsters were armed with gun like weapons and wore armor.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The shrouded man explained. “Your gun could kill a Xunx, but not if a Xunx wears battle armor and has its force fields activated. Besides you could kill a million and there would be two million to take their place. Individual death means absolutely nothing to them. Their technology is crude to Galactic standards but far beyond anything Earth has now and there are many hundred Billion Xunx and sixteen Hive planets with caverns full of warrior eggs ready to hatch at any moment to replace the losses in mere days.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">There are several human species in this Galaxy and it is generally believed you all have a common ancestry. This is why the Sarans revealed themselves to you at this point. They know about the Xunx! They themselves have nothing to fear from the Xunx. The Saran Empire is technologically more advanced and very powerful, but they are involved in a Civil War and are unable to provide Earth with protection against a Xunx invasion. So they decided to give Earth the rudimentary knowledge of faster than light travel so you can build Arks and evacuate as many as possible. The Sarans did that not without self interest. They hope you would join them and swell their ranks. The Sarans know of the Terran aggressive talents and thus gain willing warriors in their own struggle.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Richard was a soldier all his life and war was his business. Despite all the fantastic information he received from the Guardian, he started to think and then said. “If I would be in charge evacuating Earth should not be the only option, but somehow prevent the Xunx to leave those hive worlds in the first place. Strike them hard while they are still in that sleep or hibernation state.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Guardian nodded. “This is why you are chosen, Richard. You are in charge. I have selected two hundred humans from all over this world. Each of you has a very specific task. You are the Warrior!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">Stahl crushed his last cigarette and got up. “I am not sure I am capable of fighting space wars and all that. I am just a Marine, aren’t there any brighter and more intelligent choices than me?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I assure you Richard, my selection process is not based on random chance but there are many factors that made me chose you.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“How do we get started then? Fifty years to build up some sort of space fleet isn’t all that much time!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">The Guardian laughed warmly. “I have no doubts I have chosen correctly and you are quite right. Fifty years is a very short time. You will not be alone and I will be there to guide you until you all can stand on your own. I have appeared to each and every Human. I have abolished all existing governments and warned anyone from forming new ones. Anyone claiming to be a leader regardless of religious, political or territorial reasons will be immediately and permanently removed by me. A new capitol city is to be build on the South Pole. Until the new world government is established and stabilized I will rule and watch. You and 199 others will be my executives and each will have a specific task. Only if all this is in place then there will be open elections and I will deactivate and cease to exist as my part and task will be done.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I think you will have a hard stand. Americans especially don’t like the idea of a world government and one person being their dictator.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“I know humankind, Richard. In times of peril democracy will not work. There are those who will claim I am the Anti Christ, others will call me an American Imperialist and yet others will see me as Savior and solution but I can see everyone, know what they are doing at all times and I will prevent any rebellion at the very beginning. This is harsh and I know but this is my task and purpose. Only as a united planet, as one people will you be able to withstand the perils that await you. A new era has dawned, Richard, you have access now to technology that allows you to reach other planets. The entire solar system can be settled and planets far beyond. To show the people of Earth the extent of my power, I have cured and healed every single person. There will be diseases and accidents in the future, but for now everyone is healthy with a clear mind.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“You’re in trouble now, Guardian. If everyone is healthy then there is no one the lawyers can sue. They just might sue you!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align:justify;line-height:normal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-size:12.0pt;mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"">“What you meant as a joke actually already happened, but common sense and not lawyers will prevail for the next decades.”(See Galactic Chronicles: United Earth)

<p class="MsoNormal">Back at Camp Idyllic

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We returned to Camp Idyllic to find out no one had really missed us. The other cadets also had their first few days of R&R. Lupe asked us not to advertise our little adventure and we promised.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two days later however we did find the latest copy of Squadron News on the table in our dorm and in it a detailed article about the fight, no names where mentioned and the images had the faces replaced with featureless dots.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth tabbed his finger on the recording and watched the fight sequences again. “I am pleased with my performance. I have physically bested the Spindlar.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Especially considering the alternative I am glad you bested that Newport cadet as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth rolled the magazine foil up and put it in his sleeve. “It is the first time Narth defeats another being using simple four dimensional methods, using something as crude as a cutting instrument. No Narth has done something similar in many billions of years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So the Narth are around a whole lot longer than anyone thinks. I heard estimates of up to 250 million years but you say billions. I almost have a feeling you have been around since time began.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your feeling is not entirely wrong, but it is also not entirely correct. There are different levels of time, just as there are different levels of space or as you call it dimensions and alternate universes. Narth did not exist when time began. We were the Arth and the Nnnth. One were the first sentient species of this universe reaching a level of development where a new state of exsistence was considered, while the Arth was an entity not of this temporal spatial condition. We meet and merged and became the Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You know all that makes perfectly sense to me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It does? One is pleased and surprised that the explanation was successful, but one does suspect his friend to be not entirely truthful.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s called sarcasm. It is very hard for a Neo Viking who is just a simple three dimensional being on a mono linear one way time track. And the concept of sarcasm is not alien to you, you used that ‘one is pleased’ business just for that purpose.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You may not realize it, but I see in your choice of words that you are well on your way of understanding Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur who had just walked in said. “That is true, sometimes he does to sound like you! Words like mono linear are usually not in his vocabulary.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth, I could feel was pleased. “One day Eric will be Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That afternoon, Lt. Aurelius our head instructor ordered us all into the auditorium and there they told us that the next training segment was to be held at Daniel Station an orbital space station around the planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A shuttle ferried us to that orbital station above Idyllic.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We shuffled of the shuttle and assembled in the small docking bay. There was a marine Lieutenant standing before us. Recognizable by the dark blue uniform he wore.” I am Lt. Heinlein and I will be your instructor for the next training segment. This is also the last time for the next four weeks you are under gravitation. You will learn how to work, sleep, eat, drink, and use the bathroom and how to fight under Zero Gee.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He slowly walked down the line we had made standing shoulder to shoulder. “Artificial gravity control is perhaps the most important technological development of our galaxy spawning culture. Without it none of our ships could maneuver as they do, accelerate or decelerate with the speeds they do. Simply traveling from one planet to another within the same system would take month. ArtiGrav is used in Transport systems and allows us to colonize planets with otherwise crushing gravitation. Gravitation anchors keep space stations from drifting and Gravitation mines and bombs are devastating weapons.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Since all four founding members of the Unites Stars live under one Gee conditions all our ships maintain a One Gee environment. ArtiGrav Systems aboard Ships and space stations are always triple redundant and often have independent energy supplies and usually the last system that fails, because it is considered the single most important one, more important than even life support.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He paused as he reached the end of the line and slowly turned. “However it is a system and like any other system it can fail. Captains often choose to shut down ArtiGrav during Intruder Alerts or when Boarding is imminent. Most of you will spend much of your career aboard ships or space installations and you must learn how to act without the aid of Gravitation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He made a sign with his hand and everything changed! I suddenly lost my orientation. I knew the ceiling was supposed to be up and the floor down, but I felt strongly disoriented and began to drift toward the ceiling.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only Narth remained just where he was and Heinlein sighed.” Mr. Narth I would appreciate if you, for this training segment refrain from using your Psionic abilities.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I shall do so, Sir. However one might float around quite undignified!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That, Cadet Narth is exactly what I want you to do!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After a week I did pretty well in Zero G as long as we stayed inside the station and I could see walls and my mind had a clear reference for what was up or down. I learned how to move and do all the other things. I started to like it, it was not entirely unlike diving and I found that the moves were similar and I thought I could live like this for a long time.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But all changed after we had to go outside for the first time. It was part of this training to learn how to work on tether or with propulsion packs and perform repair and maintenance tasks.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first time the Airlock opened I felt terrified, more than I ever thought possible. The very thought of getting lost out here, looking into deep space and not feeling anything under my feet was almost crippling me. My muscles cramped up and it took all my willpower to move. I was hot and sweated as if I was in a steaming jungle and the next second I felt cold and shivered and all because of this terrible fear. I was close to fail class I knew it. Being in deep space terrified me in a way I could not explain. I did not even know why I was so afraid. I learned that it was not a good idea to throw up inside a space suit and despite my first experience I threw up several times after that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only because I knew I would fail and asked to leave I forced myself not to give up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are you well?” Narth asked after we returned from our latest space walk.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am not alright!” I snapped at him and immediately felt sorry for snapping at him, since I knew his concern was genuine.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth didn’t like direct contact very much but he put his hand on my shoulder anyway. “I admire you for your courage to go out there despite the fear you feel. I am still new to human emotions and I never felt anything of such intensity. All Narth is fascinated and concerned at the same time about you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Eric, remember we share the Innermost shell and therefore know you did not mean it. No apologies necessary. I am surprised at the level of stress this causes for you and that you function anyway.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His presence and the friendship allowed me to relax, and then I looked back through the Airlock window and shivered involuntarily.” I need to get used to it, somehow. What kind of officer would I be, being afraid of the very environment I want to work in?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I believe you suffer from a condition called Centophobia, which is a severe fear of deep space. The causes are uncertain to me because of all sciences; psychology is the most alien to Narth. However certain factors may increase the likelihood that a phobia will develop. These factors are often genetic.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well that must be the reason then. I doubt the school doctor on Nilfeheim checked on Centophobia markers. It can’t be any child hood trauma since I was never exposed to deep space and the only similar environment is the ocean and I love that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You should perhaps seek help here?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t want to risk Psycho Surgery! I somehow manage!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We returned from our sixth outside exercise and I was at the end of my nerves and I knew it was Narth’s secretive telekinetic assistance that got me through most of the exercise.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Heinlein gave the sign and we collapsed our helmets. Like all marines I had met so far, he was in physical peak condition and there was a can do attitude in every step and gesture. He displayed the pride he felt to his branch of the service almost fanatical in every breathing moment and radiated an aggressive confident readiness even when he slept. “Mr. Olafson was this the way I showed you how to use the Multi – tool?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He referred to my sloppy job at the simulated repair job I had to perform at an instrument cluster pod.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you want to report to the Psych Section? They can do something about your condition I am sure.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Sir. There is the possibility they recommend Psycho surgery one must be undergo fresh Psycho evaluation and there is very high chance I will not be able to return to academy training. However I am volunteering to return and correct my mistake, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Accepted! Go out there and fix it. I am going to inspect it later!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I activated the helmet and the filmy transparent film slid out the collar encased my head and became rigid.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pressed my teeth so hard together that my jaws hurt as I went back into the Airlock. This old station had no energy membrane locks like I saw on Arsenal gate and relied on the old two door cycle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Heinlein’s voice came through the Com unit. “Take your time, Mr. Olafson. This is not a combat damage control job.” I had to force my teeth apart and said. “Aye Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was afraid a trip to the Psych section would make them find out about my other problem as well and I was certain that would have meant the end of my dream becoming a star ship captain.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The door opened. The sensor module was only about thousand meters away from the station and clearly visible in my head up display. But I would have to cross the thousand meters using the propulsion pack without a tether.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My muscles seemed frozen and I couldn’t make them move as I stood at the edge. My stomach cramped to a rock and forced sour and bitter tasting bile into my throat making me gag. This time there weren’t any others. I was alone!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as I was ready to abandon my idea to go forward and accept going to the Psych Ward I imagined to hear my father’s voice and heard him laugh. “I knew you would come crawling back!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With that vision in my mind I pushed off and the momentum alone would give me enough speed to reach the platform.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was an inaccurate vision as father had changed, but much of these changes came after I had left and in my memories he still was the evil behemoth lurking in my dreams. I needed the prop pack only to adjust the trajectory.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I realized I had my eyes squezzed shut and almost missed the sensor cluster.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Once I reached the array it wasn’t so bad. The construct gave me some sense of distance and mass. I recited the names of all the Aesir while I used the multi tool to tighten bolts. No modern structures used bolts. Everything was molecular deep level bonded with adhesives but this was a training construct and every form of fasteners where used of various tech levels. Working in free fall was much like working under water without the drag so this part was not so difficult for me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I managed to return and went back inside. The other cadets had of course showered, eaten dinner and enjoyed their few moments of free time before bed. The Airlock area was deserted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It took me a little longer to get out of the suit. My hands where still shaking.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lt. Heinlein appeared just as I hung the suit away.” Do you want to go to Sickbay now?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shook my head, thought better and straightened out.” No Sir. If my work was not satisfactory I will volunteer to return and correct it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You would?” “Aye Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I haven’t checked on your work. Are you not sure it is done correctly?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir I tightened all bolts as required to the specified torque. I have not overlooked any and did all 72 bolts.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So why would you want to go out then and correct it?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir the opinion and observation of a cadet might not always be the same as those of an Instructor. Your evaluation of my job performance outweighs my opinion of it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A tight bolt is a tight bolt, no matter who checks it. I know you suffer from severe Centophobia. You should know there are really simple treatment options available.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But you are correct I don’t like taking these fears away from our Cadets. It is the sum of all that makes us individuals and a very important part of our personalities. I must say you would have made a good marine.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A Marine, Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We all are afraid of something, but to be more stubborn than your fear and go at it anyway that’s the hallmark of a good soldier, Son! Well we see how good a Marine you really would have made, tomorrow for sure!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was not sure if he wanted a response so I kept silent

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He turned to leave. “Tomorrow we do Orbital Assault Jumps.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As he went to the door he added. “Now get cleaned up, find some chow and hit the rack!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Orbital assault jumps where usually reserved for marines, but our instructors insisted we needed to get qualified as well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Heinlein seemed especially happy and it was clear he looked forward to the exercise. “Terrans are the only species we know of that developed this form of planetary assault. A man in a space suit is a very small target and it takes very sophisticated tracking and sensor technology to even detect a man sized target in space. Since no other species we know of ever even considered doing what we are about to do, the element of surprise is on our side and a powerful tactical advantage. Marines often debark light hour or even further away from an intended target and use low signature mini jumps to get closer. At very sensitive black ops missions they might choose to travel the entire distance in sub light, being in Cryo-stasis for month drifting through space and then jump undetected on a target planet. Especially if your enemies don’t know what to look for what to expect, Marines can rain on your planet undetected and cause real damage before you even know they are there. You are officers and it might come the day you are assigned to go gather Intel and you are deployed that way. It might come the day your space ship has been blown to bits from under your behind and you need to reach planetary surface.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">You can do an orbital jump with almost any space suit; given the thing has a thruster or ArtiGrav to slow you down.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Well we won’t let you try it in some sub standard equipment so you all going to be equipped with real Marine Quasimodos. So it’s going to be a piece of cake!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A planet looks incredibly big from a space ship. Being outside in a Marine Destroyer suit approaching a planet from a six-hundred click orbit was the most terrifying experience in my life so far.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I made it, I landed. 17 kilometers off my intended target but I made it and I sank to my knees and actually kissed the ground when I finally had solid ground under my legs again and felt the welcome push of natural gravity.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Surprisingly Heinlein did not comment on me missing the landing coordinates and handed me the Orbital jump patch and I was qualified.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">During our last deep space exercise we had to use mini jump drives and find a probe, repair it and return. The jump drives made the suits into mini space ships.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My jump drive malfunctioned and I missed the target area by almost six light hours. All systems except basic life support failed right after I returned to real space and I floated absolutely alone in deep space. Idyllic’s sun was just a bright star. It was so quiet I could hear my own breathing and my heart beat. It was the scariest sound ever.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In my mind it underlined the fact I was utterly lost in an environment so vast no one could possibly find a little speck like me. I was very afraid. In any other situation I could probably think of something, but here I was completely out of options. Space suits where marvels of modern technology and had an abundance of fail safe systems, backups and redundancy systems. Why my suit failed so completely was a complete mystery to me. The communications unit was down, so was the on board AI. Without the Computronic I could not use diagnostics or use the repair nanites. The backup Computronics sputtered nonsense and I had to turn it off and it would not reboot.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All I could think of was that I got hit by some sort of EMP that might have caused this system wide failure.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Deep Space suits like this one where equipped with an Auto Doc. This was a medical expert system able to diagnose and treat many problems with a variety of drugs and state of the art medical nanites. In cases similar to mine, the Auto Doc could induce a cryogenic sleep state and reduce life functions to a bare minimum allowing the occupant of the suit to stay alive for many years. But the Auto Doc was just as unresponsive as the rest of the systems since it needed the Computronic to function. The small indicator panel showed me I had air for another hour, without the recycling systems I would run out of breathable air.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Heating still worked; at least I would not freeze to death.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My last hope was that the emergency beacon. It was supposed to activate in a case like this and had its own energy supply.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Our instructors would know by now I was missing, but every attempt to search for me without a working beacon would be absolutely futile.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The chances to see a space ship where just as astronomic, even if a vessel came close, most likely too fast and then there was no light source out here that could reflect enough photons so my eyes could see an object even close by.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was tempted to open the suit and make a quick end. The Laser torch in my tool belt would slice it open fast.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The air became stale and my heart was beating harder, I listened to my labored breathing and closed my eyes. This was it. I wondered what would be after death. Was there something? Would I wake in Valhalla and be the laughingstock of all real Vikings for eternity? I was never very religious and considered the belief of my people artificial superstition.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now this close to death, I wondered if there was a God and if there was anything I should have done differently.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With those thoughts on my mind I became sleepy. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When I came to my first thought was that there was life after death. But that thought was soon dispelled and I knew was sure I was still alive. I found myself in sick bay on a diagnostic unit. A Med-Bot hovered nearby in observation mode and a Med tech I had seen around a few times before grinned. “Welcome back Mr. Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They found me?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well to be exact you haven’t been lost, but you are back at the base and you can get up. There is nothing wrong with you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got up and feeling solid ground under my feet was a very welcome feeling indeed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Letsgo stood in the door. “It was a test Olafson. We knew you had the possible markers of deep space phobia in your DNA, so we gave you a psych drug to increase it; we had to make sure you are able to function besides your fear. Especially since you refused Psych”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I frowned. “Deep down I knew it was a test, the failure of all systems was so complete, that no normal malfunction could explain it, but with all due respect Sir. This was a rotten thing to do!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Heinlein grinned. “I agree it was rotten, but you want to be an officer and those tests are part of it. I personally also believe you knew it was a test, none of your stress factors rose significantly even to the end.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The end wasn’t so bad. The worse thing was to find out I was lost and nothing worked. Once I knew I could do nothing I accepted the fact, but I think I am going to re evaluate my opinion on religion and see if there is one that fits me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Marine officer stepped out into the corridor. “Think of it as a shock cure. The next time you go out in space you won’t feel that much fear, you survived the worst possibility already.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wondered if he was right.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth waited outside for me and said. “They had your helmet fitted with a Psi Shield, so you couldn’t hear my thoughts, but let me say this. The Universe is not big enough for me to lose contact to your mind. You will never be lost. There is no Psi shield that can hide you. I am always your friend and you are never alone!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I knew then space would never be as scary to me as it was.

Chapter 7: Distant Events Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Carl Kerry leaned on his staff and let his gaze wander over the peaks of the mountains and the alpine meadows before him then he looked over his flock of goats grazing on the herbs and grasses. The orange sun in the sky might eventually be fixed by Wurgus engineers, but there was no hurry. The local star would last a many hundred million years before it begun to expand, reach the next stage in a sun’s life and become a red M Class star. In the process of this development, swallow the Planet Annapurna he was standing on.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Annapurna was a lovely world very earth like with slightly more land than water and lots of high mountains. The fact that the planet had two large moons that pulled on the magma and lava and caused much tectonic activity especially in the planet’s early existence was the reason for the many mountain ranges.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There were eleven planets in the Buonanno System, Annapurna was the second closest planet to the sun. None of the other planets were settled or even much surveyed. The planet was about as far from Pluribus as you could be and still be in Union Milky Way territory. This was the Fornax Dwarf a so called satellite galaxy to the large Milky way Galaxy and the Buonanno System belonged to the Fornax 4 cluster. Almost 46,000 light years to Blue Moon. Sixty five star systems were utilized and colonized in the entire Fornax Dwarf.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So far no sentient life form had been found native to this cluster. Even though Fornax was considered a dwarf galaxy and a satellite to M-0, it was still a galaxy. There was no real reason for the Union to be out here, but ever since the Attikan Commonwealth joined the Union there was an increased interest in these satellites.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When Fornax Four was surveyed by a Union explorer, they found a great number of star systems with beautiful garden worlds, just like Annapurna. Moderate climates, water, rich local fauna and flora but nothing sentient claiming it as their own. Sixteen light years from Annapurna was Hubble System and Fornax Hub. A Fleet Outpost and one day would be the traffic hub of this region.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When Carl’s group, the Simples looked for a world they could colonize and live away from the rat race of the galaxy the Colonist Bureau suggested Annapurna. The planet was surveyed, but because it was so far from everything. No one had claimed it so it was free for the taking. That it was not served by space bus was just what they wanted. A courier ship with mail would come once a month from Hubble and they were able to keep contact with the rest of the Universe via GalNet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now the colony was in its second generation and existed for 48 years and all went well so far. The local fauna and flora was consumable and nothing really terribly dangerous existed. Yes there were a few predatory animals but nothing more dangerous than a Terran Lion or Tiger.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The main settlement was twenty five kilometers from Carl’s hut. A small town of about twenty thousand colonists. The rest of the about ten thousand settlers were spread all across this globe.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Carl used to teach prehistoric agriculture and husbandry at the University of New Cambridge and was considered an expert in his field. He heard of the Simples movement and joined the society and never regretted his decision.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He made goat cheese and every two weeks he would take his rumbler and drive it down the mountain to sell his cheese at the local Xchange. During the first twenty years there was no space bus, but now it would come once a month. Annapura was a Union Planet and as such had a Union school, a Post office, an Xchange and space bus connection.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Technically you could travel all the way back to M-0 and Upward, however the trip took many months. You would have to do this trip in many stages and aboard one of the long range freight trains, pushed by slow long range freight tugs, doing the trip once a year. Of course no real Space Bus connection existed connecting this collection of distant colonies with M-0. The existing connection was to to Fornax Hub seventy light years away and via that hub to the other colonized worlds of this distant little bubble of Union space. There was however a relay chain of GalNet buoys that allowed these truly remote colonists to keep abreast with news and developments. Not that many really wanted to, they had chosen this remote location for a reason after all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Simples had no real rules, technology was not prohibited. The whole philosophy of being a Simple was to have the right to live a simple life style and do what they pleased away from social norm and pressure and free of violence. Weapons were considered the seed of evil and scorned. Carl was a fervent believer in pacifism. He believed that nothing ever justified war. When one of his students signed up for the Union marines, despite all his preaching and month of anti war sermons.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He felt he had failed that student protecting the young man from making a decision to become a state sanctioned killer and murderer. Carl hated everything military. It was useless! Anything could be solved with communication! The last straw came when he learned that seven of his nineteen students considered careers with in the Union armed forces.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So he quit his teaching job, joined a gathering of Simples and took the very long trip to this far distant world.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Not much of Carl’s cheese made it off planet, it was bought right here and the rest was purchased by a restaurant owner on Fornax Hub. He would also sell goat furs, collected herbs and rocks he found. For the money he bought medicine for his goats, spices, coffee, beans and his beloved smoking herbs that made him always feel nice and mellow.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Recently experimented with growing his own herbs, with little success.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As he looked over his herd he noticed Elsa missing. The salt and pepper fur stubborn girl wandered off again! She was to nosy for her own good!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Carl walked briskly towards the cropping of boulders he suspected Elsa to be somewhere behind. Here up in the Mountains was only one predator he had to worry about, Stone Scratchers. But he had not seen them attack anything during daylight, they were very shy and usually all had to do was yell loud wave his stick and ran towards them to scare them off, so he was neither concerned nor afraid of anything as he rounded the boulders from where he could see into the valley.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A small space ship had landed right there, no more than 250 meters from where he was standing. It did not look like any ships Carl knew, but that meant little as he barely was able to tell the difference between a space bus and freighter. A four armed creature not unlike a Pertharian had emerged from the ship and held Elsa in one of its claws. From the way Elsa hung and the dripping blood he knew she was dead. His outrage over the senseless killing of one of his goats made him completely unaware of the situation and he approached the alien. “You better have a good reason for killing poor Elsa! I have a good mind and calling the Ranger!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The being threw the carcass away and said with a growling voice. “I am the Herald! Your language is consistent with the language pattern of those defeating the hordes before!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Carl now began to understand the situation, This was not something he could solve with a sit in, or a stern discussion with a disapproving note in his voice! He was well educated and knew Galactic history was sure the creature was talking about the Y’All.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Now Mister Herald, there might have been a misunderstanding that made the Y’All hordes so angry at us? Maybe if you communicate to us what you want, war is not necessary!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are of that group called the United Stars of the Galaxy and you do remember the Hordes! War is not necessary no, but your complete extermination is. We shall abstain from war if you commit suicide. All of you and without delay!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What is your reason for your anger about us? Is there nothing we can talk about? If you want us dead you must have some reason for your anger.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are not angry. You simply do not deserve to live. You carry the seed of the master and you must not be allowed to exist. Now you will answer me every question and then I will kill you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am a man of peace and I will gladly answer all your questions”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You would sell out your own kind on your free will?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“For the sake of peace, of course!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How did you defeat the hordes?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was not alive back then, but from what I understood. This war monger Admiral Stahl returned from some sort of Exile and brought along weapons and shields that could defeat the Y’All.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tell me the exact function of these weapons!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am a man of peace.I told you! I don’t know how Translocator Cannons work. I never touched a weapon in my life! But we have a GalNet terminal in the Village and you are welcome to use it. I am sure you can find such information there! You see no need for violence.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald ripped Carl’s stomach open, with one swipe of diamond hard claws. “If you do not know about weapons you usefulness has ended. Everyone on this planet will die.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Carl collapsed feeling horrible pain. Just before he died he wished he could stop the Y’All herald somehow or at least warn the others. There at the moment of his death he questioned his own philosophy and wondered if there was a justification for war after all.

Chapter 8: Master Alamea
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everyone thought it would get easier after we got used to the stress and workload, but it did not, our instructors pushed us even harder.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was sent for 24 hours into the no light lock up for having a bad shave after returning from a 75 kilometer force march through the Jungle in just my underwear and a combat knife. The instructor argued that the knife was perfectly usable to perform a shave before reporting back.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth did not fare much better and was send washing dishes by hand for the whole camp, having a mud stain on his robe.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Our martial arts instructor was an old Saresii and the general consent was that he knew every fighting technique and martial arts known to the Galaxy. I had trained in our brand of wrestling and brawling but he was beyond everything they taught on Nilfeheim.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">For some unknown reason he loved to demonstrate his skills on me. Narth told me that he was well shielded and it was even for him impossible to anticipate the next move.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I lost count as to how many times I left his class room on the stretcher of a Med-bot with a broken bone or a serious concussion. Master Alema never expressed apologies for what he did; when I was laying on the mat with a broken limb and almost passing out with pain. He merely pointed out the flaws in my attack or defense to the class and showed them the slow motion recording of my errors.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After we graduated we could get skill implants that would give us instantly the skills of a wide choice of martial arts, but the Navy insisted that we learned the Navy standard Style hand to hand combat the old fashioned way. It was so we were told the amalgam of the fighting techniques of thousands of cultures and civilizations honed and mixed into a technique and style very unique to the Navy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course Master Alamea did it to other cadets as well (at least to those Cadets that could break bones), he even sent Limbur more than once with injuries to Sick Bay and Limbur was three times his mass and much stronger. I just had the impression he picked on me more than the others.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One Sunday afternoon we had a few hours to ourselves and I thought I would use that rare free time to go swimming. Camp Idyllic had several swimming pools and bathing in the nearby lake was fairly safe but way too warm to my taste. The survival and diving pool was the largest and deepest and they usually kept the water much cooler than the others and that’s why I liked it best. The water was still too warm for me, but it was clear fresh water and it was forty meters deep.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Usually this pool was deserted outside of training exercises those other cadets that used their free time to swim preferred the warmer water pools or the lake.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I was surprised to see Master Alema there. He was sitting at the highest diving board in the lotus position with closed eyes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I cursed under my breath. I didn’t want to go to another pool, especially since I didn’t have too much time, but I really didn’t want to run into that Saresii Transvestite.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All Saresii appeared to be female and stunningly beautiful, but some of them where men, made up do look like women. In class we learned that the Saresii were among the oldest species with a continuous civilization. They had been traveling space for much more than million years. Some event millennia ago wiped out all their colonies except their home world It was blamed on male aggression. So the Saresii banned everything appearing male. At first they had a matriarchal society, like the Saran’s but it changed and developed differently. Why all Saresii men decided to dress and appear like women and make this aspect the core of their civilization I did not know. Saresii joined the Unites Stars relatively late. Their technology was considered to be among the most advanced within the Union.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Saresii were most famous for their Psionic. It was believed, every Saresii was a telepath of considerable strength, some had telekinetic powers. A well known legend told that the Saresii rearranged the eight planets of their system into perfect orbits using their combined psionic powers. There had to be truth to the legend since the eight planets where arranged in such a way.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth was not impressed by the Saresii Psionic abilities and he told me that Narth considered the Saresii to be like children who just managed to walk.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Master Alema appeared to be a woman in every visual aspect. She could have been any age between 25 and 200. The face was very female with much larger purple colored eyes than humans, long lashes and beautiful shaped lips. Saresii ears where pointed and usually hidden under their long hair, but I could see the tips of his ears between the strands of the long silvery white hair.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii readily adopted Terran and Saran make up fashions and used this ancient female art to enhance their faces and appearance. Almea’s hair was straight and fell below the shoulder blades. It had the color of shiny silver. The only way we knew he was not a biological female was because Commander Letsgo always referred to Alema as him and we had to call him Master.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I turned and wanted leave but his voice caught me at the door.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Come up here cadet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alema had noticed me despite the fact; he was sitting on the ten meter tower with his eyes closed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed and kissed my afternoon goodbye but I climbed up, stepped on the board and saluted.” Cadet Olafson reporting, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You think I pick at you more is that not so?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It appears to me that way, yes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do demonstrate on you more often than the others, because you have great talent and you never give up. I like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did not know what to say so I remained silent.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alamea continued and asked: “You are from a water world?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I believe they call you Neo Vikings. A culture modeled after an old Terran tribe of warriors.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Vikings, Nordic peoples—Danes, Swedes, Germans and Norwegians—who raided and settled in large areas of eastern and western Europe during a period of Scandinavian expansion from about 800 to 1100 Terran.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you fight others while you in the water?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes we fight in every environment, and in the water, against each other and pretty much everything that lives in the ocean of Nilfeheim.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Fight me in the water!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alema jumped and I dutifully followed right away. I was planning not giving this experienced master of all martial arts much time to adjust. This was my element and I was a good water fighter, even for Nilfeheim standards.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was right after him. I impacted feet first directly on him, buried my heels with force in his back and pushed him further down. I did this many times during fight class as others did it to me whenever possible. I had to admit I also was more than just annoyed to have my few few hours ruined by that sadist and acted much more violent than I perhaps should have.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My eyes where much better adapted to see under water than those of standard humans and I hoped Saresii eyes where human in that regard. Also I had another advantage, no matter how good he was, I had a virtually unlimited oxygen supply and did not need to pay attention to my oxygen supply.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He had to hold his breath and had air for maybe 2-5 minutes at best. Part of his concentration had to be diverted to that. My gills opened and the cool water rushed in me. It was always a wonderful experience especially after being on land and dry for a long time, being in my most favorite environment stimulated me always.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Water fighting with the intent to kill was completely different from fighting on dry land. Water put tremendous drag on everything you did, swinging chops or even straight punches where almost impossible and lost much of the damage inflicting energy. Hitting something fast was similarly difficult. Instead it was better to use the entire mass of the body just like a missile and in close combat short kicks and straight stabs to soft body areas were much more effective.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alema was good, he wasn’t fighting under water for the first time, but I had trained with Gustav Aikson the unrivaled Champion of my world. It was no real contest and after burying both heels into his stomach. I saw bubbles rush out of his mouth and the expression of pain on his face.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I suddenly realized I was about to kill him. If he tried to inhale, he would drown. I rushed after him and pulled him to the surface and had to perform CPR. A gush of water came out of his mouth and he started coughing. I was rushing to the next COM unit to call for help.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alema coughed and spat water. “Don’t call for help. I will be fine.” He coughed once more and took a deep breath and sat up. “Why did you not press your advantage? You clearly had me and your style of fighting shows you do not fight for sport but to kill.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Neo Vikings don’t do much for sport, expect perhaps bashing skulls, killing others and drinking. But I am not on Nilfleheim. I could not let you drown, Sir! That be murder.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I caused you much pain and humiliation in my classes. You could have killed me out of revenge! The records clearly show it was me who ordered you to fight me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You did nothing to me that would deserve killing, Sir. I dislike your classes yes because I never get used to the pain that goes along with breaking bones and I do feel you are selecting me more than others but I will not seek revenge for that. I accept this as part of my training and rite of passage.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pushed himself up and walked to a bench. Seeing him walk like that I couldn’t believe he was a man. The black skintight bathing suit clung to a very female body and I became quite jealous.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sitting down one one of the warmed pool side benches, he held his stomach and coughed again. Then he said. “You are honorable. But are you willing to kill?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, if I am asked to kill an enemy in the course of battle, during war or conflict. I am prepared to kill. I will resort to lethal force if I have no other option or defending my friends, but I won’t kill for sport and most certainly do not derive pleasure from it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You killed before.” Alema said this in a matter of fact, not as a question.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I have. We are all raised in a very old fashioned way where honor and defending it means more than a life”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why did you leave your world?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“To join the United Stars Navy and apply at the Academy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But you are the first born. Would you not inherit all and become patriarch of your tribe?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am technically still in line to inherit the family’s wealth, name and all holdings, yes but the position of chief can be challenged and one has to fight and most likely kill for it. I am glad my sister is taking on that responsibility.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man woman looked at me and she said. “Tell me the truth. There is another reason, the real reason you had to leave.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blushed and looked away. “I can’t. It is a private matter”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is nothing to be ashamed of. It won’t affect your career. What you think is your deepest secret is well known to all of us who can access your personal file and was of course detected at your psychological examination on your first day. It is as you say a private affair and because it is not considered harmful or counter effective to your career or duty no one ever mentioned it to you. But trying to keep it a secret can make you vulnerable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I just listened, my secret so openly exposed caused me much distress.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii instructor said. “I am just curious. I sensed something a little earlier. Something we Saresii are used to because we are, but are very uncommon now among Terrans and Colonial humans these days.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked around to make sure we were alone. “I am not sure what is wrong with me, but sometimes I wish I would be a girl. Not a man at all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is nothing really wrong with you. I am simply surprised to see this form of Gender disorder in a human. Nowadays it is as rare as homosexuality. The genetic predisposition has been eliminated in many families and if it does surface is usually adjusted via prenatal DNA surgery long before birth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed. “They did some genetic repairs in our colony’s past to counter the problems of a small gene pool. But as far as I know of, no genetic manipulation is done on Nilfeheim. There are certainly no pre-conception exams and kids come the natural way, no Arti-Wombs or anything like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii put a hand on my thighs. “Don’t think of it as disease or handicap. You see in the old days before Earth became a galactic civilization it was perfectly alright to be that way. The public and official opinion it changed in 2200 during the ‘Fist and Iron period’, when everything out of the norm was considered weak and undesirable.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then around the year 3000, gender change became very popular and there were individuals changing it a dozen times. It caused severe psychological problems in some cases and that practice became regulated until today but to this day it is nothing unusual.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know I researched this myself. I wanted to know what was wrong with me and what my options are.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What are your options?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I heard about Psycho surgery. They can take the desire out of me for good. They say it is perfectly safe and can be done in a few minutes, but somehow I am afraid of that option.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Could it be that deep down you think this is not what you want, to get rid of it I mean.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged.”Mostly it is my fear that I will not be able to complete this journey to become a Fleet officer. I am also not sure about myself when it comes to this. It feels right at one hand and I know it is wrong at the other hand. I am against psycho surgery in general. I don’t like to have my very own personality changed to what some Psycho surgeon thinks I should be.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you joined the Navy to proof you are a man?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not at all. I proved that when I killed my first Tyrannos. One of my teachers also wanted me to leave, because of this desire. Nilfeheim is changing very slowly but it is changing to the better. However if my problem comes to light, it would cause much harm to my society. This is why I left Nilfeheim, but I joined because I really want to be a star ship captain ... Of course I know now that my chances are slim at best and that there are decades of service ahead of me, but the chance exist!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Neither your career nor your citizenship would be affected if you decide to try to live as a woman.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It would not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t be afraid of being what you want to be, but one day you must make a decision. Otherwise you will never find inner peace.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed.” Perhaps I’ll try it after basic training is over.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If you ever need to talk about this come to me, we Saresii have built a civilization around this subject.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you. I think I will!”

<p class="MsoNormal">R&R

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur came into the dorm right after lunch with a big smile on his broad face. We had learned to eat fast and use the remaining time to polish boots, do small repairs on uniforms or equipment or to catch up on some required reading. “I have awesome news guys.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth floated above the floor, his legs folded underneath him and his arms tugged into the sleeves of his robe. A book floated before him. Olia as always fussed with her hair (if it wasn’t her nails) and used a sickly sweet smelling product she liberally sprayed on her blue dyed hair. Somehow she always managed to get her hands on some kind of hair or nail product, no matter how many Aurelius confiscated.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy and Wintsun played chess and Owar slept as usual. I had my boots on the table and tried to mend a tear with Stick-n-Bond. A razor branch sliced the tough material almost to my toes yesterday during an orientation exercise in the jungle. I wished for real All Terrain boots with those you could walk over a field of razor branches. Everyone, except Owar turned their attention to Limbur and Wintsun said: “Lemme guess, they serving pizza and you managed to score extra pies from the KayPee?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not that this would be a bad thing, but I got bigger news.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy rolled her huge and quite beautiful eyes to the ceiling: “Maybe it would be best you simply tell us the news. Otherwise we all keep guessing through the entire menu.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur seemed a bit annoyed: “It has nothing to do with food. Rumor has it we get the weekend off. They are going to fly us to Perryton for some real R and R.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun made a skeptical face: “Why would you know about such a rumor and no one else?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because I happen to be friends with the Supply Sergeant and he told me there are no food services scheduled for Friday till Tuesday and he said that means we get a weekend off and Friday is tomorrow.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Owar who still appeared to be in deep sleep said.” Or it means they send us deep in the Jungle and we have to find our own food.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur frowned at Owar and said:” You going to owe me a drink and a Pizza when we’re on Perryton for doubting my sources.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And you owe me your RICE bar when we stumble around in the swamps and can’t find anything to eat

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Deal.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth waved his hand over the book and closed it. “Eric has always found plenty of nourishment and items that could be consumed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes but do we have to remind you of the times we were sent solo?” Limbur grunted

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No you do not.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Besides to gnaw on something unidentifiable Eric killed and burnt over a smoking fire isn’t exactly what I call nourishment.” Olia sneered.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This time Galmy rolled her big eyes to look at Olia from the side. “If you ask me I was glad it was burned and unidentifiable last time. I don’t want to know what he found to eat in that swamp.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I spread my arms.” Hey it wasn’t all that easy to catch those slick things and I was glad I was able to start a fire in that perpetual damp swamp.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun agreed. “Yes I tried five hours on my own the other day and couldn’t get one going and I had a lighter with me. If I ever need to survive out in the wild, I rather have Eric along than any of you and you know how much I wish Olia would finally see what a handsome man I’ve become.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy blinked at me and said. “I’d have Eric along just about anywhere.” The way she said it made me blush and Narth made the situation worse as he in his innocent direct art said. “Was this a conversation with an innuendo and a hidden sexual signal?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The rest of us said almost simultaneously. “Yes Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One is pleased to begin to understand the finer nuances of interspecies verbal communication.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It turned out Limbur was right. Because just then the PA system came on and Commander Letsgo’s holo bust established itself over the table and announced:” Listen up everyone. This is the last day of your first seventh month and your basic training is officially over in four more months from now, and all of the remaining Cadets have met the study and test requirements for this period. To show you that performance and diligence brings rewards, all of you will be flown to the neighbor system tonight and get some R and R at Planet Perryton until Sunday night.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We could hear the joyous cheers of the other cadets and Limbur smiled triumphantly at each of us. “Told you so.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I put the boot down and wondered what Perryton would be like. Narth heard my thoughts and answered. I had gotten so used to him knowing my thoughts that I actually expected him to say something and he sure did. Narth not only could read minds he seemed to have memorized the entire Encyclopedia Galactica.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Perryton is a garden world colonized over seven hundred years ago, famous for its moderate climate and extensive sugar beet and potato export. Perryton is also located near eight major Navy bases and installations and the planet makes most of its income by providing recreation facilities to off duty navy personnel.” Narth turned his head to me and added: “I have not memorized the entire Encyclopedia Galactica, that be quite impossible but I am making progress. Since that information data base is constantly growing and updated it is impossible to completely absorb all information until all possible information is contained, it does not contain all information.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now it was my turn to roll my eyes and I muttered: “I had to ask.”

Chapter 9: The Herald Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Technically she was a coach operator and so it was noted on her pay slip from Red Triangle Lines Corporation, and the ship she flew was only a D 180 Long Range Shuttle, but she called it ship and despite the fact that she was the entire crew of the ship, she considered herself a star ship captain. Out here in the Fornax satellite it was not necessary to operate full size Leyland or the truly big MB Space Buses. She never had more than ten passengers and her shuttle had room for 180 individuals. Today she had not a single passenger as she approached Annapurna. Well that was not entirely true; she had four cages of chicks and a transport crate with two goats. The Union Traffic Connection Act of 3200 said that every planet of the Union had to be connected to the rest of the Union via GalNet, Mail and Space Bus and so there was bus service to even the most remote planet. Annapurna most certainly counted as remote. Not that she minded she loved her job; she routinely flew to sixteen of the sixty five colonies here in the Fornax Four Cluster. After Annapurna she would head on to ‘Five Hundred Lakes’ and from there to ‘Greenandblue’. There she would take on twelve passengers, heading back to Fornax Hub Station.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The D 180 dropped out of Quasi Space and Terri pulled the communications sensor head from the ceiling, then she straightened out in her seat and established contact with Annapurna Port. “This is Captain Terri ‘The Redhead’ Finley calling Lazy Al of Annapurna Port. I am coming in with mail, 2000 chicken chicks and two special passengers for Carl. Got anything or anyone going out?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lazy Al usually responded right away as she knew the man had a crush on her and she loved to tease him about it. This time it took a few moments and Al responded without activating visuals. “You are permitted to land. You are to unload your freight and everything is perfectly in order here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Terri’s neck hair stood up straight, something was not right here. “Why don’t you come on visual? I am wearing the Uniform blouse that is a little too tight, the one you like.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes there is delight in myself to see you in a garment that does not fit. The visual sensor is damaged.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Now she was certain there was something fishy going on. Did he smoke too much of the herbs Carl collected and maybe something else more potent?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Hey Al, what is Gloria thinking about the fact you are flirting with me all the time?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a pause and then the response came.” Gloria does concern herself with matters of pre mating rituals I am engaging in.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I believe that.” Gloria was on the old advertisement poster for Dunmark Nuc Gas, that hung on the wall behind Al. Gloria was a cartoonish space ship. “Whoever talked to her it wasn’t Al.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She changed channels and called the Ranger station on Fornax Hub and told them that there was something strange going on and she forwarded them the recorded transmission and her explanations. Then she opened the channel to whoever it was and said. “I know you are not Al, and I have alerted the Rangers. Whoever you are you are in trouble Mister.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How unfortunate for you then, I must kill you then before your message reaches whoever you called.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Whoever it was did not know about the Instant communication and therefore was not Union. So there was alien unknown sentient life out here after all. It did not sound very friendly but the Rangers would know how to deal with that. If not there was a Destroyer stationed at Fornax Hub. Thinking about that she called Fornax again and told them about the latest development and maybe it was better to send the Destroyer and the Navy right away.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A small ship appeared coming up from the planet. It was nothing her Computronic could identify. It was however armed, the purpose of the four barrel like extensions on the potato shaped craft were clearly weapons. She reversed course and shifted her engine past Red Line in the hope to reach Quasi Space and Tran slight speeds before the Alien could make true on his threat. Her shuttle was not armed and had only standard civilian shields, good enough to deflect micro meteoroids and atmosphere but not to deflect weapon energies.

<p class="MsoNormal">Perryton

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Jones Port on Perryton was a big city with over 6 million inhabitants. The town was located at the bottom of a massive mountain range and the buildings and constructs hugged the C shaped bay of a turquoise ocean. The dominant architecture style appeared to be Retro Fundamentalism with buildings made of most likely local materials, stone facades of reddish granite and old fashioned square windows. Retro Fundamentalism was void of frills, statues or integrated art. The buildings had straight lines and angles. The tallest building was only about twenty stories tall. No slide way bridges cluttered the skyline, like they did in many other cities. A few buildings where clearly not of human design, like the spherical pinkish gleaming Saresii Meditation Temple or the lemon shaped Wurgus Tech Center.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The streets between the buildings had tree lined slide ways with various speed lanes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The planet’s space port was located on the other side of the mountains and connected via tunnels and not visible from the town.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before we left Commander Letsgo had ordered us to stay together in small groups and not to get in fights with Marines or United Stars Army personnel. The Quarter master transferred our first pay since we joined. Narth was pleasantly surprised to see $12000 credits on his newly issued Credit strip. I knew a cadet was making 1500 a month. This was quite some money. To me, a thousand credits was still a lot of money, the amount of credits on my credit strip was actually beyond my comprehension.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth held up his Credit strip and glanced at the number. “I have monetary means.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You never had any money before?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He shook his head. “Our society does not trade and had prior to me virtually no contact with other Union members. The Narth representative on Pluribus does not earn any money with his posting. So yes I am the richest Narth there is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth I have more money than I understand and it is all yours if you need it. I have very little needs for it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I observed that humans and also many non humanoids value the amassing of wealth a great deal and they pursue much way to gain more. Why is it you do not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I got food, clothing, friends and it looks like I do have a career in the Navy so what do I really need more? The one thing I want I can’t buy with money.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Seeing the amount of Credits available to you, I think you could purchase a private space ship.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I simply looked at him. “That would not be the same.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Olia was quite displeased and complained that this was barely enough for a few decent shoes and a new outfit and she wanted to go to a bank terminal to get more money.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We all wore our Dress uniforms. Navy black with large green bands on the sleeves, indicating to everyone we were just green first year cadets and not real officers. Except Narth who was exempt from regular Navy Dress code. He wore a black robe with a green stripe on his long sleeves. I knew him well enough now to notice even he was in better mood than usual despite the mask.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And as usual I was never sure if he actually spoke to me or if I heard his voice in my mind directly. “It pleases me that you are able to detect my mood. Having any kind of mood is still new to me and I am thrilled that our friendship developed in such a way that you can detect it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The star port was a busy class B. As we landed I watched in awe as towering Octo-bots, some over thousand meters tall, serviced space ships, swarms of cargo drones lifting containers and freight in dazzling speeds through the air. I wished I could have lingered and watched some more. Few things fascinated me more than watching spaceport activity but our transport had touched down and the platform we landed on, lowered the D 100 Long Range Shuttle below the surface. Moments later we debarked and rode a slide-way to the terminal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A security checkpoint manned by a robot and a local uniformed officer checked our CITI and allowed us access.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The terminal was as busy as the star port itself. Beings from all over the galaxy moved in any conceivable direction, robots of every design carried out errands, vended food, drinks and provided a host of other services. One side of the terminal had the usual chain stores and restaurants one could find in any mall or star port: Mc Donald’s, Arthur’s Swine and Dine, Harold’s Mercantile, Seven Eleven, Pizza House, Wuerg Exotics and a Hoechst Drug and Pharmacy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And there where uniforms everywhere. The white of Medical, the light blue of Science Corps, Marines in midnight blue, Orbital Attack Infantry in green, Navy personnel in black. And in between maroon dressed Explorer crews and the purple of Military Police.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A group of young marines plowed through the crowds as if they owned the place. There was no one stupid enough to challenge them either. Two cadets form our group joined other Navy personnel in a line before a Tattoo parlor. A dozen army cadets proudly displaying their OAI patches held a noisy eating contest at Swine and Dine.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What a zoo.” Owar remarked, with a disapproving tone in his voice.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sure you can still catch the transport back to Camp Idyllic.” Wintsun suggested with a crooked smile.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Owar spread his arms.” I was just saying, look at all that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What’s wrong with it?” Galmy wanted to know. “I am starving for civilization and action. I think I could party around the clock.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Owar stretched his arms. “I am going over there to the Holiday Inn portel, get me a room and sleep till Sunday. That’s what I am going to do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are you serious?” I asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yep.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sure enough he went straight to the guest counter and asked the attending robot for a room and two minutes later he held a key card, glanced at it and said: “I am in room 453. I haven’t slept enough since I joined this circus. Would you guys mind checking on me before you leave?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As it was his habit, Limbur scratched his bald head. “Sure we will. I think his idea isn’t all that bad, but I first need to find me the best All you can eat buffet in town.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With one friend left we boarded a maglev train that connected the Space Port with Jones Port the capitol city of the planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The ride only took a few minutes and we left the train at the down town stop and emerged on shopping and amusement area, just as busy as the star port and again uniforms as far as one could see.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After quizzing an info bot we found our way to the water front and a sea food-all you can eat restaurant. The prices where astronomic but Limbur insisted on inviting us all. To my utter delight I found Tyranno Fin steak on the menu. It was not as good as I remembered it but I still enjoyed a taste of home so far away. I also tried the local fish and it wasn’t bad at all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth passed small morsels under his hood. He never really ate. He just sampled foods. I asked him:” Do Narth eat? I mean consume food the way humans do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We once did, but we found the process of consuming solid foods and passing waste products very inefficient and quite disgusting, but as you know I am trying to learn more about the way humans and other beings live. So I sample small amounts to analyze them. I must say we Narth lost a lot in the process. I learned from you that eating is much more than nourishment but a social event. Associated with flavors and textures it provides pleasure. Experienced pleasure is probably the greatest loss”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I watched him putting a whole series of little yellow vegetable balls under his hood from a bowl of these swimming in an oily substance. One of these bowls was on every table. I never had seen them so I had no idea what it was. Wintsun shook his head. “I have never seen anyone stick three Torch-berries at once in their mouth. Normally a drop of the oil is enough to spice up an entire meal. Those are hot enough to make a Nul-Nul scream and he pops them like cherries.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth whispered in a hissing voice. “I believe I just experience pain. It is not very pleasant ... fascinating.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You better quit just sampling food and eat a lot of bread and drink water.”Wintsun said, with a grin on his face.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After a long meal we finally left the restaurant and lingered for a little while at the beach walk watching waves roll in.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy spoke very little and she looked quite lovely tonight, she wore make up that enhanced her big eyes and her long black hair had a precious shine. “I thought Limbur would ever stop eating.” She put her hand over her lips and giggled.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur laughed. “I noticed the worried glances of the server too.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Olia patted her belly. “I ate like a pig as well. I had no idea I could eat that much.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Wonders never cease.” I said looking at Galmy. “I had no idea you actually could smile.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She blushed and it was especially noticeable on her usually snow white skin. “I am not used to express my emotions openly as humans do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thought Maltyrs are human.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We have human characteristics. Two hands, five fingers, stereo vision and all that. I am sure Maltyrs and all the other humanoid species have some common ancestry, but we are not human. Of all human species, we Maltyrs have the most incompatible DNA with others. Expressing emotions openly is something we don’t like to do. It is part of our religious beliefs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you or diminish your culture. I was merely expressing my delight to see you smile.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know Eric. I am not offended.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A stranger approached us and he bowed deeply before Narth. “Are you the Dark One? Have you finally come back? I am here to serve you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth moved a step back.” No I am not, Human. How do you know about the Dark Master?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was something going on I didn’t understand. The man was human and appeared to be at least two hundred years old. His skin was wrinkled and his hair was thin and gray with a hint of sulfur yellow. He wore a black garment not unlike the robe Narth wore, but his hood was folded on his back and with a white skull like symbol on his chest.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man’s face first showed disappointment then anger and then it changed to a clear expression of disdain. “Everyone should know about the Dark One. Everyone should worship him and pray for his return.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With a sudden urgency he made a sharp turn and walked away, not quite running but with considerable speed and disappeared in the crowds.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What was this all about?” wanted Olia to know.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth as always was completely shrouded, but I could feel he was disturbed by this event. He finally spoke “This universe is based on Duality. Good and Evil, Darkness and Light, Male and Female, Matter and Antimatter. The Universal Rule is that all these conditions must be in balance and this rule is represented by a collective called the Order of Balance. But there are entities if you will, sentient conditions aiming to gain victory and dominance over the other side. Eliminating duality and return all to a singularity. Should this occur the universe collapses into a pre creation state. According to the Rule which is set in place by the Order of Balance neither side is allowed to gain the upper hand, to do things that would change this Universal balance is to break the rule.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth had never spoken so long and so much and right here at the shore of an alien ocean next to a lovely beach and a balmy night he told us about subjects of such profound importance that none of us really dared to breath and not to interrupt him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He spread his arms. “Narth observed many civilizations and societies who worship and believe these entities exist and can be pleased with an activity called worship. While the acticity and the subsequent development of religions are still a great myastery to Narth, the existence of these entities can not be completely dismissed. The man we just encountered appears to be member of a religious sect hoping for the appearance or return of the entity that represents death and anti life.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There is evidence that this galaxy has been visited by entities or sentient beings associated with that dark force, devouring the most advanced civilizations that existed for millennia just as easy as it destroyed the most primitive ones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy almost whispered.”You are talking about the Celtest and the Saresii of the First Age of Knowledge, don’t you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is conceivable, as the Celtest did exist and vanished after fighting an entity or entities spoken in universal legends as the Dark Ones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I gasped at this:” We learned in school no one knew why or how the Celtest disappeared and you know?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun was also fascinated. “It’s one of those great mysteries.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur, as usually scratched his head. “But if the Celtest lost and those Dark Ones won. Why aren’t they still around or why has no one found any artifacts left by them?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth made a sound that sounded almost like a human sigh:”Narth do not know what happened to the Celtest or the Dark Ones. Only the Narth Supreme, guardian of the Deep Vault might know. The Deep Vault holds an artifacts of the Dark Ones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy blinked: “I would dismiss this as legend and fairytale if it wasn’t Narth who told us this. What are the Dark Ones?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth didn’t answer at first but then he said: “Narth do not know. Our equivalent of scholars can not find human concepts that would express it correctly, but perhaps God or Demon would be somewhat accurate. I am very old compared to you, but quite young in terms of Narth and I have been made sentient only recently. I did not exist when the Dark Ones where here. I never saw a Dark One and Narth Supreme has not found it necessary to share this memory with me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Did this Dark One also attack Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Celtest did ask others to fight with them and assembled a coalition of societies. The Saresii back then pledged their support and received much of their technological advancements from the Celtest and so did the first civilization of the Nul-Nul. Narth did not participate or was involved, but this is why we decided to hide our home from all sight. Our observers some millennia later found the Celtest to be completely destroyed. The Saresii lost every one of their colonies, only their home world was spared. The Nul-Nul had been punished and all their colonies where gone, their technology completely destroyed living in Stone Age conditions on their home world. Many other civilizations stood against the Dark Ones, once thriving and now completely forgotten because they where utterly vanquished.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We listened to Narth with open mouths. What he told us there, where answers to many of the biggest mysteries of galactic history. I wondered if the Narth knew about other mysteries as well, like the Y’All and the Piostla, about the Guardian and the 200 Mentors.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Eric we do not have the answers and much of what we know is based on second hand accounts. Narth Supreme and the Eternal Tribune see a connection between the Y’All and the Dark Ones, but no concrete information or observation can substantiate this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun stared into the direction where the old man disappeared. “I wonder how he knew about it. He didn’t look like a Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was able to see only his surface thoughts, without violating the Psionic Directive I could do no more. From this I gathered he was a religious person belonging to a sect that worships the Dark Ones. The legend and the many associated myths are trans society and have been told and retold over many civilizations and eons. To find religions and faith based groups associated with it, is to be expected.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I saw a public GalNet terminal not far back.” Olia said pointing towards the row of stores.” Maybe we can find out more there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy tipped at her temple. “No need. I am a Data head. I can access GalNet from anywhere within Union Space.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She folded back the sleeve of her flimsy blouse and a GalNet Control interface suddenly appeared shimmering through her skin.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pushed the controls and a field screen appeared before her.”Normally I access GalNet via Retina control but I had this field screen projector put in a short while ago, it does come in handy when I want to share information.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun was impressed. “That stuff is so incredibly expensive. I heard a full Data head Implant with transdim receiver is about a Million Creds.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy shrugged.”No I don’t think it is that expensive. I think a full set up with standard features can be had for about 100 k.That’s not all that much money, I have the top of the line SII Ultimate Complete Package and it was about 600 k.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The energy field screen displayed the GalNet search page and then switched to a site called ‘Church of the Dark One’

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was, as we scanned through the documents and info blips just a relative small religious and quite legal church association, with their biggest temple right here on Perryton. They based their religion on ancient documents their leader had found in a Saresii Archive. The declared goal of the church was to prepare for the second coming of these Dark Ones. Their diety was described as an all-powerful God. Limbur snorted with contempt. “Nothing new here, just the usual religious crap of a God’s second coming, I bet there are millions of these and all claim their Deity is the one true god and the one that is coming back. None ever did.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy was not so convinced. “But Narth told us that this one did come at least once and it did defeat the Celtest and all the others. Since we have no idea why they left, they could come back. The Y’ All come back every 5000 years just for example.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth pointed at the skull like symbol.” And this church seems to have more information than most others. This symbol is quite accurate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur bunched his fists. “Then let’s find that goon and ask him a few questions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“About what?” Wintsun wanted to know. “Praying or worshiping gods is not illegal and what is it our business?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. “You are right of course, I just have this feeling we would miss out on something. No I didn’t put that right, I just think there might be more to it than just another sect.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Hate to be the one to tell you that, but you are hanging out day and night with Narth and to him everything is strange. It was just a goon who has the same fashion sense as Narth.” Wintsun said. “Let’s check out that Data Head Shop we passed. I want something like Galmy. Maybe they have an economy model I can afford.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We turned direction and headed back, but I could not shake the feeling we should have followed that man.

Chapter 10: Church of the Dark One – Perryton Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Istee Da Notham was out of breath as he stormed into the back office of the Dark Temple. Mitzitrone the Head priest sat behind his desk reading something and was quite startled at the undignified and unannounced entrance of his Right hand man and fellow Priest.” What in Darkum’s name? Has someone put a Stickle-Incher under your robe?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Notham pointed his arm to the door. “I saw him and I felt him. The Dark One is here and he is here now. I could feel more power than I ever felt. More power than I thought possible.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t follow you. You cannot be serious.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am a Tele-Empath as you know. I can not read minds but I can sense other Psionic talents and their strength. This morning I sensed a few here and there, the usual. But moments ago on the beach walk. A being completely shrouded in a black robe, I brushed his mind. It is like seeing the sun and all the other talents are mere Flashlights. He was accompanied by Humans dressed like Fleet cadets, but one of them, perhaps his servant was almost as strong. I am telling you the Dark One came. He immediately recognized the symbol and asked me why I would know about those things.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mitzitrone was completely unprepared for such a statement, but he believed Istee was not hallucinating either. “The return of the Dark One was prophesied to occur during our life time, but not here on Perryton. The entire Galaxy would know if he returned.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are but mortals. We base our lore on ancient plates found by the First Son of Darkness. What if the Dark One is here to test us or if he came to choose us to be his Agents of Dominion.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mitzitrone got up. “Let us go and welcome him then. If he is the Dark One we must offer our services. If he is not then we must know what power you speak off. Do you still sense him?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I can’t feel anything. My senses are numb of the power.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lead the way to where you saw him last.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The two men reached the Beach walk moments later and they both saw the group of Cadets stand before a Data head shop.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mitzitrone held his friend back.”That is not the Dark One. That is a Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We must return and contact the First Son of Darkness. It is important that he knows a Narth is here on Perryton and mingles with Fleet cadets.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As they rushed back, Istee asked.” I know next to nothing of the Narth but I did hear they don’t mingle with humans. How do you know it is a Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You sensing his power and the way he is dressed. Narth are supposed to be even greater Psionic talents than the Saresii.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am half Saresii. I spent years on Saresii Prime. I never felt anything like it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That confirms it then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They reached the office and Mitzitrone immediately activated his GalNet terminal and keyed in a secure Link request along with a priority signal to the First Son. It didn’t take long and the First son’s projection appeared before them. He did look a lot like the Narth, he too chose to obscure his face with a hood.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Brother Mitzitrone of the Perryton Temple, we received your generous donation and we are thankful for your devote service, but why the call at this time?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is a Narth here on Perryton and he is with a group of Fleet Cadets.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“My sources where correct, then. I heard a rumor from the Worm that a Narth had joined the Fleet academy. I want you to keep a close eye on him. I will give you access to our contact on Camp Idyllic and you will inform me daily. We might have to act and capture the Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will do as you command.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Istee felt left out. “Why is this Narth important?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This Narth has the key through the shield that surrounds their system. With him we can access the Vault of Knowledge for deep within the vault lays the Summoner. Whoever holds it becomes the vessel for the Dark One to return.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Istee bowed deeply.” I will do all you ask so the Dark One can return.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will contact you shortly with Instructions.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Rickman's Roost

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Eighty thousand Creds for the basic unit?” Wintsun groaned looking into the Product display screen of the Data Head Store. “Who could afford that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy shrugged, “Who would want to buy that one anyway, it has no retina readout and only hearing nerve connection for audio output. Besides it is made by Metron. I suggest you go for that Motorola Unit. It has Retina and Audio, and unlimited access for 5 years, only standard digital and not trans-dim. But it will work in any bigger city.”-

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Galmy, that thing costs 120 thou. That’s more than my entire family makes in two years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ah just go for it. I got my allowance and I get it for you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Just how rich are you?” Wintsun wanted to know.” Are you related to Rex Schwartz?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh not even close. I only get 100 k a month from my father. I wish he wouldn’t be so tight.” Then she laughed. “Of course I know my Mother is rich and that most folks have to work for much less. Why do you think I joined the Navy? I wanted to show my family that I am not just a rich brat. I love my Dad more than anyone and he was a simple Fleet officer with no money before he married my mother.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And you did.” I said.” You did make it through basic. I bet he is very proud of you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know. I can’t believe I actually made it so far.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pushed Wintsun inside the Shop.” You’re my friend. Go for it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun hesitated but then laughed too and went in. I heard him through the door.” Mister, I like the Motorola Data cranium Sleek-5 you got in your display.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy came back out. “What about you guys? I’m buying for all of course.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur scratched his bald head.” I would not mind those Cybernetic ocular enhancers. You can see in the dark with those and linked to a Smart Gun you shoot like a robot.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sure thing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth declined.” There is nothing that could be crafted to Narth and have any use for me. However I thank you deeply for your generous offer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth looked at me. “Do you wish to purchase cybernetic or Bionetic enhancements?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t think I need that. Besides I have a Narth in my mind that is almost as good as a GalNet Connection, gets me all sorts of information if I needed it or not.” With that I elbowed him in the side and made sure he knew how I meant it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was surprised at the elbow bump I got back from him and rubbed by rib cage. “Now I know why you didn’t like bodily contact before.” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Four weeks had passed after our weekend on Perryton. Owar had quit a few days after we returned from Perryton, claiming he couldn’t make it. We were all a little depressed for a while to see our sleepy friend go. Especially since he had made it so far, but the rigors of training and learning soon faded his memory. Owar was among the last that left. Of the 150 cadets that had arrived ninety remained, or ten dorm groups. Owar’s bed and place was taken by Kilan Gomer, from Hikee, he was half Humanoid and Attikan, the result of a legal genetic mix most likley as Attikan and humans could not naturally procreate. He had features of both species evenly mixed, but unlike Pure or Fectiv, he was not very personal or likeable at least not to me. He declared that he considered himself to be an Alpha Male and therefore the natural leader and demanded that we all do as he said.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It didn’t last long even though I tried hard to be sociable and polite but one insult was simply one insult to many and I challenged him to meet me at the Main bath room facilities in the center module after hours, as weapons he chose wet towels.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wet towels were widely used as an effective tool for pranks, teasing and one of the weapons of choice in Cadet Duels. Winner was to be declared the contestant who first threw the towel and gave up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One might think a piece of fabric soaked with water is harmless, but with a flick of a wrist, the tip of the wet towel could reach supersonic speed, producing a loud cracking sound, exactly like a whip and it could leave welts and red streaks.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The fight ended with me full of welts and Kilan having a bloody nose. The Instructors gave us both two days of Isolation and then separated Kilan from our group and added him to another dorm

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Besides our company of ninety remaining cadets there were seven more, they all had started out on different spots around the planet and with about the same number of cadets at the beginning. It seemed that sixty percent was the average every company had lost. Each company stayed in one of the Dorm modules arranged around the center hub. We stayed in East Five and were therefore E5 Company. Each company had their own company instructor and they stirred the already fierce competitive spirit between those companies even more. Everything became a competition. It didn’t matter if it was eating at the Mess hall and who could finish faster or marching, running, shooting and test results.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But ever since we returned from Perryton it was no longer stressed by the Instructors and the atmosphere of learning and instruction changed from yelling and seemingly senseless tasks, to dedicated learning, training and studying, The remaining cadets and that included me, could see the end and we all were confident that if nothing extraordinary would happen, we finish the first year and advance to the sophomore period of the academy training program.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We now were no longer called cadets, (even though technically we were) but Midshipmen and we received rank insignia. I was now a midshipman Lt Commander and my rank display on my shoulders had four stripes and the United Stars Emblem of the stylized Spiral Galaxy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was not looking forward to the next section as we were transferred into space again. This time however we did not end up at Daniel Station but at a station called Rickman’s Roost twenty five light minutes from Green Eden. It had ArtiGrav and was much bigger than Daniel station situated in a hollowed out asteroid.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There a new Instructor greeted us there. “I am Lt Carolyn Steward. In less than three month you will have completed your first year that doesn’t leave me much time for what we have to teach you here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was a mean and lean looking woman and I thought with all the modern possibilities she could have changed her appearance, obviously she did not care much about her appearance. She had a flat chest, had big teeth and her dull brown hair was cropped to a very short buzz cut. While I was checking her out as she did the same with each of us.” Most of you only completed your minimum required hours at ship-simulators, now it is time for the real thing. In the next two weeks you will learn how to pilot a variety of small and mid size space craft. We will go over navigation and engineering basics as well. So pay attention!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It turned out this was my favorite class of all. It didn’t matter that the space ship I piloted was a measly D20 trans-light shuttle. It was a true star ship. Its FTL engines could push it to super luminal speeds. It was only 20 meters long, had almost no shields and a very basic beam weapons, it was my ship, at least for a little while.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lt. Steward took me off to the side after the first week. “Midshipman Olafson, have you decided yet which direction you will go? You see the second year is to specialize. Communications, Security, intelligence, Navigation, Logistics, Science, and Helm, tactical and engineering are the common ones. Ever thought about taking helm?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Ma’am. I haven’t really thought about that. Aren’t helms men picked by their Neuro-H abilities?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Only for the big ships and there aren’t enough Neuro H talents for all ships so there are always positions open for a good helmsman and you appear to have a natural talent for it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I’ll think about it, Ma’am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The time flew and I could not wait to get up early enough to get behind the controls of whatever craft they assigned us and every free minute I spend in one of the simulators. Now I was certain beyond any doubt that I had made the right decision to join the Navy. Behind the controls of a ship I was not afraid of space but enjoyed every moment. The highlight and the end of the time on Rickman’s Roost came when we were allowed to take a real Thor Gunboat out past the last orbit and simulated a battle engagement with real weapons against robotic Target drones.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was unable to wipe the grin of my face even two days after and was proud of the shiny golden diagonal stripe added on my sleeve. I had been promoted to Cadet Captain and received my very first academy citation. ‘Best in class; I felt quite disappointed when we had to return to planet side.

Chapter 11: Ranger Baker Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The music blasting from the speakers onto the flight deck of this small specialized space ship was called Country music and no one past the Sol system would know what it was, the man in the one person command center of the ship however grew up in Texas, long before the Galactic Ascent and he sang along, knowing every lyric by heart. He was a big man, with fists like five pound hams, a barrel chest and a weathered sun tan.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So long ago he had been a Texas Ranger and now over three thousand years later and a long distinguished career in the Space Marine Corps he was back at doing what he liked doing best, being a ranger and a frontier law man. He was an immortal, but not one of those picked by the guardian; he had become immortal even before the 200 where picked by an Alien that had appeared on the tribal lands of his Native American Grandfather.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So much had happened since then, but Peter Baker hadn’t changed much. He was still the same can-do Texan he had been back then.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now he was a Union Ranger. Technically a law enforcement agency for the frontier areas of the Union but it was so much more. He delivered mail, judged in local disputes, assisted in medical emergencies. He had helped to deliver quite a few babies and not all of them were human. He officiated in wedding ceremonies and did pretty much everything in between. Rangers belonged to the Bureau of Colony Affairs but had the full status of a Union Police Officer.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Ranger Service was not for everyone and the training was very demanding. A Ranger on Frontier patrol duty was away for three month, usually alone, rarely in pairs.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was not one of the famous immortals, hardly a handful of people even knew he was older than even Richard Stahl but among the Rangers and especially among the settlers and colonists he was a legend.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Peter loved this job as he was mostly independent and could help.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Normally, his patrol range was the fringes of the Spinward Sector, but for the last year he was sent out here to the Fornax Cluster. Sixty five colonies about as far as can be from the rest of the Union territory.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When he set out for his patrol this morning he wanted to check on Cara’s Place, a desert planet with a colony of less than ten thousand, at first a peaceful, quite rustic colony with down to earth folks, but ever since they found vast deposits of Iridium there was constant squabbling among the settlers and now there was a murder, but Cara’s Place had to wait. He just received a call from Fornax Hub, that there was something strange going on at the Buonanno System, the space bus had reported that there were pirates or hostile aliens and now the space bus was overdue and did not respond to hails.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His ship was for the most part a standard Ranger patrol ship. Based on the Barracuda Destroyer hull, was fast, well armed and had excellent shields. Unlike the Navy version the Ranger barracudas did not have a Translocator cannon or Loki torpedoes. It had larger freight compartments filled with emergency supplies, medical equipment and two LEGO Nanite Factories. But his Rusty Betsy, as he called his ship had been modified by his friends and carried a few nasty surprises, as quite a few pirates and outlaws had found out. Still it would not be enough if there was some alien civilization invasion. He would have a look around, check on the bus and if there was more than he could handle, he would high tail and call in the cavalry. The problem was the closest full scale navy base was in the Small Magellan Cloud and it would take at least twenty days to get a Battle group here.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He dropped out of quasi space. His long range sensors had not shown anything out of the ordinary, but now that he was in the Buonanno System his sensors could pick up everything in detail and he immediately noticed the spread of metallic debris not far from Planet Annapurna. There was the distinct signature of an ISAH engine explosion. The remaining mass was consistent with the long range shuttle Terry Finlay piloted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He stopped the music and put his Stetson straight on as he sat up and activated his shields. Something or someone had destroyed the Space Bus and he did not want to be the next victim of whoever was out there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The only energy signature he could detect, was from the Zero Point Storage at Annapurna. He had more experience than most men alive and he was not afraid but he still wished Dark Cloud or Wulf would be with him in situations like this.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He hailed Annapurna and did get no answer even after the sixth try. His Computronic analyzed the power output at Annapurna port and verified that the equipment down there was working.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course there was cloaking technology and the possibility of something his sensor could not pick up was always there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He could of course report the destruction of the space bus and call for back up, but if there were colonists down there in trouble any delay would reduce their chances. Then his sensors picked it up, it was well concealed and standard sensors would have never picked it up, but there was something down there on that surface, an energy signature and it was multi dimensional.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no putting it off, he had to land and check it out. So he called in made his report and did call for back up and then approached the planet and prepared to land.

<p class="MsoNormal">End in Sight

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In only 14 days from now we would leave Camp Idyllic and what seemed impossible at first did happen, we got used to the long days, heavy work load, never ending study sessions and physical training.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lt Waltham our Exobiology teacher ended his class and said: “You will get this weekend of for R and R. But I could use a group of volunteers to accompany me for a little expedition. No one seemed too enthusiastic and no one volunteered. He looked in Galmy’s direction.”Cadet I hoped you might be interested, it is a real scientific mission.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She got up. “Sir I would like to volunteer.” Since she was our friend we got up as well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other cadets left the class room, some looking at us with smug smiles. Lt Waltham smiled too, but his smile was genuine pleased and said to Galmy. “I knew I could count on you Cadet Galmy, your genuine interest in exobiology shows in your study results and I am glad your friends come along.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Our dark haired beauty looked at us with her big eyes. “Sorry guys. You didn’t have to volunteer too.” But her eyes were saying thank you for doing it anyway.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Waltham sat down on the desk and explained. “We are going to take a Crawler Cat out into the Jungle all the way to the other side of the planet. We still haven’t catalogued all of the native species; especially the southern continent has huge areas completely unexplored. Wilson, a farmer that has homesteaded there, reports of a lizard he believes shows signs of intelligent behavior and uses primitive tools. The Science Corps has ordered me to investigate that and to verify if there is an indigenous sentient life form to this world.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Six hours later while the other cadets enjoyed their time off, we unloaded a track crawler from the hold of a D100 transport that had taken us, half across the globe to a small clearing in the sweltering jungle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The vehicle was a Deere Planetary Survey Crawler with wide dura-plast tracks. It had a fusion cell for energy and could accommodate 12 beings for an extended period of time in almost any environment.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Lieutenant was sitting in the passenger seat, while Galmy was driving it. The rest of us questioning the necessity of us being here sat in the back, while the machine pushed through the dense underbrush of the jungle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Waltham swiveled the chair around. “I really appreciate you volunteering. I know most of you rather had the weekend off, but this is an opportunity for you to be on a real mission. One day you all are officers and an exo-biological survey like this one will be very likely. You see the Fleet is not just fighting wars, keeping the borders safe and patrol traffic lanes for pirate activity. Among our main duties is the collection of knowledge. To expand our horizons, support the science corps and explore the unknown both in space and on the surface of new worlds. Some of you might not be stationed on a battle ship at all, but on an Explorer ship or on a research station on a distant planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur crossed his arms.” I sure hope not.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What do you expect, Cadet?” The Lieutenant asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The bald headed cadet shrugged: “I am not sure, but to be in a remote research station with a bunch of Sci-Geeks sure isn’t it. Besides I am going to specialize in Security during my second year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Once you graduate you could be posted anywhere. Personnel allocation may put fresh officers without experience at a quiet post where they can gain some experience.” He directly looked at Limbur.” Security is needed on all Navy holdings, be it a ship or a Science Camp.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I still would like to know why you need us, Sir. I mean we aren’t doing anything.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Glad you asked Mister. Why don’t you man the bio impulse scanner and check for neural patterns that might indicate sentient life.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir I am not that good with that. Galmy is much better!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Lieutenant smiled.” Now you have a reason to be here. Get some practice with the science equipment and you Cadet Narth will assist him. I am sure you can find things much easier with your Psionic powers, but I want you to use the scanner equipment instead.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur mumbled something incoherent but he and Narth swiveled their seats, changed the configuration of the multi task consoles to the required task.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Lieutenant seemed satisfied and then he said to me:” Mr. Olafson, this is an expedition into the unknown, potentially hazardous territory. You man the gun turret and keep your eyes and threat sensors open.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Midshipman Olia Naa you are to take a break and lay down. You are going to take over driving later on.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And you Mr. Wintsun will take the assistant driver position.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gun turret was a single forced energy projector on top of the Crawler and I controlled it from my console. The threat sensors weren’t much good in this situation, the sensors could pick up energy sources, life forms, heat sources, movement, metallic and artificial materials but there where too many life forms out there, too much movement and heat sources besides I didn’t expect any threats. There was no life form out there that could harm a full size crawler like that. The planet was deep in union territory and no unknown alien forces with hostile intentions would be lingering out there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even with the visual enhancement sensors and virtual sight head gear it was quite boring to scan the jungle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I lost my sense of time but without looking at my MultiCom wristband, I estimated that we were driving now for at least six or seven hours through untouched jungle. The scenery outside did not change. Trees, vines, bushes, mud bogs, animals and more trees. That was the reason I was totally unprepared for the sudden jolt that virtually lifted me out of the seat and banged my head against something, I tasted blood in my mouth.

Chapter 12: Annapurna Port Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Peter had put his ship down on the leveled landing field of Annapurna Port. There was a small collection of stone and wood buildings. The energy signature came from the largest building in the little town, the local exchange.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He checked his gun, a copy of Wulf’s Tri Blast and made sure his shield belt was fully charged and operational and then left the ship. As soon as he left, his shield locked and activated the purple shimmering Para Dim Shield.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was about thousand meters to the town and about the same distance to the metal building of the exchange.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He only walked about half the distance when he found a terribly disfigured body of a woman lying face down on the ground. Whatever it was had ripped her in half.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The garish find reminded him of an event so long ago in New York City, back then a group of bio engineered Xunx monsters terrorized the unsuspecting city. He defeated the monsters, but he was with Wulf and Cloud back then. Wulf who was a Terran enforcer from an alternate time line commanded technology advanced even for current Union Tech, had given Peter a copy of his battle suit and in situations like this, he was glad he had it. Cloud, his mysterious god like friend had left them even before the Ascent but he promised to return one day.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He could have activated the cloak and be invisible to most sensors and eyes, but he wanted to be seen and hoped there were survivors.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As he approached the open sided warehouse that was the Exchange, he saw the space ship parked underneath the roof. It reminded him of a silvery potato, but no species known to him had ships shaped like that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In the same instance a powerful energy beam hit him and threw him several meters back. A second beam emitted from that craft and slammed into the shields of his ship.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Shields down to 50 percent said his suit system, he drew his blaster dialed it to max discharge. A loud voice thundered across the field.”You impress me human. You should be destroyed, but you will not survive another attack. Therefore you must surrender!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Surrender my ass!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Huhgavh

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first thing I saw was dirt, leaves and slug like animals at extreme close range. It was not very bright and the world seemed upside down. At first I thought I had been thrown out of the cat, but then I realized I still was connected to the Virtual sight gear. I severed the connection and tried to assess the situation. Something had turned the Crawler on its roof and a huge metal torn hole gapped at the front left side. It smelled of singed metal, plastic and the pungent odor of the jungle. Narth and Olia were lying right next to me and neither showed any signs of life. Galmy and Wintsun had been wearing their seat restraints and both struggled to get free. Limbur seemed unhurt and stared at me and pointed at the Lieutenant lying on his back in a puddle of dark liquid, he was closest to the hole and his seat was damaged as well. The main interior lights where off and only red light sources provided illumination.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What happened?” I asked touching my head probing for the wound that trickled sticky blood down my face.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur shook his head. “I don’t know. One moment Narth and I watch the sensor read out and then the entire cat starts rolling and bumping, something hit us and part of it got the Lieutenant.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy lowered herself: “I was driving up a steep incline as the Lieutenant ordered when the entire hill came loose in a sudden explosion and I think I saw the trail of a missile just before we got hit!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun also managed to get clear from the seat.” I think we got attacked!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We can figure out later how it happened exactly.” I said. “Wintsun check on the Lieutenant. Galmy get on the Comm. and call for help. Limbur see what we got for weapons!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I crawled to Narth and checked for life signs and found none at all. I could not feel him in my mind either

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just then Olia came about with a groan and sat up. She had a bad cut across her arm and burns in her face.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun said with an urgent tone: “Limbur get the Med Pack. The Lieutenant is in really bad shape!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy’s voice was shrill:” Eric, the Comm. Unit is not working, neither the diagnose cycle nor the self repair mode protocols respond.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t panic, Galmy. Go down the list of actions just as we trained. Check the emergency power. If you can’t get power, see if you can access GalNet with your Implant and run a reboot cycle to the Nanite repair module.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth stirred and his gloved hand found my arm. “Eric, I am not used to this corporal existence. This body is severely damaged, if it can’t be repaired in time or I am able to transfer myself, I will cease to exist. I do not know how much time I have. I want to let you know that you made me understand the concept of true friendship and for that alone I am thankful and made all this worthwhile!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth don’t talk like this! What needs to be done to repair your body or can you be transferred somewhere?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Repair can only be made by Narth. Transfer can only be made if there is another Huhgavh!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I held his arm tight. “What is a Huhgavh? I still don’t know enough about Narth. But I will do everything I can to save you! Do you hear? Everything.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth are not corporal as you. We occupy...” He struggled and his voice faded for a moment.” We occupy physical bodies to interact with this reality. The Huhgavh is my true vessel of being, but without the proper vessel I will dissipate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Transfer it into me! Will that work?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It was never done! You will be violated and there is much pain involved! It could kill you or erase your personality!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth you are my friend. I gladly lay down my life for you. If this will save your life, then do it! I must do it! Don’t die on me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Remove my hood. Make sure no one else can see my face. It would be harmful to them!”!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The others were too busy to look. So I pulled his hood and stared into the face of a god. At first it appeared human, but no human was so perfect. It was neither female nor male. No words I knew could describe it. Warm golden light made the skin glow and the light became more intense and engulfed me. The light was everywhere, drowned everything else. Then there was pain, as if a sharp object was slowly pushing and turning at the spot between my eyes. The pain increased and it was nothing like I ever felt before and it kept intensifying. I threw up, I barely noticed. I bit my tongue but it was nothing compared to the withering pain I experienced in my mind, and I heard a sharp crack as one of my teeth splintered. The pain was everywhere, the light no longer golden but blinding white ... and then it was all gone!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth’s body before me now looked like a wilted mummified body of a thousand years old skeletal corpse with brownish leathery skin stretched over it. I felt weak and noticed I had soiled myself! No I felt the pain of my swollen tongue and the broken tooth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun approached me. “Eric are you alright?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t know to be honest, but I am alive. We can sort things out later. How are the others?” I barley recognized the babbling voice as my own.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Everyone has minor cuts and bruises, but the Lieutenant is comatose and I don’t think he will survive. His pulse is barley there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is a landing Crawler don’t they come with Space suits?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes it does! Let’s get the Lieutenant into one!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was quite difficult to dress a limb body in this confined compartment, but we made it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth is dead?” Limbur wiped tears out of his eyes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let’s put his body in a suit too! He is not human maybe the Narth can still do something for him” I said. I knew I should be devastated losing my best friend I could not think of him as gone.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur handed everyone a Standard Navy Blaster he had retrieved from the Emergency Locker.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I checked the energy level and the green indicator showed a full charge and said. “Galmy, Olia and Wintsun you continue to try repairs. Limbur and I will go outside and check the area. Someone has fired on us and it is possible they are not done with us. So we need to find them first!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We crawled outside and scrambled to a fallen tree. Looking back I saw that our crawler had been hit two times. One hit destroyed much of the rear tracks and the second had hit us right at the cockpit area. After two hours of carefully scouting the area we found the empty starter platform of an old automated Area Denial Drone launcher. It was not fleet issue. Limbur checked it over. “That is a Telemann Missile Monitor. Those are often dropped by the hundreds from air or orbit to control an area without deploying troops or expensive robots.Its not Union issue, but private military grade.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Who would drop something like that here?” Was all I could say.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Maybe left over from some war exercise and simply forgotten. These are not very effective against shielded targets.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It was enough to kill Narth and destroy our crawler!” I pressed between my teeth and all is my fault! I was manning the threat sensor!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No it was not your fault. Telemann’s are camouflaged against sensor detection and the crawler doesn’t have any Mil Grade Sensors, just basics.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We returned to the Crawler and told them what we found. Neither Galmy nor Wintsun were able to get contact to GalNet via their Implants.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Galmy pounded the console “Rotten Liver of Dildur, cursed demon of all that’s rotten! I am not getting anything!” This was the first time I ever heard her curse that way.” It is as if we were hit by an EMP.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is not unlikely. One of the missiles hitting us could have had an EMP warhead component.” Limbur said.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What are we going to do now?” Olia asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you have a map available? Isn’t there a homestead, a farm around here somewhere?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She nodded. “Before we rolled over, we where about 25 clicks away from that place, I think.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Olia showed me the place on a hand held.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright, this is what we are going to do. Galmy, Limbur and I will go to that farm. Olia you take that Comm. unit apart and see if you can fix it. Wintsun you stay with her and help her, but mostly keep an eye on the wounded, if we aren’t back with help within ten hours. You will have to go as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We equipped ourselves as good as possible: Water, Vibro Machetes, Blaster Guns and food rations for a march through rough jungle terrain and without further delay went back outside.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Under normal conditions and level ground one could make 5 clicks an hour. But the jungle terrain was not level and we had to use the vibro machetes quite often to cut a passage into the dense foliage. It was incredibly humid and I was trenched in sweat after only ten minutes. We also had to be careful not to run into Millipede-burrowers, the life form Narth and I encountered on our first night on this world. The possibility that there were more Telemann Missile Monitors could not be ruled out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Despite all this, we made steady progress; Limbur seemed as fresh as when we started. Galmy’s long hair stuck like glued to her face, and she too suffered in the moist heat, but kept up fine.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had to fire twice at large animals but otherwise the march was strenuous but uneventful. Limbur saw it first and stopped.” We made it!” We reached a large clearing in the jungle surrounded by a tall shock field fence. The area behind the fence was cleared from jungle vegetation and we saw a group of buildings in the distance and an agro bot slowly rolling over a field nearby. The Shock fence was 14 meters tall and there was no way to climb it without getting shocked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Without asking Limbur walked to the next fence post and used his vibro machete to slice through the metal. The monofilament blade vibrated at a rate of 60,000 cycles per second, anything short of molecule compacted Ultronit was cut like butter.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The post fell over and created a gap in the shock field. We barely made it through the gap when the Agra bot swung around and approached us at high speed. “Intruders! You are trespassing and caused property damage. Cease all activity, authorities have been alerted!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Robot. I am Eric Olafson of the United Stars Navy. I am a lawful citizen of the union. Human lives are in danger.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Every non military robot was required to be base programmed with the three laws and I invoked his prime program by identifying myself that way.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The robot stopped approaching and snarled: “State the nature of the emergency.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A hover jeep screamed from the distant buildings and reached us fast. Two men were sitting behind the controls. The hover jeep had a transparent wind deflector but was otherwise open. Both men were armed and they both pointed their energy blasters at us. They where human, one older with gray hair and the other much younger with brown hair. The older one jelled:” What is the meaning of this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir I am Midshipman 3rd class Eric Olafson. We are from Camp Idyllic and we had an accident twenty clicks from here. There are wounded and we are here to get help!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not here you don’t! I don’t know how you made it out alive, but now turn around and leave at once! I have no desire to help you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, we have two comrades that are seriously wounded. Please use your comm. unit to contact the base for help and we will be on our way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wanted the Jungle to kill you, but I think I have to do it myself!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man fired! The bright energy beam slammed only a few centimeters away from my foot into the dirt. Clumps of hot dirt, Smoke and steam showered me. He yelled: “Turn around and leave my land! I won’t repeat myself and I will shoot to kill!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was prepared for anything but that. His weapon was real enough and the crater before my feet was still smoking. Why did he want us dead? Who was he?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, I must insist on your assistance. I have not many options!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He fired! But a heartbeat before knew he was about to shoot, and just before he pressed the trigger. I jumped by pure instinct to the side, still not fast enough to completely escape the sun hot blast. The beam came so close it scorched my shoulder. I heard Galmy scream and turned to see with horror Galmy falling to the ground.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had enough of this! I was getting really angry. The gun he held suddenly flew in a wide arch out of his hands, I had no idea why it did that, Narth was no longer with us but I used the chance, pressed my gun to the shoulder and aimed. “Sir, cease all hostilities now or I will vaporize you! No further warning will be given!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He cursed and called me names some of them I had never heard before, but he raised his arms. I yelled:” Limbur get him!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur jumped and his powerful leg muscles used to three gee propelled him in a high arch onto the jeep’s hood. He reached for the two men and yanked them with little effort simultaneously out of their seats and threw them to the ground. I pointed the muzzle of my gun directly at the old man’s nose.” Pray to your god’s old man! Pray that Galmy is alive.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He shivered and ground his teeth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur jumped down, rushed to Galmy and said. “She is alive, Eric!. The blast didn’t hit her directly, but she got burned pretty badly. She needs attention soon!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was about to kill the man. Just then I heard the robot rolling closer. “Emergency channels are open.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are going to pay for this cadet! I have you court-martialed. I have you hung for this! Do you know who you are dealing with?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“With a lunatic obviously, Sir! I have no time to discuss the situation with you any further, but I have a good mind to search your place. Your violent reaction leaves only one conclusion, you have something to hide here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You will be hung!” he screamed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When he screamed at me I got a strange vision. It was as if I could see right into his brain and there was hatred towards me. I saw Cadet Swybin’s face. I also saw rows of white Plasti containers hidden in a room under the homestead. The Plasti containers held clear cylinders with a white powder and I knew it was something illegal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The vision faded as sudden as it came.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I used the robots Communications Equipment and reached Camp Idyllic without problems. After I explained my situation and gave them directions I was assured help is on the way.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Help did arrive only forty minutes later. Narth’s remains, the Lieutenant and Galmy where rushed to medical and I was arrested! Two marines and a Lieutenant Commander I haven’t met before approached me and told me I was to be arrested until the investigation was completed. No one told me what the actual charges were, but I was stripped naked searched and put in a transparent, prisoner control suit and locked up in a holding cell.

Chapter 13: Annapurna Port Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wulf activated his cloak and put the suit in flight mode. Like a human missile he flew towards the ware house. Another energy beam emitted from the alien craft and slammed into the ground, where he had been a second ago. “Rusty, activate weapons and open remote control. He slaved the ships weapon control to his suit and a pair of green crosshairs appeared before his eyes. As soon as he lined up the cross hairs he pressed with his thumb on a small contact on the side of his index finger and a rotary chain gun on the side of his ship fired a burst of 20,000 heavy Neutronium coated slugs accelerated to almost the speed of light against the alien ship.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A bright yellowish energy shield became visible, it flickered and collapsed a heart beat later under the tremendous kinetic energy onslaught. A hatch opened and a huge four armed alien emerged. At first he thought it was a Pertharian, but Peter was a Union Marine when the Y’All attacked, the last time. This was a Y’All.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His Tri Beam weapon was the product of the 54th century of an alternative reality and he fired into the alien ship right next to the Y’Alls head.” Drop your weapons, buster. You are under arrest for murder!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Court Martial

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I must have passed out, because I woke up as two men dragged me out of the cell and put me on the diagnostic bed of a Med-Bot Unit. The machine cleaned me and tended to my injuries. The robot talked to someone I couldn’t see from my position. “Patient is in serious condition and severely dehydrated. The injuries sustained correspond to physical abuse. I must consult a doctor.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A person answering out of my field of view. “You consult no one. Do your job; fix him up so he looks presentable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I said: “Robot, I am Cadet Eric Olafson. I am held without charges and I have been tortured. Contact my superior officer, Commander Letsgo and file a report on my condition.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Acknowledged!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A bright flash hit the robot and the machine fell over in a tangled mass of molten Vari-plast, circuits and metal, I barley felt the added pain of the burns.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He won’t do any reporting and you will die!” Said the voice.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Someone else in the room had panic in his voice: “Admiral Swybin. We need to get him out of here. Chances are the robot already filed everything before you shot. It is certain however that the destruction of the med bot and discharge of a blaster raised alarms and someone is on its way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Someone pressed an object against my neck and I heard a sharp hissing sound. My vision blurred and went dark.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When I regained consciousness, I wore my uniform and was sitting in a small room with just a bench and a door. Only my hands where restrained in handcuffs. My head still spun and I was thirstier than ever before.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It wasn’t long when a marine came in and ordered me to my feet. “They are waiting for you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I struggled to my feet, fighting wobbly knees and went through the now open door into a court room! There was a panel of three Officers sitting behind a raised desk. I saw Olia, the Lieutenant and all the others sitting behind a barrier. A sense of relief came over me seeing them being alive and well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I also noticed Commander Letsgo and the other instructors

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A bell rang and everybody rose. Someone said:” This United States Navy proceeding against Midshipman 3rd Class Olafson is now in session. Commodore Stone proceeding!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everyone sat down and the marine behind me pushed me forcefully into a seat.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A blue skinned Lieutenant to the left stood and picked up a handheld PDD. “Midshipman Olafson is charged with causing bodily harm to a superior officer, destroying private property, theft and disobeying direct orders. He is further charged with treason by committing acts of espionage and collecting sensitive information for a foreign power.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He then looked straight at me.” Midshipman Olafson waived his right to legal counsel and refused to speak to a SAG officer, but then the evidence is clear and this Kermac spy knows when he has lost. I present as Exhibit A his handwritten confession he did under his own free will and with me as witness present.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wanted to protest but my mouth would not obey me. I couldn’t talk!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The prosecuting officer looked at me: “How do you plead, Midshipman Olafson?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was jerked to my feet by the Marine: I tried my best to say anything but no sound escaped my mouth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The prosecutor sneered. “The Midshipman refuses to answer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Olia got up. “I object! Midshipman Olafson was not consulted by a SAG officer, he is physically unable to speak don’t you see that? He needs medical attention!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander banged his gavel. “You will only speak if you are ordered into the witness stand. If you continue to interrupt the proceedings I will have you held in contempt of court.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Olia did not sit down.” I shall report this to SAG and file a complaint. This is not right!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You have been warned Midshipman. You are to vacate this court room. This court will not be black mailed by a mere Midshipman. Marines take that person out of my court room and make sure she is restricted to quarters until further notice.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two marines approached Olia and escorted her out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Limbur was about to get up and say something, but Commander Letsgo glared at him. “Be silent Cadet. This is how we deal with spies and traitors. I have seen the evidence!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My last hope vanished. Even Letsgo was involved.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stone became agitated and hissed from the bench and pounded his gavel. “I have the court room cleared if there are any more interruptions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stone turned to the prosecuting officer: “Please continue! I want this to be over before dinner! Lieutenant Granger, please continue.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The prosecutor nodded and said: “Midshipman Olafson broke into the main control room, obtained sensitive material and wanted to use the field expedition to meet with his Kermac handlers, what exactly happened is still under investigation but the Crawler Cat was damaged by a Kermac Duo Mine. That mine was illegally purchased by Ericson during his R&R at Perryton. We have the sworn statement of the weapons dealer filed as Exhibit B. During the aftermath, Olafson pretended to save lives and he caused the death of one of his comrades, disobeyed orders and attacked senior officers. We had no time to investigate the extent of his spy activities for the Kermac Conglomerate, but until we can conclude our investigation we recommend Olafson to be punished with twentyfive lashes of the whip and a permanent entry into his records be made. We also recommend he will be transferred to Maximum Security Colony Brisbane for the duration of twenty month so we can continue our investigation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stone smiled. “The court accepts this recommendation. We will not seek a full court martial for it offends our sense of honor to have such an exceptional deceiving person be trialed as an officer. Midshipman Olafson will receive thirtyfive lashes at 0500 tomorrow. Midshipman Olafson you are herby ordered into custody of the United Stars Marine Corps Detention Facility Idyllic 2 and remain there until said time to receive your punishment and your transport leaves for Brisbane.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was angry at the system, angry at the unfair treatment. I was so furious I wanted to scream, but no sound escaped my lips. I was put in a regular cell, with working water. The cold water tasted like a gift from the gods.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I hadn’t been long in my new cell, when Commander Stone came and stood before the force field that separated him from me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Admiral Swybin is an old friend of mine and if you ever open your mouth and tell what happened, I will make sure you disappear forever!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pointed a small silvery device at me and I felt as if a lock had been opened in my mind.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do I make myself clear?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your threats hold little value to me. I will expose you and that power abusing criminal you call Admiral. Go ahead and kill me now, do whatever you want. I will not keep quiet!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He laughed:” Oh but you will. You see you have a little Saresii Psionic device in your head. You will never be able to talk about it and in a few weeks you die, committing suicide. The device will drive you to it and there is nothing you can do about. No one will ever investigate, Brisbane is a very harsh place and suicide is not uncommon there. You won’t be able to tell anyone, but you know you die. Isn’t that something?” He giggled. “Oh I love these Saresii devices. Getting into a pissing contest with an Admiral wasn’t a good idea!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He laughed as he left and closed the door.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That night I had terrible nightmares. I knew he was right. I could not talk about it. Not a word came across my lips when I tried. Suddenly I had ideas about killing myself. While I tried to block it out the idea seemed better by the minute and was the solution to all my problems.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The next morning, two marines woke me, led me to an Auto Dresser. The machine cleaned me, nanites re manufactured my uniform and in less than a minute. I was clean shaven, wore dress uniform.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The sun was barely up when I was led out on the parade ground with a marine on each side. All Midshipmen seemed to be here, assembled and standing in attention. Ten marines had old fashioned drums and played a steady solemn beat. We learned about these archaic traditions in military history class. Corporal punishment had been reintroduced in 3500 for severe crimes committed by military personnel. Thirty five lashes was the maximum punishment that could be administered without going before a Court martial tribunal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everything seemed so unreal to me. Swybar kept his promise and I did get what he said I would get. His father did make this all happen.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Letsgo stepped before me and his metallic face was unreadable. He ripped the rank insignia from my sleeves. “I had great hopes for you. It turned out you have been a murderer and a spy! You deserve worse than this!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Marines tied me to a metal frame. Arms and legs spread, forming an X.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A man all dressed in black wearing a tight fitting black mask stepped into my field of view: “Do you want a rubber block to bite on? It will help with the pain!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No! Do your thing and get it over with.” I couldn’t protest or say anything against the Admiral or the Commander, but I said.”Your mask won’t help. I will get justice and you will pay!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He snorted a laugh and walked out of my sight.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Someone read the charges and the punishment. The Drum beat stopped.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something alien seemed to creep inside me and I could hear Narth’s voice” My friend I know. Don’t despair. I am in you and I am awake now. That primitive Saresii device has no power over you no more.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This sudden contact by my friend, took away all fear. I wasn’t alone! Narth knew about the device and he would do something about it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My shirt was ripped away and I could hear Commander Stones voice: “Let him have it Sergeant and let him have it good! Execute the punishment!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first stroke bit into my back. I promised myself not to give them anything and not scream or beg.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I think I did scream, but I was certain I didn’t beg. After the tenth stroke I lost count and around the twentieth I passed out. Someone splashed me with cold water, but it didn’t do much for me and I think I passed out again. What happened after the last stroke, I didn’t know.

Chapter 14: Commander Letsgo’s Office Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander still stared at the torn off rank insignia of the former Midshipman at his Desk, then his Com flashed with the top urgent icon.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“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 tomorrow!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott gazed at him with open contempt. “So you are involved as well! I never thought it possible!” Letsgo was confused. “Sir I am involved with what?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just then the door slammed open and Admiral Stahl entered he too seemed quite angry and Letsgo felt suddenly very small. Especially since he did not know what was going on. Behind Stahl, the General of the Psi Corps Lichfangh and yet another Admiral stormed in, he was the Judge Advocate General of the Navy and with him two Spec ops Marines with fully charged arm cannons at the ready.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl was the first speaking and he repeated the question: “Where is Midshipman Olafson?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir I just told Admiral McElligott that he is in the brig. We contained this disgusting individual and have dealt with him!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl nodded to the Marines.”Find him! See that the Narth have access to him at once.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The marines responded by running out of the room.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Narth is dead! Olafson has killed him!” Letsgo said.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elligott’s holo stepped forward.” He has done no such thing!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl raised his hand. “I always considered you one of the finest officers and I felt some friendship between us. For the sake of that friendship I want you to tell me exactly what occurred. I expect from you nothing but the truth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo felt insulted by that. “Sir I live by our honor code. I never lie.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then tell me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Olafson was a Kermac Spy. We know that the Narth became aware of his subversive activity. So Olafson lured him and the other Midshipmen out of his dorm into joining him on a fake survey mission. Lt. Waltham believed it as he saw the falsified orders Olafson presented, because only with an officer could he get all of them off base. He thought he was safe on the other side of the planet. There he used a Kermac Duo Mine, smuggled in from his last R&R trip to disable the Crawler Cat, and killed the Narth with a terrible weapon of yet unknown nature, all that was left was a dried out corpse! Little did he know that retired Commander Wilson owns a little hobby farm there. Commander Wilson conducts botanical research there and heard the explosions.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He went straight to investigate, but Olafson trapped him, almost killed the old Soldier but Wilson managed to fight and restrain Olafson and call for help.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How do you know all this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Commander Stone, a special CID investigator played the audio records of the Crawler and presented me with Olafson’s signed confession. Lt. Granger of my own staff witnessed it and confirmed the confession! Also we have the witness report of Commander Wilson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Did it at no time occur to you to hear the witnesses present at those events, namely the Midshipmen? Did you as their commanding officer bother to check on Olafson and ask him yourself about these accusations?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Commander Stone placed a gag order on the other Cadets. Because of the ongoing investigation into the spying charges and I was unable to interview Olafson because he was under CID lock. I did request to see him once, but my request was denied. Commander Stone was interviewing him at that time and I did not want to deal with a Kermac spy anyway.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not sure if I should court martial you or simply throw you out of office for incompetence.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott said.”I will arrange for both to happen. Even if all would have been true and Olafson did all this. You should have been involved, turning over every stone to see how this could have happened under your watch. If this tall tale would have been true it would be one of the most spectacular espionage cases in the entire history of our Fleet!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Imagine an 18 year old Neo Viking that never really left his home planet prior to joining the Navy being an accomplished Kermac Spy.One able to fool all tests and checks on Arsenal to attend basic training, somehow able to smuggle a two ton Kermac Device unseen by all other Cadets aboard a small Leyland Space bus. Setting the device up all across the planet and falsifying academy orders to lure a Lieutenant into the Jungles. Every single detail of this incident should have raised red flags with you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo wished he could sit down. His legs suddenly felt weak. “Sir, the written confession, the Audio recording!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You can manufacture such a recording in five minutes on any Computronic along with the written confessions. Why was Olafson not seen by a JAG officer? Why did you not contact JAG”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because Commander Stone came from Perryton was from JAG CID and he took the case.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This base is your command not his. Commander Stone telling you he investigates the case could therefore not head the proceedings.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I see you are not directly involved but to be so gullible and so naïve and blind makes you just as guilty.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Narth alive

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I woke in our dorm room, all by myself. The room looked deserted and not because no one but me was here. A room that was occupied by seven beings showed signs of being lived in, even a place as neat and tidy as a military dorm room showed such signs. The bedding on all bunks was gone. The locker doors stood wide open and appeared exactly as we found them when we came here. The name tag fields empty. It hit me instantly my friends where gone!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got up. My back was bandaged. There was no pain at the moment, but a tight sensation as if my skin was stretched to the limits underneath the bandage.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My own sea bag was standing next to my locker, already packed. A new uniform was laid out on the bed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I held my head and whispered: “Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no answer and somehow I knew I was alone. But I was in the dorm and my uniform was laid out. I was not on a transport to Brisbane.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What had changed?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I all felt like in a bad dream but I intended to end it once and for all and quit! I got dressed and made my way to the Commander’s office. I remembered the alien device I had in my head and the prospect that I was going to commit suicide was frightening. Narth was never with me I just imagined his voice and presence, but suicide was not on my agenda right now. I was angry and wanted to vent my emotions at someone and then I would quit the Navy. My dream turned out to be anything but what I expected.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as I left the Dorm section and turned to the IST (Inter Station transport) to ride to the top, Lieutenant Aurellius came running in my direction.” Midshipman Olafson. I was just looking for you. We need you in the Command center.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, do you know what happened? I am not a Midshipman anymore.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Commander Letsgo will fill you in, but now we must go to the Commander’s Office.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So he can spill some more of his poison. I am going to tell him what I think of this place!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I followed him, in my mind I already quit and did not treat him with the respect a superior officer expected. The Navy and its officers lost all credibility and respect in my eyes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Commander Letsgo got up from his chair and walked over. “Welcome to the land of the living Cadet Olafson! I am glad you are here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not! I am here to tell you I am quitting. I was treated like a criminal and no one explained to me what I really have done to deserve all this. I was held captive, have been tortured, violated and whipped in public. I had it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His face became serious. “I know. I know what has been done to you. I must take responsibility for it as I failed to take action or open my eyes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The device that had been placed in your mind has been removed. Your friend Narth is safe, alive and back on Narth world”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That does not change anything. All those speeches about honor and dignity, how officers have to behave is all a lie!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I stopped, my eyes widened:” Narth is okay?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Letsgo nodded with a smile. “Yes he is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only now I noticed the GalNet holo-projection of an old man in Admiral’s Uniform standing next to Letsgo. I recognized the old man, everyone would have. It was the Admiral of the Fleet, Admiral Mc Elligott.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked at me and even though it was only a Holo-projection, I suddenly felt my hair standing up, his eyes seemed normal and human enough but there was an unexplainable quality to them, it was as if he looked right through me, right down into my soul and nothing would remain hidden from his old eyes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He spoke: “Midshipman Olafson I am here to debrief you and explain to you what happened as I understand you have not been explained anything.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, I am humbled and honored by your presence, but no one has one had the courtesy to tell me anything. It matters not anyway this wonderful self important specimen of a Commander here demoted me and I was dishonorably discharged. I throw the towel anyway. I tried my best, I really did and if that wasn’t enough all you had to do was to kick me out like the others.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Just shut up for a moment, Cadet Olafson. You want to be an officer of the Navy and you might even have what it takes, so don’t give up when difficulties arise.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Difficulties arise? Did you just say difficulties? Sir, with all due respect, being tortured, seeing my best friend die, getting whipped in public are not difficulties, did any other Cadet ever get treated this way?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His projection sat down. “You are correct. Maybe my choice of words was not the best but we received a communiqué from Narth Planet. The Narth considering leaving the United Stars Union and revoking their membership. It is very serious if any Union member considers leaving and it never happened before in the history of our Union, having the Narth leave would be especially bad. Only recently they abandoned their long policy of total isolation so I would like you to talk to them”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why don’t you ask your hero Admiral Swybin? I am sure he can convince them to change their mind! Or perhaps Commodore Stone, now there is an especially talented man with impeccable sense of honor and justice. I fail to see what a convicted gangster like me could do!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Admiral Swybin has been arrested and awaits his court martial as we speak, Mr. Olafson and it looks like he is going to be hanged for treason and a list of other offenses. Commodore Stone has been arrested as well and will get his due as is Lt. Granger!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is what you say Sir. I greatly respect your position and all, but he is an Admiral and they are Commodores. I was lied to before and I was told what it means to get into a pissing contest with an Admiral. You can say whatever you want to make me help you. Oh perhaps you have talked to them and they promised to be better next time and kill right away!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I personally guarantee they will receive their due punishment and you will be there!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Now let me explain something to you.You need to understand that the Navy is a very big organization, we have one Trillion beings serving the Fleet in active positions and there are many more retired beings. It can’t be any smaller because we do have strong enemies and almost half a galaxy to protect, not to speak of our areas across the bridge. We diligently enforce our rules, laws and traditions as good as possible. Don’t judge the entire Navy by a few bad apples. Admiral Swybin had a son. A Son he loved and a son who wanted to become an officer just like his father. This son failed the Academy Entrance Psych Tests, but Admiral Swybin bent a few rules and used his position to get his son admitted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As you know firsthand it did not work out. His son’s failure brought to daylight how he got into the academy in the first place and Admiral Swybin was indicted for falsifying records and miss-use of rank privileges. Swybin had an old friend on Idyllic a retired Commodore who owed him a few favors and a plan of revenge was hatched. The Expedition everything was a set up and a trap and meant to kill you all and blame the accident on Commander Letsgo. They underestimated your resourcefulness and Wilson wanted to finish the job.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">You do not become an admiral without making contacts and friends and your rank does give you far reaching power. They placed an illegal Saresii Device in your head, not knowing you provided Narth with some sort of vessel. We still don’t know much about the Narth but he somehow contacted Narth Prime and I was informed about the incident.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wilson used his farm to make and distribute the most illegal drug in the Union, Califerm. Wilson used Navy assets to ship this highly illegal substance of planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Letsgo was told that you where a Kermac spy and provided with evidence to that effect. He was unaware of the truth until only recently. He too will not get out of this un-scarred as he failed his duties.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A Narth delegation was on Idyllic till yesterday and removed Narth from your unconscious body and they also removed the Saresii device.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">NAVINT would like to keep the whole affair as quiet as possible because Wilson dealt with others off planet and we want to get them all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I cannot undo what happened to you. I cannot express how ashamed I am, because ultimately it was my fault and responsibility, but I promise you justice. Those involved will be punished to the fullest extent of our laws.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked me straight in the eyes and again I felt goose bumps on my back. I wanted to object and tell him that I didn’t trust him, but when I looked into his eyes I trusted him. I knew everything he said was true and if everything failed he would remain a constant. He paced a few steps back and forth. “You managed to become friends with Cadet Narth. You gained insights and information into their culture no outsider ever had. This Narth informed me about the incident how you saved his life and he is advising the Narth Supreme.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know very little about the Narth, Sir but Yes, I consider Narth my best friend.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Cadet, I understand your anger and believe me I understand your reasons why you want to quit. I cannot say I would act any different if I were in your place. Son, we really need the Narth. Their membership is vital in more ways than I can explain to you at the moment.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Your friend Narth is standing right here in my office and he told me that their membership hinges on your decision.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He sighed.” I know I am asking for a lot, but I ask you to reconsider. Don’t resign.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Would anyone have cared what happened to me if I wasn’t friends with Narth? Would the Admiral of the Fleet himself talk to me if the same thing happened and I had no important friends?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes the same thing would have happened. You have more friends than you realize. Cadet Olia filed a report with JAG headquarters. Your friend Cadet Olia never told you but she too is the child of an Admiral and she had her father raise heaven and hell to get to the truth. A Cadet named Limbur force marched across half the planet broke in Wilson’s farm, single handedly incapacitated seven men and provided JAG with evidence of the Califerm operation.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Midshipman Galmy Ohh send me 500,000 Gal Messages and purchased the largest Advertisement float board you have ever seen and made it float right before Fleet HQ. On it she threatened to tell your story if I did not personally investigate your case!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Each single act has been noted by me and I would have talked to you with or without the Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His words filled me with sudden warmth and pride. My friends hadn’t forgotten me at all!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elligott nodded. “You can indeed be proud of such friends.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I accept and trust your word Sir. Does that mean I have to start over again since I was demoted and dismissed?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your discharge was not processed yet and it was illegal anyway and therefore null and void. Your rank was not reinstated because you have been promoted to Midshipman Captain.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Narth walked into the pickup sensor and appeared next to the Admiral.” Because you accept his word, so will I. The Narth will remain in the Union.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then Narth’s projection walked closer and put his projected hand on my shoulder.” I apologize for failing you when they caused you physical harm! You saved me from death and carried my Huhgavh. You are no longer just human but you are also Narth and Narth is your home now and forever! No human ever carried the Huhgavh and lived. You know little of Narth and our ways but all Narth knows of you and you are one with us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Where are you now? Where are the others?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am at Arsenal III in the office of the Admiral here. I am going to continue my study and education of the Non Narth world as soon as I can for now I must return and complete my reincarnation into corporal form again. This will take time but we will meet again, no distance can separate Huhgavh sharers. I know little what happened to the others. But they all completed the first year successfully and have returned to their respective homes for a vacation and after that they will resume being Cadets in year two of the journey.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Admiral Elligott stepped closer as well and shook my hand. It was of course not his real hand but a form energy simulation.” Thank you cadet. Perhaps we meet again sometime. Now enjoy your vacation and I expect you back on Arsenal II in 3 Months so you too continue your education.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

Chapter 15: Nilfeheim
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wonder how Nilfeheim is like!” A young man asked, sitting in the next seat. He wore a gaudy looking bright yellow jumpsuit with holographic flames displayed on it. His skin had a deep tan and his hair was almost as yellow as his suit. He also wore black glasses.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s still Longnight but it has just started, so I don’t think it will be too cold and it won’t yet drop below minus 60 degrees Celsius at night, and there will be lots of snow!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The guy shivered. “Sixty below and lots of snow?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You didn’t check on Nilfeheim before you decided to come here?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He thumbed behind his back and when I looked I saw about forty more guys dressed just like the one next to me. “We’re the Solar Dolphins.” He said this as if this would explain it all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Solar Dolphins?” I asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You never heard of us? We are last year’s Galympic Gold Champions!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are a sports team of sorts? I spend the last year at the academy and we did not have much time to listen to news and such.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We play Water polo. My buddies and I are from Sol Castle. You do know about Sol Castle, right? Anyway our trainer, Mr. Shallow heard that Nilfeheim supposedly has the best humanoid swimmers in the galaxy and we going to have our training camp there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I tried hard not to laugh. The very image of these brightly dressed boys training with grim Neo Vikings was very funny to me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Perhaps things had changed on Nilfeheim while I was gone, but I didn’t bet on it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He went on: “Are you a water polo fan? Is that why you go to Nilfeheim?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry I don’t even know what Water polo is. I am from Nilfeheim. I am going home.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He stared at me as if I told him I didn’t know what walking is. “A water polo team consists of seven players. We play ball in a pool. There are goals and we try to put the ball into the other team’s goal, at the same time we are to prevent them from doing the same thing to us!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was not really interested but I tried to be polite. “I see.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If you Neo Vikings are such good swimmers, what sports do you compete in?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We don’t actually call them sports, but there is axe throwing, brawling, drinking, harpooning, Fanger riding and of course skull bashing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He sighed. “Maybe Mr. Shallow made a bad decision to go to a primitive planet populated with dumb brutes!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wouldn’t repeat that in front of a Neo Viking if I were you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He snorted but kept anything further to himself.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The space bus broke through the cloud cover and descended towards the big island called Midgard. The largest town was Harstad Fjord and Freikstat Haven two clicks from town was the only space port on the planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The large duro-crete surface of the port had been cleared of snow; huge mountains of the white mass had been piled all around the perimeter of the landing field.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Solar Dolphin next to me also stared out the window. “It even looks cold!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After the bus had landed we all got up and moved towards the exits.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As I stepped through the warm air curtain into the fresh crisp air, I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. There was the distinctive smell of burning Tyranno Blubber and somewhere not too far away someone roasted Fish. I became instantly hungry.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Move it buster! You’re blocking the slide belt!” Someone behind me barked with an angry tone.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wasn’t here to fight or get agitated. I stepped on the slide belt, but I didn’t feel like apologizing either.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After a short slide belt ride into the Arrival section of the terminal, a big man in Union-Customs uniform, braided beard and hair glanced at his readout as I passed my ID implant under the reader.” Welcome home, Master Olafson!” He grabbed me by the underarm and I did the same, the traditional greeting.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I checked his name tag. “It is good to be home Master Leik.” He was from the Stavanger Clan. I knew of his clan, but it was on the other side of the planet and his family did not have all that much contact with mine.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s the first time I see a Viking in Navy uniform! What a good thing to see!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The angry voice behind me barked again:” Jeezuz, keep the local gossip for after hours. I am freezing my butt of out here. What a bunch of slow pokes!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Leik’s face lost all friendliness and he raised one of his bushy blond eyebrows. I turned and looked into the face of a yellow dressed Solar dolphin. “It wouldn’t hurt if you say please and don’t call me names.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh just move it. I have no time to discuss the finer points of social interaction with a local slow poke.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I really wanted to punch him but tried to remain civilized. Leik had fewer reservations and smacked his sledge hammer fist in the face of the irritated Solian and made him skid a few meters against the moving slide belts direction and collide with another Solar Dolphin. I simply smiled and went on, let them sort that out. I just knew nothing much had changed on Nilfeheim.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Terminal was not very busy, but the shopping concourse was as lively as ever and still mostly women. I saw a gaggle of scantily dressed girls stroll down the main corridor and that reminded me of a time when I did the same thing. It also reminded me of Astrid Mossberg and I promised myself to visit the Halls of Hasvik and place a torch for her beneath the statue of Freya.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a new McBurger, a convenience store and a souvenir shop where they sold Tyranno Fin teeth carved into cups and similar trinkets. Two men held a sign reading “Solar Dolphins welcome.” waited next to the exit. Outside, beyond the slide doors was a row of five hover taxies the same five taxies that had been there when I left.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">No one had come to greet me or to pick me up, but then no one knew I was coming. I wanted to surprise Elena and Uncle Hogun. I wished Tyr would be awake so I could tell him everything, but he was still asleep, most likely. I went outside and stood there for a moment, the sun was barely above the horizon and it would not rise much further during Longnight. In a few hours it would set again.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of the hover Cab operators waved, but I shook my head, shouldered my bag and walked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Freikstat was a city of about 500,000. No building was taller than five stories and made of local rock and concrete. Most buildings where connected with sub surface tunnels that was easier than shoveling snow, but small paths had been cleared at the sides since many liked to walk outside. Right before the entrance to the Space port was a large stone statue of an imposing Neo Viking, his hand resting on the hilt of a broadsword and around his neck the chain of a clan chief. The medallion hanging from it showed the falcon head of the Ragnarsson Clan. This was my grandfather! They made true on the promise and erected a statue in his honor.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">From here I could see the collection of warehouses and next to it the administration building of the local Exchange. I wondered if Mr. Amundsen was still its manager. The Exchange was the largest employer on the planet. All the fish and everything else was sold there, processed, packed and shipped of planet twice a month. You could also buy harpoons there and entire boats.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Next to it was Miligard’s Harpoon and Axe, one of the oldest weapon shops and sword smiths in town. No matter what time of day it was on Nilfeheim there were at least two boys staring into the windows at the gleaming axes, knives and swords. This time I counted three.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two women with long blond braids stood inside Camden’s Dry goods chatting away, wearing their long blue skirts, white aprons and puffy blouses. In their baskets I was certain would be either a bag of flour or a bag of sugar. There was not all that much else Camden’s sold but these items in enormous quantities.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Beyond the town the endless ocean, now covered with ice and on a cold clear day like today you could see the curve of the planet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Here I didn’t need directions. I would have found my way with closed eyes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I made it to Hogun’s Inn. A sturdy building not far from the shore made of big rough cut granite boulders with a steep roof (for snow to slide off) and stain glass windows. No holo sign nor any projection advertisement but a simple wooden plank suspended by a few links of rusty chain, long ago it had been painted, but now it was brushed blank by wind and weather carried the carved name of the inn.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was still early in the day when I walked through the door and stomped the snow of my boots over the snow grating behind the door. The guest area was deserted; most men were at work or out on the ice. I sat down at one of the big table of polished stone oak wood.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A big man came from a door behind the counter and came over. “Welcome to Hogun’s, what can I get you, Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How about a big bowl of Fin Stew, fresh steam bread and a big tankard of Halverson’s Dark warmed up a bit!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“By Odin’s beard we don’t get many spacers here who know how to order!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I worked in that kitchen of yours long enough to know what’s good, Uncle Hogun!” I took my officer’s cap off and raised my head so he could see my face

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Eric!” He rushed over and gave me a bear hug, lifting me off my feet. Hogun was a very big man, even by Nilfeheim standards, where men reaching 220 centimeters were not all that uncommon. I was almost 200 cm tall; Uncle Hogan reached the lofty heights of 248. He could arm wrestle two man at once. I saw him do it many times. “Freya be thanked! Odin be praised! Thor be worshipped! The gods have kept you safe and you have returned!” “I was homesick for ocean, cold water and decent food!” I hugged the man back: “Of course I missed you too!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He let me go: “Let me get you decent food and drink then! You got to tell me everything, but you can do that while you eat!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Uncle Hogun disappeared in the kitchen and came back after only ten minutes with a huge bowl of steaming fish stew, a giant Tyranno steak grilled to perfection and fresh hot bread. He slammed a tankard of mead next to the bowl and smiled. “Eat up! There is more where that came from! I was just making that fin-steak for me so it was ready. I put a few more on the grill, just in case”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first spoon was like tasting heaven and I closed my eyes savoring the flavor. “By Odin this is fit for Valhalla and Aesir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He sat down across me and smiled: “You have grown, not only in size but you appear more grown up now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A lot has happened and the Academy is no picnic. How are little Exa and Aunt Freydis?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The little girl has changed our life and now she is getting a little brother or sister soon. Freydis is pregnant!” His bright blue eyes sparkled with joy and pride and I congratulated him. I knew how much he wished for kids of his own.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked around to make sure no one was there to hear. “I did go to a clinic while we were off planet. They fixed things and now everything is alright! Exa is growing and she is at school right now. As for your aunt, you know her; she takes her midwife duties more serious than life itself. The Malmborg expect twins and she went all the way to Norbotten.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Norbotten was a tiny island close to the permanent ice of the North Pole, exceptionally inhospitable and home to the Malmborg clan.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sometimes I believe Aunt Freydis delivered every kid on the planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He laughed: “I don’t think that is far from the truth. We do have a clinic here, but you know Vikings, they rather do it the old way. I just wish she would take it a little slow right now, at least until the baby is here”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As old Egill said, Uncle Hogun, she knows more about these things then most doctors.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He spread his arms. “Yes you are right of course. I just can’t wait for it to happen!” He gestured at my uniform. “So what are you now? Did you make it to star ship captain?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I laughed. “No Uncle Hogun, I completed my first year. I am on the bottom of the ladder and they call that a Midshipman. I got three more years to go until I graduate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well you are going to be a Captain one of these days. You talked about that ever since you where this tall.” He showed me with his hand, barley reaching his knees.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So how are things here on Nilfeheim

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He shrugged. “Nothing much has changed here since you have left. We do have a female Elder now and that is about the biggest change everyone is talking about. The bachelors of every clan running out to the burg in a hope to catch a glimpse of Elena, she is perhaps the most beautiful woman that ever walked this planet and she has a smart mind and your father adores her. Are you planning to take your rightful place as first born now, do you still want to kill him? He has changed somewhat, but he is always Isegrim.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No, I am an officer now and I still would be accountable for my actions under federal law. Have you ever thought of leaving Nilfeheim?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He leaned forward. “I did. I stowed away on a Freighter. Travelled a bit, but nothing seemed to work out for me out there and I came back, then I married Freydis and her father left us this place. He too was a second son.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He had never mentioned to me being off planet but a few things he said when I was living here, made sense now and it explained why he knew quite a bit about blaster weapons.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I cleaned the last traces of stew with a piece of bread and started on the steak. It was pure grilled heaven.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He got up: “I am getting me a beer, do you want some too? I got a few barrels from Planet Holstein. It’s the best Pilsner you ever tasted!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sure I’ll try some!” As I pushed the plate away

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With two large glasses full of golden beer with perfect froth crowns and two shot glasses of Aquavit, he came back to the table and lifted his glass:” I drink to you Eric. May Thor protect you and welcome you into Valhalla when the time comes!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I raise my glass as well.” May Thor welcome you, Uncle Hogun when the time comes so you may arm wrestle all the heroes at the great banquet!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We drank. The beer was cold, had a crisp bitter taste and went down smooth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Hogun didn’t leave more than mist in the glass as he set it down. “Those Germans on Holstein sure know how to make beer I tell you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is quite good.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pushed the empty glass back and forth between his huge hands and then smiled. “Your red flyer is still in my shed. If you want to take it out to the burg, I bet Elena will scream half the Burg down when she sees you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got up and looked forward to see the Burg and my new sister. It was then my PDD chirped and I saw the Logo of the fleet rotating. I accepted the call quite surprised and looked into the face of a human with the rank of Commander. “Midshipman Olafson, I am sorry to disturb you on your first vacation, but your presence is required at Lorman’s Starbase

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have to be at Lorman’s Starbase?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Midshipman, I am unable to give you any details over civilian channels but you will be briefed as soon as you can make it there. Can I inquire your current location?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The call and the seeming urgency caught me totally off guard. What was there a little midshipman could do, no one else could? “I am at home on Nilfeheim. The next space bus will not be here for a week.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We will organize transport for you. A ship will pick you up in a day or two.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Uncle Hogun had heard the whole conversation and frowned. “That didn’t sound as if you were someone at the bottom of the ladder.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was still thinking about this mysterious call when I flew my old flyer out to the burg. Was this a trap of more of Swybin’s friends? I decided to try to call Admiral McElligott. There was probably a snowball in hell chance to get through to him, but I had to try at least. I stopped the flyer and let it hover and asked the system to connect me with Fleet HQ and the Admiral. A black skinned Lieutenant took the call and after I identified myself I took a deep breath and said.” I would like to get a GalNet connection to the Admiral of the Fleet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You reached Administration, Midshipman Olafson.” He made a face as if he thought I was a lunatic and said.”Let me see if you are on the list of those who can get through.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked of screen and his expression changed and his attitude changed as well.” Yes Midshipman Olafson you are indeed on the list of authorized persons. One moment I am connecting you to Commander Quntillius that is his Adjutant. He will connect you if he can.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The screen image went blank for a moment and the same Commander who just had contacted me appeared and he said.”Ah Mr. Olafson, you could have called directly using the call back feature. The USS Madrid has been rerouted and should arrive in 24 hours at Nilfeheim. Captain K’Tngnk is informed to take you to the Starbase with all due haste.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He turned his head and said to someone I could not see.” Yes Sir, it is Midshipman Olafson. We were successful in contacting him and the Madrid is on her way to pick him up.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The visuals changed once again and it was the Admiral of the Fleet, there was no doubt, nothing artificial could simulate those burning eyes. “I apologize Midshipman for interrupting your home coming so soon, but I promised you to see justice done and your presence is required at the proceedings of the Court martial. You are a witness and required to be there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I apologized for the call and the Old Admiral actually smiled as he said. “No apologies necessary, I would have been quite hesitant in your place as well. I understand the reasons you called, McElligott, out!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The transmission was terminated and I understood what it was all about. I had to be there perhaps as witness to the prosecution and he did promise me to see justice done. As much as I wanted to stay home for a few weeks, I could not wait to be there and see Stone and the others get their due.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Ten minutes later I landed the red Opel in the court yard of our burg. I noticed the gray duro-crete and stone walls looked cleaner than they had before and the main tower was surrounded by a scaffold.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A man covered in thick furs waddled over to see who I was. “I am Greifen Burg Meister of Ragnarsson Rock. This is the Burg of the Olafson clan; I was not informed of any Off-Planet visitors.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took off my cap and said. “I am Eric Olafson the first born and I shall not ask for permission to land in my family’s home!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Master Eric!” He yelled! “Oh how good it is to see you well!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Quick come along. The Lordships have just gathered in the High Halls for Mid brunch! Lady Elena is there and your Father! There are other Clan chiefs as well!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then meet me at the Bathhouse. I shall shed this off world uniform and present myself appropriately. Go fetch me my garments please and if you can find Mjördaren.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Lady Elena has anticipated your return for some time now and she had garments readied for you. I shall haste!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The old bath house of the Burg had changed as well! Instead of cold water only, there now was a choice of hot water as well and the drab rough duro-crete was covered with ceramic tiles. The Olafson seal incorporated in a mosaic in the central basin.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Greifen kept his word and he came just as I was done with a huge pile of clothing and my old sword. The one I had inherited from my Grandfather.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Ten minutes later, there was no auto dresser of course; I wore black leather shirt and pants. A wide fur trimmed vest, knee high boots with thick soles over it a rich floor length coat with silver gray Nubhir fur on the seams, tight fitting leather gauntlets and the belt with the silver threads and the Falcon head I recognized as the one of my Grandfather. On it hung Mjördaren, the broadsword. It was strange as I touched its hilt it almost appeared to me as if the sword was happy to see me once again. It was of course just my anticipation; it was just an inanimate object.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The final garment was a sweeping cloak with fur around the hood and the Olafson wolf logo embroidered on the back side.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After all these months I felt like a Neo Viking again, rested my hand on the hilt of the sword rushed across the court yard, threw open the massive stone wood door and went down the corridor of ancestors and into the great hall. A blazing fire of soak stones in the two massive fire places and on the long tables end sat father, to his left side Elena, the rest of the seats were taken by under chiefs of the Olafson clan and I noticed four Clan chiefs to be the guests of honor.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A huge platter with a roasted Fangsnapper sat prominently in the middle. The din of conversation had died to a sudden silence as I appeared. Father rose from his table and bellowed with his deep bass voice. “Who is it that strolls into the High Hall of the Olafson Clan as if he belongs here, identify yourself!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I threw back the hood in a theatrical gesture and thundered back. “It is I, Eric Olafson, firstborn of Isegrim Olafson, Grandson of Erik Ragnarsson and I challenge anyone who questions my rightful place in these walls and this hall!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena jumped of her seat and literally flew across the distance that separated us and gave me more than just a sisterly hug and kiss. “Eric!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father’s face was unreadable for a moment but then I saw something like pride in his eyes. “Only a fool or a man weary of life would challenge you, Son! This is your rightful home.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Hogun was right; Elena had become even prettier than I remembered her. Her raven black hair was long and had a rich precious shine. Her face was graced by big feminine eyes of the most piercing blue and her lips red and shaped perfectly. The cheeks rosy and soft and I was certain she wore little or no make-up. Her deep red leather suit fitted her shapely body like a glove and the white fur on the seams of her coat gave it all a feminine touch. She smiled and her eyes gleamed with open affection and it made me feel warm and welcome like nothing else could.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What not seemed possible but just then a woman, as beautiful and regal, entered the halls from the other side, it was tall Sigfrieda, she too wore Olafson red.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father gestured to the empty chair to his right.” Your chair has been kept empty son, come sit with us, repast on the delights of Midril’s hand and tell us of your quest.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sigfrieda simply hugged me as well and then just as I was about to sit down, one of the guests got up. The Clan chief trying to hold the man down, I recognized Leif Elhir and now I also recognized the man he tried to hold down! It was Sigvard Elhir. He had grown as well and was as massive and strong looking as my father and he pointed his beefy finger at me. “We came here to bury old axes, but I made an oath to Odin to kill you Eric Olafson. You might have fled off world to hide from my wraith, but now you are here and I challenge you. After I kill you I will gain more of the Olafson clan by tradition then we will gain by making peace. I have trained day and night for this day. I have not forgotten the shame you brought upon me! Now it shall be washed away with your blood!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Clan chief of the Elhir also stood and said. “The challenge has been made but perhaps off world has softened and made you weak Eric. We all know how weak and worthless the Off worlders can be and you spend much time away from Nilfeheim and had no chance to train and hone your skills. If you decline we will be satisfied if you chose a champion, but since you are the heir we insist on the prize to be the share of your inheritance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father spoke before I could and said. “So it will be, Eric is the heir and the Olafson clan shall be no more and become slaves and property to the Elhir, if the challenge is not met. However the prize must be of equal proportions and all that is Elhir shall be Olafson’s if the Challenge is met. Say it is so before thy peer!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Leif was a little less self-assured. “Will he fight or choose a champion? Does he stand against you or the woman or against the off world hiding Eric?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Nothing had changed on Nilfeheim, nothing at all, but being challenged and insulted here on the burg was too much for me to keep calm about and threw off the mantle, flanked over the table and said.” Enough of this! Insults have been heaped on my honor. I accept this challenge and extend it! As you do not see fit to call me properly I shall not give you the courtesy to do the same, Leif. After I dealt with your pompous son, I shall deal with you and the question of prize shall be moot as the name of Elhir shall rot away in the Cave of Extinct Clans after this is done.” Then I drew Mjördaren and again I had this sensation that the sword recognized me and was eager to shed blood. “Here and now Sigvard. Stand or flee, but I have family business to attend and a meal waiting for me, so be quick with your decision.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sigvard drew his sword and it became apparent after the first exchange that he had trained but he relied too much on his strength and not enough on real technique. I noticed an odd cold rage in me; I was long enough with Narth to recognize it wasn’t entirely of my own, even though it felt very familiar. I could not pay much attention to it right now in the middle of a fight. A stroke of Sigvard’s sword parted the air a hair width before my eyes, I allowed his attack to be unchallenged and as if ice water ran through my veins I waited till his badly aimed swing was past my face and now he was wide open and Mjördaren almost as if by itself hacked through his upper arm and deep into the base of his neck. Blood sprayed and even though Sigvard was mortally wounded I repeated the move and then pushed his sacking body away, turning around pointing the blood dripping sword at Leif. “You were saying something about me being worthless and soft; I suggest you draw your weapon now so we can end this!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The expression of shock seeing his son die changed as he looked at me. It was an expression of horror and fear. “What are you?” He mumbled with quivering chin. His eyes returned to the bleeding heap that was his son and he backed away.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Draw your sword. Choose a weapon but do it now! Your insults can not stand! The challenge has been made!” I felt almost like a bystander and yet I was certain it was me. Something cold and evil had taken hold of me and I wanted the man dead!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A feeling of disappointment washed over me as he drew his sword and dropped it on the floor. “I surrender! No man can stand against a demon like you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a great silence. Now I recognized one of the other clan leaders to be Peerson and he got up from his seat and said.” You have saved the life of my son and now you purged the shame of my son’s defeat. The house of Peerson stands behind you Eric Olafson and you decree your friends shall be our friends and your enemies shall be ours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father also came and placed his heavy hand on my shoulder. “My son has the strength of Olafson blood and the cunning and skill of a Ragnarsson. My heart flows over with pride! Finally Elena spoke.” The Elhir have brought great sorrow in my life for it was them who dropped that Fangsnapper in our yard that killed my mother. I was about to challenge you Elhir for that deed, for in my veins flows the blood of Olafson as well and we do not forget easily. Now my beloved brother has carried out my revenge.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While they all spoke I stood there stared at the sword and at the lifeless body of Sigvard. What had come over me? Yes I knew about my own short temper but I never before had this urge to kill! Was it the surroundings, the penned up anger at my treatment at Camp Idyllic or was it more? Did I inherit not only my father’s ill temper but his readiness to do evil as well? I was not under the influence of any psycho drugs. At least none I was aware off.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everything happened according to the law and not even Union law was broken, as the right to duel was accepted by the Fleet. Never the less I felt like a criminal, Sigvard stood no chance and I should have and could have simply wounded him. In all this I could not shake the feeling that something external had taken hold of me. Narth would know if I was just imagining it to cope with the feel of guilt or if there indeed was some external force that was able to control me. Tyr and perhaps Egill would know as well and help me sort this out. I needed to call Egill!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I was brooding the din of voices returned and the deed was celebrated, while the Chieftains of the Egill clan carried the body of Sigvard out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena kissed me on the cheek and said.” Thank you for carry out my revenge, it is good my brother returned and set things right.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She then curtsied to the assembled men.” I shall tend to the needs of my brother, so he may wash away the gore of his battle and join us later.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Father was greatly pleased as I most likely added more wealth and yet another clan under his control and he nodded.” Yes my beloved daughter, go and tend to him as he returned home with a clash of thunder as it is rightful for the firstborn of this Clan!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena took me to her chambers and there she said.” I cannot tell you how proud I was when you appeared and how impressive you look. They came under the flag of truce otherwise I would have challenged them both!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed.” I should not have killed him though.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Tyr and Narth Interlude

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr woke. It was not his time to be awake yet, there was still ice over most of the ocean and while it was not entirely uncommon for a Tyranno to wake during the cold season and hunt for food in the warm depths by the fire mountains. He did not wake because of hunger.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was someone calling him, someone not unlike him. A mind as vast as his but it felt so much older than even him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr swam to the secret cave and surfaced in the glowing chamber, where he first gained consciousness. There by the alien construct stood a humanoid being deeply shrouded in a black garment and the figure spoke to him without using sound. “I am Narth Supreme.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The presence was vast, but Tyr was not afraid. He extended his mind to show the visitor he was more than a fish and the Narth raised both arms then bowed. “One is humbled and honored to meet an entity of such understanding, wisdom and power. Long has Narth pondered if this universe is void of thought equal to Narth and all that is Narth rejoices that this is not so. You are guarding a part of great force, just as we guard its key.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr moved closer. “I have felt the Narth before. You have come to this reality after that what has been before came to an end.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is beyond our fondest hopes, there is a sentient and physical being that understands Narth! Those who are called humans call it fate and we Narth call it Asham, the Rule. Your existence has been made aware to us by your friend Egill, but we have shared your trueness with a being called Eric as he shared the Huhgavh with Narth. As he shared his innermost shell and extended true and real friendship to one of our young, has all that is Narth learned and understood the true meaning of friendship and it is that what I am here to offer to you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr communicated with the Narth on a level no mortal could comprehend and deception and falsehood was impossible, as Narth Supreme opened its innermost shell, Tyr with all his might realized how young and fragile he was compared to Narth but without fear or hesitation he did the same and for a duration that could not be measured with time the two entities shared and mingled the very essence. Then Narth finally spoke. “We will not interfere with the Rule and we have made our decision we will stand with the humans. You know the truth as does Narth; you know the Master is seeking a vessel to reincarnate in this universe.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr felt Eric’s mind and he was here on Nilfeheim and then Tyr knew why the Narth had come and said.” The sword he calls Mjördaren is more than a weapon. It is disguised as a weapon of man but it is a token of power and it is on the brink of awaking, it already accepts Eric and influences him!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It will take many human years to fully awake and perhaps Eric will be Narth by then and have thus the wisdom and knowledge to do what must be done.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have sensed his destiny from the beginning and now I see it clear. I know now why Narth chose to garb in this garment. I must sleep soon again for this is not my time to be active.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We have shared the shell, Tyr. Your time of physical existence draws to an end in no more than hundred orbits of this planet and then you shall be welcome to be Narth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I pondered the next step of my evolution and it is so as you say. I shall ask Eric to bring the token here and erase his memory of its location, but the token cannot be separated from him forever. It has accepted him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then Narth will be with Eric and his decision will be ours!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr thanked the Narth and turned to make his way to talk to Eric.

Chapter 16: Dark Blade
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did not feel like celebrating but I sat down with the others at the big table and was asked to tell them about my time at the academy. I gave them a very rough and condensed version and I did not even finish part of it as there was too much to explain and I could tell I had lost them as I told about the formal dinner, so I recalled the events around the duel and that was well received. I also told father that I would not be here for long and that a ship was on its way to pick me up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena was quite disappointed I could tell but she told me that father was about to be engaged again with Sigfrieda! I liked Sigfrieda and I knew he could not beat her to death. Thinking about mother’s fate by the hand of my father once again brought up the image of my mother’s bleeding body and the countless times he had beaten and tortured me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My hand cramped around the grip of Mjördaren and the thought of splitting my father from head to toe in half was very attractive.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was almost there when a voice thundered in my head.” Eric, I must see you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was Tyr!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All thoughts of killing my father left me and the dark images of my memories were washed away with the joy I felt hearing his mental voice. I got up and told them I needed to retire and rushed before anyone could say much out of the Great Hall.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something grabbed me, it was not like the instantaneous teleportation I experienced with Narth but I passed through walls and flew with open eyes and faster than any flyer across the ice without feeling the wind or the cold.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In mere moments I crossed almost halfway around the planet and found myself solid and on my feet in the underwater cave, deep below the Pillar burg only a few hard beats later. There in the natural stone basin, floated the largest white Tyranno Fin of Nilfeheim. This enormous predator, this being of such tremendous power was Tyr and he was a mentor but also a great friend.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When I first saw him in this cave I was afraid, this time I simply felt joy to see him awake so I could talk to him before I had to leave again. “Tyr!” I jelled both with my voice and in my mind and reached out to touch his enormous snout. “I am so glad you are awake!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not for long little fish! I must return to the sleep soon, but I had to see you before you return to the stars.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I expected you to be asleep otherwise I would have been seeking you first!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know that little fish and your uncompromising dedication and fondness to an old big fish makes me feel quite warm. Now I must talk of urgent matters to you. I have had a very special visitor. That visitor is the reason I am awake. The Narth has been seeking me out and it pleases me beyond my ability to express that you found friendship there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I guess I should have kept silent about you but I shared my Inner something with my best friend and there was nothing I could or wanted to hide from him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“All is good Eric. I have done the same with the Narth Supreme and I must say I am richer for it, but you must leave your sword with me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Of course! I got it right here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was suddenly a strong sense of resistance. Why would the fish want my sword? What possible use could Tyr have for a simple steel weapon? It was given to me by my grandfather! The thought to raise the weapon against Tyr suddenly occurred to me!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I marveled about my own thoughts, Tyr did not need to explain to me why he wanted anything. He was my friend and that was reason enough to give him whatever he desired!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I unhooked the belt.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Eric, this sword is not what it seems and it has disguised itself to look like a Viking broadsword and it is waiting for you for a very long time. It is yours and no force in the Universe can separate you from it for long, but you are not ready yet. You must master it, right now it is trying to master you and that must be avoided at all cost.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I tossed the sword from me. “I knew it! I felt it! I know I am a savage more than I like to admit, but what I did in the Halls was not me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are strong. You are able to separate yourself! I am relieved it was not too late!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But Tyr, it is only an object, just a sword. How can it have a will and try to make me do things?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The sword on the ground changed its shape and form right there! It grew longer and turned into a strangely shaped two hander. It was still a sword, but it had an odd almost talon shaped cross guard; unlike the Great War swords I had seen in the weapon chamber of our burg, it had no false edge, but a long grip. There was a skull like symbol on the blade just above the hilt and a similar shaped skull shaped the pommel. The entire sword was made of a very dark metal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Tyr said. “This is Dark Blade, a token of power and a piece of a cosmic puzzle if you will.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I still stared at the transformed weapon and there was an urge in me to go and hold it, just once! It knew me, and I knew it!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I stepped back. I trusted Tyr more than this strange temptation and said. “I have seen this winged and fanged symbol once before. It was a symbol on the robe of a man worshipping the Dark ones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“When the puzzle is completed Eric, a battle will be fought. A decision must be made and this decision will affect if the Rule remains intact or will be broken forever.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“All this is beyond me, Tyr! I am only a Neo Viking with a strange desire and the knack to get into trouble and I like to see the future as not yet established and not predestined.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Eric you are far from a simple Neo Viking. Yes the future is shaped by the decisions we all make, but there are certain forks in the road, mile markers if you will, that must happen. I was destined to meet you Eric, the reason I became sentient was because it was destined you will be born on this world. You wanting to leave Nilfeheim and roam the stars are not entirely your own ideas but this desire comes from something within you. For now I have the power to make you forget and forget you must, so you can make your own decisions and grow and become ready, for it is you who will make that enormous decision I have spoken about.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tyr, don’t make me forget about you again!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It must be so. No one, not even Egill will remember I exist, and you will carry a replica of Mjördaren back to the Burg. I guard now two pieces of the puzzle, and these pieces are too dangerous to fall in the wrong hands and no hands are more wrong and dangerous than yours until you are ready, the Master must not return before that. Do not despair, it is just temporary and we will meet and know each other again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I woke early and found myself in Elena’s bed chamber. I must have had more to drink than I realized. I never was much of a drinker and never drank to get drunk, but I remembered lifting more tankards than one and there was plenty of Aquavit between the beer and the ale. At least I didn’t feel groggy or sick.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was certain Elena brought me here and I blushed deeply finding myself wearing a silky nightgown of hers. My Uniform and my Viking garments were both laid out on a divan across the room.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My own room was as far as I knew still all the way up in the main tower and dragging me up there would have been a chore, but this was no small burg and we had guest quarters.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena knew of my deepest secret of course, but finding myself undressed and wearing a feminine gown was not exactly how I wanted to wake up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena being the daughter of my father’s bastard brother, evil Hogun was not my sister but my cousin; she became my sister as Father officially adopted her.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A message had been sent to me on my PDD while I was asleep, it blinked red and I could see the fleet logo. I took the PDD off the nightstand. It was a recorded message by Captain K’Tngnk, a Klack insectoids. He informed me that he would be here tomorrow at 0400 hours and expected me to be ready.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Someone knocked at the chamber door and hastily pulled the cover up to my chin and said. “Who is it?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The door flung open as an answer and it was Elena. She had an impish smile on her face and it made her eyes sparkle with mischief. “By Odin you became quite the Norse while you were away. What do they teach you besides flying star ships? Is there a class for drinking?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not really, but I guess I did drink a tad too much. I can’t even remember how I got here and how I got in this night gown. Even though I have a strong suspicion.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You’re my brother, you saved my life. Changed my life and avenged my mother. Never mind the technicalities how I came to be your sister. We share our secrets and that is why I thought you might enjoy that gown. You still have those feelings, right?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I could not help but blush again. “Well I did not have any opportunity to indulge myself, but yes I still do. Waking up like that reminded me that I was far from cured.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sat on the bed and folded her hands. “I am glad it is so. Even when you are away I always know I have someone I can talk to about everything. Isegrim lets me make much of the business decisions and while he doesn’t really push it or say much. I think he wants me to get married. I do have my eyes on Rodney the firstborn of the Stavanger clan and I know he likes me but I am not really in a hurry.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I saw his brother on the space port. He is an officer with the Port Authority. I think I remember him too, but I would lie if I say I knew anything about him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He looks very much like his brother. He is the older brother, but not by much and I told him I make my decision after you had a chance to see and talk to him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Elena, that decision should be yours alone. If you feel he is the one then my opinion should not matter.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know and more so I know you think that way, besides I already made up my mind, but you are not only my brother but you and Siegfrieda are my best friends and I told him much about you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I sure hope you left out the part how we met.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She giggled. “Of course!” She then got up and made a gesture around the room.” I hope you don’t mind that I have put you up here. It would be inappropriate for the heir to sleep in the guest chambers and I have the tower renovated. Besides that cold and drafty room up there is not exactly hospitable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well I do like my room up there. If it could be heated a little it will be perfect. Not that I have plans to move in anytime soon”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will have it done, just in case you do change your mind. You might have noticed the scaffolding. We are putting a GalCom relay module up there. SII Com pays us a handsome monthly rent fee with a hundred years contract. Ever since you left the demand on Gal Com units has increased around Nilfeheim and now they are going to settle Ygral the fourth planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It seems things do change around here, perhaps not as openly and readily noticeable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not very much and I think that is good that way. I don’t want Nilfeheim to change too fast and too much.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I agreed with her and said. “I need to leave tomorrow morning, but I am back if not this year then by next year during my leave then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Her face fell. “I hoped we could go to the Space Port mall for old times’ sake.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t think I still make a very convincing girl. My voice has changed and so has my body.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I noticed, but I still think you would look good, you aren’t more muscular or tall as Siegfrieda and she turns every man’s head.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“She is really going to marry Isegrim?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes. I think she will be able to tame him and in a more natural way than your evil stepmother did. She has wrapped him around her finger by natural means and he is still Isegrim.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know her fighting skills. She was one of my teachers after all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pulled the cover back with a giggle and said.”Time to get up, Midril wants to see you and has breakfast ready in the kitchen!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Elena!” I protested. “I am your brother not your husband.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She went to the door. “Tonight we go out! I have kept your stepmother’s auto dresser you know.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wanted to go to Hasvik and put a torch up for Astrid.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes let us go there after breakfast and after you met Rodney.”

Chapter 17: An Enemy Returns Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The communications officer of the Devastator reported to Stahl. “Sir we have no contact to Fornax Hub. The last message we received was a distress call and now it is silent on all channels.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The old Admiral wished the huge ship could go any faster and glanced over to captain Harris, knowing full well that the ship was already pushing its engines close to the red line. He did not want to push them any further. The mighty Devastator would be of no help if she arrived at a crisis with damaged engines. Thankfully the Attikan Commonwealth was not only part of the Union now, but they had sent a full battle group to Fornax and all ships with the fast Attikan engines, but it would take them month to get there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Attikan and Union engineers already worked on Attikan type engines big enough to fit the Devi but they would not be ready until next year.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Devi still had the old Celtest Engines as well, but they had not been used since the Green Hell incident, and that was only for a few hundred light years.He also had used them to fly the Devastator home, when he found that ship. As good and far advanced the Celtest technology was, age and wear affected it too.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He sighed and Harris reacted knowing his old friend to well and pushed the direct link to engineering. The Chief Engineer of the ship was one of the handpicked talents and he too already knew what his Captain wanted of him.” I ran some pretests. I think we can risk it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright, Commander Dohan. Fire the old Celtest Engines up and give us what they got.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl walked up to the command balcony and sat in his chair on the left side behind the Captain. He trusted Harris, who commanded the Devi now almost twenty years and was her nineteenth captain since Stahl had brought the ship as he returned from his exile, and he was perhaps the finest Captain she had. Harris was more than that; he was one of the few real friends he had. He was afraid of making too many friends, because as an Immortal he had seen too many of them die.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In times like this he cursed the fact that he was an Admiral. He would much rather sit in the Command chair, heck he would not even mind manning Tactical. He was reduced to a passenger and he carefully avoided ever interfering with the Captain.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Sirens of General Quarters sounded. The bridge was never brightly illuminated, but now the lights dimmed away and replaced by dim red light of battle stations. The Devi was 34 kilometers from bow to stern and almost as wide and over 9000 meters thick. It was an enormous machine and it carried the very elite of Union fleet talent. It took only three minutes and all stations reported ready. Captain Harris addressed the crew via Inter ship.” We are about to activate the Celtest Engines, damage control teams stand by.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Devastator’s normal Isah engines pushed the big ship to 99565 times the speed of light while traveling in Quasi Space, making her also the fastest long distance ship of the Union. At this speed the Devi could traverse the entire Milky Way galaxy in little over twelve month. It would still take her 20Years to reach the Andromeda Galaxy on her own. Normal Union Battle ships had a range of 5000 light years. After that they needed to refuel and the engines serviced. The Devi had a range of 15,000 light years. Still far short of the almost 460,000 light years to the Fornax Dwarf, or even to the Large Magellan Cloud where the Attikan Commonwealth was.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Yes there was a chain of stations every 5000 light years between the Milky way Galaxy and the Magellan Cloud, just like the Bridge to Andromeda and there was Space Train Connection to Attika. With the Space Train you could make the trip from Blue Moon Central Station to Attika Terminal in less than three days, but nothing bigger than ten meters across would fit in the space-short-cut made by the black light tunnel of the space train technology.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no such train connection to Fornax. It would still take the Devastator over four years to reach the Fornax Cluster this way. While the Attikan had faster ships, their range was not better. The new ship yard in the Attika System had only begun producing new Uni Design battle ships, only 25 were ready and while a fleet was on its way, it would take too long to be of immediate help. The Devi could make it in less than a week with the Celtest Engines, but if it was a full scale Y’All attack even the Devastator was not enough. On one hand he was glad there was a Union presence in the Fornax Cluster as it looked like the Y’All might come from there and having a few outposts there gave the Union a warning, on the other hand it was too far to mount an effective defense for the colonies there. Maybe all they could do was evacuate as many as would fit in his big ship and make the stand in the Magellan Cloud.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Devastator accelerated to speeds unimaginable by Union Engineers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alyica appeared silently next to him and put her hand on his shoulder, but said nothing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was the first time he went into battle with someone he really cared about by his side. He could not decide if he liked it or not.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Helms man whistled. “We just went past 100,000 and we are still gaining speed. At this rate we will reach Fornax in 12 days.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl said nothing but he hoped the millennia old engines would hold and not have them be stranded in the middle of nowhere unable to help.

Chapter 18: USS Madrid
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I kept my own promise and went to Hasvik and lit a torch for Astrid, Elena did the same and we didn’t talk much on our flight back. I didn’t know Astrid as well as she did, but she was a friend and she saved our lives, paying with hers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I still feel stuffed from breakfast even though it was close to five as we returned to the Burg. Midril had prepared what must have been the most calories laden and without question the biggest breakfast of Nilfeheim history. Rodney turned out to be the very definition of a Neo Viking. Tall, strong handsome and perhaps a little more open to things from the outside than others. He barely took his eyes of Elena and he tried his best to impress me and I was as social and friendly as I could.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we landed little Exa and Uncle Hogun were there waiting for us. She had grown quite a bit and was no longer as thin, and I knew it would not be long when she was going to turn heads.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She ran over with flying braids and gave me a long hug. “Thank you, Eric. Meeting you was the luckiest day in my life. I am even getting used to the cold and Papa Hogun says I am becoming a real Nilfeheim girl!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How they are treating you in school?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh at first it was a little odd, me being from Off-World and all that, but I told them I am an Olafson and if they want trouble I get my dad.” She grinned widely.” No one wants to mess with Papa Hogun, no one! Now I don’t think they really remember I am from off world and I got good friends too!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Hogun’s eyes were full of love and pride as he said. “She’s also quite a good student and hasn’t stolen a thing in over six month!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She giggled. “I gave up on that, besides if Papa Hogun isn’t getting it for me all I have to do is ask Uncle Isegrim.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Hogun threw his big hands in the air. “That is the greatest miracle of all; my evil brother adores that little girl and spoils her rotten, every time she is out here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We talked a little longer and then Uncle Hogun had to go as he didn’t want to leave the Inn just tended by Jan and his helpers. In another hour the Inn would be filled with drinking and eating guests.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena gave me a little tour around the Burg to show me what had been done. The Tanneries far below were completely transformed and the revolting process was now done by machines and robots. The stinking vats and the slick gray Duro-crete were gone, replaced by stainless steel tanks, and tiles. Elena explained that the fine leather produced on Nilfeheim and especially by the Olafson clan was in high demand and fetched good prices. She told me that Isegrim hung by tradition on the Tyranno Fin hunting, but it was no longer the main source of income for the clan.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elena smiled proudly and said. “The Leather you wear, I have selected of the finest grade.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I told her how much I like it and then added. “It looks especially great on you, Sister!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was something about tight leather and female curves I found especially alluring.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After the little tour we ended back in her chambers. She served us Midril’s famous crumble cake and coffee.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So are we still on for tonight?” She asked me glancing over her cup.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would like to, but I made a promise to the Ancient not to do it here any more. Last time it caused a whole lot of trouble as you remember.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ah what could happen? Anyone wanting you ill is gone or dead.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And yet I killed Sigvard last night in our own burg. When I come back we will have time to go off planet. Twilight is not far away and there is a big city and we can do whatever we want. Freya wants to get out so bad, but I made a promise. I hope you understand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “You are right, I was there, and no I don’t want you to break the promise you made. You have grown in more ways than one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I still get in plenty of trouble and even if I am careful trying to avoid it, but yes I think the Academy has changed me somewhat.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was contacted by the Comm Officer and the Madrid, a full size Battle ship came down homing on my signal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The huge ship landed right next to the burg smashing the ice and sinking into the water below. The ocean was only 500 meters deep and that meant little to a 3500 meter battleship.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Everyone at the burg however had assembled to see the spectacle even though it was very early in the morning. The gleaming almost white giant dwarfed the burg and the island to insignificance. Father tried to hide his feelings but I knew he was in awe just like the rest.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I once more wore my uniform wished them all farewell and boarded the landing tank that was sent to get me to the ship.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I would have liked to stay a little longer, the ship next to the burg was like an omen, a sign to show me were my real home would be in the future. Nilfeheim was the place I had grown up, and as much as I was a Neo Viking I was no longer really home there. My home was now the Navy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Klack Captain greeted me himself as I debarked and I saluted as crisp as I could. “Midshipman Olafson, Sir, requesting permission to come aboard, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Permission granted.” The Klack was insectoid and about as alien to a human as can be. I never had any close contact with a member of that species, even though there were quite a few at the Academy with me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I assumed he was a he as most Klack were male and only the queen and her princesses were female. He eyed me up and down with his almond shaped all black eyes. “I always follow my orders and usually they make sense, but why the Madrid is playing taxi for a first year cadet, by direct orders of the Old Man himself is a mystery to me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was still standing in attention and therefore was unable to respond. He glanced at my ribbon display and wiggled his antennae.” Another mystery is why a First Year Cadet has a bigger collection of citations than some twenty year fleet officer. At ease Cadet, we will get you situated and we have you at Lorman’s Starbase in four days.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was not sure if he wanted an answer to his questions before as he turned and a human Commander who had been standing silently behind the Klack motioned me to follow him. “I am Commander Vasco and I am going to show you to your quarters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you Sir.” I repeated and followed him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Is it classified or can you help us shed light on the mysteries the Captain spoke off?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do not think it is classified. I was home on my first leave after first year Academy and was summoned to appear as witness in a court martial procedure that will take place at Lorman’s Starbase, if I understood my orders correctly.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That makes sense. Lorman’s is the JAG Center for this sector and has several military courts, usually only really high profile cases are handled there. You must have witnessed something quite extraordinary.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was about to say why when the Commander said.” I am not sure you should tell me about the details of the case. Such information is for the court and could very well be classified.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Speak for yourself!” Snarled the Klack captain several steps ahead of us, “I want to know. Have the Cadet attend Captain’s table at 2000 hrs sharp.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Captain disappeared into an IST shaft and was gone. The Commander grinned at me. “Our old Ant is a very good captain. It is usually completely impossible to predict what is on his mind, and not only because he is a Klack and he is a stickler for Fleet formalities. So it is Dress Uniform for dinner, Midshipman.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was a Commander but he did not seem to be stuck up or anything like that and he smiled. “There is something on your mind, Midshipman. Go ahead and ask it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was wondering why the Madrid landed on Nilfeheim instead of just sending a shuttle down.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He kept grinning. “There is an ancient standing order for Nilfeheim, that whenever a Union Battleship has business near this planet we are supposed to land, just to remind you Neo Vikings the Union has not forgotten about the time you decided to be pirates.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But that was so long ago and we are Union Members for a very long time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Navy is just as old and the order is on the books and no one ever bothered to take it off I guess.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I grinned back at him. “Maybe it is a good order after all. I know of Old Clan Lords who still dream occasionally about the old days, my father is no exception.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had received spacious and quite luxurious quarters, most likely reserved for traveling dignitaries and not how a Midshipman would usually be situated. It had a Navy issue Auto dresser. Since it was still very early, I had an entire day ahead of me before it was time for dinner. This was not a civilian craft where I could simply go for a stroll. I was sure the Madrid had extensive recreational facilities but I was not part of the crew, besides I could easily end up in some restricted area and get into trouble.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I opted to stay. I could feel the ship’s power and the faint vibrations and the quarters had a big transparent view port. By the time I was shown to the quarters we had already lifted off and Nilfeheim became smaller by the moment. Then Solken our sun broke from behind the planet and it too became smaller. Then it turned into a streak and was gone, moments later the brilliance of deep space around us. The Madrid had gone Trans light and was now traveling in Quasi Space. What the view port presented now was a representation of real space below.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Staring into deep space was completely different from seeing something on a planet. Whatever photons reached your eye traveled uninterrupted for many light years and there simply was no horizon. It was this vastness that the mind simply could not really comprehend and neither planets or suns, or anything man made had the same effect on me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Is this your first time aboard a Battleship?” asked someone behind me. I turned, it was the human Commander.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What ship?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The USS Shetland, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He gestured towards the door.” The Captain wants to see you on the bridge. I guess he can’t wait till dinner.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir!” I closed my Uniform snaps and tugged on the white belt.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He nodded approvingly. “You pass muster.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">On our way to the bridge he said. “Be quiet and wait until the Captain asks you anything. Do not wander around or touch anything. Our bridge is an experimental Dome bridge so it might be a little overwhelming, just so you are warned.” Moments later we left the IST and stepped onto the bridge. He was not kidding, it was overwhelming. Instead of the traditional horse shoe station arrangement with consoles and battle seats, this bridge was under a clear dome

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The duty stations were recesses in the floor right at the edge of the dome. If you sat in one of those duty station chairs it must feel as if you sat right in deep space. The data was projected onto the transparent material of the dome. The Captain’s Chair was in the center and raised field screens hovered to each side of it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I simply stood there listening to the subdued whisper of computronics; some very nice but unfamiliar music was playing in the back ground. The Klack captain got out of his chair and came over. “I am sure this is the first time you are on the bridge of a battle ship.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I never was on a bubble bridge before, Sir. It is amazing!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Just on what battle ship have you been?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Shetland, Sir. Captain McKenzie granted me a visit on her bridge, sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you been on the flagship no less and cadet hating McKenzie let you on her bridge?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would dismiss that as a far out lie, if I didn’t get my orders to pick you up from McElligott’s office.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I tried to tell him a condensed version of the events on Archilerb, but he kept on asking details until I had told him the entire events in great detail.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He did not ask about the reason we were on our way to Lorman’s Starbase and when I wanted to tell him he said.” I changed my mind, Midshipman. I do not want to know about that one. The details of that are classified and that is what I wanted to tell you. Do not divulge any details to any third party until we are there. I am hoping there are no elements of the worm aboard my ship, but one does never know for certain.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Worm, Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Never mind that, it is better you forget what I just said.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir.” While I responded as I was supposed to, I still wondered what he meant. What was the Worm?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Klack quizzed me about the academy in general. He in turn told me about his ship and the bubble bridge design. I learned that the bubble was well protected in the inside of the ship and all was projected, to make it look like it was sitting on top of the hull. Then I was allowed to sit next to the XO in the chair of the life-sciences officer, a position usually reserved for the CMO of the ship and rarely if ever used, just as the engineering station, the Chief Engineer’s position was unoccupied for the most times as these department heads usually ran things from their departments directly. Captain K’Tngnk somehow ceased to be a Klack, his high voice box enhanced voice, had a steady quality. He did not have much to do, his crew knew what to do and we were deep in Union space, but he didn’t take things for granted even here, as he wanted to be updated on scanner reports and contacts in the vicinity.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was simply sitting there and taking it all in. There was no place in the Universe I rather would have been.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He suddenly addressed me.” Midshipman, you are very quiet, you have not said a word or stirred in four hours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir I was instructed to remain quiet, but I am very grateful for this opportunity to sit here and watch.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are not bored or angry that they cut your vacation short?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, how can I be bored? I am on the bridge of a Star Ship I would spend my entire vacation sitting here and be the happiest Viking in the Galaxy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t like idle people on my bridge. Go take the Helm station and let me see what you learned so far at the academy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir!” I was unable to wipe that proud smile of my face. The Helm Officer got up and said. “No worry, Midshipman, I am going to take the back up and assist you if something unusual comes up. The controls are basically the same as those of a D100.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I thanked him sat down and the seat lowered itself into the half moon shaped cut out in the floor right before the transparent bubble. It really was as if sitting on top of the ship in deep space. The controls slid under my hands and the current course was displayed on the transparent surface, as if the numbers and the data were floating in space.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Helm steady as she goes until we hit map marker waypoint ten, then drop out of trans light.” The Captain’s voice sounded as he was standing right behind me. I resisted the impulse to turn around and kept my eyes on the projected way point markers. I ran a short diagnostic cycle on the Helm controls and logged the result in the tech log. One of the back-up direct input controls showed orange and a possible mal function.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The tech log would automatically generate a work order for the Engineering Department and file a report with the XO.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The voice of the XO came on. “Good call Mr. Olafson. You found the little glitch we simulated, very good!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The captain had me drop out of Trans light come to a relative stop. There was nothing really out there, no planetary system close and from the flight path sensor screen projected to my right I did not see any contact or mass detection.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t want you to tell your friend Captain McKenzie I haven’t provided you with some entertainment, Mr. Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Red lights flashed and between the wailing of a siren a voice said. “Battle stations! All hands battle station!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My seat reconfigured to full battle mode and strapped me in, a dome like helmet lowered around me, giving me a full 360 view of space and the controls would now react to my direct nerve impulses even before my intentions were relayed to my hands. “Helm we are pursued by overwhelming forces. Go to course 0,0,12 evasive action and get us out of here, Trans red line speed!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This was a rush like no other! I could feel the immense energies of the engines, as if they were part of me. I programmed the course markers and slaved the controls to my eyes. The ship would now follow the directions my eyes looked at and currently I stared at the projected course markers. Trans red line meant all engines full ahead, past the manufacturers set limits called red lines. The Madrid jumped from a virtual dead stop to the Trans light threshold speed of 98 percent light accelerating at 800 kilometers per second to the square. The stars became beams of light and we slipped into quasi space.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Only two seconds below the time I expect from my helmsman. Not bad for a Midshipman, but still two seconds, quite a few Nul Grav Bombs can hit you in two seconds.” The Captain said. “Stand down from the exercise and take us back on course, standard cruising speed.” “I am sorry Sir about the two seconds!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No worries about that. You have a talent for helm. Is that what you want to be, a helmsman?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Any duty station on the bridge would be fine with me Sir, as long as it is a ship.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Good call. Now release controls, to Mr. Gar and get cleaned up for dinner. I expect you to be at my table at 2000 hours sharp.”

Chapter 19: New Y'all Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Devastator had made it. No one aboard knew very much about the old Celtest engines, except Centron the Ship’s AI that was also not a product of Union Tech but the ships original AI, utmost loyal to Stahl. Centron warned that the old engines would need serious servicing before they could be used again at these speeds. That would mean the way home would take much longer, unless the Chief Engineer could figure out how to service the alien engines.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">However this was a problem, they would face when it was time to return.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Fornax Hub was on the scanners. The base was a Kilomon Class space station, 20,000 meters sphere with Gravo anchor at the bottom and a wide equatorial hangar ring. His scanner operators confirmed there was still some energy but the station was dark and did not respond to hails at all.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, we are detecting the debris of a Union Starship, it conforms to the mass and materials specifications of the Barracuda Destroyer that was detached to the station. No intact hull compartment, no energy and no life signs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl remained silent. This was Harris’ show and he would not interfere, but that did not mean he was completely out of things to do.” The Barracuda was armed with Translocators; can you confirm the destruction as well?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">If this was indeed a Y’All attack he did not want them to get a hold of Terra’s most potent weapon. The only one that had any real effect on the Y’All invasion so long ago.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Unable to confirm, Sir. I cannot detect the log drone anywhere and there is not enough left of the Barracuda to make sure otherwise.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Devi was under full battle mode, with raised shields and extended cannons. The sensor operators scanned every centimeter of space for any energy signature or anything out of the ordinary.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Harris ordered the launch of two Bison and a wing of Wolfcrafts to retrieve what was left of the Barracuda.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Still the sensors showed nothing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course there was cloaking technology, the Devi could fully cloak and appear invisible to any known sensors, but that was Celtest technology. Did the Y’All master this tech? Or were they up against a new unknown enemy with abilities far beyond the Y’All?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Harris was well aware of his old friend’s dilemma, being the Old Warrior and as Admiral beyond the command ship of his beloved Devi. “Admiral, what would you recommend?” He was not too proud to ask this legend for advice.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They are here, someone is still here and watching us. I can feel it.” Stahl stared at the main viewer and Harris nodded and symbolically stepped back. It was to signal the crew that Stahl was in Command now and to make sure his friend saw it. Harris’ main concern was the ship and he had no qualms to hand it temporarily over to a man with almost 3000 years of battle experience.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alyica had her eyes closed and her mind scanned the space around the ship for any coherent thought, or nerve impulse. She was deeply in love with that old Admiral, a real Terran with no particular Psionic abilities, yet his ability to sense and feel trouble was something she admired greatly.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as she sensed it, he said.” Tactical, lay a spread of ten Exo loads in a fan pattern spaced on that moon.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Fornax Hub Station was in a White Dwarf Star system with only one planet, that was tectonic so active that locating the star base in deep space was simply easier. The planet also had a moon, the moon would one day be mined but right now there was no cost effective way to ship ore and minerals to where it was needed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Devi shuddered ever so slightly as ten of the largest Anti Matter bombs left the dematerialization breeches. Ten loads would be enough to obliterate the entire moon, and just as the bombs exploded five strange potato shaped alien ships left its surface. Each about 5,000 meters in diameter. There had been two more but they had been destroyed before they could lift of and activate their shields.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl knew the shape of the ship only too well. These were Y’All Armada ships!

<p class="MsoNormal">Lorman's Starbase

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Madrid reached Lorman’s Starbase and I had spent the entire four days at the Helm position. I was at the Helm Controls as we dropped out of Trans Light. Captain K’Tngnk had us drop into real space, a full light hour outside of Lorman’s System.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He explained to me. “Even though this is Union Space and we are not at war with anyone as far as I know, but I find it always a good idea to approach any target or star system with a little caution.” He had explained to me the reason for his orders and the thoughts behind them during the entire time and I soaked it up like a dry sponge. He continued. “You rarely run into any trouble in deep space. Space is so vast and so big; the chances to actually run into another ship even on the main traffic lines are pretty slim. Everyone travels at Trans Light speeds and it is almost impossible to intercept a ship that is traveling Trans Light. Star Systems on the other hand are the destination and if there is any trouble it is usually around a sun where you find it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wondered what kind of trouble he expected at a Star System with a major Fleet Base, but I did say nothing and listened to his advice. Commander Vasco his XO said, as if he sensed my thoughts. “Our Captain does not like to be surprised. Out here you can scan and establish contact and you have time to make decisions if there is anything wrong. The Kermac could have decided to go to war while we were in Trans Light, and attack Lorman’s Base and we would drop out of Trans Light in the middle of a battle. Of course this was only an example and the chance of something like this happening is astronomically slim, still it exists.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was right and it made perfectly sense and I decided, I would do the same if I ever made it into the Command seat myself.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Captain then said. “We received approach and landing instructions. Helmsman take her down!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.” I said a little less confident as I was before. “Steering a battle ship in deep space was one thing, but taking 3500 meters of Ultronit down on a planet surface was something else. Of course the ship could land on its own, using the Computronics of auto helm, but he did not say that. He wanted me to land the ship manually.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lt. Gar, the real helmsman of the Madrid said not over communications but being right behind me. “No sweat, you did well so far and we still have a little time.” He pointed at a funnel shaped graphic that was superimposed over the still distant planet.” This is your approach vector, given to us by Traffic control. As you see it is still red, we can approach it but not enter it until it turns green.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I heard the captain. “All hands General quarters, tactical activate shields.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Lieutenant next to me was a Spindlar and he used his telescoping arms to reach past me to point at a representation of the ship. “The Captain does this all the time. During landing and takeoff with those flying mountains, much can go wrong. So it is better everyone is at their duty station so everyone can react right away. The shields automatically adjust to the best shape for aerodynamics and push away any freight drone or flyer that accidentally got in our landing path.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had landed battleships in simulations before, but this was the real thing. We got a green cone and I adjusted the engines and Arti Grav output, matching it with the planets gravitation and entered the planet’s thin atmosphere. The planet looked like a typical Garden World Class 5E, thin atmosphere, the world looked even dry from space, but then Class ‘5E’ meant desert conditions. The world was colored in dusty maroon and brown shades, but I could already see the sprawling city and the vast space port.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Did I extend the landing struts too early? Did I land too slowly? I had made it, the Madrid rested on her landing gear and I deactivated external Arti Grav. Only now I noticed my sweaty palms and the drops of perspiration on my forehead.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Captain said. “You did fine, Mr. Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gar the Spindlar was still behind me and said. “Landing a ship is very important to Captains, on a major Fleet base like this, it is likely other Captains see and watch it. It is part of the Captain’s calling card if you will and as he said, you did fine.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I released my breath slowly. “I sure was glad you have been behind me. Knowing you being there helped, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wasn’t there all the time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Captain called me over. “When you’re done with second year, put in a request to be posted on the Madrid and I will confirm it when it reaches my desk.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir, I will.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He extended his thin hand like claw and wished me well. Then he handed me an order chip. “These are your instructions as to where to report. I would like to stay but we have just received transfer orders to the Magellan cloud and that’s a long way to go.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I thanked him and said farewell to the bridge crew, the XO and Lt Gar and debarked twenty minutes later.

Chapter 20: The Steel Gauntlet Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The five potato shaped space ships immediately attacked. Their weapons were consistent with Y’All technology and so were their shields. Stahl looked over the scanner results and was convinced it was exactly the same as 1500 years ago. The Chief Science officer confirmed it.”Sir, these are defiantly Y’All ships. Even the power output and everything is exactly the same as it was 1500 years ago. It looks like they made no improvement at all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">If this was the case, the Admiral thought, then this Y’All invasion would be quite different from the one before. The Union had expected their return and prepared for it. If forces could be amassed fast enough the Y’All Armada would not reach the Milky Way galaxy this time. However he didn’t like the situation. The Y’All acted differently and there was only a handful ships. Before they had come with a huge armada, there were no reconnaissance craft, no advance units, but a massive fleet. They never tried to hide either! He expected them not to respond, but still he ordered channels to be opened. “This is Admiral Stahl of the USS Devastator; we are representing the United Stars of the Galaxy. Calling the approaching ships. We will retaliate with all necessary force to any further signs of aggression. Stand down and respond!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alyica did not want to interrupt him but she wanted him to know what she had found out. So she decided to contact him telepathically.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Admiral I am sensing them clearly. There are not just Y’All inside those ships, I also clearly detect Kermac thought patterns.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral showed no sign of surprise but opened the channel again.” I do not know where you got these Y’All ships but since you are Kermac you know who I am and you know what will happen if you do not stand down right away!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This time there was a response. A Kermac appeared on the screen. He appeared Kermac in every aspect, except his skin was not white but of a dark gray.” Yes we know of you, Demon Stahl! Your presence is unexpected, but we cannot let you leave. We have sixty more ships approaching and it would be best you surrender, not even you can stand against so many Y’All ships!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You must be new in the space battle business. So let me give you a little advice: first of all you don’t tell your enemy how many ships you got. Secondly I suggest you get a few more ships, sixty or even a hundred won’t do the trick. Finally I suggest a spearhead formation. Coming at us with a half moon formation isn’t very smart.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before he even cut the transmission Stahl said. “Tactical reduce the number of enemy ships to one!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The scanner operator confirmed sixty ships to approach at high speed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Y’All ships were formidable opponents. Tough shields, strong armor and powerful weaponry, the Terran FTL-DE cannon was a direct development of a captured Y’All ship, but this was 1500 years ago. The Union had not stood still and had developed; it seemed the Kermac had found a stash of Y’All ships, just as they were so long ago. Somehow it made no sense to Stahl. Why would the Kermac cause trouble, so far away from their sphere of influence? They knew about the Instantaneous communication and would know the Devastator would report everything back to command right away. Maybe they relied on their disguise and were surprised by Stahl knowing they were Kermac.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Battle was intense, the primary shields of the Devastator reduced to 60 percent. That had not happened in a very long time. Stahl had left Harris on the bridge. He was the captain and he knew how to fight. Stahl needed action and answers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To get both he went to Deck 33 called Marine Country, his personal picked Elite team. Stahl’s Own, nicknamed the Steel Gauntlet, already assembled wearing Gilgamesh Quasimodos. It was a wild bunch of beings. Each one of them a rough and tumble individual, specialists in the dirty business of close combat. Even though he was a Navy Admiral now, Stahl never ceased to be a Marine first and foremost, and despite all logic and caution, against all common sense to get himself in dangerous situations, he occasionally led his special team and that was the core of his reputation and legend. He was one of the men, regardless of his immortal and important status. He fought, sweat and bleed with them and this was the reason they respected and loved him. Stahl came out of the Combat Dresser, wearing his own Gilgamesh. On his left shoulder armor was an old symbol only a handful still recognized, an eagle perched upon a globe and a naval anchor below and the letters USMC. Why he called his HK chain cannon “Chesty” no one knew. The Devastator was the product of an ancient and long disappeared civilization called the Celtest. Stahl and a handful of his loyal friends had gone into Exile and traveled on an adventure rich odyssey across the Galaxy. He had found the Devastator and met Alyica in her true form. It was her who told him how to gain the ship and that he was needed back home.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the ship had been heavily modified and refitted over the millennia with modern Union tech, it still held a few secrets only Stahl and a select few knew about. The secret of the Translocator canons and the Para Dim shields he had shared with the Union, but he kept a few aces under his sleeve. The Transplanter worked on the same principle as the Translocator Cannons, able to shift any matter via a Trans dimensional gate to another location. It also worked with living beings. He and the Iron Gauntlet platoon used this secretive technology to transport themselves directly aboard one of the remaining Y’All ships!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl stepped through the glowing portal and right into hell!

Chapter 21: Stow Away Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Peter Baker had neither slept nor eaten much in the last days. Everything had gone wrong ever since he captured the Y’All herald and brought the being to Fornax Hub. He told them to keep the being in Stasis until fleet could arrive. He had barely left the security lock up facility aboard the stations when all lights went out and the station was boarded by Y’All and Kermac! What was odd that these Kermac fought, they weren’t the same cowardly white skinned Kermac he knew about, and still these gray skinned bastards had the same Psionic abilities. The Y’All were also different from the bigger and silent warriors he remembered from the Invasion 1500 years ago. While these beings looked identical they were smaller, not as massive and they appeared to be much smarter.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Station was a military installation but had only a minimum of military personnel and lots of civilians. Peter had fought like a lion and the eight Cerberus robots the station had made a huge impact. Would they had more, the entire thing might have ended otherwise. The odds had been thousand to one. The Kermac and the Y’All had come with overwhelming numbers and struck with ferocity.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Invaders killed everything in sight and as soon as they had freed the captured alien, they retreated. They had brought in floating energy cannons and with those and overwhelming numbers they were able to defeat the Cerberus robots.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Barracuda Destroyer had fought valiantly and triggered self destruct before the Y’All could board her. He knew what they were after, the secret of the Translocator canon. The being he captured had asked him plainly if he knew about the workings of this weapon.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They had broken in one of the Stations warehouses, and it appeared they knew exactly where to look and took six big crates with replacement translocator cannons. The Invaders did not know that Peter managed to hide in one of the crates.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He had to make sure they would not learn the secret, even if it meant his life.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now he was in that tight crate aboard an alien ship heading for an unknown destination. Peter had placed six charges and was ready to detonate them at any given moment.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Thanks to his advanced suit the Kermac could not detect him with their Psionics and he wanted to find out who was behind all this and he hoped he could escape with vital information, before he had to activate the charges and destroy the cannons and also committing suicide. He was prepared to do so, but if there was a chance to escape he would take it and that is why he still waited. <p class="MsoNormal">JAG OFFICE 54653

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lorman’s Starbase was basically a big town and a spaceport on an otherwise empty planet. I had made my way via slide belt to the main concourse of the space port and took a moment to read my orders. I still had 12 hours before I was supposed to report to JAG Office 54653 in the Fleet Justice Tower.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The space port was just like the ones I had seen before, with the usual businesses and retail outlets. I watched a group of perhaps twenty beings in bright orange jumpsuits, shackled together and guided by a five armed marines and two robots walk towards a waiting Leyland transport. Only to see another orange jump suited man, his hands in heavy cuffs escorted by two marines going the other way two minutes later. Fleet Officers and personnel walked busily back and forth and they all wore dress uniform. No one was casual, the whole atmosphere of this spaceport was somehow subdued and serious, still busy and lively but the din of many voices I had experienced on other ports was not there. As if everyone whispered.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I also noticed four Federal executioners in their dark red robes talking to two Union Officers. Somewhere an alarm went off and a dozen armed marines were running and flying towards the sound.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I grabbed a bite at the local Swine and Dine and then went out to the Taxi Stand. The flyers were operated by beings and not robots or computronics. The one I flagged down was flown by a green skinned being that reminded me of Wintsun, he had the same coppery red hair. He confirmed my destination and then I asked him if he was from Sunflower, planet

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why yes I am! Our world is not far from here, just about 13 light years. Do you know the place?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not first hand, but one of my friends comes from there, Wintsun Asher.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ah the Asher Family. I know of them, nice folks!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The flight only lasted 3 minutes and the Pilot refused any payment and wished me well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Air of this world felt extremely dry and cold and had a dusty scent to it. Everything was coated with a very fine layer of powdery brown dust. I saw robots with Vacuum machines almost everywhere and from the looks of it, their task was a never ending one. The building I had to go to was a twelve story square Duro Crete and glass construct with a large JAG symbol above the main entrance. Before it a large green grass area with a fountain and the statue of a man holding a book in one hand and addressing some unseen audience. Metal poles I thought of as lights as first were actually spraying a fine mist of water into the air and here the air was much better and did not feel so dry. I was still very early and had no particular hurry, but I wanted to report in before I did anything else.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The lobby was as quiet as the space port, even though there were at least hundred beings around in small groups talking to each other. A human Lieutenant with the JAG logo on his collar greeted me very formally and I saluted and handed him my order chip. He scanned it and said:”Midshipman Olafson, ah you are here for the Main docket tomorrow. Arrangements for your stay have been made at Red Tree Plaza Hotel, which is just across the plaza from here. I let the prosecution team know you have arrived. They might want to speak with you prior to the proceedings.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you, I will remain at the Hotel then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes that would be advisable, not that there is much to sight see on this world anyway.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The room they had arranged for me was a small standard hotel room with an attached bath room. The window only gave me a view of a wall of another building on the side of the hotel. So I went back down to the reception and asked if I could rather pay for my own and get a room with a view. It was easily arranged and looking on my credit strip, it had grown in size instead of becoming smaller. This time the suite was on the top floor and I had a spectacular view over the vast emptiness of this planet. The City had sprung up in the middle of a vast brown desert with a mountain range in the distance. There was nothing green out there. No roads or buildings, only rocks, boulders and dust. Yet when I looked the other way there was this vibrant busy Union City with parks, alleys, buildings and a downtown district with bright lights and advertisement. I wasn’t sure if they would still come today to talk to me, so I did not get more comfortable and just took off the uniform jacket.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My PDD went off and as I checked, Egill was asking for a call. The Suite was Avatar enabled so I accepted the call and connected it to the Suite GalNet Unit sat down on the Virtu Couch and was connected to my Avatar representation where Egill was. The suite disappeared and was replaced by an Assembly alcove. Egill was not alone, there was a Saresii and Narth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Egill stepped back and looked at me up and down and then said.” Do you think you can impress me showing up in uniform like that?” He sounded gruff and grumpy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you think I jump and change clothing every time you call Old man?” I answered similar grumpy. The Saresii woman looked quite surprised at that, there was no reaction from the shrouded being. Since the Narth did not react at my appearance at all I was fairly certain it wasn’t my friend.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Egill then hugged my Avatar and boxed me in the side. “Good to see you Eric.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Good to see you as well Old Man! I am glad you called!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Elena just called me and told me you went off in a humongous battle ship only a day after you arrived at Nilfeheim.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was summoned for a Court Martial procedure. I am not sure how long it will last, if I have time I go back to Nilfeheim, if not I have to be at Arsenal II for the second year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He sighed. “Of all cadets, it had to be you going to a court martial procedure instead of going home. You have not learned to stay out of trouble, even in the Navy!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Sir, I am afraid I have not.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well I am calling you because my friend the Narth representative just told me that you have also made friends with a Narth and he wanted to tell you something.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Narth next to Egill bowed slightly and spread his arms. “It is the Eric, sharer of Huhgavh. One has been told by the representative of thy world Nilfeheim, that he knows of you and has contact. Therefore I made One’s desire to contact you known to him. For the Narth that is your Huhgavh wanted you to know that he is undergoing a reincarnation process during which he cannot use GalNet. He wanted you to know that he is with you in spirit and looks forward to continue his study of the corporal world and his education to become a Union officer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thank you for this message, representative of the Narth. If you can convey to my friend that I miss him and look forward to the time we meet again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I shall convey and I am confident he can explain to me how he can be missed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled.”Yes I am certain he can.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Egill blinked.” I heard every word and as usual I have understood nothing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I laughed. “I have the same problem usually but Narth, my friend tried really hard to make me understand at least a little bit.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Egill gestured to the Saresii. “This is Algear Moansti, First among the Saresii and One of the Elected Seven. Don’t bother to introduce yourself to him, I told him all about you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before I even realized doing it, I had bowed slightly before the Saresii and said.” I am deeply honored to have the fortune to meet you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii who looked like a nice woman but was judging by the name and Egill’s choice of words as he, smiled and said.” The honor is mine as well. To see a human, a Neo Viking of all choices, being so close to the Narth is quite about surprising.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I then told Egill a little of the Academy and my first year and he told me that Sif was not working out as he thought she would and had run off with a student friend of hers and he did not know where she was at the moment, but he expected her to be still on Pluribus and was not too worried.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He then told me that he had to attend to a meeting and wished me good luck. Before we ended the call I promised to call when I could.”

Chapter 22: The Assembly Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Egill terminated the connection and leaned back. Algear glanced at his friend. “You love that boy and you told me so many times and yet you criticized him and snarled at him during the entire call, I do not understand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is my way to show him, I care. He understands.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Algear sighed and said in complete unison with the Narth. “Humans!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Egill patted Algear on the shoulder. “I’ll explain it to you one of these days.” To the Narth he said. “Now can you explain to me why Eric is on the Assembly List as High Representative of the Narth?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth Supreme decreed that Eric is Narth and when Eric speaks he also speaks for Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And you think that is an explanation?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes one thinks so!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Algear smiled at that and then said. “Well at least he is not in the Fornax Cluster as you feared he might be.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t know what exactly is going on there but the Attikan Representatives spoke of a major fleet build up aimed at that cluster and I heard the Devastator signaled Attikan forces from there. My grandson had the uncanny ability to be somehow always in the middle of the biggest trouble. I think there is big trouble brewing at that cluster.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Algear wrinkled his pretty nose. “It would take even the Devi many months to get there, if not years. How can she report from there?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Narth raised his hand. “Distances are relative to the speed one travels. Space is not absolute in any case and it appears logical that this formidable ship traveled perhaps at a greater speed. This is not a mystery to Narth, however I would be greatly thankful if you explain to me how trouble is brewed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before Egill could attempt to explain that to the Narth, the current speech of a Three Oz was interrupted by the speaker of the Assembly.” I must apologize for cutting your speech time short Representative Molx, but I must call the Assembly for an emergency meeting. We just received a report from fleet command that the Devastator is currently engaged fighting Y’All ships in the Fornax Cluster. The report also indicates that the Y’All ships are crewed by the Kermac!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That announcement caused quite a stir. While only a few very long living beings remembered the first Y’All attack, everyone knew about the devastation and the horrors the last Invasion had caused.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That the Kermac were involved came as a shock only to a few. Many knew about the rumors that they were involved somehow with the earlier Y’All Invasions.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Pertharian representative, who shared similarities with the Y’All was the first to speak. “The Pertharian are home to the M31 Galaxy and we have not experienced the Y’All invasion but we are now members for over 1000 years and we know well about these meddling Kermac. I say we declare war on them and wipe them out of existence once and for all. No Kermac, no Y’All so it seems to us. Every Pertharian will be mobilized and we will stand to the last soul by our Union brothers!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Klack Queen herself was next, she spoke via Avatar. “This time the Klack are with the Union. Neither Kermac nor Y’All can conquer us now. I agree with the Pertharian, the Kermac have meddled and stirred trouble ever since they ascended and it is time they do that no more. The Klack will be part of the victory or die with our Union.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Attikan Rep floated in the middle. “The Commonwealth is not a member for very long, but not a single member of the Commonwealth regrets our decision to join. The Y’All and the Kermac will wish they did not pick a fight with the Union, Attika will stand to the last ship and planet and defend the Union. It is a community of many civilizations and it is one worth fighting and dying for.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Representative of Terra spoke. “Together we defeated them once before, this time we are thousand times stronger and have more friends and allies. I like to change the old saying: They made one mistake, a mistake everyone in this galaxy knows not to make ... They made the Union angry.” The man of Earth made a crooked smile and said.” They just came in time so we can test our new Armageddon Weapon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Ult laughed. “It had to be the Terrans coming up with a new device to scare the moisture off their backs!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But then all became quiet as the Narth rose and addressed the Assembly for the first time. “If war is upon us and enemies regardless of origin, and it is the will of this assembly to wage war, then the Narth will not stand idle aside but join you in the fight. A Narth Sphere has been dispatched to the Fornax Cluster as we speak. It should arrive there within the hour and will assist the Devastator. There are agents and beings that listen to these proceedings and they report to the enemies of this Union. To them I direct this message of Narth Supreme: Make no mistake Narth are Union and what never happened before, will happen if the decision is made, Narth will go to war!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The silence remained. The Narth turned to Egill without realizing that every Visual Sensor was still on him. “Egill, one has addressed the Assembly. Yet there is no acoustic response, has one chosen the wrong words?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No my friend, but you speaking and what you said is of such importance that everyone is thinking about your address.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What would you suggest?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Algear, the Saresii also leaned forward. “Yes I like to know that as well, you always have a good take on things.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am only of a little unimportant planet and these are matters of cosmic importance, but if I were in charge. I would wait, the Devi is there and no one knows more about war and fighting than Stahl. Let him talk to us once he has all the information and then make a decision. Right now we are shouting for war after hearing a vague report. It’s not enough for me to wager with millions of lives.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The words had been heard by all and a resolution was put forth to do exactly as Egill had said and it was voted approved overwhelmingly.

Chapter 23: Kermac Prime Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac High Circle of Wizards listened to the report of their spy. He had shown them a recording of the Assembly proceedings as well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Vorneun the Intelligence wizard looked perplexed. “Can someone tell me what is going on here? I never even heard of the Fornax Cluster, what were they talking about Kermac in Y’All ships?” He addressed Nachacht the Military Wizard as he expected him to have done something in secret, but Nachacht looked as surprised but the Grand Wizard clenched his little fist.” It has begun! The Call has been answered. The Y’All are here and the cursed Union will be no more than a memory.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Nachacht raised his hands wanting to strangle the Grand Wizard. “Did you not see and hear that entire report? The Narth will go to war on the Union side! I am not sure if there are enough Y’All in this Universe to stop that one Narth Sphere they have sent. Did you hear the Union Reps screaming for war? We are not ready for war!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The First Wizard said angrily. “That was just a Union ruse. A cheap actor. Anyone can look like a Narth! Besides, even the Narth are not invulnerable. They too can be conquered. It is your job Wizard of the Military to make sure we are ready for war.” To the Intelligence wizard he said. “Your task is to find out how the Narth can be overcome. Your task will take priority over everything. The Universal Collective had a way to deal with the Narth. We are the successors of the Uni.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They are gone for 250 Million years!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The shafts of knowledge are still on Koken. Go there and do your research. No cost and effort to be spared. Take and recruit what you need.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Vorneun was no longer as pessimistic. “Yes I will do that. I wondered why we left all that knowledge there in the first place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because the shafts are dangerous and they do not easily give up the information and only Kermac can access them so we cannot use thralls. I value my existence more than knowledge, but you are expendable and so are a few thousand of our kind you can take along. Now go and be successful.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Vorneun was not sure this was the real answer. There was a reason their forefathers had left the shafts untouched and left Koken. No one remembered the reason why the Kermac left Koken. The story about hearing the Voice of the Universe was mythology. There was another reason. Yet he had been there with the Grand Wizard and nothing bad happened. He wondered also why no Kermac before them got the idea to do that. There was a hidden tome of information guarded by the first wizards that held the answers. Part of his mission he decided was to get rid of the Grand Wizard and make himself supreme and then he would know.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">COMMANDER HOLLOW 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">No one had showed up to brief me or anything. So I reported in ten minutes before the time I was supposed to be there. JAG Office 54653 was an entire floor of the building and I was asked by a human Ensign to wait in a boring lobby until I was called with a few arm chairs and a low table littered with fleet magazine foils.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A single room plant in the corner looked somehow forlorn. Every now and then women in high heeled shoes and skirt suits would stalk down the corridor and disappear in one of the many doors. I could see the desk with the Ensign and after 12 minutes I asked him if I was at the right place and if they knew I was there. He looked bored and a little annoyed.” Midshipman Olafson, I am doing this job for a while now and very good I might add. You are but a Midshipman, about as important as that rubber tree there in the corner. I have registered your presence with those who requested you. All you have to do is sit tight and wait. If it takes all day you still wait. There are important matters worked on and should they need you they call you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Punching an ensign in the face, at a JAG facility would not have been a good idea, even though I was tempted, so I returned to the arm chairs and grabbed one of the magazines, an issue of Squadron News Magazine from three month ago. I actually began to enjoy myself reading it, there was a lengthy report on the new Bubble bridge design and I was a little proud of myself that I experienced one first hand. A dozen high ranking officers had started a lively discussion below the article arguing in a professional manner about the pros and cons of the design.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Three hours had gone and still no one had come. The Ensign was getting up came over and said. “I am off duty now, but your orders were to be here at 1400 hours, your orders do not specify anything else, so I strongly suggest you stay here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That didn’t make much sense. First they dispatch a Battle ship on Admiral’s orders to get me here with all haste and then let me wait in a boring lobby. Was this a tactic of the defense maybe? Was the proceedings already well under way or even over and I, the main witness had not shown?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did have my PDD with me and there were no messages. I sent a message to the Admiral’s office that I was here an hour ago, but it had not been answered so far.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even though he was just an Ensign he was a superior officer and he had given me a direct order to wait here. There was not much else I could do.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of the women I had seen go back and forth approached me about three hours later. She was Saresii, judging by her purple eyes and long silvery hair and I wasn’t sure if she was a woman in the first place. She wore civilian clothing and said. “Cadet, you are sitting here for hours. Can I ask you why?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was ordered to be here at 1400 hours and I reported in at that time. It was regarding a Court Martial procedure.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Commander Hollow assistant to Admiral Olia. There was only one case on the docket...” she snapped her fingers. “Of course you are Cadet Olafson. You went through basic training with Agia Olia right?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am so sorry the proceedings have been postponed as the Admiral of the Fleet himself wanted to be present. However a big crisis has come up and the Admiral had to deal with it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh okay.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She smiled.”Scuddlebud has it the Y’All have returned and Admiral Stahl is engaging them as we speak at a distant star cluster. Something like that would take the priority over a court case.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I understand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What I don’t understand is, why you haven’t been sent to the Hotel. Waiting here for hours was totally unnecessary.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Ensign at the desk insisted I wait here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I see.” Then she said.” We will proceed with the case with or without the Admiral the day after tomorrow. We can prolong it only that long. So you are stuck on this dust ball of a planet for the next 36 hours and if you want I can show you around a little and you tell me about Olia’s daughter and the Academy and we can have dinner.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not getting in trouble not waiting here as ordered?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No worries. I really am a Commander and I am second in command of this place and I will have a word with that Ensign tomorrow.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am glad, I would have had to start a conversation with the rubber tree otherwise. I know the magazines by now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I doubt it would be a very good conversation, that tree is not known for its conversational skills. So I suggest you go to your hotel, freshen up and change into civilian if you like and I meet you in the lobby in an hour. There is an excellent real Terran Italian in town.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What does he do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Serve the most delicious food this side of the Galaxy. Trust me on that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I decided to trust her and was about to leave when she said. “Oh and so you know I am a woman.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You read my mind?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I can’t read minds. Even though I am Saresii, I am a good Telekinet though, but that is a question everyone has meeting a Saresii. I just wanted to make sure you know that.”

Chapter 24: Scorch Marks Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl’s suit shield had collapsed twice, and the scorch marks on his armor showed that he came awful close to making his ideas of retiring quite mute, but the Steel Gauntlet had managed to secure the alien ship, and the grey skinned Kermac Captain still struggled in his augmented suit fist. Stahl had grabbed him, before he could activate the self destruct. Sergeant Black Horse, a genuine Terran Apache shouldered his monstrous boarding axe and said.” Ship Secure, Big Chief.” None of the men in the Iron Gauntlet called Stahl by his rank or name, but woe to the poor soul who would even hint a disrespectful thought against the Admiral in their presence.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl nodded. “Get Chief Engineer Dohan over here on the double. I want him to go over this flying dodo pile with the fine comb and make sure it isn’t going to blow anytime soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You got it Big Chief.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Casualties?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Georg bought the farm Sir. He was a damn Yankee but a good man and Rumble lost an arm, but since he had four he won’t mind, besides I am sure the meds can get him a new one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Make sure Georg is taken home. We will remember him later.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Chief!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only now did he pay attention to the Kermac Captain. “Listen carefully, mister. I just lost a good man and I am in a very grumpy mood. I want to know everything.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will tell you nothing. Your actions have perhaps postponed our victory but we have what we came for.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia appeared right there and she stared at Stahl, said nothing but her eyes told him all she wanted to say. Instead she said. “They have stolen several crates of Translocator Cannons from one of the Station’s storage holds. I can read him clearly and I am sure we can do a memory dump and get all his secrets.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac struggled more. “How can this be! Not even a Saresii should be able to read our thoughts.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Looks can be deceiving Kermac. I am not a Saresii and what I do is not Psionics, but that is not important. The information you carry however is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She then stared at the scorch marks and the molten visor of Stahl’s battle armor.” I think you need to be in sickbay too, you look odd without eyebrows!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Can you take care of this fellow? I got to finalize things over here and then we need to find those cannons.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac Captain floated, unable to move a limb toward the woman and they both disappeared.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Translocator canons were shipped in special crates. Only a Union Officer with the appropriate clearing could open it, without triggering the self destruct. However nothing was certain and any safety system could be fooled or bypassed. This was a civilization at least as sophisticated as the Union and to rely on a hope alone was not good enough. The Union was able to keep this technology out of the hands of others for almost 1500 years. These Canons were the main reason the Union was so successful. There was the Armageddon Device just recently put into field tests by the Terran WepLab and he had great hopes, but having this Celtest weapon in the wrong hands would still be disastrous.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">No one in the Galaxy was a better interrogator than Alyica, she would find out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something was very strange here. The Y’All fought like devils but he doubted he could have taken this ship with so few casualties if they were of the old kind. Also these Gray skinned Kermac acted differently than the ones he knew.

<p class="MsoNormal">Italian

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I found the Commander waiting in the lobby. She wore a black velvet dress, that clung to her figure like a second skin and a fur stole in the same color as her silvery hair. She was stunningly beautiful in an exotic way and reminded me of the Saresii general I had met at the Academy Office and of course Master Alema. I wondered of all Saresii looked that way and how they managed to recognize each other. She raised an eyebrow. “By the Spirit, you clean up nicely.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blushed. “The suite did not have an auto dresser and the only civilian clothing I had was my Nifleheim stuff.” I had left the fur cape behind on Nilfeheim, but I had taken my leather suit and vest and that’s what I was wearing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think it looks very good. I like black leather.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wondered why a Commander was so social and friendly. Did she want something from me? I was not entirely sure if her friendliness was genuine but I decided to play along. What could happen, having dinner on a fleet base planet with an officer of the fleet?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She presented her arm and I wasn’t sure if I liked it or not. Part of me hated her for looking so good and my female side I tried so hard to suppress wished to wear a dress like that. I was suspicious of her motives too but then having a beautiful woman on my arm wasn’t the worst thing in the world either.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She said.”You look as if you contemplating half the problems of the Universe. If you would rather not go with me and have dinner, you can say so, I won’t be offended.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As we walked to the exit of the Hotel, I sighed and said,” I am sorry, Ma’am but to be honest I am trying to figure out if there is a reason why you are so nice. Don’t get me wrong, I sure appreciate it but you are a Commander and I am a Midshipman.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She looked at me from the side. “I am also a woman and you are very handsome. Neither of us is wearing uniform and I am hungry and rather go out with nice company than eat alone. I am usually not known to be nice, rather the opposite. It is part of being a JAG investigator and prosecutor.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Outside the hotel a cold dry breeze blew from the desert and she pulled the fur stole over her naked shoulders. Somehow I found this unconscious move of her very feminine and attractive and said. “Well I am hungry too. The last thing I ate was breakfast on the Madrid and that was even before I took my shift.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The doorman of the Hotel waved us a Taxi and she said while it approached.” You had a duty shift on the Madrid? I was under the impression you were just a passenger.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We entered the cab and she said to the operator. “Antonio’s ristorante please.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I answered her question. “Yes I was a passenger, but Captain K’Tngnk let me take helm and I was on that station for those four days.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know that Ant. He is a stickler for Navy traditions and by the book as you can be. So K’Tngnk let you steer his beloved Madrid?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Ma’am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You know you could call me Gwen if you like while I am not in Uniform.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Taxi floater dropped us off a moment later before the glass door of a warmly lit restaurant. Something smelled delicious even out here in the cold air. I opened the door for her and a thin tall man with a black pencil beard greeted us and he knew Gwen as he said. “Your favorite table is waiting for you Bella Signorina and I just got a delivery of fresh mussels from Nuovo Napoli.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He waved and a green scaled Saurian, distant relatives to the Shiss, in black tuxedo guided us to a table that had the illusion of being outside, with torches flickering in the wind and a whispering fountain. The view was over an ocean and a single big moon was hovering over the horizon, a picturesque village and fishing boats on its shore below. There were several other tables and about three quarters of the restaurant was filled with guests. The Saurian lit the candle on our table and then handed us the menus, a printed list sandwiched between two stiff leather covers, not a touch and choose display.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She took off the fur stole and her strapless dress emphasized her ample breasts and produced a nice cleavage. “I recommend the mussel as an appetizer and then either a Pizza Napoli with seafood topping or Antonio’s famous Spaghetti Di Mare.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know Pizza, but I am always open for new things and I do love fish. Why don’t you order then? It is the first time I am at an Italian restaurant. I guess they serve Pizza for those who don’t know Italian?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She giggled. “ Eric, Pizza is an Italian invention. I think you should try the Pizza then and then you know what a real Italian Pizza is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I didn’t know. Italy is a Saresii tradition?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was still amused and her eyes sparkled in the candle light. “No Italy is a national region on Terra, Old Earth.” She made a gesture towards the projected scenery.” This is a view from Antonio’s home. The ocean you see is called the Mediterranean Sea and that village really exists and hasn’t changed much for thousands of years. Saresii food is very bland and I am not too fond of it, but then I am not exactly Saresii.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The waiter interrupted us and she ordered and asked me if I liked wine and I told her I never had any except Seaweed Berry Wine and I didn’t like that too much.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After he disappeared I said. “I thought you said something about Saresii in the JAG lobby and you sure look like one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She reached for a baked stick thing that was on the table and nibbled on it. “The Saresii are very similar to us and I choose that look as my civilization is not well known in the Union. I am Coven.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. “I am not the best in Xeno culture and I never heard of Coven, but then not many know of Nilfeheim either.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is true, there are so many member civilizations and planets, and no one could possibly know them all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“My friend Narth, he tries hard to memorize the entire GalNet Content.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Her left eyebrow rose slightly. “Yes I have read that in your file, you are friends with the first Narth that ever joined the Navy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Again I got this suspicious feeling. “I sure don’t want to spoil things and a nice evening, but this is not some sort of investigation?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No it is not, but I was preparing the case for the Admiral and I have studied the case in great detail and since you are the pivot point in this case. I had to study your file.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The waiter brought the wine and made a little show opening the bottle by hand using some sort of knife tool, removing a stopper sniffing at it and pouring me a very little amount in a glass. Then he stepped back and waited for something.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pointed to the glass. “He wants you to taste the wine if it is okay, only then will he fill our glasses.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I sipped and it did taste not bad at all, and quite different from the Seaweed wine I knew. “Yes its drinkable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He poured two glasses and left.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked at her. “So you know everything about me and I know nothing about you and this is not about the case?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know the dry facts of a personnel file and that is not knowing everything about you and no the investigation of the case is closed. We needed to make sure the defense council had no ammunition to discredit you. The evidence is overwhelming and we would not even need your testimony, to make the case stick and get Stone and Swybar convicted, but it is not every day we prosecute an Admiral and a Commander and the charges are so severe that after a verdict the sentence will be the death penalty. This means the defense will try anything and while I am of the prosecution team and I know what had happened to you and I want justice done, I am glad there is a good defense, so justice is done correctly. I like these forms of checks and counter checks of this legal system and I think that it is an important part that makes our Union special.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am still sore at what happened to me, but if it was only me that got hurt. I would not want them to die, but they caused my best friend terrible harm and for that I won’t forgive them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took a sip of the wine and said. “I have firsthand experience of a public execution and it was something that I don’t like to see repeated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I have read that in your file. The Justice Department has sent us the report on that and it was full of praise for you and they carry you still on the books as Deputy Executioner.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The food came and the savory smell dispelled the dark memories and the mussels were delicious. The Pizza was even better, it was topped with fishy things and I could taste real fire was part of the cooking process.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After dinner she asked me a bit about the Academy and Nena and she told me about the impact her call to her father had made. To have this part of the story confirmed by someone else made me even more appreciate my friend’s efforts and I promised myself to send all of them at least a message and see how they were doing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After a few more drinks and a nice desert with coffee. I felt alright with the world and we went back to the hotel. In the lobby she said, holding my hand. “I had a lovely evening and you are so much more than even the sum of your file. It is true you don’t know much about me, but I will make that up to you very soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you want to come up to the suite? I think it has a bar and we can have a final drink maybe?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would like that very much.” She kissed me on the cheek, “but I must rise early tomorrow and I want you to get to know the real me before we go the next step and the next step would follow if we go upstairs.” What she said had a mysterious undertone and I was almost certain she was hinting at something I did not understand and I knew what she meant by the next step.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thank you for the great evening and the marvelous food experience and I guess the next time I see you it is Ma’am and Commander again, right?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am afraid so, but after the case is over. I want you to get to know me a little better and what happens after that we will see...”

Chapter 25: Fornax Cluster Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In all these years it was the first Stahl ran to reach the bridge of the Devi, he had barely made it back aboard and was still wearing his battered combat suit as he stomped with augmented muscles and eight tons of Terran battle gear on the bridge. Harris just informed him that another wave of Y’All ships was approaching. His mighty ship shuddered and he heard Harris ordering all attack wings to be deployed. He reached the bridge. Harris had disappeared inside his command chair now in full battle mode. Stahl anchored his suit boots to the deck plates and switched to prime command channel. The Scanner Operator said with a calm voice.” Two hundred six units, Captain.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl was confident the Devi could deal with even this number, but the Translocator bomb magazines would be depleted and the possibility of damage and casualties among the attack wings was almost certain. This was what the Devi was made for and her crew knew how do dish out death and destruction. He had sent and let countless loyal beings into battle before, but every life lost was a painful scar on his old soul.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Primary shields at 40 percent, the Y’All concentrating fire on the weak aft shields. Delta Wing has lost four Wolfcraft.” The XO reported.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl noticed dozens of Y’All ships suddenly bursting into millions of pieces! As if disassembled part by part, in a fraction of a second, yet there were no explosions.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A new ship had appeared, perfectly spherical without any markings or anything that would disturb the perfect surface.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He stared at the screen and the dark gray spherical ship of a thousand meters diameter.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This was a Narth sphere. He had seen one only once before and that too was 1500 years ago. Y’All weapon fire poured into that sphere and there were no visible shields. The Y’All ships carried weapons very similar to the Unions’ second most potent weapon, faster than light Directed energy projectors and each shot poured the raw energy equivalent of a solar eruption into the shields of the Devastator. Yet the Y’All fire splashed of the Narth sphere as if someone was using a water-squirter against a granite boulder.”

Chapter 26: The Herald Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Call has been made and the Herald was about to complete the first part of the mission. He had been sent in advance to gauge the strength of this union and to secure the secret of the weapon that was able to defeat the Y’All. He had not been sent alone, but with him he had 300 mighty Y’All ships crewed not only by a new generation of Y’All warriors, but also by a large number of cloned beings, called the Kermac. It was decided that the Y’All should be led this time by an intelligent species with considerable Psionic talents. One thousand Kermac had been cloned of the old DNA that was still on file from the previous attempt to invade that Star spiral.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To destroy and obliterate any species that could be capable of being the host for the Dark One. It was simple, if the Dark One could not find a suitable host to reincarnate; the Dark One thus remained slain and defeated forever.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other way to ensure the Dark One remained in limbo forever was to find the Twelve Tokens of Power and destroy them, make sure they could not be reunited, but to find these tokens was nearly impossible as they could be anywhere and not even the Lords of Light knew what they looked like or how to find them.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As the Uni were driven out of that Galaxy, by the old foe they had left the seeds for a new Universal collect behind on a world its natives called Koken. The Ker native to this world were destined to develop into the next Universal Collective, yet somehow they had squandered their holy task.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald smashed one of his fists on the armrest of his seat. He would not have to be born so painfully if those cursed Ker understood what they had to accomplish and what they were destined to become. But thankfully the Uni had not set all hope on one species, but set up the Crucible so far away from that ill destined spiral star isle. The crucible was the birthplace of the Yah-ha Al, which meant Celestial Soldiers in the ancient language of the Universal Collective and recently had become the birthplace of the Herald. The survivors of the first invasion had passed on the name over many generations and the name had been changed during the passage of time, they were now known as the Y’All by their enemies and the name was synonymous with fear!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald as confident he was on the surface that the Crucible would prevail and accomplish what the Uni had decreed. After all he had reported his success to the Crucible, but deep down inside he was anything but confident. He had only seen a glimpse of that Union. They had developed much faster and much stronger than anticipated. Not only did they possess powerful weaponry and shields, but everyone was able to communicate instantaneously across the entire Union region. He turned and looked at the crucified human hanging in the back of his ship’s command room. He was barely alive, tortured to great extend by the expertly skill of the Herald. “Tell me about your Union, Commander.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The blood caked, swollen face of the man rose an inch and he mumbled, “Commander Richard Brady United Stars of the Galaxies Navy, born January 4th 4978 on Limerick, Service number 04014978-RB-938483329.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your strength amazes me and yet it is wasted. At the Crucible we will clone your body and copy all your knowledge in that new brain without those impressive Psionic safeguards and your new self will freely talk. We do this sort of thing for a long time and we are quite efficient now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Station commander of the Fornax Hub actually managed to put a painful grin on his swollen face. “It is your outfit that is fecked raisin face. You picked the wrong guys for a fight!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You keep saying that and yet you are here and you were unable to stop us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A single Ranger dragged your ass in, shot your shit pile looking ship to bits and it took thousands of you to get a few hundred of us. Do the math you dumb brute, you’re fecked.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald looked at the neural map of the Commander’s body, selected a nerve cluster and activated pain impulses of burning flesh in his brain. The Union officer finally screamed after he added a second cluster and he broke another tooth and sacked in his shackles. The Herald stimulated the Nerves again and made the Commander regain consciousness.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander laughed. Then the tortured men said. “The truth is hard to swallow and you show your impotence against a single helpless man.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I said, tell me about this Union of yours. How many ships of this Barracuda Ship type do you have? How many of these mechanical combat soldiers?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That little Destroyer caused much mayhem to your mighty asses, didn’t it? And eight old Class IX Cerberus took a lot of your ugly friends out before they even got to you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald had to admit these Battle machines were quite formidable. They lost over a thousand troops before these Machines could be destroyed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander found the strength to extend his right middle finger in an ancient very vulgar Terran hand sign. “That was a single destroyer. Wait till you see Ultra Battleships hunting you and you will wish to undo all you did when Marines and XI Class Cerberus rain on that Crucible of yours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Impossible! You don’t even know how to traverse your own Galaxy let alone set foot into another Galaxy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You really don’t know anything. We have member species in the Andromeda galaxy and there is steady traffic between both Galaxies.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The genetic enhanced brain of a Kermac was floating in his Communications Device. Using its Telepathic abilities the Herald was able to contact the Crucible and also talk to the Strike force he had left behind.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This devices simulated a Kermac voice and it interrupted him.”Herald of the Crucible, the Kermac and Y’All you ordered to destroy anyone coming to investigate the fate of the space station report the arrival of a Union ship. It identified itself as the USS Devastator and the being hailing is Stahl!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald knew about the legend of that Human warrior and a mystical ship that supposedly helped stop the last invasion. “Impossible that was 1500 years of their time ago. Perhaps it is an inherited name or title.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The ship is immense and under shields we cannot analyze, the being Stahl immediately knew we were Kermac.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As impossible as it was, the tortured commander raised his head fully and looked at the Herald with his one remaining eye full of defiance and such spirit that even the Herald felt it. “That’s it Raisin Face, your goose is cooked. The Devi is here and Stahl! He’ll find you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You might as well hear what will transpire. That ship will be destroyed, there are 266 ships of immense power against one and they are crewed by the trained and engineered Kermac clones and half a million new Y’All warriors.” The Herald sounded proud and confident. Yet no matter what he told the human he could not seem to break his spirit.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You lost 24 ships against my Starbase and a single Barracuda and you think those few ships left will make the Devi even get a scratch. Buster you in for a surprise!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald cooked in silent anger as he listened to the mounting casualty reports, but then he heard the strange shields of that big ship finally were about to buckle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander managed to anger him again.” I am not supposed to tell you any military secrets you know, but the Devi has triple shields.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of the Kermac Captains fighting over a thousand light years away reported.” Herald, a Narth Sphere has arrived. It fights with the Union ship. Our weapons are useless against it and our ships are disassembled in every component in mere seconds by Telekinetics unimaginable!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“To the glowing nether regions of the Omniverse with these meddlers from the Outside, the Uni hated them for not taking sides and now...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A man holding a blaster weapon entered the command chamber just then. “Now, Pilgrim I suggest you stop this freak ship of yours or I drill you a new nose hole!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man with the strange hat and the powerful blaster weapon stood in the bio membrane door of his command center and the weapon was aimed at him. Through the open door he saw the corridor littered with the bodies of his personal guard. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He who guarded the Crucible and carried out the will of the Uni waited for the next report of the Herald, but even after many hours past the time it should have come in, there was silence.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Yet he already hailed success and said he had secured samples of the Union weapons and shields and was well on his way back. The Herald was not alone but had mighty servants with him, why did he not respond? He who guarded the Crucible stared at the Connection-Brain and it suddenly pulsed and its voice said.” Don’t mess with the Union. I am coming for you next, amigo!”

Chapter 27: Fornax Events Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Have we been hailed?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Harris shook his head.”No not yet, but the sphere is transmitting genuine Union Transponder Codes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The screen changed and a hooded Narth became visible. The Comm. Officer looked at his console and shrugged.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Narth spoke.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“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 first time a Narth Sphere carries a name and is designated what you call a ship. One finds the designation ship quite confusing as it implies an artificial conveyance to be utilized upon a substance called liquid water.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Another voice sounding exactly alike interrupted the Narth. “One disagrees with Narth, for ship could also imply a conveyance of goods and then there is the term space that can be used to further clarify what is meant and space ship is quite accurate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The speaker returned to the hail. “One again asks for apologies, Narth has limited experience in interaction and the Narth that is going to be a real Navy Officer has not completed his education.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl could not help but smile. “Never mind the formalities. The very fact to be hailed by a Narth sphere is of historic significance and it is us who are limited to communicate properly with Narth. Why don’t you come over and we can discuss and talk, and I update you on the events here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He who is in command has been on Narth Prime. He is not as limited as one would expect from...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The graphite gray Narth sphere changed colors and turned to the same light gray of all Union ships and the Union Flag appeared next to the displayed ship name: USS Narth. While Stahl and his bridge crew stared in awe, two Narth suddenly stood on the bridge right before Stahl. One of them, Stahl could not say which said. “Your suggestion is accepted.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl bowed. “I hope you forgive my appearance. I had no time clean up, with great joy and truly felt honor I welcome you aboard.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“An appearance can be forgiven? It would have to be offensive!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One needs to use his eyes; one has been given visual sensors. It is fascinating!” the other replied.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of them sighed very humanly and said. “Admiral Stahl, as you see one is not used to interact with Non Narth. Until now only two of Narth have had prolonged exposure and while they both share all their experiences with Narth there is still much Narth must know and understand. However we have been dispatched by Narth Supreme as Union Citizens and thus want to open a new area of cooperation and Narth integration into this Union of Civilizations.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl had his chin on his chest what the Narth told him was truly historical. “I am humbled by this revelation and I know you can sense my true feelings and thoughts about this, it will better convey the joy I feel than words.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Narth knows and understands friendship now and we are able to interpret your feelings much better and are equally humbled by them. One is here to assist in your stand against the Y’All or any other enemy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not sure we are dealing with the same Y’All as we did before. They act different and there are physical differences. There are also Kermac that do not conform to our previous knowledge.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One agrees this is not consistent with previous encounters. One believes these Kermac are not associated with the ones of our Galaxy but have been made from DNA that had been taken 1500 years ago, during a time the Kermac had not achieved the whiteness of dermal tone they so desire.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">JUSTICE DONE 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was a bit disappointed that she had not come up with me, her dress and those fleshy globes under that thin velvet had excited me in a very ... male way, maybe there was hope for me after all. If I felt that way about women maybe all I had to do is get out a little more often.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The next day I had asked the Lobby Manager of the Hotel about the attractions of this world and he pointed me towards a sparsely populated wall rack with brochures and said. “We do have a theater in town and a sports arena. There are a few Virtu show houses and a decent shopping mall. The locals go off-roading in wheeled vehicles and there are the water caverns under the city you can do a guided boat tour on, but if you really want fun and entertainment you can take the Inter-system shuttle to the second planet named Powell and they have casinos, clubs, amusement parks and a whole line up of sports and recreation attractions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I decided to stay, did an Off-road driving trip and learned to steer a four wheel drive vehicle, did the Water Cave tour and almost fell asleep doing it. I doubted even the tour guide believed the water filled caves very spectacular. There was nothing native alive on this planet, not above and not below. According to the local who had rented me the vehicle there were some abandoned ruins, but nothing mysterious, a collection of buildings belonging to an early colony that simply had given up and left a ghost town behind. Sleeping in and doing all this I managed to pass the day without getting too bored and most of all not in any kind of trouble.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Early the next morning I was summoned to the JAG building and when I reported in, a Lieutenant sat behind the desk and I saw the Ensign sitting in the chair where I had spent most of the day before. He glared at me but then resumed his study of the magazines.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Gwen Hollow, this time in full dress uniform, instead of pants she wore a black skirt and heeled pumps, greeted me with a smile and said. “The Admiral of the Fleet is here and we will proceed with the case as soon as possible. You cannot see the procedures until you have been called as witness and made your statement. After that you can remain in the court room and follow the rest of the hearing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She escorted me to an office and said as we entered in a quite tone. “Your friend Ensign Fainters was ordered to guard the rubber tree for a week.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“An entire week?” I almost forgot she was now in uniform and a Commander and I added “Ma’am”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She didn’t react but her smile produced sexy little dimples in her cheeks and then she said.” You can wait right here until you get called.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I waited for almost three hours before they did call me in. The court room was modern and sleek but still a court room, a panel of three High ranking officers, all Admirals sat behind a raised bench. Commander Hollow on the right side before them and Admiral Swybar and a Commander on a table on the left side. Commander Stone was there as well but he wore a bright yellow jumpsuit and cuffs and a marine stood behind him. He glared at me with open hatred. I resisted the impulse to show him my tongue; this would not have been seen as very mature.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral of the Fleet sat with a whole bunch of high ranking officers in the audience area.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was called into the witness stand by Commander Hollow. The Admiral in the middle instructed me to answer all questions truthfully and I was informed that a polygraph scanner was monitoring me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I placed my hand as instructed onto the scanner plate and a computronic voice said. “Cadet Olafson Academy Rank Midshipman Captain, Eric. Service Number 10074999-EO-5643845633. Recipient of the Silver Star, the Bronze Star, the Iron Star, recipient of the Yaktnh, the highest military honor of the Yokuta, recipient of the Olive branch sixth class, honored with the Civilian Service Award by the Union Justice Department, Honor citizen of twilight, Honored as Special executive of Enroe Corp by Alex Enroe for bravery and High Representative of a member species, the Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I felt humbled and embarrassed at the same time as the voice would list all that. Everyone including the panel of Admirals looked at me and I saw the Admiral of the Fleet, McElligott sitting in the first row leaning back with crossed arms, his naked gnarled looking knees protruding from under his red and green patterned skirt. There was a faint smile on his face and his almost unnoticeable nodded towards me and I could not help but feel as proud as a Tyranno Slayer, his little nod meant more to me than the medals and awards. He had kept word and I saw justice done.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then I was asked by Commander Hollow to tell my side of the events. The presiding Admiral in the middle asked me several questions and I tried to be as vague as possible about the part when I found Narth dying. I recalled how I was arrested and what happened to me in lock up. A visual was shown of the actual hearing and also of my whipping. Seeing it from a spectators point of view made still made me feel every lash of the whip, but I felt a grim satisfaction of the fact that I had not screamed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A Lieutenant who acted as court clerk stood and said.” Poly scan complete, system confirms that the statement made by witness Olafson was 98 percent accurate, allowing for system calibration it can be verified the statement was accurate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander defending Admiral Swybar got up and smiled at me and it was the coldest smile I had ever noticed. He was human but had dark brown skin and black hair. With the friendliest tone he said. “Midshipman Olafson, it seems everyone wants to paint you as a genuine hero and looking in your file and the hearing all the awards and decorations you somehow managed to accumulate in such a short time seem to verify this picture!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He gestured towards the Poly Scanner. “Who ever heard of a Poly Scanner result of 98 %? That is impossible!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Objection,” Hollow interrupted. “Commander Hammashannu is not an expert on Poly Scanners. The result was verified by the court appointed Poly Scanner Technician.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral in the middle said. “Sustained, Commander Hammashannu you will abstain from making unsustainable subjective statements.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Defense Counselor kept smiling. “So we are here made to believe that a First Year Cadet managed to amass all these honors? His ribbon read out is more impressive than that of most senior officers. It...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Objection!” Hollow interrupted again. “The Commander questions the citations and honors received by the witness and besmirch both the meaning and reason these symbols are given.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sustained! Commander do you have any evidence or proof that the witness received any of the citations listed in a questionable manner? I am just reading the text to the citations and they look genuine to me. The Admiral of the Fleet himself recommended three of these citations is present and can be called as a witness.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The brown skinned Commander lost some of his swagger as he saw the stare he got from the Immortal Admiral and said. “Is it not true that you are not really the hero you pretend to be? Is it not a fact that you are a sick individual who pretends to be a female and likes to dress up as a little girl?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Objection!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But the Commander kept going speaking even louder. “Is it not perfectly understandable that Commander Stone and Admiral Swybar wanted to remove such an abomination from the fleet? The so high decorated Cadet prances around in skirts and dresses and who knows what else he is hiding from us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I barely heard the angry calls of objection from Hollow. I felt as if I had been stripped naked in front of all these officers and I knew my career was over. I never felt more ashamed in my life, and I rather had received another flogging than feeling the pain and shame I felt right now.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My stomach knotted so tight I could taste the bitter bile on my tongue, unable to swallow.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I concentrated hard to retain my composure and not cry. That would give these men, Stone and Swybar the final victory.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott got up with the sternest face and the residing Admiral slammed his gavel on a little pad and then pointed it at the Commander. “Only because I do not want a retrial and prolong this any longer I will allow you to finish, but I will charge you with disregarding direct bench orders after this trial. Should you continue this line of defense, I have you removed in irons!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mc Elligott growled. “I will have a word with you. I am wearing a kilt! So I am prancing around as well?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Judge pointed his gavel at the old Admiral. “Sir, I greatly respect you but you are just an observer, so please sit down and remain silent.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Hollow was allowed to speak. “The condition of the witness is well documented in his file and none of the Psych experts have flagged it as anything but a private issue of the Midshipman. The Saresii are active members with many million serving in the Fleet and in the PSI corps making this condition a central part of their culture. There is no Navy regulation in place as what gender identity a Fleet member wants to display or feels.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Judge said to me. “Midshipman, you are dismissed from the stand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got up and managed to get out of the court room with a steady pace. I had no desire to remain. The clerk who had summoned me said I needed to stay close by in case they would need me again.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I waited in that empty office and was certain I would be notified of my dismissal shortly. It was known to them! It was in my records. It should have not have been a surprise after all the tests, all the telepaths and all the evaluations I went through. If a doctor on Nilfeheim could identify the DNA markers and see the signs then the Navy specialists could too. I should have dealt with this curse before I even went to Arsenal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I brooded and was in a miserable mood when Commander Hollow came. I got up and stood in attention as it was proper when an Officer entered the room.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She came close and said. “Don’t worry about formalities right now. Admiral Swybar and Commander Stone have been found guilty on all charges will be sentenced later today. Admiral McElligott sends his greetings but was in a hurry as there is a fire burning that requires his attention, those were his exact words.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t even want to look at her and said. “He was most likely disgusted and appalled by what he heard about me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He is around for over 3000 years, Midshipman. He has seen more of the human condition than all of us; he was upset because the defense councilor made fun of skirts. He wears his kilt everywhere and dare the soul calling it a skirt. Admiral Stahl is fighting dangerous Unknowns in the Fornax Cluster and that was on his mind and not you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But everyone knows now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Everyone always has and no one ever even thought of it as important enough to mention. This was a closed door court martial and the details of it are classified. Commander Stone and Admiral Swybar will be stripped of their ranks and executed. Commander Hammashannu right now wishes he had not tried his stunt. He is in serious legal trouble and more than just a little afraid after I told him you could decide to challenge him in a Gentleman’s affair. He knows of your duel on Maritime as it is part of your records.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This too is in my file?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is not part of your official duty record but it is part of your security back-ground file. No worries about that. It is all good.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not asked to resign?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would not know why. What happened in there was nothing but court room tactics. In a civilian court and in front of a jury it might even have worked to some extent, but this was a Military tribunal.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are there any other orders for me?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No you are done here and you are back on vacation for now. You can stick around for the executions or you can take the next space bus to wherever you like.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I had enough executions that’ll last me a life time. What does the ‘for now mean’?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It means that I do have orders for you. In four weeks from now you are ordered to go to Ross 248 and report to Gortha Docks. The details are on an order chip I am going to give you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not complaining, but why is everyone else getting their full vacation and I am not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Someone thought you might enjoy taking a brand new space ship from Gortha Docks to a Navy Base. It is only a Sturgeon Class courier ship, and does not really require a crew of more than one. It is a simple transfer, flying a little ship from point A to B. I am sure we can find someone else to do the job, if you rather have vacation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I actually snatched the Order chip out of her hand. “Commander you can tell that someone, these are orders I prefer over any vacation!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She smiled. “It was anticipated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Four weeks? That doesn’t leave me all that much time to get there. Isn’t Ross 248 real close to Terra?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes only a little over 10 light years I believe.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would love to stay longer, Commander and get to know you better, but I got a ship to deliver and getting there by space bus, I better get started right away.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We will meet again Midshipman, I am sure of it and very soon!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I sure hope so!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Starbase so I learned was serviced daily by Space Bus and I booked a passage for the next one to Blue Moon, it was leaving within the hour. From Blue Moon I planned to take a Fast Clipper to Alpha Centauri and from there it was not far to Ross 248. This would be my first trip into Old space as the fifty light year sphere around Earth was called.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">WICHITA 4th Planet, Kansas System 264 LY to Terra

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Almost a week had passed since I left Lorman’s Starbase. We were approaching Wichita, the last stop before the bus would reach Blue Moon.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The attendant robot made the usual speech.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Dear passengers we are approaching Wichita Planet in the Kansas System. We will land at Topeka Port in 15 minutes. All passengers with destinations beyond Kansas System are asked to debark as well. This bus will terminate at Topeka Port for repairs.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Passengers are asked to gather their personal belongings and prepare for debarking. Gray Lines Incorporate cannot be held responsible for items left behind. Passengers with tickets beyond Wichita will receive vouchers to the Holiday Inn Portel for free lodging until a new connection can be made.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The bus was nearly empty, but one of the passengers barked angry at the machine: “Robot I have an appointment to keep! How long will we be stuck here?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This unit has not received a time estimate on the delay, Sir. Gray Lines maintains a staffed counter at the terminal. Please inquire there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I wasn’t in a terrible hurry, I didn’t want to be late for the first navy Assignment I really looked forward to start. It was only a Sturgeon, but it was a real space ship, armed and shielded. Classified as a courier ship, that was exactly what it was mostly used for, to transport sensitive or important messages, passengers and small freight deliveries to places where it was too dangerous or too far for a D type long range shuttle. I had spent most of my flight time reading and downloading everything I could about that ship type. I wanted to know everything about my very first real command! While there was no crew, and technically you needed a crew to command it was still considered a command in Navy Terms.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Port Terminal was only slightly bigger than the one on Nilfeheim. The passengers of my flight numbered twenty four including me and when I reached the counter the human female behind it smiled with a bored expression in her eyes.” Gray Lines apologizes for any inconvenience this delay may cause you Sir. Here is your voucher for the Holiday Inn Portel. We expect a 26 hour delay.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled back.” No problem. I am not in a very big hurry.” I also thanked her for the voucher and went to the Shopping concourse where I went to Arthur’s for a burger. To my surprise the burger was quite delicious and tasted fresh. Since I was the only customer and there was a person server instead of a robot, I commented on the fresh taste. The young human grinned widely over his freckled face.” That’s because we don’t reconstitute here, we grill fresh on an old fashioned flame grill and no robots doing the cooking either. We’re quite proud of that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pointed to one of the large windows. Outside beyond the space port where huge pens filled with brown animals as far as one could see. “What you see out there is only a month production out there. We ship ten thousand cows a day to anywhere in the Galaxy! That’s why our meats are fresh. Real beef not vat grown like they do elsewhere.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He brought me a second burger on the house and after this short lecture on Wichita’s economy I went to the Portel directly attached to the port terminal and left my bag in my room and decided to tour the town, maybe they had something worthwhile seeing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I stepped through the automatic doors and a strong air curtain outside. After I passed through the down blowing air curtain the smell hit me like a hammer! The stench in the air took my breath away and I gagged.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Someone close by laughed:” It takes a while but you will get used to it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A man wearing a dark elegant business suit, holding a brief case had walked through the doors just like me. He looked extremely well groomed, wore dark eye glasses and had a little moustache above his lips. He looked a little out of place

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What is that awful smell?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pointed towards the animal pens. “Feedlots, hundred thousand cows, pigs and sheep. They all poop and pass gas. Most of the gas is used to generate electricity and most of the poop is shipped off planet, but the rest escapes and that is still a lot.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why would they ship shi ... I mean animal poop?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Natural based fertilizer is highly valued by those farmers growing the high end food items”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took that info and waved the hand before my nose. “How can people stand this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They don’t even smell it anymore and for some it is the smell of home. For me it is the smell of money!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Pekunia Non Olet, eh?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man laughed: “It appears the academy still teaches classic Latin quotes. ‘Money doesn’t stink’. How appropriate.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So what is the Fleet doing here on Wichita? Opening a recruiting office or something like that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am just a Midshipman with time to burn. The Space bus is delayed till tomorrow.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well that explains it. I am Brian Solis, Agro-product purchaser for SII. I come here a lot. If you want, I show you the few things worth seeing here and if you can’t find a ride tomorrow, I came with a corporate ship and can give you a ride to Blue Moon”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Eric Olafson from Nilfeheim. You don’t mind?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He waved:” Heck no. I am always glad to break the routine a little. I even know Nilfeheim I have been there a few times to purchase sea weed and fish.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He gestured me to follow and we walked past the taxi stand and underneath the Hertz Rental Project-a-Sign he pointed to a new Chrysler Land Speeder. “That is the one. Go get in, have you eaten?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I had two burgers at Arthur’s.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He swiped his ID implant under the reader and the Chrysler doors swung open and a voice thanked him for choosing Hertz. The Interior still smelled new and was upholstered with fine leather. He sat behind the controls and frowned. “Well Arthur’s isn’t bad here, but you should have waited. Cattle Baron Grill in downtown Topeka has the best steaks in the entire sector if not the galaxy and I should know I go to a lot of Agro producing planets.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry.” Was all I could think of saying.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He laughed again.” I didn’t mean it like that Eric. You are going to be hungry later for sure. First I need to do some business. If you don’t mind tagging along you are welcome and I having someone to talk to”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I don’t mind. I’ve got nothing better to do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Great. We’re going to Jesus Hernandez, biggest Cattle rancher on the planet. The Hernandez Hacienda raises free range cattle the old style. No growing vats, no cloning. His beef is in high demand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian steered the speeder to a higher altitude, skimming over muddy terrain and seemingly endless herds of brown animals. Robots and men feed them, guided them and wheeled carts of animal dung away.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So what is it you do exactly? Buying those animals?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sure you heard about Schwartz Intergalactic Industries.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There’s probably no one in the galaxy that hasn’t. The biggest Mega Corp there is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He nodded proudly.” Indeed and I am the Chief Purchaser for the Agricultural product branch for this sector. I like to do my work in the field and not from a desk. It’s also a good way of quality control and developing a personal relationship with our suppliers.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thought SII owns a lot of planets and makes its own products. I remember meeting an applicant from Harvest 12.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh SII owns quite a few planets and we also have bio engineering factories making food the modern way. We are the leading manufacturer of Nanite Food processors and also produce Vat-Meats in immense quantities, but the Galaxy is a large and hungry place and the demand for food is staggering and the demand for natural foods is growing every year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We approached a collection of one story buildings were we landed. Out here the air was fresh and clean.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We meet with the Rancher. He was a joyful character and it was clear he loved his life and was proud of his achievements. He was talking nothing but beef and the problems and challenges associated with that business, on a table where dozens of plates with fresh grilled and prepared beef and on another table plates with raw slabs of red beef. Brian tasted small pieces of the grilled beef and he encouraged me to do so as well. I was a fish eater all my life but I had to agree this stuff was truly delicious.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian also inspected the raw meat; he did not use any tools or scanners. He only smelled touched and tasted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The meeting ended with Brian ordering 2 million heads of beef and paying for it right there and then. I never saw so much money changing hands.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After that we went back to the speeder and Brian said. “Now it’s time for the sightseeing tour.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first stop was a valley between two mountain ranges. Huge strange objects strewn all around looking almost like abstract works of art. I immediately recognized them as bones of very large animals.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He explained: “This is Bone Yard Valley. There are millions of these enormous skeletons, found nowhere else on this world. They are not very old, but no one has ever seen one of these animals alive. It’s the Wichita Mystery.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We landed and walked between the towering bones.” How big where these animals?” I asked. “I’ve seen Tyranno Fin skeletons, these aren’t much smaller!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are going to meet a friend of mine who can answer those questions much better. She belongs to your organization.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A large rock formation not too far away turned out to have a door and a window! As we approached a very beautiful woman with long red hair wearing a tight fitting green jump suit stepped out with a big smile on her dark red lips. “Brian, are you bringing me the assistant I am waiting for?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He smiled back. “Probably not.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well step right on in. I just made some real coffee.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The rock formation had been hollowed out, probably by Army Engineers using cutting lasers. It was one large room separated into a living area and a lab set up with work tables, multi task consoles and shelves with instruments. The woman raised her hands. “Welcome to Exobiology Auxiliary lab Wichita, Science Corps installation Three thousand three hundred and four. I am Lt Commander Dr. Brenda Brown, but you can call me BB, all my friends do and out here we don’t stick to Navy Regulations much anyway.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">From a shelf she took three ceramic mugs with the Science Corps logo and poured coffee. Then she smiled at me: “I didn’t even ask if you actually drink coffee.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do, black with sugar, if you have any.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She placed a Plasti-tainer on the table. “All the sugar you want!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian said: “Brenda makes the best coffee this side of the Sagittarius Arm.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She grinned. “I should, I’m from Seattle as you know.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She said that as if this was significant, but then I never heard of a planet called Seattle.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sipped and had to agree. The coffee was strong and had an invigorating flavor.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda looked at me. “I see you’re a Midshipman and from the looks of it a first year academy freshman. I assume you are not the assistant they promised me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry Ma’am. I didn’t even know there was a lab here. I am stranded on Wichita till tomorrow and Brian sort of picked me up to show me the place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s just as well. I don’t really need an assistant anyway, who knows if I would get along with him or her. I chose this assignment because I like to be by myself.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are here all by yourself?” I asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Most of the time, I do have two Multi task bots keeping me company and I go to Topeka a lot.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are researching those bones?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I am here to gather data and maybe, just maybe solve the Wichita Mystery of the Land Walkers that way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What exactly is the mystery?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She put the cup down and said. “Wichita is a fertile garden world with all the right conditions to support Terran life forms. It was discovered 200 years ago, surveyed and cleared for colonization. It has native life and some of the bones out there are less than 50 years old, yet no one has ever seen one of these animals alive. There are no other bone yards like this anywhere on the planet as far as we know. The largest animal remains we found are 70 meters long and we estimate the beast to weigh over 200 tons when it was alive, such a life form would be hard to miss especially since this world has no extensive forests and the oceans are quite shallow. There is simply no explanation why those bones are here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The whole subject was quite interesting and I wondered. “Was any DNA found to reconstruct one?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, the main lab on Venus grew one out of the DNA but it didn’t survive long. It simply died.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took another sip of the coffee and said. “What was the cause of death?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The being simply wanted to die I guess and did.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What are your findings or theories? Maybe they are not native to this world.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Her smile vanished and she became serious. “That is exactly what we think. The animal’s DNA do not match the DNA pattern of life forms native to this planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I tried to picture the galactic map in my mind and said: “We’re almost at the core of Union space. There are no non Union intelligent space faring cultures anywhere near, or are there?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not to our knowledge, but there are large areas of Union space we haven’t really surveyed yet. Science Corps established this post to count and research these bones and basically wait for any new arrivals.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed and added. “Nothing happened so far.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Must be a pretty boring assignment then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not really. I am also cataloging local life forms and do research on them. Besides I like it. It is stress free and I can spend time on my hobbies.” She drained her cup. “Actually I could use an assistant for a few days. Do you have any pressing assignments?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am supposed to be at Ross in three weeks.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She took a sip of her coffee and Brian refilled his cup. Brenda leaned back.” Well maybe the business at Ross can be delayed a little. I sure could use you. But anyway how is the Navy life treating you? Have you decided yet what route you going to pursue?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Basic training and the first year were not as I expected it to be to be honest, but perhaps the second year is going to be better. I am not sure what specialization to pick yet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian interrupted. “What does that specialization thing mean?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda explained to him: “During the first year they teach you all the basics a new soldier and cadet needs to know and then in year two is where you decide what job you will do in the navy. You know logistics, personnel, weapons, security and a thousand other specialty fields. Year three is either at a dedicated school for that field or sometimes aboard an Academy ship. I did the basic training at Fort Fun Club and decided for life sciences right at the start of year two. So I did the rest of my Academy time, all remaining three years at the Venus Life Sciences and Xeno Biology and such a career move gets you in the Science Corps.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian spooned sugar in his cup and stirred it with measured moves. “Now I am a bit curious, the Science Corps isn’t that separate from the Navy?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes it is technically. The Science Corps was started to have a distinctive and separate organization from the fleet that focused on military missions. It operates under the authority of the Science Council and not the Defense Department. It has its own ships and Science Explorers do not carry heavy weapons, but the crews and officers aboard science vessels are Navy personnel and the Science officer aboard every Navy Vessel is of the Science Corps.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He nodded and thanked her and then said to me. “Well if you decide the Navy isn’t for you there is always room for a bright person at SII. There are thousands of careers to choose from just as well and we pay a whole lot better. SII has a fleet of space ships second only to the navy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was considering that.” I didn’t want to tell him I had a similar offer from Enroe. So I said: “I just don’t want to fly a freighter on established routes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh you are mistaken, SII doesn’t have just freighters. We have corporate security Units that almost could go toe to toe with your battle ships and we have research vessels surveying areas of space that no Navy ship has seen.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda looked at her wrist unit. “It is almost time for lunch and I was planning to go into Topeka for a nice steak and do some shopping. Why don’t you two come along?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian finished his second cup and said: “Sounds like an idea. I bragged to Eric about the steaks they serve at the Cattle Baron Grill.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Topeka was an underground city as I found out. It was below all those Cattle pens and beef processing plants. Down here the air was clean and did not stink and the Cattle Baron Grill was part of a large shopping mall and the steaks they served there were the best food I ever ate right after fresh Tyranno Fin filet. It was juicy and the flavor was truly amazing. They served the huge 72 ounce steaks on a big wooden cutting board with potatoes, green beans and gravy. I was hard pressed to finish half and could not even try the Cherry cobbler, Brian recommended.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda had gone for a few minutes, I assumed to the bath room and Brian said.” This pretty much concludes the sightseeing tour of Wichita, unless you like to see more cattle.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I think I’ve seen all the cattle I care for to see, unless they are in form of a steak like these in front of me on a plate!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He laughed. “Right you are!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda came back and sat down and looked at me. “So what brings you to Wichita in the first place? Normally Midshipmen go home after their first year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pretty much told them the story without going into too much detail and said.” I am not sure what I will do after I have delivered the ship, maybe I check out Earth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Both Brian and I are from Earth and it is a place every human should visit once. Lot’s to see there for sure.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian had ordered him a glass of whiskey and tinkled with the ice cubes. “Nilfeheim is a cold world alright. Lots of ancient traditions, it actually surprises me to see a Neo Viking away from that place and being in the navy. I always had the impression Neo Vikings rarely left their world.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I frowned. “I am the only one I know of ever to sign up for the Navy and still only few go off world.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda pushed her wooden plate away: “Can I ask you why you decided to leave?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“My father and I don’t get along and there was no future for me in any of the traditional occupations.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She nodded. “I can relate to that, when I decided to become a woman, my parents didn’t like that much either and I haven’t been back or talked to them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I coughed and tried to hide my surprise. “You have been a man once?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“In a biological physical sense, yes, but I always wanted to be female. My parents didn’t gene check me before I was born and then were too busy with their careers to notice my desire so they never opted for psycho surgery while they had the power to decide for me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian looked at me sideways.” Does this shock you? You know I am homosexual. I know this is very rare in these days but I am and I don’t want it any other way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blushed and shook my head. “No it does not bother me or shock me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He laughed:” No worries. I haven’t picked you up for any adventures. I am happily married to a very handsome man for the last 20 years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blushed some more. “I wasn’t even thinking that. It’s just I am a lot like Brenda and that is perhaps the main reason I always wanted to leave.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda leaned forward and placed her hand on mine. “I had no idea. Have you decided what are you going to do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No, I am very confused about the entire thing. About my feelings and what I should do. Part of me thinks it is so wrong and I am sick and should seek a way to cure me from this desire but whenever I think about psycho surgery I hear these horror stories about it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s a rare desire nowadays and usually treated either before birth or at an early stage. But it is not all that uncommon and I too felt confused. The best advice I can give is to be you. Experiment and see what you prefer. Besides I got to warn you about Psycho Surgery that late in life. To alter that desire in you they need to change basic DNA, replace hormone glands and implant a new personality base to eliminate your desire. Since you are living with it for so long they might need to delete key memory sequences. As you can see it is not exactly as easy and simple as it is often portrayed. Your decision for psycho surgery would also affect your Career as Officer, because you were accepted and tested based on your original personality. Basically you would need to start over again and I never heard anyone ever to be accepted as a Cadet after Psycho Surgery. However our society does not discriminate against folks like us and your career in the navy will be unaffected by it. Have you ever tried to live as a woman for a while? That usually helps to make a decision much easier. Then you will know what side you like better.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I haven’t thought of that. Deep down I always thought my society is right and that I am indeed a sick abomination.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian said. “Well fate brought you to the right place then. Topeka is the capital of cross gender issues so to speak, believe it or not! They have the annual Cross Dress Convention here and thousands like you or Brenda come here. There is the Drag Queen Pageant and the Dorothy Festival those events are very famous and transmitted live on GalNet every year! There is a museum and a Research Institute as well”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda held up her finger. “Not like me, I am not a Cross dresser I am a woman now and what Eric is, it appears he doesn’t know yet himself!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He made an apologizing gesture.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I asked “Why here?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian shrugged. “I don’t know for sure, but I think one of the early Cattle Barons was like you and used lots of his money to start these traditions and now they make almost as much money on those events as they make on cattle.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda got up. “Since you going to be here three weeks anyway I am going to show you the Costume Emporium!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I must have looked at her like one of those cows up there. “I am going to be here?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, I just talked to Fleet Command and they assigned you to me as an assistant for about 20 days. It will be credited as extra time and you can get this time off as R&R during the next year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But the ship, I am supposed to pick up!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think you will get new orders for that any moment.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was right my PDD played the Thor song of Nilfeheim and in doing so I knew I was called. I was not sure I could hide the disappointment I felt when I took the call. A Commander of Fleet HQ was identified and came on the screen. “Midshipman Olafson, we received the request of Lt Commander Brown of the Science Corps to have you assigned to her for a special project she needs a second person for. You are hereby assigned to her Command for the duration of 21 days. After that you will proceed to Ross and do the transfer of the Sturgeon, your orders have been modified to accommodate the Science Corps request.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was greatly relieved and now I didn’t mind to stay. Three weeks would be over soon. “Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I recognized the Commander to be the one in McElligott’s office who had talked to me before. He smiled and said. “You sure have a strange way to spend your holidays, Cadet. The Old Man himself has authorized to extend your Leave so you can catch up on some R&R after you done all those chores and errands.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir, thank you Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have a personal message and direct order of Admiral McElligott for you as well, you are not to take any assignments or fleet business after you done your chores on Wichita and delivered that ship and if he hears you spend even a day in Uniform during your vacation, he will personally send Marines to give you a vacation you will never forget!” The Commander spread his arms.” This was verbatim, Midshipman!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I give my word. I will go on R&R right after.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He nodded with a light grin and cut the call.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both Brian and Brenda had of course heard the call and Brenda said. “I never heard of any Midshipman who gets calls directly from the top floor of Annapolis tower or personal messages of the Old Man himself!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well he was the Admiral who had asked me to be at Lorman’s Starbase.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian got up. “I think I’ll leave you two now. I have two more business meetings.” He took my hand: “It was nice meeting you Eric. If you ever make it to Earth and I am there look me up!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you for the tour, Brian.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He swiped me his business card into my PDD and said: “Thank you for your company. Here is my card; my contact info is on it. I was quite serious call me one of these days and tell me how you’re doing, or if you decide to try SII for a career.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I thanked him and promised I would do that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brian kissed Brenda on the cheek, waved at me and left the restaurant.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda motioned me to stay for a moment and explained.” I asked for an assistant for quite a while, but never really pressed the issue because I do like my solitude, but you showing up presented me with an opportunity to tackle a project I wanted to do for almost two years.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I nodded and sipped on the after dinner coffee. “I am here Ma’am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s still BB if you want.” She brushed over a crease of the table cloth. “There is a cave entrance I discovered on the North end of the Bone Valley and I noticed tracks of the animals coming out of that cave but so far have not found any going in. I would like to explore those caves and map them and see if there maybe bones or if those animals perhaps live underground. I didn’t want to go Cave exploring on my own. Caves can be treacherous all on their own and it is always better to do something like this with at least one other person.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I understand.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Since there are bones there is even a slim chance we might run into living Land Walkers and while I am not planning to kill one if we do, two blasters are better than one if we must.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am looking forward to explore those caves. Sounds like fun to me.” I really meant what I said out loud. This is what our Navy was all about; explore the unknown and crawling around unexplored caves sounded like a nice little adventure.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She smiled disarmingly. “I am glad you think that way and I think while you are here let’s see if your female side is as brave as your male part.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You mean I...”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The waiter told us the Cattle-Men Association had already paid for everything.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I followed her into the shopping mall to a large window front and the Project-a-sign read “Costume Emporium- Everyone you dream of being we can do!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A Robot Mannequin was wearing an old fashioned looking dress in checkered blue and white, red glittering shoes.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is Dorothy Gale form the pre Astro 2D classic Wizard of Oz.” Brenda explained.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And who is Dorothy?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh you don’t know? You simply must watch that show sometimes. It is what they called a movie.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh I know movies. I know many who love to watch those ancient story tapes. You just sit there and watch them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well this particular one was made in 1939. There are a dozen remakes and most recently a Virtu-Immerse production, but none of those can compare with that original. The character of Dorothy with the pinafore, those sparkly red shoes and pig tails is an icon for cross dressers for a very long time. They hold a Dorothy Contest here in Topeka and I kid you not, there were six milion coming to that contest last year all dressed like that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thought folks like us are rare.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Uncommon perhaps, but what are six million to a Union population of Centillions?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It does look nice.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why don’t you go in and get one for yourself? We need to get you some normal things to wear as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A strange feeling of excitement and expectation came over me as I agreed and entered the store.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A woman wearing red tube dress barley covering her voluptuous curves came from behind a curtain and smiled:”What can I do for you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda answered for me. “Can you get him a Dorothy costume, the super deluxe version with all the extras?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But of course, do you want it complete with bio flex mask, body shaper and Robo-Toto?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I nodded.” What is a Robo Toto?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A robotic dog, the animal you see in that basket over there. It is an essential part of the Dorothy Experience.” “Well I do take it all but I don’t think I need a robotic dog.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Step right in here. The Auto Dresser will take measurements to fabricate the desired costume and squeeze you into it. You are familiar with Auto Dressers?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Auto Dresser looked different from the ones I had seen before. This one was blinking and had colorful panels, but it was doing the same thing. Robotic arms and nanites combined stock items and raw materials right onto my body. I felt constricted and something really tight took shape around me. Then it was done and I stepped out to see the result in a mirror and what I saw took my breath. It was as if something in my soul had broken and now came like a flood to the surface. I saw a young beautiful woman in the mirror. Any man would have looked ridiculous in a get up like this but on a female it looked simply charming and quite sexy in an innocent sort of way. Perhaps this was the allure that made this particular character so popular even after over 3600 years.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How do you feel?” Brenda said quietly.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It should be wrong but it feels so right! Somehow this is me and what I am underneath seems more like the costume.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She smiled warmly. “I am glad you feel that way. Now let’s show the world. We need to shop for a few other things as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The costume wasn’t cheap and cost over 12,000 credits, but I could have bought the store and not be significantly poorer. Still for this kind of money you could by a decent used flyer on Nilfeheim. I never was good with money, at first I never had any and now I had more than I could spend and didn’t really need it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Outside the store I felt as if everyone was staring at me, but at the same time I got the feeling that there was something heavy taken from my soul and I couldn’t get enough seeing my reflection.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two hours later I was another 5000 credits poorer and loaded with bags and realized I had no place to put all these things. I was on a planet I had to leave soon and there was no telling where I would end up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda noticed my sudden change right away.” What is the matter? You seemed to have fun and now you look as sad as a weeping willow.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I told her what I just realized, she listened and sighed. “No wonder you are depressed. Well leave all these things with me and I can send them to you once you know, but for now we get you to a hotel and tomorrow I pick you up.”

Chapter 28: Fornax Cluster Interlude
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald was back in a holding cell aboard the same space station he had been freed from not so long ago. This time he was not in a stasis field but from his head down in a clear plastic material suit with a metallic collar. No matter what he had tried, the material not only slowed down his every move, it resisted his diamond hard needle sharp claws. Right now the suit had bonded with the wall and he could not move even a few centimeters. He decided to research this more once he was free again. It was a very effective way of controlling prisoners he has to admit.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He had seen the traces of the boarding fight everywhere as they put him back, but he also saw armies of beings, both humanoid and non humanoid, fixing and repairing things.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A shrouded being appeared before the dividing force field and looked at him, he was certain it was a Narth!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He snorted. “The mighty and meddling Narth reduced to servants to weak and worthless beings. Who would have ever thought the Narth would ever take sides! Do you even know what you are doing by preventing our sacred task?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One will respond to all your accusations and questions. Narth do not serve these beings, Narth serves alongside these beings to accomplish a common goal. No being is worthless, not even you. Narth always knows what one is doing; you are the servant of a servant. It is you who cannot begin to comprehend what Narth is doing. The ones you called masters so long ago, the UNI were the ones that meddled and thought of themselves as perfect and complete and yet were far from it. You judge the Union as weak? Let Narth show you what you and your kind are facing!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Heralds mind was forcefully and painfully opened and the Psionic shield shattered with ease and then images filled his mind. He saw endless numbers of Wedge shaped battle ships with the Images came the knowledge what he saw. Union Ultra Battle ships, Battle Robots, Marines and then his mind was filled with the combined history of every being and species that ever faced Terrans in battle and every War!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">When it was over the Herald was shaking and he who could not cry, cried in fear and horror. He, who was bred for war and destruction, was in utter despair realizing how feeble and weak he was against that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Narth spoke. “These so feeble, mortal and weak humans of that planet Earth are weak indeed, but when it comes to war they change, they transform and it is not the Nul, not the Klack, not the Perthartians or the Y’All or any other species known to Narth who are the most aggressive and utmost brutal warrior race.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herald whined, “It is them! They are them!’

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes they are and the Crucible has failed. The Master is on his way already!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How can the Narth stand on the side of Evil and darkness?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is this fanatical belief in only one side that doomed the UNI and has doomed the Dark Ones. There is the third state! Narth Supreme has not taken sides; Narth always was and is the third Way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not even the Narth can stop the Master when he returns!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One will leave you now as it is incomprehensible to you and your kind. Like the UNI you think in absolutes. They tried to stop the Transport and the Guardian so long ago and failed because they were too self important to see the third way. The master cannot be stopped and those who want the master stopped will never cease trying and yet this Universe might hold the answer and end the eternal cycle and the Rule will not be broken again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are not Narth!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One is all, one is Narth Supreme!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What will happen?”The future is yet to be determined. Your future however is quite clear. The one you call weak will examine you to the last molecule and fold of your being and it might take them some time but through you they will find ways to defeat your kind.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Crucible is not alone! The Call has been made and those after us will come!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Gwen

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwenn was sitting in the middle of the perfect circle made of molecular silver that was inlayed in the floor of black marble underneath the carpet of her living room and before her shimmered something insubstantial like a cloud of smoke. A face was inside that wafting field of glowing wisps of light and Gwenn spoke to it. “The Black Robes have made their decision. No longer are they removed and separate. They have decided to take part in the Union and one has even become a Cadet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Circle knows of this. She who is with the Warrior has supplied us with such knowledge. She who is with the Warrior thinks it is time the Coven makes the decision as well. The signs have been seen and the signs point to the possibility that the ‘Prophecy of Before and Yet to come’ will be fulfilled soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwenn had her hands folded in a complicated way in her lap had closed her eyes.”The Black Robes believe the third way is the answer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The black robes are so much older than even the Coven. Their wisdom must not be disregarded even if it is not the Coven way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The human carries duality.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Did you read the Human? Could he be the one? Or could he be the one who will find the one?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Even finest Coven art can no longer read the human. He has shared the Huhgavh!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He has shared the Huhgavh and survived! He could be the one!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But the Legend of the Prophecy speaks of the White Being of immense mind and body, equal to Narth. The White Being is the Guardian of the Vault and has the key to the Mind of the One and there is no such being in the life of the Human. I have investigated his file.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are not sure if he is the one and the White Being might still appear. The legend is not specific at what time or point the White Being is to appear.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What will the Coven do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You know what the Coven wants and waits for, but the Circle is not blind to the wisdom of the Black Robes. The Coven wants the human to see that there are other ways. If he is the one it will be of our benefit. If he is not, it will be of his benefit, have you sent him to us?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes he is picking up a space ship and he will deliver it not to the destination but to the Coven.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Coven considers becoming a Union member; the Coven believes that the Union is the third way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am a Union Officer and only send the Human because she hopes this will come to pass. For as much as I am of the Coven, I am becoming a being of the Union.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The one that is with the warrior, she who is the oldest speaks just as you do, who is the youngest. The Circle will decide when the human is with us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">EXPLORING CAVES 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now that Freya was awake and on the surface I enjoyed bathing and paying attention to little body comforts even more enjoyable than usual. Ever since I had left Nilfeheim I was traveling a lot and one benefit of having a virtually bottomless Credit strip was the fact I could afford the finest luxury accommodations. It sounded weird even when I was thinking it, but as Eric I would have been happy with just about any room, as Freya I enjoyed the luxuries much more. The Cattle King Hotel had several Ultra Lux suites and the King Ranch Suite I chose had everything you could think off, including a state of the art Auto Dresser.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the entrance and the lobby of the Hotel was at least 200 meters underground, the suite was above ground and from the large panoramic windows you could see the mud and the cattle and the feed lots. I was sure that most guests of this hotel appreciated exactly that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I expected to crawl around a cave and it would be my first normal day as Freya. Not going out or to a party or anything but just being me, working as a Midshipman on a real assignment. I wondered how it would be

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda told me she would pick me up at seven and the door announced her only a minute after. She came in and whistled while looking around.”Nice choice, but I doubt the Science Corps will agree to cover the expenses on this suite. I was expecting to find you in one of the economy rooms.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No worries. I can afford it and I rather have a nice bath and an auto dresser, especially now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She looked at me and nodded.” Yes I can understand. Good morning by the way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Good Morning, Ma’am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We don’t do the Ma’am and Sir thing in the Science Department and usually call ourselves by first names or nicknames. Do you have a female name?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I always go by Freya.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Freya it is, then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She wore her green uniform and had her hair put up in a knot, but a few strands had escaped and framed her face. It looked accidental, but I somehow knew it was done on purpose. I wore a similar green suit of Intelli-Fab, All Terrain boots, belt and jacket and the hair gathered in a pony tail.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Did you have breakfast already?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not a big breakfast person and I had coffee already.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Great! Then let’s go!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She landed her Utility flyer about three miles north of the rock formation that contained her lab. I could see it in the distance. The green valley with all the bones was stretching before us until it reached mountains. I estimated to be about twenty or thirty kilometers away. The valley’s elevation slowly increased to where we had landed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The air was moist and cool. The grass was about ankle deep and my boots were glistening wet after only a few steps.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pointed at the grass. That is the real wealth of Wichita, it is called Wichi-green by the locals and while it is a native plant it is not unlike Phleum pretense or Timothy grass and is well liked and easily digested by Terran Cattle. Sixty percent of the planet’s land is covered with large steppes providing an abundance of food.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I found this information about the local grass mildly interesting and enjoyed being outdoors and the fresh air and even though I was neither dressed glamorous or special and no one but Brenda saw me, the simple fact that I appeared female to the world and to me, gave me a great inner peace.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda and I carried a small backpack, a heavy TKU Blaster rifle, rope and Sunbeam Torches mounted at the front of our caving helmets. After a short hike we reached the steep rising rock wall of the northern Mountains of the Bone Valley and there was a natural looking cave entrance. She took the Blaster from her shoulder, set it to the lowest setting and widest dispersion and burned an area of grass away. The Grass turned to black ashes and in doing so she exposed the dirt beneath. Now I could clearly see hundreds of tracks coming out of the cave. I knelt down and examined them. Those were old tracks, no doubt and made by something big and heavy during a wet period. There wasn’t much detail left, but I was sure those tracks could not be older than maybe two three years.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Brenda what is the amount of precipitation of this area in an average year?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I kept detailed weather data, one second.” She looked at her PDD and then showed me the curve.” There are basically three wet months with rain up to 2 centimeters. Then there is one month with snow.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Have these track been inspected by an expert? I somehow doubt they are 50 years old. This ground is not that hard packed, it allows grass to grow. There is rainfall and there is snow. I don’t think you would find any tracks even as deep and wide as these after three four years maybe. Of course I could be wrong.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had listened to me and said.” You are the first who really examines these tracks and it appears you know a bit about it, all I did was record and measure these tracks. I have sent my findings along with my monthly report to Venus. I have not gotten any response so far, but then the Wichita Bone mystery is not considered a priority project.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Somehow the science bug had bitten me and I measured a few of the tracks, made pictures and said.” We should excavate a few big slabs and expose them to water and see how long it takes to wash out a similar track.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes we can do that. I’ll have the robots set that up.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We then approached the cave and I said. “Don’t get me wrong Brenda, but caves don’t just form. Usually it is done by lava or water or something. Do you know how this cave was formed? Are these mountains volcanic?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She laughed silently. “You have the hallmarks of a good field researcher. You pointing out things I should have done long ago, maybe I am too much of a biologist, I should have seen the things in a geological context as well.” She then said. “As far as I know these are not volcanic mountains. I am going to ask for a geological assessment of my data.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I examined the rock closer.” This looks like granite, not that I am a geologist either, but Limbur a friend of mine he loved the subject when we covered this in Class.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She looked at me from the side:” I think it is wonderful to have a second set of eyes with me. Robots can’t do what you do, so please continue. Maybe by the end of the day you will have asked enough questions for us to get closer to solving the mystery.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The cave entrance was big enough to accommodate the big animals. Gravel like rocks covered most of the cave floor. We did have one class of about two days in Speleology and caving at Camp Idyllic, where a professional cave specialist introduced us to the basics of this science. Several member species of the Union and many other life forms both sentient and non sentient were found in caves and similar sub surface areas on planets throughout the known Galaxy and so it was considered quite possible that we could end up in such an environment during our career. Aurellius told us that even wars were fought in caves and that the six year battle of Winston Planet was almost entirely fought underground.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The moment we entered the cave, I activated an application I had added to my PDD as I remembered the recommendation of the Instructor. It was the Spelunker Assistant Program Suite and one app was called Ariadne Module. This feature would not only make a three dimensional scan of the cave as we advanced but would later help us to find the exit again if we got lost.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The air had a musky odor to it and was cool. The gravel on the ground was loose and shifted at every step and left little in terms of tracks, but I still looked carefully to see if I could find any tell tales if something had moved across it before us and after about 200 meters away from the cave entrance, I found what I somehow expected or hoped to find. A dried out pile of dung.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was all excited and took a sample of the matter. “I think you are right, it does not look like it has been here for fifty years

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We must have covered the better part of 2 kilometers now and while the cave had narrowed a bit, it was still a big corridor that was steadily declining and according to the PDD, we were already 80 meters below the level of the entrance.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Our lights made the cave bright as day. The air became moist and the walls shimmered wet. On a rock ledge she discovered a bunch of mushroom like plants and was happily examining them closer.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I found a boulder that was sitting more or less in the middle of the path and sat down on it, while she did her thing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as I started to wonder why there was a single boulder and looked up to see where it could have come from. I saw something and it moved!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">THE HUFFH 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The entire ceiling seemed alive! Hundreds maybe thousands of dark brown drop shaped things hung from that ceiling, Brenda saw them too and said.”I think we just discovered this planet’s equivalent of bats, I wonder why there is no bat dung on the floor.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before I could ask her what bats are, there was a high pitched scream, first one then it swelled to a crescendo of many thousand voices and it did not sound friendly at all. The first things dropped and headed straight for us. They were about thirty centimeters and had leathery wings, long necks. One stuck to my shoulder and another to my helmet. Brenda moved in panic as one covered her face!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I could feel needle sharp claws or teeth trying to dig through the tough Intelli-Fab material of my suit and could hear a chewing scratching sound from the thing on top of my helmet. I dialed the TKU to widest dispersion and low setting and fired several times over our heads, then grabbed Brenda’s arm and dragged her as fast as I could along. Three more blasts killed many of these and we were not pursued. With my knife I killed the one on my shoulder and then cut the one off Brenda’s face. She was bleeding from several deep scratches and a terrible bite wound on her nose.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was groaning in pain. I had the first aid kit open in no time and after disinfecting her wound, I pressed the Auto doc Pack on her neck and set the Derma Patcher over what was left of her nose.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Auto doc injected her with pain killers and she sighed.” I feel better now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Auto Doc flashed a message to my PDD.” Strong bacterial infection of an aggressive unknown type of bacteria, broadband antibiotics administered. Wound is sealed, unit strongly recommends professional medical assistance as soon as possible, this unit is unable to reconstruct missing cartilage.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had heard the diagnostics as well and said.” I guess that will take care of our first foray into this cave.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I agreed and said.”Are you well enough to walk back?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, I am pain free.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something bit me painfully in the neck! I had forgotten about the little beast on top of my helmet. Brenda ripped it off, tearing a big chunk of skin along as the little beast had sharp hook shaped claws almost everywhere.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had a tough time getting the wild thing in a specimen box, but finally managed. After she had doctored my neck she said.” Those things look like a mixture of Piranha fish, Vulture and Vampire bat.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked at the thrashing thing in the specimen container and said. “They are vicious and ugly!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We both took our blasters and slowly made our way back. With our eyes and lights towards the ceiling, we reached the spot where I had first noticed them. There was not a single bat on the ceiling and I could find none of the ones I burned. Right behind the boulder that was sitting in the middle of the way was a solid rock wall! According to my PDD this was the way back, yet there was a wall and it did not look like it had been part of a moveable wall or something but there forever. Brenda was as surprised as I was.” We came from there, I am certain! Over there are the fungi and I remember that boulder.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was as certain as she was, as the path had not forked so far and there was no other path we could have chosen. I knocked at the rock and it felt as solid as a mountain, so I stepped pack dialed the TKU to max and tight focus and fired and the beam dug a deep hole into the rock material of at least 3 meters depth and yet it was still solid rock. Whatever blocked the path was thicker than 3 meters.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda’s voice vibrated with fear.” I can no longer access GalNet. No matter how deep we are inside a planet. I should be able to connect.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I put my hand on her shoulder.”Don’t worry we will get out of here. We are alive and we are well equipped and well armed, maybe the Cave has an exit on the other side.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She tried to smile and said.” Yes you are right.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We slowly went deeper into the Cave. Just a few meters from where we had stopped the first time fleeing from these bats and where I rendered first aid to Brenda, I noticed a thin metal band almost completely buried and obscured by the gravel on the ground. It ran across the width of the tunnel and now I saw it went up both ways and clear across the ceiling forming something like a ring.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I knelt down and wiped the gravel aside. It was a dark gray smooth metal and not a natural ore vein.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda now noticed it too and said.” This does not look natural at all, it almost appears like some sort of threshold and we must have passed over it as we ran from the bats.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She unhooked a hand held device from her belt and said. “I am only using this for Bio scans, but it is a Standard Field Science Scanner. I think you can do energy scans with it too.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I remembered she had given me the same gear and I took the scanner and activated it as well. It was the same model we had been trained to use. “I am detecting multi-dimensional energies here, very weak or maybe the scanner is not able to detect the whole spectrum.” By looking at the scanners’ read out and the representation, I said. “This ring is some sort of gate; I don’t think we are in the Kansas System anymore.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Despite our strange and serious situation she laughed. “This isn’t the Yellow brick road, Dorothy but I wish you could click your heels and we get back.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked at her with a big question mark on my face. “I left the Dorothy Mask at the hotel and I am not sure I know what you are talking about?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You just quoted more or less the most famous line of that old movie I told you about. Well if we get out of here I will make a point and we watch that old show. How do you call yourself when you are female? Not Dorothy, right?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No and it is not Erica either. I am Freya.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I like that name, Freya. It suits you.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled at her and then wondered how that device was triggered and who had put it there. “Maybe all we have to do is step over this ring and we will be back.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I stepped over it and nothing happened, but then I did not feel anything before. Brenda was still there and even after stepping over the ring several times, the rock barrier was still there and the faint energy reading did not change.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So we decided to move on and see where the cave would lead us.

INTERLUDE: HUFFH
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Huffh always were and could remember the beginning. Caram would soon reach the end of his journey in this realm and would pass on to the Valley, almost all the Huffh had gathered and many families had come. Even the Alikta Huffh family was here and they had to travel seven Sky ball rises.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram was not an old Huffh and if he did not have that accident where he fell from the cliff he would not have to go into the final Cave and seek the Valley so soon. But it was the way of things, Caram’s wounds had never healed well enough and Gulah and Parah the healers said Caram’s injuries were beyond the herbs, as a flesh eating fire had set around its Bones and soon Caram would no longer be able to move at all and die right here. To die not in the Valley was a terrible faith and omen, so Caram had received pain reducing herbs and would with his last strength walk into the final cave and seek the Valley.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi was the life partner of Caram and the Huffh lamented her fate almost as much as they felt sorry for Caram as she would now live without ever becoming Anali and bring a Huffh from her own cave of life into this world. Balmi was standing with the Anali of her family and she moaned silently, not to make it even harder for Caram to enter the Final Cave. She had told no one, but she would follow Caram, tonight and be with him in the Valley. She did not have to tell anyone as it was expected and foreseen that she would go into the Cave before her natural time, all Huffh that lost a partner before life drew naturally to an end.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram still had a little time. The Cave to the Valley would not be open for passage until the light ball had moved behind the mountains and he dragged himself to UtnAnali, the oldest to seek comfort in her stories. She would soon seek the Valley herself and she was certain she would not see another White cold season, but she needed to tell all stories to the next UtnAnali and to all the Huffh.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The crowd that had gathered around the Old Anali respectfully made room for Caram, so he could be close and hear well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Anali gracefully lowered her grizzled head and exposed the few yellow teeth she had left, the mighty tusks worn down to sad stumps. “Caram it is good you seek us out. So we all may radiate our affection upon you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram wheezed as a wave of pain from his shattered hind bones flashed through his mighty body. Before the accident he was a strong Huffh and his size and strength the source of friendly envy among the other Huffh.” Affection is what makes me bear my faith, Old UtnAnali. Tell me the Old Story and tell me about the Valley.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She nodded again and three juveniles rubbed closer so they too could hear the story better. The Old Anali began.” It was an era long ago, so long ago that no one can count the number of White Cold Seasons that happened since then. All the Huffh knew only one Place. It was a warm Place with much water. All that was crawling and walking on that Place came out of the water to claim land for the first time. Then a big ball of fire came from the skies and burned many of the others, the skies stayed dark and hot for many seasons. Some of the Huffh decided to go back into the waters and became separate from the Huffh and even changed their form over many seasons, but it is said they sing in the deep waters of the Old Place to this very season, and their songs tell of the days when they were Huffh. Again untold seasons came and went, and the wound and damage, the ball of fire had caused to the Place, was long forgotten and the Huffh that remained on land changed their shape and form just as our brothers changed that went into the water. The Water-Huffh bodies became more and more like the little things that always live in the water. Something else happened to the Huffh that stayed on land, the veil of ignorance slowly lifted of their minds. The Huffh began to speak to one another and there were words! The first stories were told and the first songs were sung. Little ones came, different from the Huffh in many ways, small they were and had no fur and looked weak and fragile compared to the Huffh.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They said that the Place was not for the Huffh and that the Place was reserved for others. We did not understand why the Place that was ours was not ours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of the Juveniles forgot its manners and burst out, interrupting the UtnAnali. “What was the name of the little Ones? Why did the Huffh not eat them?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old one forgave the Juvenile with a sad nod.” The Little ones called themselves the Uni and the old songs tell that they commanded fire and the light crack of the skies and they could burn the Huffh. The Huffh could not eat the little ones. The Uni explained that those who gain thought and word would be allowed to join the Uni and share all the knowledge the Uni possessed, but that the Huffh had a long way to go and develop more words and more thought, before the Uni would allow that. The Uni took all Huffh away from the Old Place and they brought all Huffh to this Place.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Here is where we should gain more thought and more words and one day they would return and make us part of the Uni.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Another old Huffh grunted.” They have not returned and have spoken untrue to us. The Uni did not ask if we wanted to leave the Old Place or if we wanted to join the Uni.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the Old UtnAnali forgave the juvenile for interrupting her, she did not like to be interrupted by someone who should know better and scolded the Old male with a high pitched whistle. It was rare for an Anali to make this sound and he lowered his head and made all three motions of apology with his short tail.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Utnalai accepted but kept an eye on him as she finished her tale.” More Seasons than all Huffh together could not count have passed. We have learned many words and much thought and yet they have not come.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram did not feel much pain when he was not moving and thanked the Old one for the story and then added.” Why is it that we must enter the Cave and seek the Valley when our time has come?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She looked at the sick Huffh with much affection and said.”This is the Place of life and the Valley is the Place of death. Only by passing through the Cave can our spirit be freed from the body and return through the cave of flesh we female Huffh have and where the young one come to this world. A Huffh cannot die in the community; a Huffh must be alone to die! Your agony would last forever. In the valley you are alone, and then you die, only that way you can return”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram found comfort in this and said.” Maybe it won’t be long and I will be back that way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Utnalai nodded slowly.”This is the way and this is what the messengers of the Caves have told us ever since we have come to this Place. It is time now for you to go to the Valley!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had walked for the better part of three hours, when I suddenly felt a little breeze on my face. The Derma Patcher had healed Brenda’s face, but she looked disfigured as the little machine could not do any reconstructive surgery. Neither of us was worried about that, once we managed to get back any doctor would be able to fix her up in no time. She kept herself busy with making scientific observations while I kept an eye on the scanner and held the blaster ready.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had noticed the draft as well and just as she was to mention it, we saw light at the end of the Cave.

<p class="MsoNormal">CARAM

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Despite the pain numbing herbs, every step Caram took filled him with flaming pain. He and the Old ones had almost reached the Cave. Caram was almost glad it would be over soon. He hoped the cave would not be too long and too deep and the way to the Valley was not too far.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Light of the Sky had almost set and its rays shone directly on the cave’s entrance, bathing it in soft orange light. The other Huffh had stopped a little behind and waited for him to disappear.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was never that close to the cave. He had seen others pass, but doing the final journey yourself was quite different. He felt anger at the others, who were healthy, he was angry at the Old Ones who made him go! Why could he not stay and maybe the healers would find a way to help him better? He knew better of course, no Huffh with wounds like him and the bone fire ravaging had ever been healed. Maybe the Huffh weren’t as bright as the Old Ones said. Maybe the Uni had not returned because the Huffh were still unable to have words and thoughts to heal bone fire. He sighed in pain and his anger changed into fear. What would death be like? What was there at the other side? How did they know it was a Valley if no one had ever returned? The little ones that came through the flesh caves remembered nothing. He did not remember if he had done this once or perhaps many times before.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked up and saw two bright glowing eyes moving in the cave!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He stopped.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Utnalai huffed. “Do not stop now, go with dignity! Show us that your spirit is still as strong as your body once was!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There are eyes coming!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old one wanted to rebuke him, but now she saw the intense bright lights moving. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh my god!” Brenda stopped. “Land Walkers!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I saw them too, they were hard to miss. Three of them, perhaps twenty meter outside the Cave entrance. They were big, perhaps not as big as Tyranno’s but not by a great difference. Brenda said they look exactly like Ambulocetus only much bigger.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had both stopped and I checked my TKU and dialed it to seventy percent and tight beam. I had about 20 bolts left and only one spare energy pack. I wished I had taken more, but I didn’t expect this to be a longer trip, but twenty bolts should be enough to fry a whole lot of them. Without taking my eyes of the cave entrance and the monsters I asked.” What is an Ambulocetus?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is an extinct animal of Planet Earth, called the Walking Whale, an early cetacean that existed about 50 Million years ago. There was a reconstructed model in the collection of my University, only the one we had was about 4 meters long. The middle one measures at least 16 meters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed inwardly; everything was always compared to Earth Animals. They did it in Union School and they did it at the Academy. Did they not realize that most of the Union had never seen any Terran animals, left alone extinct ones?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She said in a subdued voice. “What do you think we should do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I kept my voice down as well. “Too late to play it subtle, they have seen our helmet lights, maybe we should fry one of them to show we are no easy prey. Did those Ambulothings of yours eat meat? “Yes Ambulocetus was carnivorous and hunted much like the Terran Crocodile.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You realize I have never seen a Crocodile and I am not exactly fresh on other Terran critters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sorry.” She said and then pointed at my weapon. “I don’t really want to introduce ourselves that way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wasn’t really thinking about exchanging greetings with some land walking Crococetus, but sitting here won’t do us any good either. We need to get into the open and see if we can get a GalNet Connection or see if we can determine some other way where we are in this Universe of ours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">CARAM 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The bright lights went out! Caram and the old Utnalai could now see the two little figures about 10 Huffh lengths inside the Cave.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other Huffh became curious what was happening as Caram had not entered the Cave. It was a solemn act and usually the spectators were quiet, but a young one could no longer stay quiet and yelled. “Is Caram not able to walk anymore?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Huffh turned her head and responded. “The Uni have returned!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Nothing could have had a greater impact. The words were repeated throughout the crowds and herds until the last family had heard it. Everyone knew the Old Story, even those who were too far to hear the retelling from earlier on. Waves of emotions came through all the Huffh present and the old Utnalai felt both, the wonder and the aggressive feelings of some in the herd. The Huffh were angry at the Uni for being taken from the Old Place without even being asked. Have they come to make them Uni? Have they come to take them to another Place? The Old Huffh did not like any of these possibilities. She liked being the one on top. The oldest, wisest and the one everyone asked. Would she have such a Place of importance with the Uni? They were little and only two; they looked a lot like the tree hanglers of the southern forests, but with less fur. The Huffh were stronger than anything on the world.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Uglam, was a strong male and he was healthy he felt the thoughts of aggression from the Huffh and he rushed forward, up the light slope. The Old one did not stop him so he went on. He would crush the Uni and then find out how they tasted. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The three monsters at the cave entrance did not move, but a fourth one suddenly brushed past them and its intentions were not a big mystery. It roared and had its maw wide open, full of frightening teeth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even though this was a first contact situation, these were mindless animals and not members of a sentient civilization. I pressed the butt against my shoulder, had the center of the open maw in the sights and fired. The energy plasma generated by the combination of a few atoms of anti matter with positive matter funneled by force fields into a narrow hit the charging huge animal at near light speed and several million degrees of thermal heat. Union TKU (Thermo Kinetic Unit)were not as elegant or as sophisticated as laser or E Blasters and had a considerable recoil, but there wasn’t much else out there that delivered quite the same punch. The blast had burned a fist size hole right through the entire length of the beast. Its momentum carried it a few more meters and it collapsed right before us.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The air was filled with the stench of burned flesh and the thing was still moving, still alive! It took two more shots before it stopped.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">CARAM 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram and the old Huffh saw the bright white flash and heard the crack, Uglam fell! The spirits of the Huffh still kept him alive, but then the last thought of Uglam fell silent and he was gone! A Huffh had died and he was not alone! The Huffh fled in panic. The Old one also turned as fast as she could and followed the others downhill. Caram however was at the end of his strength he could not turn, and now with the others running he did not have their support either. He too would die right here, burned by the bright lightning of these terrible little monsters! <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as I expected the other beasts fled, but one of them remained, it did not move much at all. Brenda stared at the dead carcass before us and she looked sad. “It is a shame we had to kill it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s not like we had a lot of options and it doesn’t look it is the only one. I just wonder why the big one out there isn’t running.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t shoot it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not going to shoot anything that isn’t attacking us, but I really think we need to get out of this cave.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda slowly slipped by the dead beast and closer to the entrance. I followed her, the TKU ready.” Be careful, BB. We don’t have all that many energy packs you know.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">You know I think the beast out there is one that was about to pass to the Valley. I think it is wounded or hurt or something. It only uses its front legs while it drags its hind legs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Wounded Fangsnappers are worse than healthy ones!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The huge beast out there did not make any aggressive moves and Brenda started talking to it in a soft calming tone.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">THE HUFFH 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Huffh were upset, disturbed and there was panic and fear. Everyone had felt the death of Uglam and it was the most horrible experience to them all. Now it became clear to them why a Huffh had to go through the Caves to seek the Valley and die alone. They all had felt the pain and the agony, and the final sting of death. The Huffh shared their love and affection but also their other emotions.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What would happen? Would the Uni take them away again or perhaps kill them all?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Death was a metaphor something that happened far away and never among the Huffh and now it had happened and it caused several Huffh to fall in a catatonic shock. Young ones cried and could not be comforted, because the Alai were afraid and shocked themselves.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What manner of death was this? It was like the bright light that sometimes tore the heavens during rain and storm, but it was much stronger. The Uni could speak the light and it burned! Not even strong Uglam could stand against it!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In their panic they had forgotten Caram up there by the Cave. Without their support he would be even slower. Would he die here as well? Send another wave of shock and darkness throughout the herds?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">More and more Huffh came, even those who had not come to bid farewell to Caram were now on their way. They all wanted to hear what the Utnalai would say.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They all looked at her now for advice and counsel and she had none to give. Legends and stories were not meant to come true!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tell us what we are to expect and to do!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had to say something, if she did not say something and then someone else did, her leading role would be over forever, she was well aware of that and so she said. “Let us go to the Cave of the Things that have been left by the Uni. They will most certainly go there and if they see we have been good stewards, maybe they will talk to us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A strong young male Huffh raised his head above the others and said.” Why should we listen to them? They have made death on Uglam! We should scatter and hide and maybe they leave!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">No one had ever questioned the decision of an Utnalai before! Yet she felt that there was not as much outrage over his outrageous behavior as she wished there were. “Be silent! You are young and do not have the wisdom and you are not Alai! You do not have the cave of life!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The young male also felt what she felt of course and did not fall silent at all. “Your wisdom then! Tell us why they are here. Tell us why they made death on Uglam and what they want from us. If you cannot you have as much wisdom about this as the most junior Huffh!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He became more aggressive and opposing by the moment. The Old Huffh knew why! The experience of death had broken barriers that would have not been crossed otherwise. “You did not listen to the old story then. It clearly says that the Uni will return and there are Old secret songs only Utnalai know!” She felt ashamed inside. It was the first time a Huffh had not spoken the truth! There were no secret songs. The feeling of death had also changed her! It worked however, the Young male had no answer to this and lowered his head and the common feeling was once again turned to the Old Utnalai, one of her old friends. The one that would take her Place said. “You have not shared these secret songs with me yet. Would it not be time to share them with us now? So we know what to do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Another Female said. “What are their secrets? We are the Huffh! I do not know what this means?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Not telling the truth was not very good she realized, now she was put on the spot and had no answer. “It is necessary to keep some knowledge only to those who guide. Let us go to the Cave of Things and I will share one of these secret stories so we know what to do.” The second lie came to her much easier and she wondered how long she could keep this up before they realized what she was doing. On the other side of things there were the Uni and maybe their presence made it all a moot point. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The thing was ugly and big and now I too saw the broken hind legs, and the puss oozing gangrene around the bone sticking through its skin. It was hurt badly and I could imagine in terrible pain.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda got excited.” I think this Land walker was about to enter the cave so it could pass to the valley and die and maybe by doing so, it would have triggered that gate again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I paid attention to her, I was using my PDD and activated the emergency channels again. It would drain the energy reserves drastically but emit the strongest possible signal, and I did get a response! “You are connected to Union GalCom. Buoy 5294939-83883 DW. No civilian GalNet relay in range. If this is an emergency state the nature of the Emergency.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had reached an automated robotic Fleet Buoy and said.” I am Midshipman Olafson, transmitting identification sequence now. I need a connection to Fleet HQ.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Identity verified, you are authorized Fleet personnel. This unit will connect you to GalNet now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I got a sleepy looking Lt on and before I could begin he said.” Midshipman, you reached Fleet HQ on a Sunday afternoon. According to your call code you are requesting to talk to the Admiral of the Fleet, if this is a joke you are in serious trouble!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The words: “45% energy remaining. Please recharge soon or rePlace E pack.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir the Commander in the Office of the Admiral and the Admiral himself are the only ones I know to call with this unusual situation I am in. It is an emergency and I have little energy left!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This has to be a joke! According to this you are calling from the Cygnus Arm in the Downward Sector, using an old Relay Buoy that was used during the Piostla War 700 years ago! Impressive hacking and simulating, but I have Fleet Security on you and they will find you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He actually cut off the transmission!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had 25% energy left and of course no spare E pack. Under normal conditions the PDD packs held for 2 years and I had the thing barely a year, but transmitting at maximum power was draining it fast.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda had paid little attention to me or the transmission. She was still talking to the big Walker and using her Bio Scan PDD to make observations.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It then sank in! We were somewhere in the Cygnus Arm and Down Ward. This was unexplored space and basically on the other side of the Galaxy from Union territory, about 90,000 light years away and since the core was in between the actual distance a ship would have to cover was more like 120 -150,000 light years. I had learned about the Piostla war and one of the cerebral uploaded knowledge memories kicked in providing me with more detail. The Piostla came from this region and back then an effort was made to find their planet of origin. Several thousand expeditions were sent in this region back then, the Piostla world was found, destroyed and the war ended. Since then only a few Explorer ships went this way. There were no outposts, no stations out here and it was incredible luck that one of the old buoy relay chains was within the 20 light year distance of the emergency range of the PDD. Now I was glad I had purchased such an expensive model, most standard units had a far lesser range.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I decided to wait. If the Lieutenant was alerting someone they would investigate and when I called the next time they would listen. I had turned the PDD off to conserve energy and told Brenda what I had found out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She listened and was not in the least concerned; she looked extremely excited and said. “I think these creatures are genetically related to Terran Whales! I also think the grunts and wheezing is some sort of language. I am running it right now through the Linguistic logarithms.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Brenda, we are over 90,000 light years away from the closest Union Outpost. While the travel seemed instantaneous to us, it lasted 7 days! We entered the Cave on Monday Morning and it is Sunday afternoon a week later Union time now! I have very little energy left on my PDD to call. Do you have spare E packs?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do have one spare, but it won’t fit your SII model. Mine is a Sony Economy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She then said. “I am not concerned about that right now, I am sure we can return the same way we came. The Land walkers pass through it and maybe they know how and now it looks we might be able to communicate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had to agree, this would be our best chance. Even if I would be able to talk to Mc Elligott in person and with all the Energy in the world, he could do very little to rescue us other than send a long range Explorer and that would take years! As the Explorer would have to stop every 5000 light years to refine fuel and service the engines. I had no desire to spend - two three years here and then two more flying back.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I paid more attention to the Beast and Brenda. She worked her PDD and I checked out the beast and its wounds closer.” I think your big friend here is in big pain and perhaps he will die before he can make it through the cave and trigger the gate thing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then we must help him!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am a Midshipman not a Xeno veterinarian. I don’t know anything about that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You told me about Fangsnappers and big Tyranno’s. What do you do when they are wounded?” “We kill them and eat them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well you may look like a nice girl, but you still act and talk like a Neo Viking!” Her PDD chirped and she said.” I think we are getting somewhere. The Walker understands math.”

<p class="MsoNormal">CARAM

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram had already given up. He would simply lie here and die. The Uni would not let him go into the cave and besides he did not feel he had the strength to go on much further anyway. If Uglam could die here without passing to the Valley, so could he. He too had felt the death of his friend but he was not as shocked as the other Huffh. He was thinking about death for quite a while now and his own pain and the herbs had made him numb to the emotional onslaught.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now the little Uni were right next to him. One of them made noises, he could clearly hear and it sounded almost like spoken thought.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Uni held a little rock in her hand and it glowed with many different little lights and suddenly the little rock made sounds that made sense. Two sounds!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He made two sounds.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Three sounds...

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The little rock made visible thoughts float in the air before him and one of the thoughts looked like him! Just as if looking into still water, he said. “Caram”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then he saw floating visible thoughts of a tree and he said. “Tree.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">More and more floating thoughts appeared and he identified them. Now the Tree came back and the little rock said. “This is a Tree.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes this is a Tree.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now his reflection came back. “This is Caram the Huffh”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I am Caram and Caram is a Huffh.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Brenda. “Said the little Uni

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Will you kill me?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No we will not kill you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You killed Uglam.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Uglam attacked us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram had to agree, this was true. Uglam was the one who started it. Then he realized he was talking to the Uni! “Will the Uni take us away from the Place?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What are the Uni?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are the Uni!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are of the United Stars of the Galaxy. Are you hurt?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I am and I must die soon!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Will you allow us to try to help you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You can heal me?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I think so.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I ran my PDD in normal mode again and without trying to call the Remote Repeater Unit, it would last for at least a month or so. I needed the PDD as I attached the little Auto Doc to the large beast, right next to the broken bone and had it connected to the PDD. Even though it was only a basic unit, these marvels of Union technology were programmed to diagnose and try to help nearly every known Union Life form. Since that beast seemed to be a carbon based life form it should not be so hard.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My PDD was on Audio read out and spoke. “Compound fracture on left hind leg lower shin bone, Transverse fracture upper left leg, severe wound trauma, infection causing wet gangrene. Immediate treatment. Producing Nanites, and antibiotics, neutralizing pain impulses, bones have to be set before nanites can mend broken bones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I responded.” No medical personnel or facility available. Request Step by step instructions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One moment please completing body scan of patient for instructions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Pain was gone! He could no longer feel his legs at all, but he was pain free! Brenda told him that Freya the other little one would need to work on his leg and asked him to roll on his side. He did

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He saw the little one use the Light thunder stick on his leg! But instead of burning him to death, the light burned away the stinking black flesh and the puss and he felt nothing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Little ones who claimed not to be Uni but Union seemed genuinely concerned about his condition and whatever they did it was pure magic, and what all the healers of the Huffh could not, they could!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Out of nothing bright yellow foam engulfed both his legs and sealed them. The little one named Brenda said.” Freya is using Emergency Nanite Seal foam as a makeshift bandage so the Healing Nanites can weave new tissue and fix your bones. Since you are so big it will take a few hours. So please do not move much until then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do not understand much of what you say, but I will not move. I feel no pain. What will happen to my legs?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You should be back to normal by tomorrow and be able to walk. I am not sure how much muscle and nerve tissue has to be rebuild, but you will be as good as before soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram could hardly believe. He had not understood the meaning of most of the words, but he understood that he would be able to walk again. For someone who was preparing to die for the last ten days and to hear he would not have to die created a euphoric feeling in him he could not describe, but other Huffh shared it! Especially Balmi who had not gone to the Cave of Things so far away like all the others, but she had sneaked back along the path to the Cave to the Valley and followed her mate.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She could feel his pain and sadness and confusion, and now she suddenly felt his joy! He had no longer pain and he did no longer think of dying! Caram could sense her as well as she came slowly closer, partially afraid but her love to him and her curiousness was stronger.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He also noticed the little one called Freya take his light thunder stick and point it in the direction where Balmi approached.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Little One do not light thunder burn Balmi. She is my mate and she is here to follow me into death and now she feels I am no longer full of pain. I will call her so she will not come closer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t shoot!” Brenda said.” It is Caram’s mate. She is alone.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So are we and while I did doctor around on that big one. I am not so sure it would be wise to trust them fully yet. I won’t shoot but I think I stay on the safe side and keep the Blaster ready.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The big walker actually understood us and said.” She won’t come closer. She will remain where she is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How about the others?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They have gone to the Cave of Things. That is far from here and they will wait for you Uni there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why do you call us Uni anyway? The only Uni I know are the ones of the Universal Collective and they have disappeared for over 250 Million Years ago.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“They have taken us from the Old Place to this Place, so many Cold white seasons ago no one can count them.” The beast began to tell us a story about singing brothers that went into the water and it was a nice tale. He did mention the Uni several times and the Trans spatial gate inside the cave had to be made by some advanced civilization.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda however got more excited every moment and then she said.” Caram you and I come from the same planet. I think the Uni have taken you from Earth, that would explain why you look exactly like a Walking whale and it is true about 50 to 60 million years ago the Ambulocetus returned to the oceans and are the origin of the order of Cetacean, ocean living mammals. Some of the whale species are famous for their songs.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram tried to digest what he just heard. “You say you come from the Old Place? You say you know of the Singing Huffh?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was skeptical and said. “How could they remember events that happened so long ago? No matter how accurate they try to tell the story, it would have changed to something completely different. There is no way oral history would last this long!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda said. “The Whales on Earth use the same basic songs for the same time. Yes there are new songs and variations but there are base songs that are sung unchanged for millions of years. The information of these songs is in their DNA, they can’t forget it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But if these Land walkers are here on this world for that long, why haven’t they evolved and started a civilization by now?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda smiled a schoolmasterly smile.” Maybe they are the top of the crop here and did not need to evolve much and they do not have the most important things you need to start a civilization. Manipulators or Hands if you will, without hands no tools, without tools no civilization, but then it seems they have a complex community and culture so I would call this a civilization too.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram listened to the two Little ones and some of what they said made sense and some did not. He was thinking hard and now that his mind was free of mind numbing pain and herbs, his mind was as sharp and clear as ever.”Maybe that is what the Uni meant when they said we needed to develop more word and thought. I wish our healers could have done more to me than give me herbs and I was thinking about this before you came and I was preparing to go to the Valley to die. I wondered why the Huffh could not do more things. Then you must be the Others the Uni spoke off, the ones the Old Place was reserved for.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda was still excited and animated. “There are many humanoid species and it is called the Human Mystery because no one knew why there are so many different planets that developed humans. The Saresii, the Sarans, even the Kermac and the Arkonids are all biologically compatible and it is almost impossible that such close related life forms develop on so far separated Places. Some believed the Uni seeded human life throughout the Galaxy and now I think we have the proof that this was indeed the case.” She turned to look at the Huffh. “Your DNA needs to be cross referenced but I am pretty sure the Huffh are from Earth just like I am. The oldest bones I found in the Valley so far are several million years old, and there is a steady size increase and the newest bones are almost twenty times bigger than the old ones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While she talked I started to set up camp, and took the tent out of the back pack and activated it. The dense little brick made of memory fabric unfolded itself into a two person tent. Its bottom graviton anchored to the ground and the film thin tent walls made rigid by a field energy charge. Even though the material was only a few millimeters thick, it could withstand the most severe weather conditions and stand up against storm winds. Then I prepared a fire Place and collected firewood. While there was no thick forest, there were trees and bushes and I had no problem finding enough.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Huffh observed me and then said.” Your kind is very productive and you are doing things all the time. You have not stopped doing things since you arrived. What is it you are doing now?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am setting up temporary shelter and making a fire. The shelter is so we can sleep and while we have other means of cooking and providing heat, an open fire is preferable whenever possible.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You can make fire! Will you teach me how to make fire?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tomorrow when you are well I try to figure a way out how you can make fire and I show you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I checked the PDD read out and the progress of the Auto Doc. The little unit was still producing Nanites as the patient was bigger than anything the Auto Doc was actually designed for, but the prognosis was good and the bones would be mended in another six hours. There was a lot of missing tissue but it too would be eventually healed. The make shift bandage of emergency foam was holding better than I thought it would.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wondered what the Admiral would say if I had to tell him these findings.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda agreed to sleep first and take second guard shift.

Chapter 29: Interlude: Annapolis Tower, Earth
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There were few new buildings on Earth and obtaining a new construction permit was very difficult. Usually only something that could not be renovated or preserved was replaced. Ever since the Second Exodus, Earth population was kept steady at about two billion beings and great effort was taken to preserve cities and historical buildings.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Annapolis Tower in San Francisco was one of the few super modern Arcologies on Earth. At over 2500 meter height it was also the largest building of the planet. It was Union Fleet Administration Headquarters and extended far underground. It was the only Union government department on Earth or in the Sol System and over 2 Million beings worked and served here. It was nowhere near the size of Union Fleet Operations headquarters on Pluribus and did not have the same Hornets nest character and buzzing activity of UFO. While many of the Operation desks were maintained around the clock, most administrative Offices kept regular working hours and were closed at night and over the weekends. Admiral McElligott was always one of the very first that arrived and usually was the last to leave; there was no difference this Monday morning as his flyer set him down at the landing platform on the 50th floor. While he was often traveling throughout the Union, when he was here he lived at his ancestral home near Edinburgh Scotland. He would not have minded to take the Trans Planet transport system, but he understood the concern of the Security Department and so he was picked up by flyer. He did not have many political enemies, especially since he never took side or part in any political arguments and managed to stay neutral for a very long time. He was a celebrity and there were many Union Citizens who could recognize him on sight, especially since he chose to wear his traditional Scottish costume whenever possible. There was no political assassination or really serious crime on Earth for the last 2000 years but Earth and especially the Union did have enemies and killing one of the Immortals would have been a great feat to them.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He turned and looked over the San Francisco bay and the rising Sun in the east, coloring the still impressive and beautiful Golden Gate Bridge in a bright orange over the deep green sea. He was one of the few people who knew that this was no longer the original bridge but replaced molecule by molecule with Ultronit.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As an Immortal Admiral he had seen countless worlds and the most spectacular sights of the known Universe, but to him there was no Place like Earth.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His main assistant and aide worked with him now fore almost ten years and the Commander knew him well and waited at the entrance door not disturbing the morning routine of the Old Admiral. McElligott blinked into the sun and then went to the entrance. Wondering what this day would hold, even after three thousand years he still did so every day. His old friend Stahl had the Fornax problem well in hand and it did not look like the next Y’All invasion was very imminent after all and now that they had gotten a taste of the things to come and the direction from where it would come they had a good chance to prepare for it. To have a Narth Sphere there as well was very reassuring.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Union reacted like a well oiled machine; there was no panic in the general population and confidence in the fleet. He was very proud as how much the Union had grown, and grown together since the last Y’All Attack. The Union government maintained a 90 percent approval rating for over 2000 years now and this was quite an accomplishment with all those different civilizations. Normally only dictatorships could maintain such high ratings and the Union was certainly not a dictatorship.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The largest fleet concentration and Fleet construction project in many years had begun only last Friday. 170,000 ships and sixteen of the largest mobile ship yards were dispatched and would work on a Connection bridge between Union space and the Fornax Cluster. Even conservative estimates predicted that the connection would be complete in only three or four years.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His aide greeted him and as usual begun to brief him on their way to his office on the important developments over the weekend. Of course he would have been called if there was something really important.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander held his PDD and said. “The Torath have sent a delegation to Pluribus this morning to apply for membership.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Refresh my memory on them would you?” “The Torath are a technological highly advanced and very reclusive and aggressive civilization in the Large Magellan Cloud. One of the few not associated to our friends of the Attikan Commonwealth. Traditionally they were enemies to the Attikan. They claim a sizeable area in that Cloud and say they have bases in the Fornax Cluster.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh right, they look like large angry Hamsters and if I recall they do have an impressive fleet of little but very fast and well armed ships.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes that is them alright.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If I recall the last reports correctly they had a very negative view towards the Attikan and the Union. What changed their minds, do we know?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have no detailed Intel on that, but there is an unconfirmed report that a Union legal expert managed to solve the millennia old dispute between Attika and the Torath and that is the cause. I personally think it is the big fleet build and Stahl being in that area with his huge tub that made them think they were the target.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I guess we will know eventually. It certainly is good to gain another member. Anything else?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not much, Sir. It might interest you that your special friend Midshipman Olafson managed to make a very impressive but quite stupid prank call!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mc Elligott stopped in his tracks. “A prank call?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes the Midshipman managed to route a call on the distress channels via an old Relay Buoy all the way down in the Cygnus Arm in the outer reaches of the Downward Sector. It was an old Relay buoy chain left over from the Piostla War. That buoy chain has not been used in 700 years. It had been left there by the USS Cyprus. He could not possibly be there of course. The security department is still looking into it and how he managed to reroute the call from there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Midshipman Olafson is with a Xeno biologist on Wichita Planet researching the Big Bone mystery there. Have you tried to call him there?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir this was a juvenile prank, done with considerable hacking skills. I think he wanted to impress you or something. That he knows you went probably to his head and now he thinks he can call you whenever he likes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So you have not called him!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No not yet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t think this Midshipman is the kind who would do a prank call and besides I did ask you to put him on my call list. So he could call me whenever he wants. I think we owe him that for what he endured at camp Idyllic. Besides are we not to investigate any and all distress calls of any Union Citizen and Fleet member?” “Of course Sir, but I talked to the man only recently and he could not possibly be 90,000 light years away! Because he is something like a friend to you I didn’t want to make this a big deal and get him in trouble before I could talk to you, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He is the best friend to a Narth and the Narth made him High Representative. A Narth Sphere just made the trip to the Fornax Cluster in less than an hour. I am 3000 years old and I can’t tell you what is possible and what not!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He reached his office and said.”Get me a connection to Wichita planet and call that Science Corps Officer there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“After you done that, you go down to personnel and send me a new assistant.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did not wake Brenda. She needed the sleep more than I did. Even the big Huffh fell asleep, mostly due to the fact that he was pain free for the first time in over a month. I checked periodically on the progress of the Auto Doc and dictated a detailed report into my PDD. I was certain the details of our expedition would be of significance if we made it back. I also didn’t trust the rest of these big Huffh. I somehow had the feeling that we had not reached the climax of our adventure just yet and there would be more problems ahead.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wished I had a mapping satellite with me. I even considered taking one along but did not think I would need one in a cave.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The bones of our big patient mended well. The Nanites had no problem weaving new bone tissue. I was always in awe when I saw one of the huge battle ships, but realizing what a marvel of technology this little auto doc unit was, made me very proud of the Union. This little machine held the medical base knowledge of the entire Union and was able to apply first aid to so many different species. The tiny robots, the nanites able to replicate themselves to tackle larger tasks scurried nonstop inside the big Huffh body carrying molecule size matter from other areas of the body to mend the damage. While they were unable to reconstruct Brenda’s nose like it was before as they had no reference, they could reconstruct the leg of the Huffh as they simply used the other leg as mirror image reference.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The first rays of the Sun chased away the last shadows of the night and the big Huff stirred and I said.” Try to stay calm for another hour then you should be able to walk. I will have to leave the bandage for another day however as it supports the new bone tissue and allows the nanites to complete the reconstruction of muscle and nerve tissue.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You have saved my life! You have saved the life of my mate as well and you say I can walk again! This is a miracle! I was afraid all this was a night thought. Nothing real, but it is real!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tell me about the Valley and the Cave. How do you trigger the transition?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do not know what you mean exactly, but once a Huffh is near death it must enter the Cave and seek the Valley. It is only possible during the time when the big sky light reaches the mountains and the light of the sky light reaches into the Cave. It was the time when you appeared yesterday.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How do you know that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Voices of the Cave of Things tell us when to go.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It seems we have to go to the Cave of Things after all!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I shall show you the way and protect you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why would we need protection?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because we have to cross the Forest of the Hanglers and they are not friendly and then there are those among the Huffh who do not like that you have come back and killed Uglam.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are you telepathic? I mean can you talk to other Huffh even when they are far away?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not talk no, but all Huffh know what other Huffh feel.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda came out of the tent. “You are Freya now and don’t have to be so old fashioned macho. You could have made me take the second shift as we agreed.” She only wore her tight fitting green body suit and hat, not put on jacket and equipment belt and I noticed how feminine her body was.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was not tired and I am still fresh from Basic training, we never get much sleep there and rise early so I decided to let you sleep.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yeah but from now on we stick to what we agree on.” She caressed her own body and said. “One hour at a good Surgeon and you look just like that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Are you a telepath?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am not, but I am a woman long enough to read faces and yours was quite obvious and remember I was once like you and had the same thoughts.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I went into the tent and used the portable hygiene recycler and freshened up. Then we had a little breakfast of Nutro-Bars and coffee. I told Brenda what Caram had told me and that we needed to go to the Cave of Things.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We packed our things and she said. “Maybe the Uni have left behind some sort of control device for the spatial gate.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is what I am hoping too.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The sun was now well past the horizon and I checked on Caram once again and said to him. “I think you can try to walk now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram turned back on his feet and raised his massive body using all four of his legs. He screamed so loud it echoed between the mountains and I could see the body of the female Huffh in the distance rising too. I grabbed the TKU, but Brenda put her hand on my shoulder. “Wait!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram expelled air through his nostrils and shook his big head. “It feels as if I am reborn! I can walk again and I feel no pain!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You screamed!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I had to express my joy somehow. I simply could not contain it! I am sorry if I startled you Little Ones!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I cleared my throat and said. “Well big Fellow, lead the way to the Cave of Things, but take it easy and give the bones time to mend more and become stronger.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is a far journey and we must travel for maybe two times the Sky Ball rising before we reach the Cave of Things, but first I must forage for food. I am hungry!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I never make it in time to pick up my first ship anyway, so lead the way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">CAVE OF THINGS 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even taking it slow the big Huffh covered more ground with each step it took than we did with ten. In order to keep up Brenda suggested we use our flight belts. The units had an Arti Grav Lifter and two little turbines for movement. Caram stopped and watched us as we took off and floated next to him. “You are so little and yet you can do so many wondrous things!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is just easier this way to keep up with you.” Said Brenda, “but rest assured we are not gods or anything like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What are gods?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do the Huffh worship something?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh you mean like beings and such you can only see when you sleep? No we do not believe they are real and we do not worship them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda said to me. “Fascinating they have a very old civilization and have been exposed to a high technology species and yet they have no religion.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Maybe if you are the biggest thing around you do not need to invent a religion.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked around and said to Caram. “I can no longer see your mate. She was following us but now she has disappeared.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“She is foraging for food for herself and me and she is very much afraid of you two.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We had been on the move for the better part of the day and the Sun was now at the zenith and the weather was warm. The landscape had changed from the alpine meadow character around the cave to a more dense forested nature. There was a clear path between the trees, stomped compacted dirt by the movement of many Huffh.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda pointed at a clearing that was opening before us and said,” I think we should rest here, so Caram can take a break and receive the food of his mate and maybe he can tell her we are not dangerous.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram agreed readily. “I will go and forage and catch up with Balmi and tell her about you. I will come back to this gathering spot. It was here where the old Utnalai told me the story about the Uni.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the Huffh crashed into the thicket Brenda landed on the forest meadow next to a little creek and I noticed how pale she looked and the thick sweat on her face and I said.” You don’t look very good, do you feel ill?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am just so tired and I feel so cold.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pressed the Auto Doc on her arm and the read out told me that she had a bacterial infection, and that the initial broadband treatment was not successful. The Auto Doc recommended professional Medical attention.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Immediate medical help is unavailable, prognosis and recommendation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Continued treatment with antibiotics. Recommend isolating the bacteria and uploading results to GalNet and receive Nanite Instructions to counteract infection.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda of course had heard the Auto Doc as well and said. “I think the bats infected me with microbes the Auto Doc can’t deal with on its own, we need to draw some salvia from the bat and scan it and then send the results to Medical Central. The Auto Doc might then be able to generate the correct Antibody.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then we better make camp right here and do that, I still have a little Energy left on the PDD for maybe one or two short transmissions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I set up camp, I felt as if someone was watching us, so I used the Science Scanner and scanned the surroundings. Brenda was sitting on the ground next to a tree, her arms wrapped around her knees and she was shaking. “If it wouldn’t be so cold I could help.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had a fever no doubt and I had to hurry. The scan revealed many Neuro impulses around us; these forests were full of life.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The tent went up in no time and I put Brenda on the hammock inside and turned up the heating module of the tent. She didn’t look good at all and the Auto Doc put her in a deep sleep. I killed the Bat in the Specimen container, scanned its mouth and send the scan results to Medical Central. I now had less than fifteen percent energy. Med Central confirmed the reception of the data and the Auto Docs detailed diagnosis and just as the treatment recommendation was about to transmitted, the transmission cut off, the PDD energy was depleted!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something hard hit the tent. I grabbed the TKU and opened the flap; long hairy arms grabbed after the Muzzle and tried to pull the weapon out of my hand. Instinctively I pressed the trigger and the discharge burned something. There was a chorus of angry screeching voices and I glanced through the flap. Hundreds of primate looking creatures, covered in dark brown fur, with piercing yellow eyes and bright red colored snouts covered the entire clearing. Eight of them had been caught in the blast cone and their remains lie smoldering on the ground. The brown things were about as tall as a twelve year old, had long arms that reached to the ground and they carried rocks and sticks! As soon as they saw me, they pelted the tent with a shower of fist size rocks!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I was confident the Memory material could withstand some abuse as it was made to provide shelter in nearly any environment, it would not last forever. My energy magazine still held 14 bolts and with Brenda’s I still had two spare energy packs. I dialed it down, took careful aim and killed ten of them in a fast pace. Those Primates fled into the tree, but did not scatter like the big Huffh had done. Still stones and sticks came raining down from the tree tops. One look at the bio scanner confirmed my fear, there were not hundreds, but thousands of them and it appeared their number increased by the moment.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I set the force field muzzle to wide cone and set a few tree tops on fire, draining my first energy pack, but the rock pelting stopped the screaming however increased and it sounded like a war cry.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then a new shower of rocks and a tearing sound. One of the rocks had torn a big hole in the fabric of the tent.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">THE HUFFH 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They had crossed the shallow seas and were closer to the Cave of things now. As urgent as they wanted to reach the Cave of Things, they needed to forage and since they were so many they could coral the swimming flicks and feast on them. The Huffh would form a semi circle and slowly wade through the shallow waters and drive the flicker before them into a bay at the shore. There was no escape for the flickers as they thrashed in panic in the water. No longer able to dive so near to the beach, their finned backs were exposed to the air. The Huffh, now shoulder to shoulder lowered their huge maws into the water and each time nabbed six or seven of the flickers and it was good forage. They all were filled with the delicious fresh tasting flesh of the flickers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Some Huffh found this way of foraging very unfair and cruel towards the flickers and hoped they too had a cave of life they could return, but the joy of the communal hunt and the abundance of food was enough to silence these moral objections.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Well fed and in the community with all the other Huffh, the horrors of the last day already faded. They usually did this kind of foraging only once every season and one of the male Huffh said to all of them. “If we can gather flicks this way in communion, then we can stand against the Uni in communion. Maybe they can use the Burn light on a few of us, but then the rest will crush them, just as we gather the Flicks or crush the Hanglers! This is a new thought a new way! The Anali always want to run away!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Anali felt the crescendo of approving feelings to this and wondered if that male was maybe right. The Hanglers did it that way! Even a small group of Hanglers could not stand against a Huffh, but whenever they gathered with many families they were able to wound a Huffh. Had not a large group of Hanglers wounded Galpin so bad he had to go into the Cave only one season ago? The Hanglers did not let up, even if many Hanglers perished.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then she felt the joy of Caram! He was not dead! He felt euphoric and free of pain! That she could feel him so far away meant his feelings were very strong!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The others felt it too and the question and challenge of the male was forgotten for now and someone said.” Caram walks! Caram walks again! He is not dead!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Uni have confused his thoughts!” The Old One said.” He could not possibly walk again! You all know what happens to a Huffh that has the Bone fire! It is a ruse and they try to confuse us!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The same voice responded. “But why would they need to confuse us if they can burn us!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The male spoke. “Because they are afraid of us if we unite and crush them and do it like the Hanglers do!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“But the Hanglers don’t mind dying here. We cannot die like them!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The male Huffh had no immediate answer to that and fell silent again.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But the idea was there and to the shock of the Old Utnalai it was her best friend the one who would take her place that answered. “Uglam has died and we felt it, and it was a great shock but he did die and we are still here. Maybe a few of us must die here to gain our freedom from the Uni. Even after so many seasons we are still not home here and we are still in fear of the Uni and they do things to us we do not want. I say we go and crush them and if Huffh die then we will carry them to the Cave and let the Cave take them to the Valley.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Utnalai felt the wish and desire of power in her old friend and it was the same wish she tried to defend and even made her lie to the Huffh. Seeing it in someone else made her angry, her friend betraying her! Not willing to wait her time, she wanted to be Utnalai now!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What had happened to the Huffh? Had the death of Uglam brought in more than death? The Huffh had not known fear, nor lie and deception among each other and now it was there! Did the Uni bring new thoughts with them? The Old Utnalai could not explain why she suddenly wished to harm her best friend and punish her for speaking out of line!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are almost at the Cave of Things. Let us finished the journey and the Voice of the Cave will tell us what the Uni want and I will tell you the secret story!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Herd agreed, but not anymore with complete trust that this was the only solution. There were many new feelings among the Huffh and many were new and dark!

Chapter 30: Interlude: Luna
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander came into the office of the Admiral and said. “I am unable to raise the Commander or the Midshipman. The local police found the Laboratory empty, but found the flyer of the Xenobiologist 3 miles away near the mountains. No sign of the two. There is a piece of ground burned by KU before a cave entrance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral leaned back and pointed at the file he was reading.” I was reading up on the Big Bone Mystery and I wonder why we never put more efforts in this to solve it. There is a valley filled with bones of an animal that is not native to that planet. They had to come from somewhere and now we get a distress call from the Midshipman 90,000 light years away. There has to be a connection to this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander opened the file on his PDD and said.” It was never considered a priority and classed as a Level 32 research project. It looks like the research reports of the commander have not been looked at either, just filed for further analysis.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Call Luna Base and tell Captain McKenzie to ready the USS Shetland. I am going to Wichita Planet and alert the Fifth Marine Division, I want to take a Company of Ultras along.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“At once, Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott got up, tugged at his Sporran and made his way to the next Inter Building Transport. He was almost at the IBT when his aide caught up with him, a little out of breath. “The Shetland will be ready for lift off, by the time you come aboard, Sir. The Ultras have been alerted and are boarding as we speak.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott grinned as he stepped into the IBT car. “Would you like to come along? I have a feeling we are about to discover something quite unusual. Or to be more precise, we will find out that this Midshipman turned a standard simple assignment into something quite different.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wouldn’t miss it for the world, Sir.” The Commander also entered the Car and while the Vac Tube transport shot through the network of pipes he said. “I think your friend is in more trouble and I wish I had done something earlier. I was just informed he called Med Central and transmitted data about a serious eukaryotic protist type infection and requested treatment suggestions for his Auto Doc. Analysis is complex and the Auto doc he carries is most likely not able to produce the correct response without the additional data.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are saying the Midshipman is suffering from some sort of Malaria?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes and the specialists think it is an early form of that disease and is very similar to those once known on Earth. Of course this disease is extinct on Earth for a very long time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admirals old face showed genuine concern. “I would hate to have this resourceful man die of a disease.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As you say Sir, he is very resourceful. There is not much we could do if he is indeed so far away!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We can’t but maybe the Narth can. I will call the Narth Supreme right away.” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was down to five pulses on my second Charge pack and the forest clearing looked like the war zone it was. I had burned down most of the trees around us. The burnt remains of hundreds of the primates strewn all over, the tent was in shreds and Brenda was still in deep sleep. The Auto Doc unable to come up with the right strategy to combat whatever disease she had. I was worried as I had been bitten too, I did not feel any ill effect yet, but it still could come and I did not have the luxury to go into deep sleep for sure. It would doom us both.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram and his mate suddenly burst on the scene and waltzed right through a mass of the Hanglers. Both scooped dozens of them into their maws and I could hear the screaming and the bone crunching chewing. The Hanglers still did not flee but began to pelt the Huffh with rocks. Now that they concentrated on the Huffh I had time to take Brenda’s TKU set it to wide cone dispersal and high output and strafed the tree crowns above the Huffh. Now the Hanglers retreated with high pitched screams and it turned quiet enough to hear the crackling of the many fires around us and now I had time to use my Auto Doc to treat myself. Several of the rocks had hit me, but thanks to my caver helmet I still wore none hit me hard enough to knock me out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram said.” Your mate is sleeping while you fight the Hanglers?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“My mate is sick, she must sleep to become well again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You can become sick and you can be wounded!” He said looking at me in a way that made me grab the TKU tighter.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is knowledge the other Huffh should not know right now! There are those who have new feelings about the Uni and these are shadow feelings of darkness and hurt and not friendly! Much has happened to the Huffh since you appeared.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If I understand you right, they want to fight us?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes fight you! This is a new word. Huffh never wanted to fight before. I will protect you as much as I can.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is important we reach that Cave of Things! So we can learn how to trigger the gate and return to our place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will carry your mate. She is small and of no weight. If she is upon me the other Huffh cannot reach her and I am strong!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let’s hope you do not have to fight your kind at all and we can come to some sort of agreement.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was a little reluctant to place Brenda on the Huffh but I had no other choice. I could not leave her behind. I tied her on the back of Caram.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His mate spoke for the first time. “Bondi will also protect those who made Caram well and she can become Anali after all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I hovered next to them as the two big beasts moved on, while I kept an eye on the trees.” Yes it will be so, Bondi will become Anali and maybe it is through her Uglam will return!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda looked pale, and I had to use her PDD as mine was completely drained. The Auto Doc confirmed that the deep sleep would keep her stable for the moment and she was not in imminent danger.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After three hours we reached the edge of the forest and Caram said.” We do not have to worry about the Hanglers now. They do not leave the forest.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before us stretched a huge lake or ocean now, the light of day was fading and it would soon be night. Caram said.” It might be good we cross the shallow waters before we rest, unless you are tired of flying.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am good and I agree. The more ground we can cover the better. I am not sure how much time Brenda has, so I need to find the answers at that Cave of Things as soon as possible, but I also don’t want to overstress your legs. So we will rest if you feel tired.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would not want to stop walking for many Light Ball rises. I have been unable to do so for too long. We will take rest on the other side of Shallow Waters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The water was only perhaps 3 meters deep and reached the just above the shoulders as they waded, the sun went down and I noticed this world had two small but bright moons. According to the local magnetic field we were moving steadily north now.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Once every season we come here to corral the flicks and eat them, but Balmi and I have foraged in the woods and we are not hungry. Are you hungry?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am fine. I carry food with me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi then said.”Is Brenda your mate? Will you follow her to the Valley if she dies?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Brenda is not my mate, and we do not go to a specific place when we die. But I will try to prevent her from dying in the first place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You come from the Valley are you not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well one could say so, yes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How is it there?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is a big meadow valley surrounded by mountains.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To the east of us something disturbed the waters. I could clearly see a dark wet form that broke the waves for a moment. “Caram are there any creatures in these waters that could harm you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There are flickers and we eat them, but some say there are Quoms to the east that can bite a Huffh. But I have never seen one here in the shallow waters.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think there is a Quom coming towards us, whatever that is.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One Quom will not try to bite a Huffh. We will eat it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as he said that, something like a huge eel reared out of the water, less than 10 meters before Balmi. She roared at it. The Quom reminded me of the Cliff Eels of Nilfeheim, only this one was at least twenty meters long and had a narrow cone shaped maw with sharp teeth. It backed away from the roaring Huffh. I aimed the TKU, Balmi virtually exploded as she catapulted her massive body out of the water and moved faster than I thought possible for such a big creature. Her jaws clamped around the neck of the Eel. The thing was not much smaller than Balmi and its snake like body wound around the female Huffh, I did not want to hit the Huffh and waited for a good moment to shoot, but it was not necessary. Bone crunched and a torrent of blood gushed from the eel’s maw as it became limp.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram said and I was almost certain I recognized pride in his voice. “Balmi is not the strongest Huffh, but she is fast. The Quom will be a welcome food for us when we reach the shore.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi dragged the now dead thing along and two hours later we came on a beach. The two Huffh tore the snake like creature apart like feral Nubhir wolfs and made a gory lunch of it. Seeing them doing it, I was wondered what would happen if the idea of fighting really settled. While I had one more Charge pack, the spare of Brenda. It would not be enough to defeat them all. While I could fly to safety, Brenda had no such option at the moment. The next time someone invited me to a little cave expedition I would make sure I took along a Destroyer suit and lots of spare E Packs.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Huffh decided to take a break and I checked on Brenda. The infection had slowed down, but was still spreading according to the Auto Doc and the system estimated she had about 36 hours before the condition would become life threatening.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t bother to set up the other tent, even though I felt tired and wished I had slept some last night. I had the system inject me with a stimulant and that helped.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram said.” Will you not make a fire now? Balmi wanted to see how you do that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well a fire could draw attention to us and I am not so sure we should advertise our presence.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is no danger here on this side of the Shallow Waters. There are no Hanglers and the other Huffh are almost at the Cave of Things now and we will be there when the Sky Ball settles.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Huffh know fire. It occurs sometimes when the Light crack comes from the sky and makes a tree burn and there are mountains far from here that sometimes speak fire into the air but what is fire?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I tried to explain fire in the most basic terms and the two Huffh listened to me as if I told them about the meaning of life. Balmi left and came back with a tree’s roots and all in her maw. “This is the fuel you are talking about, the wood of trees.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well yes this is wood and it will burn too, but it is better to find dry wood from dead trees. The more moisture present, the harder it is to make it burn.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram thought for a moment. “Then fire will not burn in water!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That’s right you can use water to extinguish fire.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then your fire stick will not be good on water?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is a different kind of fire and it burns even water. It is similar to the fire that is in the Sky Ball of yours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Sky Ball is on fire?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The discussion went on for another hour and the curiosity of the two Huffh only found an end after I had made perhaps the biggest camp fire in the history of camp fires, fueled by a dozen or more full size trees Balmi kept throwing on the fire. The two of them stared into the flames and Balmi said. “It is warm and when close it is very hot. I like fire!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You should try to utilize the fire then.” I suggested,” Man utilized fire for the first time just like that I assume and used it to cook food.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram did not look away from the fire. “What is cooking and who is man?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi however got up and threw a piece of the Quom into the fire.” Balmi knows what the Little Uni means! The little one is not Uni, the little one is man!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled.” You are very smart Balmi. That is exactly what I meant!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The female Huffh watched with awe as the meat of the Quom sizzled and she said.” The Quom smells good now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was right, the air filled with the smell of grilled meat.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I used a big stick to take the chunk of meat of the fire and said.”Wait till it cools down a bit and then try to eat it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was actually a joy to see the two Huffh eat cooked meat for the first time in their species history.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">THE HUFFH 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Notugh and Beglo had not followed the other Huffh to the Cave of Things. The two male Huffh were curious about Caram and his new feelings and now they both hunkered down at a hill less than 500 Huffh length away from the beach where they feasted on the Flicks and they watched as Caram and Balmi came ashore with a little flying Uni along with them and both felt fear as the fire started, but to their surprise they saw Balmi throwing trees into the fire and they felt her feelings of warmth and knowledge. Notugh said.” Caram is walking! He has yellow skin on his legs and now he is walking like before and they foraged for Quom.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Balmi and Caram know fire! The Uni has told them! They are not afraid!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not even the Old Utnalai knows fire. She is wrong about the Uni.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then so is Akram, who wants to crush the Uni.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let us observe some more and then we ask Caram to show us fire! With this we will have new thoughts and new words and the Uni will give us power over the other Huffh!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You observe alone! I must tell all this to the Huffh!”

<p class="MsoNormal">Interlude : Luna

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no space port on Earth anymore. The old Space port in the Sahara had been closed for almost 2000 years now, only one of the Space Elevators still operated but it was only used as a tourist attraction. The closest space port was on Luna and connected to Earth via Transmatter Tunnels. It took less than a second to pass through the tunnel; McElligott had left his office in San Francisco only ten minutes ago, when he stepped on the Slide Belt that carried him to the USS Shetland sitting on the Landing field inside the famous Tyco Crater.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the slide belt carried him underneath the invisible membrane force field, he remembered when he had first come to the moon and marveled at the Lunar lander left behind by the Apollo Missions and the first pressure dome colony. So much had happened since then. His own grandfather saw the first moon landing live on television. In a few moments he would be aboard a huge space ship that could load all Saturn 5 rockets ever made in its cargo holds and still have room for hundreds more. He was an Immortal and had seen it all grow and develop. No human on Earth would marvel for even a moment to step through a matter tunnel and arrive on Mars or Venus or take an Inter System Taxi to Pluto and he himself had crossed the Galaxy more than once, yet it was still a source of secret awe to him to be on the moon.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He turned to his Aid and said. “Do you ever wonder about all this?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“About what Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“About us being on the moon just moments after we left San Francisco.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not really Sir. I come here a lot, my favorite Andorian Restaurant is on Level 19 in Armstrong town. You’ve been there too Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott sighed. “Never mind. I am just an old man thinking about how it all started. It often hits me when I am here on the Moon. I am sure you have no idea who Armstrong was, they named the City after.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh but I do, Sir! I am sure they named in honor of Sid Armstrong the biggest Zero G Star of all time. I think he lived almost 500 years ago. I bet you seen him play life!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott sighed again as they reached the boarding ramp.” Never mind that, but I suggest you read up on the History of Luna in your spare time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir I am not complaining, but being your aide does not leave me with all that much spare time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Captain of the Shetland greeted them right at the airlock and McElligott asked the traditional question. “Request to come aboard.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She responded same traditional way and saluted him. “Permission Granted Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She then said. “Can I ask where we going Sir?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Planet Wichita as fast as possible.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is not too far Sir. We should be there in eight hours. Anything I am allowed to know?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think a mutual friend of ours ran into trouble there, Midshipman Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That young man just can’t stay out of trouble, can he?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“In all my time, I have not met anyone except perhaps my old friend Richard who turns up trouble no matter where he goes.” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Brenda’s skin had an unhealthy wax like color and I was worried about her. Even thought the Auto Doc had not changed its prognosis. We had only two of these little marvels along and both were taxed to the max of their design ever since we started on this mission.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We continued our trek and Caram said. “There is a Huffh nearby watching us. I can feel his curiosity.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As long as he has no aggressive thoughts I guess it’ll be alright. We will meet the rest of your kind soon enough and I surly hope I can convince them that fighting me is not necessary.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi said. “All Huffh will learn about cooking and fire and they will sing of you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My throat felt dry and I knew my body was fighting the same infection now as Brenda. The Auto Doc had injected me with the same treatments and for now it seemed to work. I pushed the thoughts of the looming disease into the background and wondered if I had the right to teach the Huffh these things. They had no hands or appendixes that would allow them to utilize even the most primitive tool and yet they seemed eager to learn and it was evident that they were quite intelligent and especially Balmi understood even complex explanations. They told me about the complex interaction and how they shared the feelings of the entire species and what impact the death of Uglam had on them all. I learned that the Huffh lived very long lives and that the Utnalai was over 1000 Cold wet seasons old and would soon take the journey. Only when a Huffh died a young one would be born and a female Huffh that delivered a baby became Anali. It was not the word for mother, as all Huffh in a family raised the young. The word or concept of father was equally unknown to them. Anali meant Gate and a female that became Anali rose to prominent status among the Huffh.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">According to Caram there were 100,000 Huffh and never many more or less. Death occurred maybe once every five or six seasons which I figured was a local year. That explained the sporadic appearance of fresh bones in the Valley, but I wondered why nothing else was found but clean bones and why the Uni made this gate in the first place. Why would the Huffh not try to use it to return to the Old Place? No matter how sacred and special a place was, you put a cave like this near humans they would explore it and try to figure it out. Yet the Huffh lived with that Cave for millennia and none of them ever had the idea to explore it and go to the Valley before they were near dead. It seemed the Cave worked both ways as it was evident with Brenda and my presence here.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Has any Huffh ever tried to go into the cave and to the Valley just to see what is there and come back?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Caram answered. “I asked this question myself only when I got hurt. I never thought of the Cave at all while I was healthy. Balmi had planned to follow me, but not to return. Even the Old Utnalai has not given me a real answer to my question how we knew there is a Valley; it is only her who enters the Cave of Things to get these Instructions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi also added to the conversation.” Only Anali are allowed to think these questions. Huffh that are not Anali must do what the Anali say. There are many now who question this, but only since you have arrived.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">THE HUFFH 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Cave of Things had been reached and the multitudes had gathered around the plateau before the mountain. In all the confusion and all the uncertainty of the last days, the Huffh all knew that one female among them was now Anali and a new Huffh was making its way into the world through her belly. They all could feel it approaching. This was seen as a good omen. Uglam died in the cave and not in the Valley and yet he managed to return. The number of Huffh would be maintained and Uglam was not destined to be dead forever. Since none of the present females claimed to be the one, it could only be Balmi.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The news of Caram really walking had reached the Huffh with Notugh who was running the night the entire way to tell what he had seen. He told them about Balmi knowing about fire and how they seared Quom meat and he put words and thoughts to the feelings they could all feel from Balmi and Caram. The news and wondrous report spread like wildfire throughout the gathered families and reached the Old One in no time. She was already thinking about ways to punish her old friend for being so disrespectful and now it seemed a new rival was growing. If Balmi became Anali and knew all the new secrets from the Uni, it would not be her old friend or her who led the Huffh in all things, but young Balmi. The Old one felt anger and she no longer even wondered why she felt such strange new feelings. She wanted Balmi dead! She should have followed Caram into the cave! What right did the Uni have to show up and change all things? She was the Utnalai, she was the voice and the way of the Huffh and it was she alone who picked her successor. The Uni so she heard of the report were friendly with Balmi and teaching her new thoughts and words, but she also learned that there were only two Uni and one of them was sick or wounded. It was the Hanglers who wounded them she was certain and if the Hanglers could do that, so could the Huffh! But how to go by it? She would not want to face the burning light herself and die so far away from the Cave and the Valley, and maybe too far to be reborn. Also she must remain in the background, just in case the Uni were able to defeat all attacks after all so she could be friendly to them and blame others. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA AND BRENDA

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The surroundings slowly changed from a light costal forest into a landscape of rolling hills, hip deep grass and sporadic trees and bushes. I was floating about eight meters of the ground and could see the herds of the Huffh. In the distance I could see the cone shaped form of a volcano and there was the greatest concentration of Huffh. The big animals slowly moved closer forming something that reminded me of a funnel that narrowed towards the mountain. I could now see a cave entrance on its side and two old Huffh sitting before it. Even from this distance I could see they were old and I was almost certain I had seen them before as they guided Caram.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a great silence and I would have needed a small cannon and a landing tank to make a dent here if I had to fight!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had no plan of action and not many choices; Brenda was sick and was getting sicker by the hour. That little Auto doc could fix the bones of a walking whale but was unable to come up with a treatment for a simple bacterial infection, something I was fighting as well. There was not even a guarantee I had done the right thing. Maybe we should have stayed by the cave. One of the Old ones made a series of sounds the Translator of Brenda’s PDD did not understand and Caram suddenly bolted forward with the same speed Balmi had shown fighting that eel creature. He disappeared behind a wall of Huffh who closed before him and the old Huffh spoke loud. “Uni if you follow we will crush your mate! If you use your light burn stick we will crush your mate. You think you can make wondrous things and no one remembers what you did, but you can bleed and you can be sick and the Huffh are strong and can make you bleed much!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi screamed. “This is not the Huffh way! We do not say things that are not true. The little ones are not Uni. They have helped us!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Be silent. You are Anali now and you soon will gain the wisdom!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was still hovering there and aimed the TKU at the old one speaking and said. “I do not have to burn all Huffh. I burn you now and if my partner is not returned unharmed I will burn the other old one. I fired a bolt into the ground right before the one that had spoken; the bright bolt liquefied a good section of rock close enough for her to feel the intense heat. “I want to see my partner now and safe or I will drill you and ask the next. I am sure I get her back after I killed the fourth!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I saw Caram emerging from the Herd but on the other side climbing up to the two old ones. He still carried sleeping Brenda on his back.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old One screamed again and several Huffh leaped after me and I managed to fly out of the way only in the last second, one of them almost managed to snap after my legs. I flew towards Caram. I had to save Brenda. The two old Huffh struggled down the short rock path to find safety among the numbers. I was angry and at the end of my patience, not that I had much energy left to teach them a lesson, but I yelled. “This is how I deal with traitors!” I brushed the weapon beam across Caram’s side and in doing so cut the ropes that held Brenda, of course I also burned Caram’s side and I was certain he was mortal, if not seriously hurt. He screamed and instinctively rolled of the ledge of rock before the Cave entrance. I was glad he did not crush Brenda, even though he took all of Brenda’s gear along. I landed dragged her into the cave entrance and fired three - four blasts into the Huffh just to keep them a little longer at bay until I could find a position I could defend better. I let her limp body down to the floor next to a few boulders and hastily checked the Charge pack. I had five bolts left at this intensity and I didn’t want to dial it down as this was the setting able to kill a Huffh. No one followed me at the moment, only one Huffh at a time would have followed me and they were smart enough to realize that. The cave behind me was dark and I didn’t want to turn on my helmet light just yet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I carefully went forward and peaked out; I saw the grizzled head of the Old Huffh, raised the PDD’s amplifier to the max and said. “I came in peace but if you want war, then you came to the right address!” the Old one was the leader and I hoped to cut off the snakes head and confuse them so I fired a well aimed shot and the energy bolt hammered right through the old Huffh skull, she dropped.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a terribly wailing and screaming sounding like the worst thunder storm form all the Huffh outside, but then a single voice calmed the others down and I recognized Balmi.” The Utnalai is no longer speaking for the Huffh, Little One Freya please come and heal Caram. He is dying and I am becoming Anali!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I fell for your tricks and lies before. I can defend this cave all day long but when I come out the Huffh will try other tricks.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is not the Huffh way, Caram could not do any different, he received the Anali. He did not want to betray you. I speak the truth and no Huffh will come near you or harm you. Please Caram is dying! He not has much left in spirit!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was against common sense, but she pleaded again and I somehow believed her grabbed the other Auto Doc and the last tube of Emergency Foam and stepped out the cave’s entrance.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Huffh retreated and only Caram, the old Huffh and Balmi were there. The old one was dead, most of her head molecular ashes, but Caram was still breathing. My strafing shot had burnt his side, but cauterized the wound at the same time. I was certain he had internal organ damage and wound shock.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Huffh stepped further back and it was a wall of silence. I put the Auto Doc on Caram and sprayed the last emergency foam over his side. The yellow Nanite foam was meant to seal a breach in a star ship’s hull, but could be used to make an emergency shelter or seal of a Cave corridor to seal of explosive gases or water, the reason we had taken it along in the first place.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Auto Doc signaled that it was at its limits and all it could do is produce a few thousand more nanites to stabilize and synthesize a deep sleep agent for Caram. It would not be able to do more and it was the last the little thing it could do. I was thankful for how much the little machine had done so far. The other unit had to remain with Brenda. I would not want to take it off of her.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi managed to whisper despite her size and said. “Will he heal?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not sure. My means are almost at the end; the Auto Doc will stabilize him and put him in a deep sleep so he can heal. I must return to my place so I can bring real help to Brenda and to you as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Among the herd that was standing in about 100 meters distance forming a tight half moon circle was the other Old Huffh.”You bring death to us and with death come the dark thoughts and the ways that the Huffh do not want. The Huffh do not lie or fight or feel evil thoughts about other Huffh and yet we have and I have! Another one has died among us and not alone in the Valley. Yet you come out and trust the words of a Huffh to help. We do not understand all this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t understand it myself! But I can take the dead to the Valley maybe that will help, but I first must find a way how to trigger the way to the Valley.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Go inside the Cave of things, Uni! There are your voices and they will tell you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I returned to the cave and checked on Brenda, she was still breathing but her life signs were weak.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I made a pillow for her out of my jacket and tried to make her as comfortable as possible and then turned on my helmet lamp.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The cave was not natural about ten meters after the natural rock; it became a smooth dark gray half sphere made of a metal like material. The metal cave was completely empty and about 100 meters in diameter. I felt disappointed as I walked more inside and only realized I had stepped across a ring of a different colored metal as it started to glow dark red. A pedestal formed in the center and a human sounding voice was speaking to me. I did not understand a word, suddenly a bright spot light caught me and the PDD began to chirp and blink on its own. “You carry the strength of Narth, yet you are not Narth! You appear like the Cova and yet you are male. You have the form of Uni yet you are not Uni. You have eyes yet you can see in the darkness.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">On the pedestal in the middle a strange object appeared. It glowed bright purple and was about as tall as me. It looked as if two snakes tried to mimic the DNA helix. Each of the snake like things had a head with a single bright blue glowing eye. I was certain it was a life form of some kind but it was the most alien thing I had ever seen. It slowly wavered back and forth and those blue almost galaxy shaped eyes stared me down. My finger crept near the trigger of my TKU and the hair on my neck was standing up.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The thing was speaking again and it was speaking with an acoustic voice and not in my head I was certain. “This is the Dualix! It is from the beginning and waits for the coming.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Eric Olafson of the United Stars of the Galaxy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It has been done; the One has chosen a vessel.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Excuse me Mr. Dualix. I do not understand. Could you tell me how to trigger that spatial gate the Huffh use?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Uni have failed as the Narth said they would. What way will be chosen? From a sudden opening in the ground a column rose right before me, it was perhaps twenty centimeters thick and perfectly round and it stopped as it was about belt high. On the smooth round top was a ring of bright silver and inside the outline of a human hand. I placed my right on it and the ring started glowing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Dualix thing spoke.” The gateway is active now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I felt a sigh of relief and said. “Thank you Mr. Dualix! I have to go and get my comrade to safety now!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The thing did not say anything but as I turned to go to Brenda I noticed that the walls of the cave had changed and there were hundreds of alcoves and underneath red shining lights there were weapons displayed. Alien things of strange shapes and various sizes but I knew those were weapons. Even though I was desperate for a weapon as the TKU was near empty, I had no idea what these weapons would do or how to use them. Maybe they blasted half the planet away or they had no energy. Nothing I could rely on, but there on the side not even in an alcove but leaning against the wall was a simple battle axe. It was a beautiful weapon gleaming in a dark metal it had a crescent moon shaped blade on one side and a sharp pointed blade on the other. It was a two handed weapon. It was just an axe, but it would not run out of energy and by Thor I knew how to use one of these.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I racked the TKU in the shoulder harness and took the Axe. It was an ancient weapon made by a great weapon smith I was sure. Where the Axe head met the long handle there was small fanged skull symbol on each side, I had the feeling I had seen it before but could not remember where. But then weapons like this were often adorned with such symbols and I wondered just how long it was sitting here in this cave.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The glowing snakes spoke with a vibrating voice. “United once again!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then the Snake thing faded away and the dark red lights dimmed until they were out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Auto Doc said that Brenda had less than eight hours and I could feel the fever rising in me. So I shouldered the poor girl. Lucky for me she still had her flight belt on. While I could not operate two at the same time, I was able to use her Arti Grav to reduce her weight. I hoped my Belt would be able to take us fast enough back to the other cave.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As I stepped out the Cave mouth the Huffh were there as I left them. Balmi said.”You will leave us now?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I must! You know my mate is sick and she needs help but if I can I will be back to see if I can help Caram better and get the dead one to the Valley!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Old Huffh said. “He is Uni! He will leave and then take us to another place we do not want to go! We can’t let you leave!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She made her strange sound and two males attacked!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Balmi who had sat near Caram roared and came from the back, but she did not attack me, but faced the two males!” No Huffh has ever harmed another Huffh, but I will harm you. The Little one has always kept his words to Balmi and Balmi will keep hers!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I could not fly away fast enough holding Brenda with one arm and using the flight controls with the other hand. I knew how fast those beasts could jump and I had enough of their deceptive ways. Balmi was alright but the old ones kept pushing and as Balmi had said these old Cows had some controlling, Balmi’s words caused as much uproar as the death of a Huffh. The Old one screamed. “She had threatened harm to another Huffh! She is not Huffh her mind has been twisted too much by the Uni Littles!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then Hell broke loose!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two Huffh moved in from the side trying to subdue Balmi. I had to lower Brenda to the ground, these beasts moved fast. The TKU had one or two bolts left, so I stood before Brenda holding the Axe ready to strike.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just then my PDD beeped! I almost dropped Brenda out of surprise. My PDD had less than 1 percent energy left and I had used hers the entire time.” This is Admiral McElligott calling Commander Brown and Midshipman Olafson!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I triggered the Comm. Link verbally open because one of the males attacked. “Midshipman Olafson here, Sir. Commander Brown is very sick and unable to respond. I am sorry for the casual response Sir, but I have my hands full here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The voice of the Admiral and the wonderful simple axe gave me new energy. The axe swiped across the lowered maw of the male and it sliced through it as if it was air. With even less effort than a vibro boarding axe. The Huffh backed away hurt and bleeding and it seemed that took the fight out of it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral responded through the still open channel.” The Spatial gate is active and we are here, Midshipman. We have a fix on you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as if to underline his words arm thick plasma bolts rendered the other Huffh male to molecular ashes and Marines in heavy destroyer suits and screaming turbines came roaring from the sky.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I said as loud as the PDD let me. “Huffh stay down and do nothing until we can sort things out! Stay aggressive and there will be no more Huffh!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Marines landed and secured the area. In their Destroyer suits augmented super strength they had no problem pushing Huffh aside with ease, the walking Whales were afraid but they heeded my warning and stayed where they were.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A dark Red colored Quasimodo appeared last, it had a blue rectangle with a white Cross on its left shoulder Armor plate and I wondered what Unit it represented. The wearer of the suit stomped over to me and opened the helmet.” Saint Mary of Scott, I need to make a visual of this!” It was McElligott the Immortal Admiral himself.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While a Corpsman took care of Brenda I briefed the Old Admiral and basically told him everything that happened. He had me take him to the Cave. The alcoves with the weapons were still there and so was the column with the glowing ring. Mc Elligott went straight to the alcove opposite the entrance. On the pedestal inside that alcove was a red glass ball the size of a human head and it glowed faintly. He said to me without turning. “That is a Pree Record Sphere.” He touched it but instead of the snake like Dualix thing a humanoid appeared at the same spot, he looked very much like an X101, except it had greenish gray skin instead of chrome mirror metal.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It spoke in a language the PDD of the Admiral immediately translated. “There are those in the Galaxy known as the Uni and they feel very important and want to change and influence development and history for millennia to come. We are the Pree, while we don’t want to interfere in this foolish seeding plan of the Uni we do not like their way of sterilizing worlds of other potential intelligent development and so we have set this world and three others aside and tasked the Uni to bring those potential life forms here instead of exterminating them. The Uni were reluctant but did as we asked them to do. I am the Keeper and I have guarded this place for a long time. The Uni are gone and so are the Pree, but I have remained.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mc Elligott said. “What is the purpose of the Spatial Gate and is it stable?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Gate has been made by the Pree so that the guests of this world could return to their worlds once they gained the necessary knowledge, the Gate can be turned on or off using the control device active here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you have a special directive regarding visitors?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am to turn over control to any sentient being that activates me and freely share all knowledge.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Admiral turned to me and said. “We let the eggheads of Xeno Research talk to this projection and figure out the rest of these things. Finding a genuine Pree Installation, perhaps finding an answer to the Human Mystery, making contact to walking Whales and solving the Bone Mystery of Kansas system and all while you were supposed to be on vacation, Midshipman Olafson, you certainly know how to stir up things.” “I am sorry Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well it is all good, but you know of course all this has to remain secret until we can answer all the questions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have a question Sir! How did you make it here so fast? When we used the Gate there was a seven day travel delay.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because your disappearance made friends of yours worried and so we hitched a ride. Narth Supreme sent a Sphere when they heard you were stranded almost 94,000 light years away from the closest Union post.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What about the Huffh?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t know yet, Midshipman. I guess it is basically their decision what they want to do. We have Specialists for that and the Corpsmen are taking care of the wounded, no worries.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I promised them to take the dead one to the Valley.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will make sure this is done.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think I need to sit down a moment Sir. I feel a tad dizzy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Have you been bitten too?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It all felt like a strange dream as I sat with Brenda in her Lab at the hollowed rocks. We both stood by the door and she looked over to the construction site, by the Cave entrance. Hundreds of robots and workers were building a high security Research and Access station to the Spatial Gate, it was all done under the direct control of taskforce CLOAK, a special unit within the Fleet I never knew existed until now.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sipped at the coffee cup and said. “I think that ends your peaceful and quiet assignment.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am moving to Place anyway and work with Balmi if and how we should help the Huffh and all that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed. “I hope it works out for them. I somehow think I am partially responsible for destroying their way of life. I think they had everything they needed before we came.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“In a way they did but Caram’s wounds and their eagerness to learn showed they were stagnant now they can grow if they want. I will make sure they will have lots of time to think about everything and take it very slow.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well I am on my way then. The Admiral said I still need to be at Ross and pick up that ship. Frankly I can’t wait to get some Vacuum under my feet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I owe you my life and I wanted you to know that Place is only a GalNet Call away and you are one of the few individuals cleared by CLOAK to visit Place anytime you want. So don’t be a stranger and do let Freya out a little more often.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Take care, Eric.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I handed her the cup and climbed into the waiting Taxi flyer that would take me to the space port. The Space Bus to Blue Moon was about to arrive.

Chapter 31: Interlude: Aboard the Devastator
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Richard stood by the view port in his office aboard the Devastator. The Ship was still on its way back to the LMC. The Narth were certain that the next Y’All invasion would come from this direction. He had seen the Narth Sphere during the last Y’All invasion and now that the Narth Supreme had personally told him that the Narth would be on the Union Side and hinted he would share some Narth technology with the Union he was far less concerned as he was before.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He smiled at his own reflection, how did the Narth Supreme put it? “It is conceivable that Narth will allow some minor adjustments to the Union technology.” Whenever he talked to the Narth Supreme he felt pretty small and primitive, even aboard the Devi. It was like a caveman proudly showing off a Flintstone hand axe to someone who used directed energy weapons.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He turned and looked at beautiful Alycia she had fallen asleep on the visitor’s couch after briefing him of the latest development. She was not human, not even Saresii. He had only glimpses of her true power and form and yet she too could get tired. She had interrogated the prisoners for the last twenty days and that in addition to all the work she had to do as the lead officer of the PSI Corps.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He went over carefully lifted her legs onto the sofa and covered her with a blanket.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As he was stepping away she blinked and smiled at him. “There is a soft and caring heart under all that steel armor of yours, after all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Just don’t tell it around. I worked hard on that reputation.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sat up but kept the blanket wrapped around her. “No worries, Warrior, come join me. It is quite nice right here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as he decided that this might be a good idea, his personal Terminal played the first notes of the Old Marine Hymn. Since it was piped directly to his terminal it could only be the other Old Admiral. He sighed and Alycia nodded. “He has impeccable timing. In moments like this I wish I could turn him into a toad after all.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl grunted. “The real scary part is that I think you actually could!” He then told the terminal to establish the call. McElligott’s avatar appeared and he was in the process of stepping out of a Destroyer suit. Stahl’s left eyebrow shot up and said. “Lieber Gott, what happened that made you suit up?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Elligott grinned like the Cheshire cat. “Once in a thousand years I was able to have a little adventure and its conclusion could easily steal your thunder just once, and I can’t really publicize it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl walked over to the sofa and sat next to Alycia. “I have no idea what your obsession is with this stealing thunder theory of yours. I am not doing this for glory or fame!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I know, everyone knows that and you know I am not really out for fame and glory myself, but every school kid knows about the Warrior and even our enemies shake in their boots when they hear your name, given that there are some that wear boots. Ah well I am old enough to have my own little idiosyncrasies.” He struggled getting his left leg out of the Armor.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You certainly won’t steal my thunder when it comes to get in and out of a battle suit. In the time it takes you to get out of it, I take a shower have a beer and watch the first half of a football game.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia giggled. “I think you almost made him a little angry and now he is really stuck, but I bet he is the only one wearing a Kilt while inside a Quasimodo!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott cursed like a medieval highlander but finally managed to get his foot out and his smile returned. “We just solved the Wichita Bone mystery uncovered an old Pree chamber full of alien weaponry. We discovered a new species of Terrans and solved the Human Mystery, pretty much.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That did have the expected result and both Alycia and especially Stahl sat straight up. Richard said. “Are we sure it’s Pree? We know even less about them than about the Uni.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott nodded. “I activated the Pree Sphere myself.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sure you did not call to end your story here. Would you please elaborate?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mc Elligott retold the events and when he was finished poured himself a glass of whiskey sat down and lit a pipe. The blue smoke wafted only a few inches and then disappeared as it left the Avatar projection radius.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Neither Stahl no Alycia had interrupted him while he was talking but now Richard said. “I wonder if the Uni were the ones that left the Guardian behind on Earth then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">McElligott answered. “It certainly is a possibility, but somehow I don’t think so. I am sure the Uni have an important role in that and perhaps they did seed human life. We found that the Hanglers, a species of semi intelligent primates also found on Planet New Place came from Saran and were taken by the Uni, but then there is an amphibian Snake species there that has the same DNA structure as life from Ulta. The Ult are not Humanoid or Human.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl said, “but their DNA is not so different from us and who knows how Humans would have developed on a water world like Ulta.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia spoke. “I don’t think the Human Mystery has been solved at all, the mystery has deepened.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As it was his habit. Stahl used an old fashioned pencil he always carried in his left chest pocket and jotted down a few personal notes on a little paper note pad. Of course he had a PDD and could dictate any notes to it or using the ships computronic, but like McElligott he liked old fashioned paper. “That Midshipman is going to serve his third year aboard the Devi for sure!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“God help us!” McElligott groaned.” You and him on the same ship, I am not sure the galaxy is ready for that. If I wouldn’t know better, I’d say he is related to you, perhaps a distant nephew.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl didn’t get into that and gave McElligott a short report on the events and the situation in the Fornax Cluster.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mc Elligott finished his drink bade his fare-well and disconnected.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia took the hand of Stahl.”You trust me don’t you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If a woman, especially you ask that question I should be inclined to say no.” He smiled at her. “Of course I do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are the only living being outside the Coven that knows who I really am and it is very important that this Midshipman goes to the Coven. The Circle wants to talk to him; this conversation will determine if we join the Union.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would lie if I understand what you are, Alycia. When I first met you, you were the closer to a demon than anything else.” He held up his hand.”You know how I feel about you and I know you are some sort of a female entity from another plane of existence. Heck you are as mysterious as the Narth, perhaps even more so, but you have saved my life countless times and you are the only one I ever considered to marry, but could you explain to me what you want with that Midshipman?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Her big purple eyes shimmered as if she was close to tears. “I love you Richard more than life and more than the Coven and I will tell you know secrets that we have shared with no one”.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He said nothing but paid attention to every word she said and so she begun. “You know there are many other realities, dimensions if you will. You humans use Quasi Space to escape the physical boundaries of your own reality so you can travel faster than light and use that marvelous communication technology that allows you to exchange conversations over incredible distances. All the members of the Circle are survivors of a terrible war that raged in our universe for a very long time. That war was fought with means you would call magic, but it is just another way of channeling higher energies. Just as a psionic talent uses its brains ability to tab into trans dimensional energies to do these incredible feats. The Saresii for example are physically not stronger than Humans but there are some that can move many tons of weight with their telekinetic abilities. They are not doing this with their own energies, their minds are able to act as a conduit and just as there are humans that are physically stronger than others, there are Psionic talents with greater control than others.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He nodded. “I think I understand the principle behind Psionics. Even before the ascent some physicists on Earth theorized that some of the functions of the human brain could not be explained with normal chemical electrical triggers but that there had to be something that acted faster than the speed of light. Something we thought was an absolute and could not be exceeded. They called it exotic matter and now we know that these particles like Tachyons were used by the brain of sentient beings. This faster than light radiation of a human mind is what a telepath can hear and use to read another beings mind.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She nodded. “Exactly, it is not magic or unexplainable. Once you have the right tools and knowledge you can explain it and even base technology on it, just like our Para Dim Shields, PSI tech and Life sign scanners.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He said. “Or Neuro Rippers and Paralysators.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “Of course you are Terran. The first thing you guys did when you discovered this technology was making weapons.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked a little guilty. “I guess we tend to see weapon potential in some things.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She waved her hand. “Anyway I am getting away from my story. In that universe of ours we called it magic and we channeled similar energies to fight each other. Our war reached a climax and it became clear to us that no one would survive and so the Coven, a circle of female wizards or if you prefer the term witches searched for a way to escape the imminent doom. We found a way to cross the normally impenetrable veil that separates these Universes and we came here to this your Universe about 5 Million years ago. It took us a very long time to get adjusted to this universe, to be able to think and manifest ourselves completely.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">At first we had no agenda here. We simply wanted to stay hidden adjust to this Universe and perhaps find a way to take the next step in our evolution, but by coming here we had to make many sacrifices and we lost much of our knowledge and developmental gains. All this is very hard to explain and even more difficult to understand, even for me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What should I say? You basically lost me ten minutes ago but do go on.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “We observed many civilizations here, we saw the Celtest rise to prominence and when the Dark Ones came, we thought they could be the enemy of our Universe and that some also found a way to escape the final battle and we went into hiding much like the Narth.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Everyone in our Universe knows about the legends of the Dark Ones but nothing of them has ever been found, no artifacts, no records no ruins and none of the old species that were around back then can describe them. Some went in hiding like you and the Narth and those who choose to side with the Celtest were severely punished or completely wiped out. But they had to come from somewhere and if your kind made it across these Universal barriers why not others?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We lost the knowledge how to cross these barriers and it might take us millennia before we gain it again.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“So what has all this to do with a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is not entirely true that there are no artifacts of the Dark Ones. We know the Narth guard such an artifact on Narth Prime and the Coven guards another. There is an old legend, a prophecy if you will that tells of a human that comes from a cold world. That human will have to face the returning Dark Ones. We know not when this happens or if it will happen at all in this universe and this time, but Eric meets three of the criteria. He does come from a cold world, he is the only Human that could ever set foot on Narth Prime and maybe see or touch that artifact. He has shared the Hughavh with a Narth and if we understand the Narth Supreme correctly this will turn Eric eventually into a Narth. Also he has this female duality in his being that would allow him to set foot on Coven and learn our secrets and see the other piece. We think that there is a slim chance that he might be the one that must face the Dark Ones. The legend says also, that this Human would have the means to defeat them forever. This prophecy is anything but clear and it is very vague. Eric might not be the one. It could be that he will father that human. Maybe he is just a necessary piece in the puzzle so that Defender can be born. That prophecy was made in a Universe before this one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl had a dry mouth.” We do not know what the Dark Ones are, but we know they had been here at least once before. I never told that to anyone but I think the Guardian who made me and the others immortals had picked us to form this Union to take the place of the Celtest the next time the Dark Ones come and this is the real goal of our task, to make this Union strong enough so we do not share the fate of the Celtest. Only a blind man would not see that this Neo Viking has some sort of destiny.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She took his hand.” The future is not set in stone and our actions and decisions shape the way it will turn out, but I too believe the Dark Ones will return. The Celtest were not the first who had to face the Dark Ones. The Uni had to face them before, but unlike the Celtest they did not stand and fight but fled and left this galaxy. The Pree who were as advanced as the Uni and had a very deep sense of justice and love for life disappeared as well, and no one knows if they perished fighting or if they too decided to flee. We think the Uni were human and they seeded the planets with their own DNA in the hope to be reborn that way if they failed to run from the Dark Ones.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I trust and believe you, and I hope we still have a few thousand years before the Dark Ones return but if there is a chance that this midshipman plays a role in this then we must not stay in the way. How do we get him to Coven? Not even I know where it is and I think I you brought me there after I had to fight the Malag and was near death.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We had planned to have the Midshipman pick up a small space ship that will malfunction and send him to Coven, but I did not want to abduct a Union citizen and Union Officer, I wanted you to know about it and maybe simply order him there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I will do that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your feeling is correct, you are the only male being that ever been on Coven. You were almost gone when I found you; no mortal has ever faced a Malag in combat and survived. It was then I fell in love with you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Stahl’s eyes trailed into the distance as he remembered. The hardship of the Penal Colony, his escape and then he had to run and went into exile and traveled with a band of rag tag heroes and misfits in a rust bucket of a ship halfway across the Galaxy, but that was then and long ago. The Peace Force party was long gone and the Kermac agent acting as Union President, making him an Outlaw was long dead.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Tell me where to send Olafson and I transmit the orders.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She said. “In a moment, Warrior, I still have a very important matter we need to discuss and it was you who started it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He wrinkled his forehead. “What matter would that be?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You said something about marrying me. I think this deserves a few moments of consideration and conversation, especially since I just might say yes.”

<p class="MsoNormal">Security Clearance

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Ross 248 a red dwarf star was only 10.2 light years from Earth and in terms of Suns it was moving fast towards the Sol System and would be the closest star to earth in another 35,000 years or so. It used to be a flare star, but the Wurgus had fixed that. There were three small rocky planets and a relative Small Gas Giant. All four planets were utilized and colonized for a long time. The largest of the rock planets was named Frank Elmore. From space it looked like a dark brown rock that was covered with a fine net of glittering diamonds. The Diamonds were the lights of huge sprawling factory cities; dozens of Corporations manufactured mostly supplies and tech for the Union Fleet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">From the Information Brochure I learned that the Ross system was frequented by 1000 freighters every hour and thus one of the busiest star systems in terms of space ship traffic and that there were several hundred space born factory complexes and no less than 14 Class A Space ports in the System.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The trip from Blue Moon lasted only two days and we were about to land. The Bus was filled to the last seat mostly with technicians and workers returning from vacation trips.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While Blue Moon was the central traffic hub for the entire union, I had switched buses so fast; I had no time to really see anything there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While the bus made its landing approach I hoped I would find the Gortha Dock Yards right away. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had debarked and followed the workers and other travelers across a slide belt and through the Customs Check. Before I could even think where to go I saw a man in Fleet Uniform and Master Chief rank insignia waving at me. “Sir, you must be Midshipman Olafson from Nilfeheim, right?” I was surprised and said. “Yes I am!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He chewed at something and said. “I am here to take you to the Dock Yards. Your ship is ready.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I didn’t know someone would pick me up but I am glad I don’t have to find them myself.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I recognized you right away. You were the only passenger in Fleet Uniform and only a Neo Viking could have the idea to travel with some archaic axe over the shoulder!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blushed a little, “Sorry about that. It is a souvenir I picked up at my last stop and had no time to send it home yet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No worries. It sure helped me to recognize you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pointed at a pair of Ride-bots. “Hop on Sir. This is the fastest and best way through this mad house! It’s Monday after Union week and literally millions of workers return from vacation. These Space ports are always busy but nothing like now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He wasn’t kidding. The entire space port concourse was filled shoulder to shoulder with pushing and walking beings and swarms of messenger bots and small cargo drones filled the air above their heads.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The ride bot was basically an S-10 Robot with a seat bolted on its back, with leg rests where the bots hips were. The bots knelt down and I climbed on mine, while the Master Chief mounted his. The bots rose and extended rotating yellow lights from their chests and stalked into the pushing and shoving masses.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A man in a business suit waved his Credstick at me. “1000 Creds if you let me use your bot!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Before I could even say something my bot found an open path and rushed forward. It was a mad ride, and I had to hold tight to the handles as the bot changed directions almost every second, and without running into anyone we made it through the concourse onto a six lane slide way. The master chief guided his bot next to mine. “I was picked clean three times before I got smart and got me ride bots. There are gangs of pick pockets; they rob you blind before you even know it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have never seen so many people in one spot! I bet there are more people in that lobby than there are on Nilfeheim.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I was born here, but I think it gets busier every year.” He pointed down the Slide Belt tunnel we were passing through.” Four more kilometers and then we are at Gortha HQ. Traffic will thin out.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Seeing all this, I am glad it will!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“At least you leave. I have to get back in three hours and pick up another Officer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Does this happen a lot?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Three four times a day Sir, Gortha Docks got an Order for 25,000 Sturgeons and only half are picked up by freighter. The rest is transferred by pilots like you. They delivered 8,003 so far and I am with the Fleet Liaison Office so it’s me who picks up you pilots from the port.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I guess you could ask for a transfer.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Naa I love my job. I just like to complain once in a while. I can be home every evening with my family, as I said I was born here and I am used to it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gortha HQ was a Glass and Metal façade and a bright red Project-a-sign. The Master chief wished me a good trip, collected his robot and went back on the Slide belt going the other direction. I never even had time to ask his name.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A Garbini stood behind the reception desk wearing a dark red uniform and the word Gortha on his chest. He checked my order chip and waved his tentacles. I knew he was a he because of his fur color. “Your ship is ready on Dock bay eight. There are complimentary accommodations in the Red Ross Hotel across the Slide tunnel if you want to rest before you take off and there is lunch for all Fleet Personnel and if you like you can watch the Gortha Dock Experience in our Corporate Virtu theatre.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Sir, I would rather get started, if that is okay.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Of course, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He paged someone and moments later a dark gray skinned being appeared, and I recognized it as a Leedei. It was only the second time I came in contact with a being of that species. The first time when I was interviewed by the screening specialist on Arsenal Gate, this Leedei bowed slightly and just like the one at Arsenal Gate had its spidery fingers folded in a very complicated looking way. I said. “Did your Sip Sap ever help you get your hands untangled?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The dark shadowed area that appeared to be the mouth of the being did not move, but it made the same humming sound. “It appears you are very familiar with Leedei, which is a pleasant surprise. Very few Non Leedei know about us.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled. “To say I am familiar would be stretching it, Sir. I met another Leedei only once.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am pleased never the less. Please be so kind and follow me. Your Sturgeon is ready and I am sure Traffic control will be able to give you a lift off window soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I followed the being into a people mover cabin and after a short ride exited onto a large Duro-Crete field with at least twelve brand new space ships. The being explained:” We are a contract outfitter for SII Small Craft Division, finishing the standard base Sturgeon Class Courier to Union Fleet specifications. There are eighteen different versions and all are named after types of Acipenser Fish. That is a Terran fish type also known as Sturgeon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think Terrans like to name things after animals from their planet, without knowing that no one else ever seen one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He hummed again which was the way his species laughed. “Indeed I often think so too. In any case you will take out a Type Nine or so called Atlantic Sturgeon. It has the longest range of any Sturgeon Type ship and is well armed for a small ship. Type Nines are outfitted for Border patrol duties.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I thanked him for his little lecture and could barley confine my excitement. All sturgeons lined up, colored the standard Union Off White. They were about 60 meters long had two decks and I had to admit with a little phantasy they did look a little like a fast fish, almost shaped like a Rock Shark, Without the fins and tail of course. This one had two stubby wings attached to the dual aft ISAH pods. The Leedei pointed at the stubby wings and said. “I see you noticed the wings. They have been added to the design as Sturgeons often operate inside planet atmospheres and they do add tremendous flight stability to the ship in atmospheric environments and on the Type nine they are thicker and reinforced to act as weapon hard points. Your ship carries two A20 Havoc ship to ship torpedoes on each side at the moment.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No Loki torpedoes?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“While the Loki’s are famous, they are made by Enroe and this is a SII product and the HAVOCs are the SII answer to the Loki program. The fleet is currently testing them and this Sturgeon is part of that test program. In any case you won’t need them, but they are part of the equipment package.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He pulled a PDD. “So what will her name be?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Her name?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“She isn’t going to be part of a larger ships auxiliary fleet and since it is only a Sturgeon, Fleet lets the pilots picking them up, name them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Elena, I like her to be called Elena if that is okay.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He worked on his PDD and said. “Yes USS Elena is registered and added to the Transponder code.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A towering Octo-Bot rolled up and one if its metal tentacles emitted a greenish glowing beam and he wrote USS Elena next to the Union Flag symbol on the side of the Hull.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned Alien held his PDD under my nose and said.”If you would like to sign here that you received the ship in good condition from Gortha Docks Inc. Then all formalities are done and you can take her out.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Should you not want to come aboard with me and we run a preflight test first?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry I am not allowed aboard anymore. The ship is sealed and for Union Fleet personnel only. It carries Military grade weaponry and Fleet Computronics.” The being pointed at a bulbous extension underneath the nose cone.” That is the main reason and Fleet is very nervous and very picky who is allowed around one of those.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It has a Translocator cannon?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Dual Mini Load TL”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I signed the form with my thumb and the Gotha Employee said.” She is all yours. If you find anything wrong with her during pre-flight you must first report it to your Command and they decide what is to be done. She is all yours, have a safe flight!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The air lock opened and the boarding ramp lowered before me and as I stepped aboard the lights came on. “Welcome aboard SII Sturgeon – Version 9-Atlantic. USS Elena. Please complete Identification Process.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I transmitted the authorization codes that were part of my Order chip and the ship’s AI responded. “Authorization verified and accepted. Olafson, Eric. Command Authority verified. All Systems unlocked.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I dropped my Gear bag; jacket and axe right here in the little air lock room and made my way to the Mini Bridge of the ship. It was barley bigger than a cockpit of a D12 Shuttle but since it had four duty stations and a real Command Chair it was technically a bridge.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I might have been born a Neo Viking and I sometimes I was confused about my own gender identity, but at that moment when I sat down in that Command chair, I felt as right as rain and I had neither doubts nor the slightest confusion. It was a Courier Ship, had no crew but it was a real space ship, with shields, weapons, long range engines, sensors.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I ran a detailed pre-flight check and carefully diagnosed all systems; part of my order chip was a long check list and instructions what to look for.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It took over two hours and included a walk through the ship. It did have a small galley, crew room with 4 bunks, a tiny Command Officer cabin with fold out desk and bed. Small Galley and a cargo hold that had room for 60 tons or 3 standard containers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then it was all done. The ship checked all systems on stand by and all boards green and when I hailed traffic Control, I was connected to an automated system that assigned me Launch Cone and lift off Time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had done this many time before in the simulator and with the training D Twenties we had at Basic Training, but this was my first solo unsupervised lift off and it was terribly unspectacular as Control required Computronic assist lift off, due to the heavy traffic.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Only after I was over 6 light minutes away from the planet, Control released the ship to me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I let the ship drift and opened the sealed course and destination instructions of my orders. I was to take the ship to Pauli Station almost 2500 Light years in the Upward Sector and would then receive final destination instructions. The Ship’s Trans light speed was 32474 times light speed and I would make the trip in nine days, in other words at least nine days of the most perfect vacation I could imagine. Pauli Station was only 45 light years from Narth Prime and I promised myself to call Narth and see if he was able to talk or use GalNet by now.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Thinking about my friend I could almost feel his presence and I knew he was alright, and would soon be able to return to the Academy for his second year.

Chapter 32: Interlude: After the Execution
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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 urged him to forget his father and to undergo psycho adjustment treatment so he could try to apply again. Seven generations of Swybar had served the Union Fleet with distinction.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He had stayed awake the last two nights thinking about his life. It was too late to change things now of course. He shame he brought onto his family was more painful to him than thinking about the execution. Had he been able too, he would have saved the Executioner the work and committed suicide. He should have paid more attention to his son’s development instead of being blind to his faults. He had pressed his son to become an Officer without ever asking if he wanted to, or if he was indeed fit to be an officer. Wilson helped him to bend a few rules to get his son past the evaluation procedures. Just to find out he was caught by the Worm. Wilson revealed that he was working for the Worm and in return needed a few favors. It was a slippery road and he was sliding a little bit faster every day and it had led him right under the memory metal noose of the gallows.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They pulled a hood over his face, it was completely dark, he felt his own hot breath reflected by the fabric and only now he began to think about the afterlife. He had never believed in anything like that and believed that dying was the end and that there was nothing after it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As they placed the noose tightly around his neck he started to panic. There had to be something he could do to postpone the looming end. He heard the voice of the Executioner whisper in his ear. “It will hurt a little, because it has to look real.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then the he heard the sharp hiss of the Hydraulics yanking the cross bar into the air and him off his feet. There was stinging sensation and that was the last thing he remembered.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He suddenly realized he was remembering things in the past! He had been hanged and he was remembering things. Now he felt that he was lying on his back in a constricting box and that he was breathing! He could feel his body; hear his heart beat and terrible dryness in his mouth. He was alive and he was in a coffin! Had they failed to kill him and now he was doomed to suffocate?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What did they do with the body of the executed anyway?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something was over his mouth and nose and he could breathe easily. A line of light penetrated the perfect darkness and then the lid was removed and he had to close his eyes with blinding pain. A voice said.” To the world you are dead, but nevertheless welcome to the world of the living.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As his eyes got used to the light, he noticed three dark robed men standing around the Coffin. All three appeared human, the middle one was taller and he was bald and had large purple eyes, slightly pointed ears and had a strange male face with distinctive female features. “I am Theobar the First Son of Darkness, Supreme High priest of the Church of Darkness. I can see you try to place my origin. I am Saresii and as you can see I am the only one embracing my true gender.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar coughed and sat up, a breathing mask was strapped on his face and he removed it, noticing that he was no longer shackled. He took off the respirator and touched his neck.” Where am I?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is not important right now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">One of the other men offered him a cup with water and it tasted like pure bliss. The male Saresii said. “It took much effort and much money to get you, but getting an Admiral with all the knowledge was an opportunity my associates did not want wasted.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Worm?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Worm has rescued you, yes, but we paid them to get you. Don’t worry we will take good care of you and you will find the rewards of your new career quite satisfactory, all we want is pretty much everything you know. Access codes, Fleet and Union Secrets, that sort of thing. You are not even a traitor, to them you are dead!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar got up. “I don’t care who or what I have to betray or to do. I owe you my life and I give you whatever you want. I have only one goal left in life.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh do tell me what sort of goal does a man have rising from the grave?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am going to kill Eric Olafson! Without him I wouldn’t be in this situation!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Splendid coincidences then, we have similar goals!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">MAKING CALLS

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The thrill of piloting my own ship was still there but not as intense anymore. There was really nothing to do. The course was across Union Space and the only contacts that occasionally appeared on the long range scanners were civilian ships. I listened to GalCom chatter on both the civilian and fleet channels, but there was nothing else but some chatter between freighter pilots, space bus operators and the like. The biggest thing discussed was some event with aliens that looked like Y’All in a far distant Satellite Cluster.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After the third day I actually left the bridge and slept in the small command officer cabin. I had a long chat with Elena, called Limbur and Wintsun and left a message for Olia and Galmy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I learned that Limbur and Wintsun were already back on Arsenal II and I was technically late. Olia was on her way to the Brownstone Branch of the Academy in the Belarom System. She decided to specialize in Communications and on Brownstone was the Communication School of the Fleet. Limbur knew that Galmy was going to specialize as a Ship Computronic Specialist and went to the appropriate specialty school.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Wintsun surprised me with his choice of becoming a Logistics officer. While it was perhaps the most important part of fleet operations, I still wondered why Wintsun has chosen this path, but then maybe he had a talent for it and they suggested it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After I had talked to Limbur for a while I called Narth Prime, as I had no specific GalNet Code for Narth. I was surprised to get a Human Communications Officer instead of a Narth, and he identified himself as a Simulation.” Thank you for calling Narth Prime, currently there are no civilian GalNet Terminals on Narth prime. If you are interested in Narth and the recent development please follow the links displayed below. If you have questions or suggestions or direct communication requests, please record your message at any time and it will be forwarded. Please note that Narth is still in a phase of adjustment and a response might not be imminent.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I transmitted my ID Code and said.”I am Midshipman Eric Olafson; I have a personal friend on Narth Prime. Please relay this message that am thinking of him and hope he is alright.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Screen changed and Narth appeared. “It is the one that shared the Hughavh with Narth! Narth is sorry for not providing you with a direct call code. I am Narth Supreme, Eric and your friend is almost complete now. He will return to the Academy to complete his second year at the PSI Academy and hopes he will be able to rejoin you in the third year.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I automatically bowed before the transmission and said.” It is a great honor to meet and talk to you, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The hooded being had an amused tone in his voice.” You have a long way to go Eric, but you are Narth and wherever your path will lead you, you can end it here whenever you want. The one Narth that is your friend has received his new corporal body and his Hughavh is currently bonding with it, Narth has shared a new emotion with all Narth. He is missing your companionship and through him we all know what this means now. For showing Narth true treasures we have long lost or never known you have our gratitude.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Can you tell him miss him too?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t you know that he is missing you? Can you not feel it? Narth your friend knows all you feel and think. Perhaps you need more time to develop your Hughavh but all you do is to consciously think and Narth will know whatever you want him to know.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will try.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then farewell Eric who is Narth. We will need to meet and I need to explain you many things, but the time is not now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I look forward meeting you, Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">SWYBAR 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar was led into a darkened room. A single spotlight shone on a raised seat and a single white skinned being was sitting on that raised chair. It had a black thing attached to his chin, was bald and had snow white skin, a Kermac! He believed to know now who was behind the Worm and the Church of Darkness and now he know just how deep his betrayal would go. He would not only betray the Fleet but the Union and even his home world, but then he was dead to them. They killed him without mercy so he would have none.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is so nice to finally meet project 12, I mean former Admiral Swybar!” The Kermac said.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I do not know what you mean by Project 12, but I think you could be the one responsible for my rescue.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Oh yes I am. I am also the one responsible for you being executed in the first place, but how that happened has to wait. Do have a seat Admiral. I have a pressing matter I hope you can help me with.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A chair appeared and Swybar sat down and said. “As I told your associate, I have nothing to lose quite literally and I will full cooperate without reservations.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You will find the Kermac can be generous, now tell me what you know about Koken?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It was discovered recently and it is believed to be the ... to be your original home world.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, but do go on. How was it discovered and what was is done about it?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because the Siucra attacked an Explorer in the region,”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Siucra were our first thrall species but that was over a million years ago. They still exist?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not up to date on the latest developments, but I am not sure if any Siucra have survived the final attack. They worshipped the Kermac as gods and considered it their holy task to keep the space around Koken sterilized of all sentient life that had the potential of defiling their holy place which was Koken.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac made Swybar tell the entire events and then the Wizard said.” Amazing we did not even know they still existed. Yet there was a Thrall species worthy of our attention. Koken is far from Union space, does the Union have any plans for it?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t know what the actual plans are, but I know it is considered Union Space now. The Tinkehel have become members.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Who are the Tinkehel?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“A Sentient species that was almost wiped out by the Siucra and their home world is only 12 Light years from Koken. I seen highly classified reports of UNI technology caches both on Koken and especially on Koken Moon. I know Admiral Strother of Coreward Fleet Command requested four Gigamon Space stations into that area.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We must go to Koken and retrieve a few things. How would you suggest we do that?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That could prove difficult. I am dead and no longer able to travel freely in Union Space.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ah but because you are dead you can. I was told from reliable sources, they have not yet deleted your command codes and the Citizen implant does not record the date of death.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The former admiral rubbed his chin.”In that case there are several things we could do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They showed him to a GalNet terminal and he dialed in and could access his personal files without any problems. A plan formed in his mind, how he could accomplish what the Kermac wanted and to get his revenge.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">PAULI STATION 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was less than a day away from my destination, as the Comm. Unit activated receiving a message from Fleet Central. I verified my identity and the main screen showed the Commander I knew to be Admiral McElligott’s Aid.” Good afternoon Midshipman Olafson, your Computronic verified that you have reached the coordinates necessary to brief you on your mission.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Switch to Secure Scramble 6”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I turned the Channel to the highest security settings.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Proceed to Pauli Station and find Commodore Morgan. She is of NAVINT and she will brief you and instruct you in Clearance procedures and she will have the final instructions for your mission.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All this did not sound like a simple delivery mission to me, but I verified and repeated my orders. The Commander gave me a sad grin. “I know you wonder what this is all about, and I couldn’t tell you if I knew, but you better get used to it. You are the only Midshipman I know of who is on the scanner screen of the Old Man. It is very hard to get his attention, but once you got it it’s even harder to sink back into obscurity. With that I mean once the Immortals have noticed you, your Career and life will never be the same again, I know. It happened to me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I guess you have a point there, Sir!” I sighed and acknowledged.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Pauli Station was a Gigamon Class Space Station, of the same class as Arsenal Gate. While I knew the purpose of Arsenal Gate, I wondered why they had put such a large station more or less in the middle of nowhere. As far as I knew there was no important Navy installation or important System nearby. The closest occupied star system was Novak’s Sun and it only had one occupied planet called Novak One and according to GalNet its main export was oranges and nuts, agricultural products and nothing spectacular or secret.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">True. Narth Prime was only 45 Light years away, but Narth Prime had its own network of space stations and a Gigamon Station called Narth Gate.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I could not find any particular reason for Pauli Station on GalNet either.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even for the nearly inexhaustible resources of the Union and the Fleet, there had to be a reason for making such an investment. Gigamon Stations were the largest Standard Class Deep Space Stations, heavily armed and defended with enormous crews and material needs.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Traffic according to my scanners was light. I only noticed a big freighter and a Space bus in scanner range and then hailed the station. An Attikan with spotted fur and Lieutenant rank appeared on the screen. “Good evening Midshipman Olafson, I have received your flight plan orders and transponder codes, all is in good order. Please approach from Galactic North and release landing controls once you are in the Green Zone. Traffic Control will take over from there. Welcome to Pauli Station.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Thank you Sir.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Say, Midshipman your name sounds familiar. Do you know Fectiv and Pure?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I smiled.” Yes those are friends of mine I met at the academy!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Fectiv’s older brother, Factnav. He has told me a lot about you. If your orders leave you any spare time, give me a buzz after I am off duty and we have a drink together.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I sure would like that. I will let you know as soon as I received my orders.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He disconnected and I smiled to myself. This was a pleasant surprise and I hoped I had a few moments to catch up with him and maybe get the GalNet Codes for Fectiv and Pure’s PDD’s.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As Pauli Station came into visual range, I noticed the huge station was partially attached to an asteroid or dark moon. Objects like this were called wanderers. Planets, Moons or large asteroids that have been expelled from their original solar system and floated through interstellar space, were hard to find but not uncommon. I wondered if that rock was the reason for the Pauli station.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I reached the green traffic control zone and landed remote assisted in one of the enormous docking bays. A mechanical arm took the entire Sturgeon and placed it in a parking rack on the side.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I secured the ship according to standard protocols, after I had put on dress uniform and checked my appearance one more time.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Pauli Station Port was just like any other Space port. This one was lively but not very busy. The Usual businesses and restaurants gave a sense of belonging. As long as there was an Arthurs one could be sure to be in Union space and no matter how far from home, some things were the same everywhere.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Instructions I had received were specific and included an address. At an Info Bot station I learned that much of the asteroid was hollowed out and added to the station and the whole complex was enormous, but the Info-Bot transferred its instructions to my PDD and using the IST System I reached Level 175 Section 45, Corridor 14 in no time.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As I exited the IST I stepped into a lobby area inside that Corridor. A man in black coverall and no visible rank insignia sat behind a dark wood counter. The front of the Counter was decorated with a blue glowing stylized eye and the letters NAVINT. Which stood for Navy Intelligence, judging by his blond curled hair and the stern nose I figured him to be a Pan Saran, but he did not wear the polished brass chest armor they usually did. He looked up from whatever he was doing.” You must be Midshipman Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Sir I am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The boss is waiting for you. Please go down this corridor all the way to the end, there is a double door. Go right on in and welcome to the family!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sir, what family?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“NAVINT of course, this is Pauli Station and this is the NAVINT academy. Midshipman arriving here for his second year, I just wanted to be the first to welcome you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I nodded a little surprised and then went down the corridor as instructed. Now I knew what the purpose of Pauli Station was, but I didn’t really want a career in NAVINT. Was I not supposed to be able to make my own choice? On the other hand I had not yet made up my mind what career path to take. Maybe I had waited too long and the choice was made for me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Nothing ever appeared to be simple. With a sigh I approached the door and it opened right away.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was a sparse decorated office with a desk, before it a visitor’s chair and behind it an older woman with dark short cropped hair.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I snapped to attention and saluted her. “Midshipman Olafson reporting as ordered, Ma’am”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had the same warmth in her eyes as a Rock Shark as she eyed me up and down and then she smiled.” Welcome Midshipman Olafson. I am Commodore Morgan and I welcome you to Pauli Station.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She waved and motioned me to sit down. “We are a little different than the regular Navy; we don’t flaunt ranks, or do much of the saluting and all that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sat down and said.” Thank you Ma’am, am I correct to assume that I am to serve my second year here at NAVINT?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well that would be your choice later on. If that is what you want. For now you are here to receive your new Security Clearance. It is very rare that anyone gets a Clearance that high and I never heard of a Midshipman getting it, but I am instructed by Fleet Command to instruct you for all procedures of the Blue-Blue Red Level.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was tested and memory conditioned for the next three days and received detailed instructions. No one knew why or if they knew no one told me. A Saresii Technician wanted to implant a Psi Shield, he explained that every Command Officer and every Navint Agent got one of these, but as he tested me he said.” I don’t think you need one. I never met anyone as perfectly shielded as you. I am a Level 20 telepath and I couldn’t even tell you are here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just then the Commodore walked in and said to the Saresii Technician.” I hope you haven’t started, we have explicit orders not to implant him.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was still on the examination couch underneath a metal sensor ball while they talked. The Technician said.” No I haven’t started yet. It looks like he already has one and yet I can’t even localize the Implant.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He has Narth connections.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To me she said.” Your Narth friends shielded you better than anyone could. Have you received your new code key yet?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes Ma’am it was implanted this morning.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You know how to get the day code?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, Ma’am, I am to log on in the morning to the Security Network. Identify myself according to protocol and then listen to the day code.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Very good, now give the day code for today. This is an order.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I cannot give you the day code unless you have identified yourself according to Blue –Blue protocol to an independent official Computronic system.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Acceptable! Now where would you find an independent Official Computronic?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aboard Union Ships, all public places such as Union Star Ports and any Computronic connected to Nelson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Appears to me you got it. Maybe you’ll change your mind after you’re done with that assignment of yours and come here to Pauli Station and specialize in NAVINT.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And I was under the impression; I just had to deliver a space ship.” I could not help saying it with a sarcastic undertone.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Do you know how many beings serve in the Union Fleet?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Not exactly no.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think it is in the Trillions and do you know how many of those ever see the Admiral of the Fleet, or talk to him? The chances to win the Pluri-Lotto are much better, now you have met the Old Man several times and you are on his personal call list. Getting back into obscurity is almost impossible.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed. “I have a feeling you might be right.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Now get out of that examination gown and meet me in my office in twenty minutes, so I can brief you on your mission.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">TAKING THE COMMANDER HOME 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commodore was not alone in her office. There was another woman present and I knew her. It was Commander Gwen Hollow and she smiled. “Did I not tell you we will meet again?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commodore said.” Your mission is to take Commander Hollow to her home planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I looked at them both and I was sure my face displayed the big question mark I was feeling and I burst out before I could stop myself. “This is it?” I realized I spoke out of order, both of them were high ranking Officers and I added.” I am sorry, Ma’am. I gladly take you to your home planet, but I don’t understand the secrecy and all the clandestine preparations. I think you knew about all this when I left you at Lorman’s Starbase.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commodore said.” You received this Security training because you know about the Spatial Gate on Wichita. The Gate and the existence of the Cave of Things have been classified.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Commander Hollow laughed. “No one expected you to end on Wichita, solving the Big Bone Mystery. Not even my security clearance is high enough to really know what else you discovered there. All we wanted is to reward you with the transfer of the Sturgeon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I grinned sheepishly as all made sense and that there wasn’t a real mystery after all. “Sorry about that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander waved her hand “No worries Midshipman, if you ever make it to become a commanding officer, you would have to come here anyway for your Psionic Conditioning and Security briefing. Maybe it is a good omen.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commodore added.” After you have taken the Commander home, bring the Sturgeon back here, as this is its new station and then we get you to Arsenal II so you can continue your Academy training.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And the Commander said.” Please meet me in six hours at the ship, so I can catch up a little with my sister. Pauli Station has a great shopping concourse.” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I used the time to call Factnav and met him in a bar on the concourse. He told me that Pure had changed his mind and had switched to the Marine Corps and Fectiv was back at Arsenal for his second year. He was specializing in a JAG career! Another one of my friends making a choice I would have never guessed. Factnav grinned at that and agreed that this was a surprising choice, but he told me that Fectiv planned for an eight year stint in the Navy and then become a lawyer and that a stint in the JAG department would help him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Factnav never asked me what I was doing here and stopped me as I wanted too. “This is Pauli Station, we never ask questions here. You never get an answer and if you do its most likely a lie, but intelligence and counter intelligence is as important as Battle ships and canons.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He swiped his PDD against mine and said.” Now you got Fectiv’s Call Code. I am sure he will be glad to hear from you. Of course he is back at the Academy and his access to PDD’s and GalNet is limited, but you can leave him a message and get Pure’s code as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I left him a message right away and send him a Visual of me sitting next to his brother.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Factnav then wished me all the best and went back on duty and I found my way to the ship, but not before finding a Union Post office. There I packed a few keep sakes for Exa I had purchased on the Concourse and the nice souvenir axe in a big box and had it send home addressed to Elena, so she could safe keep the things for me. Traveling with a big axe was not very convenient or practical, but I sort of liked it and didn’t want to lose it or throw it away. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She appeared on time and said standing before the airlock.” Requesting permission to come aboard.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Granted, Ma’am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She came in put a suit case down.” Now that we have the formalities behind us, you can call me Gwen again; unless you insist then I will have to call you Captain.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well you are a Commander but if you are okay with first names, then that is fine by me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright Captain, get your ship into space and then I give you your destination coordinates.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I checked the systems and noticed the Station systems had refueled and serviced the engines and moments later we left Pauli Station behind us. She handed me a chip and I put it in the Nav Controls. I double checked the coordinates. Planet Endora was at the very fringes of Union Space, not far from the Igras Nebulae, the densest matter nebula known. Since sensors did not work well in the nebulae it was a welcome pirate hide out.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">According to the catalog, Endora was only colonized 50 years ago and claimed by a Group called Frontier Gems Inc. It was in a region of space sparsely populated and there was only rudimentary survey data available.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She leaned over and sighed. “I know what you are thinking: What a dump.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I shrugged. “One cannot choose his or her home planet.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Space bus makes it to Endora only once every month, and then usually with an escort from the Ranger station on Mabaa, 45 Light years away.” She said with a smile as if to explain why I was taking her there. It made sense to me, the Sturgeon was fast and small and it has teeth. Seeing the number of pirate incident reports of that area I was hoping that was enough.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She got up and said.” I think I’ll check out what the Galley has to offer. Since we are still three days out, we should have time for a nice little dinner.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It didn’t take her long and she came back. “The galley is small but well stocked. I prepared us dinner. Would you care to join me?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I checked the scanners once more; there was nothing artificial in sensor range. The Computronic would alert me if there was anything and so I joined her, I was surprised to find her wearing a red dress and her silvery hair put up in an intricate hairdo. She had a soft smile on her lips and said. “I am technically off duty and going home, so I thought I’d get out of uniform. I think you could as well if you like.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As much as I would like that but I am not off duty.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is Union space; the chances we run into trouble even at Endora are very slim. Space is awful big, and no one expects you to be on duty for the entire 72 hours.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She gestured to the galley table. “Besides Uniforms and ranks get in the way when you like the company you have dinner with.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am not sure, besides I have not packed any formal civilian clothing.” She looked lovely and had a strange sparkle in her eyes that hinted she had more on her mind than just dinner.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So I gave in and changed into civilian clothing and joined her in the small galley. She had set the table, there was music and she said with an apologetic in her voice as we sat down. “I know all this looks a bit obvious, but I hope to set you at ease so you can tell me a bit more about you and perhaps a bit about your other self, the female part I mean.” She lowered her eyes and almost whispered the last words.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As always when it came to this subject I felt awkward and ashamed and tried to find a reason to post-pone the conversation. “It is a point of great confusion to me and I don’t really understand it or what it means for me. It seems such a simple thing. Gender should not be something you need to think about, something you want to change or alter. Yet I do.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She uncovered her dish and so did I. It was some sort of meat with whitish mass and dark brown gravy, a helping of little green things on the side.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She changed the subject and said.” That is Terran pork roast with mashed potatoes and peas. I love Terran food and I hope I made the right choice for you as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was glad our conversation went into another direction. “I don’t mind Terran food. I am not a great expert in what is available, but as long as it is not Elly or Yakuta food I am alright.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She laughed. “No, stink bugs aren’t exactly my favorite either! I read what you did there and it was quite impressive. I heard the Yakuta have named the boulevard leading to their new space port after you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blushed. “I hope you are joking.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am afraid not, it is the Eric Neo Viking Boulevard.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I almost choked on a fork full of the green things and decided I didn’t like the taste of peas.” At least they didn’t use my last name.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pushed a few peas around her plate and said.” Do you feel and think different when you assume your female persona?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The way she put her question made me feel even more awkward.” I don’t know if I really think different, it just somehow makes me feel right. It is not so easy to describe in words, especially to a stranger. Heck it is difficult to describe to anyone. Aren’t you Saresii? Would you not know more about this subject?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Her smile changed to a more serious expression.” I wasn’t entirely honest to you. I am not really Saresii. I just look that way as it suits my personality.” She looked at me directly and said. “I am of the Coven.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I tried to remember, but even the cerebral uploaded Xeno knowledge did not yield any results. “I’ve never heard of that Civilization.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Very few have, we guard our secrets and our society very closely.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I guess that is why your kind chooses to live on a planet in the fringes?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She didn’t answer but pushed her plate away. “I find it very intriguing and I can only imagine how it had to be like growing up on a harsh world with this, unable to talk to anyone about it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was my turn to sigh,” I wish I knew what it means for me. I still consider some form of treatment, even though I heard only bad things about it, but I got a sister now I can talk about it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I suddenly felt quite tired and said.” I better check the sensors and perhaps take a short nap before we reach the fringes. I need to be on top of things then.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She nodded.” Yes I think I will do the same.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Somewhere on the edge of my mind I found it strange that I was so tired, but a few hours of sleep would fix me right up and the Computronic would wake me if there was any trouble.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The scanners showed nothing artificial within scanner range and as Captain K’Tngnk said, chances to run into another ship in deep space were slim. I leaned back in the command chair and told the Computronic to wake me in three hours or if there was any contact on the scanners.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">GWEN 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen came on the bridge and found Eric sleeping. She was surprised how long it took for the sleep drug to take effect. The young man had incredible will power and a strong sense of duty, just as his personal assessment file said he had. She looked at his young face. He was quite handsome and she realized she was quite attracted to him. Could he be the one that had to face the Dark Ones? She somehow doubted it, but then he was Terran, even though he was born on a different world. The Neo Vikings of Nilfeheim were undiluted Terran, no other species had mingled with them ever since they left Earth. Unapologetic, raw Terran energy showed in all he did. There weren’t many species the Coven truly respected; the Terrans were one of them.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was on her seventeenth career among them and still they had the potential to amaze her, maybe she would choose to pose as a Terran the next time around. She hoped the Coven would be members by then and she would not have to hide her origin anymore.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course the coven sisters could choose to revert to their true forms as all Life Forms were openly welcome, but she was certain she would never revert to her true form again. She liked being human and most of all she truly liked being a woman.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While all of the Coven were female by identity there was differences. The incredible complex hormone soup that bubbled inside these seemingly fragile bodies had changed her perspective on virtually everything.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She used her special data chip to change the Computronics programming and doing so she also changed course. While the navigational sensors would still show the old course, the ship would take a different route, past the fringes of Union space and into the Igras Expanse. Deep inside this hazardous nebula was a sun with a single planet, which did not show on any navigational map. While the coven was far advanced and controlled incredible power, they could not remove an entire star system simply out of the Universe as the Narth did. So hiding inside the Expanse was the next best thing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But that would not last forever. While the Coven had no problem discouraging pirates and free lancers from venturing to close, stopping the Union was quite another story.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She knew that the Science Council was considering to survey the Expanse, simply because it was unique it was there and it posed a scientific and technological challenge. Enough reasons, especially for the eternally nosy and inquisitive Terrans to check it out eventually.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She didn’t feel entirely comfortable to change the course and deceive the young man. This was a dangerous area even before the nebula. While she was quite powerful and her age was counted in centuries not years, she was neither immortal nor invulnerable.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The edges and fringe areas of the nebula crawled with pirates and freelancers of the worst kind. The rich matter soup contained virtually every element and mineral known, it was already in its molecular form and easy to be scooped. Gold, platinum, polonium and everything in between was still valuable.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There were those who scooped, and those who rather took what others scooped. The Scoopers were as rough and mean as any pirate and they fired first and never asked many questions. There was a constant little war going on, the scoopers against the pirates and the Scooper Syndicates and Families against each other for the best fringe scoop areas.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The expanse was huge and neither pirates nor scoopers ventured far inside, as it was virtually impossible to gain Trans Light speed. Normal shields could not displace that much matter that fast and collapsed. Trying to reach Trans Light shield without shields was suicide even in a battle ship with Ultronit Armor plating. She knew the secret pathway to Coven and the little ship had excellent Trans Dim Shields, it would still be a challenge, to reach the pathway.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She could not help herself so she leaned forward and kissed the sleeping Human.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">ERIC 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Computronic woke me with a loud alert sound and then the ships system said. “Potential hostile contacts in scanner range!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I bolted up, but sank right back into the command seat. Switched Inter ship: “Commander please find a seat and secure for Combat.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The scanner showed three signals pulsing red. To my surprise according to the Nav system we were on course, but the Igras expanse was already in visual range. Something was not right; the expanse was fairly close to Endora but still far beyond unaided visual range. Why we were here was a mystery that had to wait. The three dots were identified as Katarian Vascar Runners, three times the size of the Sturgeon and while not Union made, the energy read out and weapon scan made them more than serious adversaries. Three ships did not necessary mean trouble; the fact that they were under full shields and had their weapons charged however was a strong indicator. That they had changed course and came straight towards us was another one.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Not only had we been off course the sturgeon had dropped out of Quasi Space even before the system had alerted me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While we were still half a light year away from the expanse, the particle count per cubic kilometer was already two hundred times more than it was even inside a solar system.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The tactical scan of the Vascars revealed they had unusually strong shielding. I wasn’t too worried; I had one ace that trumped all their advances, Dual Translocators! Standard shielding no matter how strong meant little to a weapon that bypassed them altogether.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I turned on weapon systems and as my eyes flew over the readouts, I started to worry, the bomb magazines were empty! My ace turned out to be a dud!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Computronic why are the no bombs?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Command person rank insufficient to be authorized for Translocator munitions request or transport, no munitions have been acquired.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A direct confrontation was something I wanted to avoid in the first place and turned the ship and accelerated, I needed to go Trans light and then figure out why we turned up so far of course and how the ship managed to make the entire trip in the three hours I was sleeping.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander came on the bridge and slipped in one of the free chairs. She said nothing while the system strapped her in.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Comm. Board lit up indicating incoming communication. A croaking voice came on, the transmission was audio only. “Little Union Fish slow down and prepare to be boarded. If you do that we will be gentle. If not we will destroy you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was not going to argue with him but pushed the accelerator past red line, just as we reached trash hold speed something hit the ship with enormous power! The lights flickered, the tactical system responded with an analysis. “Gravo Mine active. Gravitational shear force at 12 percent beyond safety limits of hull integrity.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wished for a crew now. Someone able to analyze the scanner results, while I dealt with the pursuing ship. “Commander can you handle the Scanners?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am afraid not. I am a legal expert. I haven’t had any scanner time since the academy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Try it anyhow!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Computronic, why was the Gravo Mine not detected?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Scanner analysis complete, weapon identified as Signature Camouflages Ult Gravo Mine. Threat level high. Attempting adjusted scan. Scan Complete. Two hundred UGM detected within scanner range. Margin of error 45 percent.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Trying to go Trans light in a mine field was suicide; especially if the Computronic only gave a 45 % chance to detect them all. Our pursuers obviously knew where these mines were and had no such restrictions. The only way out of here was on the path we came, knowing it was mine free. However three armed ships gained on us from that direction!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We still had Havoc missiles and said. “Let’s see if they are as good as the Loki torpedoes!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Computronic mistook this for a direct question and responded.” Preliminary tests showed that SII Havoc Ship to ship missiles outperform Loki Torpedoes in six out of seven criteria.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I targeted the first ship and armed them, this time the system showed all green. I fired!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The missile accelerated faster than anything I had ever seen and went Trans light, hit the first enemy ship and simply melted at impact, no explosion no energy cloud, nothing!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I almost panicked.” System diagnose Havoc System, it did not explode!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Havoc System loaded is exercise munitions for performance evaluation and not equipped with war heads.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My first ship turned out to be quite a nightmare. All I had left was single FTL Energy cannon, not enough to even dent the strong shields of my adversaries. In less than five seconds they would be in firing range of their FTL’s.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It didn’t look good. Here I was in the vastness of space with a fast maneuverable ship, trapped like a Silver flicker in fishers net. There had to be something I could do...

Chapter 33: Interlude: A Dragon Is Born
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">   Swybar was the first out of the D 60 Long Distance shuttle; the two men that accompanied him followed down the ramp and looked around. One of them was a disguised Kermac, that much he knew but he had no idea who the other was, but he expected him to be an agent of the worm. All three of them were disguised as humanoids wearing heavy insulated and heated suits and cold masks. Patches on their suits identified them as civilian contractors. All his life Swybar thought it was impossible to forge a CIT implant and yet all three of them had passed the controls on Norman’s Planet without any problems.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man he suspected to be Kermac now listened to the name of John Anderson and the other one Sergei Kachinski. His new name was Bolon Darr.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The dark red sun in the sky above them provided little light, and the temperatures on the surface of this world rarely rose above 223 degrees Kelvin.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The D60 had landed on an immense Duro-Crete field built into a crater or valley surrounded by rough looking mountains. It was the only ship here. The entire place looked as deserted and empty as a place could look. Their helmet lights drew sharp circles onto the smooth surface.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The man he suspected to be an Agent of the Worm grunted. “You promised us a surprise and a way to Koken, I see nothing!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac slowly looked around. “What is this place anyway?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This planet is called Bone Yard 72 and you Kermac would kill millions for what is here!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We will complete the job of the hangman and kill just one if that does not come true!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar kept his thoughts to himself. He used to be an Admiral and now he was treated like that. Of course he knew about the famous arrogance of the Kermac, but to experience it every day close up cost him much self-control. He decided to play along, they had rescued him and had immense resources, but he was only moments away from being in charge again and neither of his companions suspected a thing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei put a hand on his shoulder and said to the Kermac. “It is quite enough! I am sure the Admiral had a reason to come here and we are further into Union Space than any Kermac Agent ever managed to come. We are here because we have certain common goals. Now Admiral I suggest you show us why we are here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both the Kermac and the other man lost their entire swagger as four immense humanoid shaped robots rose from suddenly opening trap doors, each of them at least 20 meters tall.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac recognized them and none of his usual arrogance made it to the surface, it was fear that made his voice tremble. “Rama, Type 7!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar stepped forward. “Command Code: Terra Terra 4-4-6.” While he did that he produced his hidden Code Key and held it up. One of the giant arms lowered and he pushed it into a slot that appeared on the robots thumb.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei whispered. “I never saw any Terran weapon system like that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac answered with a hush voice. “Because they are over 700 years old, designed by none other than Dr. Isah as a last answer to the Y’All invasion, before that cursed Stahl appeared to save the day.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“As in Isah Drive?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Dr. Isah was one of the Immortals. Chosen by that mysterious Guardian the Earthers tell about. He was the single most intelligent being in the known Universe; even we Kermac have to admit that. He designed and invented more ground breaking technology than anyone.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar turned. “The Type 7 have accepted my command codes. We have full access to the Bone Yard now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac could not shake his uneasiness quite as fast. “Those are really Rama 7?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Three of three hundred thousand mothballed here. All fully operational, and as everything else here almost forgotten, but then I was in Charge of Logistics and these Bone Yard depots were under my jurisdiction.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We must find a way to get them off this planet!” The Kermac literally salivated, seeing himself carried by one of these machines down the parade alley on Kermac prime.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar grinned coldly. “We are not here to take the Ramas, which would be no real problem as they are all fully Trans light flight capable.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei spoke for the first time. “Why have they been moth balled if they are so magnificent?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because when Stahl came with the Translocator cannons the Rama project was put on the back burner. Then you Kermac assassinated Dr. Isah the lead designer and the project itself was even further pushed back. When the war ended, resources were needed to rebuild the fleet and the Rama project was officially of the grid. Most research and weapon manufacturing is now outsourced to private corporations. This was one of the last projects directly managed by the now defunct Fleet Technology Development Bureau.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If we are not here for the Robots why are we here?” The Kermac wanted to know.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar stepped onto the lowered hand of the robot. “To make me once again independent and equal and not a slave! You saved my life I grant you that, but you treated me like a servant. This ends now! Arrogant Kermac, I am tempted to teach you a lesson in arrogance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac extended his Psionic powers but his Telekinetics were stopped by an invisible barrier.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other man said. “It seems our trust in you was ill placed. Good thing I trust no one! You do carry an explosive device in your head and I control it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You don’t even begin to understand the capabilities of a Rama 7. Dr. Isah incorporated the finest Saresii Anti PSI tech and combined it with his very own devices. I am a safe as can be, besides without me, the Ramas and everything else here will be quite hostile to you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei hushed the Kermac agent before he could respond. “For the time being let us assume you are now in charge. What is it you want?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Actually I will do what I said I would. I will help you, but no longer as the helpless servant but as equal partner. After I help you to get to Koken, as a repayment for my rescue, I will use what we take here today to start a new Career in the private sector.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Robot lowered its other hand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar said.” Step on. It would be a long walk otherwise.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both men hesitated but then climbed on the metallic hand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The robot turned and walked with great speed towards the mountains.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It took the machine no time at all to reach them, the characteristic green shimmer of Terran Arti Grav built up underneath the robots feet and it lifted into the air and moments later they looked over a dusty flat plane, filled with thousands of space ships!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar said with a triumphant tone in his voice. “Here are 25,000 ships of all sizes ages and conditions. Some are very old, some are not space worthy anymore, but there are a few gems among the scrap. I decided a Privateer needs a proper ship and it is here the Red Dragon Prototype is stored. Much like the Rama Bots, a forgotten project, one of its kind and the pinnacle of Terran mil tech.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FIGHTING PIRATES 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had one option only, I killed thrust, turned the ship as fast and tight as I could, hoping not to hit another Gravo mine and gunned the engines to max, aiming straight at the middle ship of the attackers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">All happened fast, the attackers were immediately in range their shots peppered our shields, at least the shields were the genuine kind. While the shields were strained, they held for the first five or six shots. I changed course virtually in the last micro second, I doubted there was more than twenty meters distance between our hulls, and several more shots wore the aft shields down to nothing. I was hoping to reach the expanse and hide in it and it looked good. The Sturgeon was faster than the Vascars and their FTL’s were powerful but I was soon out of their range. The aft shields down to 10 percent and the rest not looking to fresh either, I hoped I could reach thresh hold speed before the matter density became too dense to try that without fully operational shields and a hull that was not stressed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Commander use the Comm. System and call for help. We should still be in range for GalCom.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She acknowledged.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The forward shields glowed white hot as they tried to displace molecular matter at these speeds. Less than sixty seconds to Trans light! The shields were down to 20 percent and the Computronic warned that the hull would not last if the shields failed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Thirty seconds now. There was no more energy I could divert from anywhere to strengthen the forward shields, now down to 12 percent. If they failed we would be dead!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Warning, Shield failure imminent!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I ignored the warning and then as if an ice cold hand grabbed my heart, the acceleration display reversed and we slowed down!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Computronic said. “Emergency Shutdown procedure initiated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I actually screamed at the system. “I did not order any Safety Shut down!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Such order was not necessary, Command person lacks engineering override authority.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I can’t keep us alive if this Loki cursed ship turns out to be my worst enemy! Computronic go into deep diagnostic cycle and turn all systems to manual!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Acknowledged!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had little hope to steer and fight the ship without the Computronic, the shields were nearly gone and the enemy vessels gained on us.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Without the system I could not go Trans light, but that was no longer possible. The particle count was getting denser by the moment. To all this the sensors already reduced in efficiency picked up three more ships of similar size and make, but instead of attacking us they screamed past us and attacked our pursuers.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Commander said. “I have Fleet Command on the line!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is Midshipman Olafson of the USS Elena; we are near the Igras expanse due to yet unidentified Nav system error. We are under attack by unknown hostiles. Hull integrity damage, Computronic unreliable and shut down, no weapons, shields nearly gone. This is a distress call.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The response came immediately. “There are no fleet units within 120 light years that can render assistance. Nearest units have been alerted and dispatched. Records indicate that your ship is equipped with a Translocator system!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes but I have not a single bomb!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Details are unimportant now. If there is a chance you will be boarded or captured you must execute Order Omega!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Aye Sir!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Every cadet knew about Order Omega of course. The Translocator Cannon was not to fall into enemy hands under no circumstance. The Union based much of its strength on the secret of this weapon and it meant that everything must be done to keep it out of the hands of others. Order Omega was simple: Self Destruction!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">More ships appeared and we were hailed again. “This is Valiant Scooper Crew, we are going to blow that pirate scum into scoop matter for you but we like to receive payment. Your piece of scrap seems to have some things we might find useful!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thank you for your timely assistance and Union ships are already on their way. I am sure we can show our gratitude with credits or some polonium.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t play games with me soldier boy. Your rescue ships might be on the way, but they will have a hard time finding you in this soup. I clearly see some nice weaponry on your ship and frankly I want it.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His last words were underlined with an explosion, that killed the regular lights on the bridge and emergency lighting came on. I could hear the high pitched gnarling sound of metal tearing apart. The upper part of the Command seat came down and sealed the unit, the same happened to Gwenn’s seat. Somewhere was a hull breach, and without the Computronic I did not know where. Not that I had the time or resources to affect repairs.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This is how my first command would end? I would lose my first ship?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Was there anything I overlooked anything I could do?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t have much time.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It had to be done! I activated the Computronic again. “Hostile takeover imminent, execute Omega Order, authorized Olafson, Eric. Neuro Scan verify, Destruct!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Omega order received, Command code verified with transmission of Fleet Command. Log Drone launched. Sixty seconds before AM containment fields are deactivated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">This was it, no command could stop it now...

Chapter 34: Interlude Boneyard
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Rama Bot lowered them to the ground at the edge of the space ship bone yard. Wind howled between the rows of ships and tugged at their suits. The man calling himself Sergei now, could not shake the feeling that they were watched. Some of the ships were clearly alien, perhaps of civilizations that joined and adopted the Common design scheme. Perhaps of vanquished foes with technology deemed inferior. Some of the designs they recognized, some of the ships looked ready to fly others had parts missing, some were literally cut in half, but it all was dark and the weak sun seemed to create more shadows than light.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei masked his uneasy feeling snarling at the Admiral.” Why stop here? Let your robot carry us where we need to go and then leave this place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The disguised Kermac was of another opinion. He would have loved to stay here longer and make detailed records of what was there.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Because we first need to talk to the care takers and find out where it is stored.” Swybin answered.” You are welcome to go back, take the shuttle and leave this world, if you like.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei hissed.” Do you have any idea what it costs and takes to get three CIT’s? Or get you of the Gallows alive? My employers have spent considerable resources on you and expect you to do your part. For now we play your game, so lead on!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar jumped of the robot’s hand and somehow he managed even to walk like he owned the place, and it looked it was more or less the case.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei had been tempted to turn on the mental control device and cause the Admiral some pain and to remind him of his place, but the Kermac held him back. “Not now associate, we will punish him for his insolence later.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something fast, just a hint faster than the Kermac was able to register at first swooped out of an open and dark cargo hatch yawning in the hull of an ancient Saran cruiser. Whatever it was disappeared between the rows of ships before he could really see what it was.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both men almost ran as they caught up with the Admiral, who was heading for the gray hull of an Ult troop transport, leaning precariously to one side as it had four of the original six landing struts missing. Sergei’s hand cramped around a high powered blaster weapon he carried on his side. “Did you see that fast thing?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I haven’t and neither have you, Pertharian Brain Leeches move way too fast for most beings to really see them until it is too late.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even though neither of the two men ever been across the bridge nor heard about Brain leeches, their name alone did little for the confidence of the two men. Sergei actually pulled the blaster and nervously scanned the area above them in the nearly dark metal canyon of derelict space ships. The Kermac speculated. “Perhaps the ships did not get sterilized before they were brought here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin turned. “Oh now there are strict fleet regulations about that. These Brain Leeches are genetically and cybernetic enhanced and a horrible weapon, deemed too immoral even by Terrans and one batch ended up here and now guards the place.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They had almost reached the massive troop transport, Swybin said. “Terrans hardly throw ever anything away, there are 112 Bone yard Planets like this all storage places of surplus weapons, equipment and gear that can’t be sold and deemed it could be useful again one day.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Translocators too?” Sergei whispered.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Don’t be silly of course not. The Translocators are more or less the reason these bone yards exist. Why keep weapons and developments around when you have the perfect weapon? While there is a new development here and there, no real advance or chance was made to Union ship weaponry since Stahl brought this wonder weapon back. Before the Translocator cannons Union Engineers and scientists came up with new and different concepts almost yearly that were developed and tested. I haven’t seen a new weapon concept since.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac shrugged. “So, why spend resources on new unproven things when you got the perfect weapon? We have not figured out how they work or how to defend against them.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Sergei said. “Can it be so hard to develop a similar weapon? You have hundreds of civilizations slaving for you and the Kermac are certainly one of the oldest and species around.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let us not waste time in useless conversations. I prefer to be inside and away from flying Brain Leeches.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Two dark green bulky looking beings with massive jaws and exposed fangs peeled from the shadows. Both wearing some kind of steel mesh and metal belt harnesses, the Kermac had heard of Oromals but never seen them. He whispered. “Are these penal colonists or something?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybin laughed. “Not at all, all Depots are guarded by Oromals. They volunteer for this duty and many do it for generations. Just be careful and don’t call them Orcs that would be a mistake!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They followed the Admiral past a working air lock door inside the troop transporter. Here Swybin removed his hood and cold mask and the two Oromals saluted. “Admiral, we did not know you would come for an inspection.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Life is full of surprises isn’t it Specialist Noxthyxthyazonix? I need to take the Red Dragon back to Development, so please have your men fuel her up and make her ready for take-off.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I’ll dispatch them right away. We have installed the Sastra devices as ordered already a year ago, and the Attikan engines have been delivered and completely installed just last month.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac hissed quietly as the Oromal rushed to a rugged looking comm. Terminal. “It seems you have planned this for quite a while, even while you were still a noble Admiral.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I haven’t, I wanted to show that these depots held more than junk and obsolete things and planned to demonstrate this with reactivating the Red Dragon Prototype and adding a few improvements, but now it will be my instrument of revenge. First I am going to kill McElligott and then this snot nosed Cadet named Olafson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">DEMONS 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It was nice knowing you Commander.” I said and authorized the system to release her rescue pod. Her seat disappeared into the floor and accelerated through a short chute. Her voice panicked. “No Eric! Don’t do anything stupid. Losing a ship is not the end!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My hands flew over the direct input controls and I accelerated the ship, shutting every system down but forward shields and thrust. “They want my ship, they going to get it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I held straight at the closest enemy ship. With one eye on the countdown for self-destruct. The Sturgeon now seconds before its end performed like a charm. The white glowing forward shields held and I got some speed out of her. I needed to make contact; otherwise even the biggest explosion would do little good in the vacuum of space. Whoever was on the helm of the other ship realized now I would not change course and tried to evade. I shut the forward shields of, pushed the rest of the energy into the engines and punched my eject button.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As soon as I was in space I turned to look, the Sturgeon didn’t look like a ship anymore, it was a glowing half melted blob, plowing right into the hostile ship and then the antimatter containment was turned off and both ships were swallowed by an expanding bubble of thermal energies exceeding the temperatures of the hottest star.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The escape capsule was more or less a mini space ship. It had rudimentary sensors, communication systems and sub light propulsion with extremely limited range. I picked up the signal of Gwenn’s capsule, just two light seconds away.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Rudimentary sensors in these conditions meant I would know a ship was near when I could almost touch it. Even though there were hostile ships near, there was no chance I would be able to see them with just my eyes until they were very close. Out here was no star for the light to reflect of an object.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">If we were lucky the pirate’s sensors weren’t too good either, finding a small object like a rescue capsule without good sensors wasn’t all that easy, that meant that we didn’t do much to attract attention. So I called Gwenn using my PDD. I was certain the pirates would not be able to listen in on that, “Commander Can you hear me?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You crazy son of a bitch!” Was the answer she screamed. “I thought you are dead!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I just could not lose my first command without taking at least some with me. Just hang tight and don’t activate any external energy consumers such as the thrusters, as long as we drift they might not find us, our ships are on their way and they will be able to home in on our Trans dim Beacons.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You scared me! I thought I caused your death!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It was not your fault. I just can’t figure out how we ended up here in the first place and so fast! I never heard of a navigational system failure like this one.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She wanted to say something but I cut her off. “Commander, we do not know how long we have to wait. Let us preserve PDD Energy as much as we can. In a few hours I think we can risk firing maneuvering thrusters to get closer together.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright, but we will make contact every hour, promise?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you Ma’am.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was a hollow promise of course but I tried to put as much confidence and reassurance into my voice as I could.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright, but next time I would appreciate if you let me in on your plans.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There wasn’t enough time for words, now let us conserve energy until we know how long we have to wait.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She agreed and cut transmission, and as soon as she was off, the rescue pod comm. link activated. “I know you are out there Union Soldier! You killed my brother with your stunt. While I never liked that crazy cut throat, he was family.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now before you decide to cut off transmission, let me say that you might want to make it easy on us to find you, before the pirates do. We scoopers have a strict code of honor and that includes the treatment of enemies and those drifting in space. I promise you food, air and a chance to hitch a ride to the next mineral trade market, from where you should be able to find accommodations on a freighter back into union space. I won’t spend much more resources or time out here so either you take the chance with us or wait for the pirates to find you. Remember scoopers don’t trade in slaves, pirates do!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was tempted to call him back, but answering him on this standard pulse radio frequency would reveal my location for sure. All I had to do was wait for the Union ships to arrive.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He transmitted again. “Never mind Union Boy, we just located your pods, we’re going to rescue the girl. Since the pirates located you as it seems, I don’t think I risk another fight for the guy who killed my brother, not that I liked him much.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He cut off again and just then my sensors picked up a large mass and energy signature closing fast. It was one of the Kartanian raiders. It slowed down close enough for me to see every detail, including the opening cargo door and the two suited men aiming a gun like device at my pod. A cable shot towards me attached to the pod, it seemed they did not have Caro manipulator beamers. I felt strangely calm despite the fact that I was about to be imprisoned by pirates. I sent a coded message to Fleet Command and tried to contact the commander, but she did no longer answer. As last act I activated the Fry pulse. A combined EMP and thermo pulse destroyed any sensitive equipment and data.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I wondered why it was always me that ended up in situations like that. My goal to become a Union Officer was further away than ever, my friends already studied the second year and if I was lucky I ended up on a slave market sold as a laborer and if I was not I ended up on the dinner table of one of the species that loved human flesh. Still there was the Commander and I had to do something to rescue her. She was after all my responsibility. Not that this mattered much right now, my capsule was almost completely inside the freight bay of the pirate ship and the two men operating the grapple hook were joined by three more, suited shapes, armed with heavy beamers aimed at me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen was upset with herself, the coven and the situation. Upset that she had caused all this and potentially caused the death of Eric. She cursed the Coven that for all its might was not as military precise as she expected them to be. She had been with the humans and part of the Fleet for too long, she had forgotten how unorganized her sisters where when it came to keep appointments. The pirates were unexpected and the fact that the Sturgeon had neither bombs nor missiles was something that had been overlooked in the planning.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She was amazed how calm the young man was even in the most difficult situation. He displayed all the qualities her kind admired so much about the Terrans, and now he was at the mercy of pirate scum and too far away for her to influence them. If she could only sense him, but whatever the Narth had done to him made him invisible and unreadable to her.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But now that he was gone, there was no need for her human form. She was angry and the Scoopers were almost there. They would suffer her wraith!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The rescue capsule shattered as she grew into her real shape, pulling mass and energies from the Trans spatial regions, known to the coven as the nether worlds.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Scoopers manning the visual sensors were a superstitious bunch in the first place, and as they saw the fiery winged creature that exploded out of the rescue capsule, they started to panic. One of the scoopers controlling one of the FTL towers fired at the horrifying creature, even though the weapon beam hit the thing square in the chest, it had no effect. Claws oozing pure energy grabbed the hull of the closest scooper ship tearing it open, as if it was made of paper. The scoopers heard a high pitched in-human screaming laughter before they died.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Ancient legends described fiery, horrible demons and the Scoopers learned that these legends were true!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They had the capsule open in no time and one of them opened his helmet, revealing a dark brown human face, partially disfigured by crude looking Cybernetics. Only one of his eyes was still human, the other was an Optic sensor of some kind glowing greenish, probably enhanced to see in the dark. Much of his skull was metal. He held a big Thompson E Blaster aimed at my stomach area and grunted. “It is always a pleasure to catch a Union Fish. Your kind fetches good money on the markets!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His companions paid little attention to me and started to salvage the capsule behind me, one of them simply pushed me aside.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The cybernetic enhanced man snickered and spoke into some kind of Comm. Unit attached to his chest piece. “Captain, we got us a Union Soldier Boy, if I read the rank insignia correctly, it’s just an Academy Student or something.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well strip the rat, put him in the hold and make sure I get his space suit.” An unseen voice responded

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It seemed they did not see me as a big threat. The Cybernetic guy looked past me and screamed. Hey “Farnhill, I claim those ration bars!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A voice behind me said.” I found them first; you can claim my shit when I digest them!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Cybernetic skull got angry! Stomped closer, I grabbed the muzzle of his blaster, gave it a sharp tug and threw myself backwards, while burying my right foot in his crotch lifting him right over me. He crashed upside down into the Capsule, collided with one of the pirates who leaned bent over into the capsule.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In all this I found time pulling my TKU and I fired, at the two thugs to the left, who had torn open the emergency landing survival kit that was attached to the capsule.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Neither man was shielded; the sun hot bursts killed them instantly.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The second burst had not really left my blaster when I rolled to the side. The fifth Pirate who had remained by the winch reacted, and had his blaster out and fired. His blast burned a glowing hole into the deck plating where I had been a heartbeat ago. My third burned him and part of the grappling hook controls and took him out of the equation.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mr. Cybernetic and his companion at the capsule had not even managed to untangle themselves so far. I aimed the blaster at them. “Please do something! Please! I want to kill you so bad!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I moved so I could keep an eye on the air lock. I expected more of the crew appearing at any moment.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both the cybernetic enhanced man and the other held up their hands and looked at me with startled faces. The other had humanoid shape but now I saw he was Togar.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I aimed the gun somewhere between them and with a theatrical gesture dialed the TKU to a higher setting. The Union Blaster complied with a satisfying short increasing humming sound. “How many are in your crew?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Only the Captain and Stoo are left, you killed the rest!” Hissed the cybernetic enhanced guy.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are a Nibus!” Cursed the Togar.” Don’t tell him that!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The cybernetic eye made an almost inaudible sound and I fired, fearing he had some kind of weapon activated. The blast incinerated most of the Cybernetic guy’s upper torso and melted much of the Togar’s Armor. The feline alien screamed and collapsed into a smoking pile. Just then the air lock door opened and a short man with a gaudy looking uniform entered. “Why are you not responding...?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I gave him no chance to do anything and fired right before his feet. “One step, one move and you are dead!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He paled and raised his hands. “These bumbling idiots did not disarm you?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have had a very bad day and my patience has worn thin. I would love to kill you right now, so don’t tempt me!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It seems you have what it takes. Instead of being a slave, how about I am offering you a partnership.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No partnership. I take your ship and you get mine! Get into the capsule!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You won’t get far! There are fifty Togar armed to the teeth and they will tear you apart!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Did you count Stoo?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">His face fell for a second but it was enough. I raised the weapon. “Either you get into the capsule now or I fry you. I have little time!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He cursed like I never heard anyone curse. He was armed with at least four different blasters and a large boarding sword; He walked towards the capsule and then became slower. “I am going to kill you slowly for this!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If you even so much as try to draw your weapon, it be the best thing you could do. You see I need an excuse to kill and that would be one!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was certain he believed me as he climbed into the capsule and sat onto my old seat. I triggered the automatic of my suit, the film helmet inflated in an eye blink.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Put your hands on the hand rests and keep them there.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He glared at me in pure hatred but he complied.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Outer airlock controls were simple. I kept the TKU trained at him,

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Hammered my fist on the Emergency Air lock release and grabbed as fast as I could after the hand hold next to it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Air lock burst open and sucked the dead bodies and the capsule out into space. He dared not to fire as he did not wear a space suit and in order to get me he would have to fire through the transparent front shield.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The air was gone fast and I had no problem reaching for the control and closing it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now there was one crew member left and then I needed to figure out how to fly this ship and rescue the Commander.

Chapter 35: Interlude: Logistics
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Lt. Harrison liked logistics. He never wanted to do anything else really. It fitted his meticulous character and string sense of order, to be responsible for material flows and acquisitions. He liked proper filled acquisition forms and hated the ones filled out partially or incorrectly. He expected that the fields not needed were marked with n/a for not applicable. How easy was it for the requestor to fill out these Computronic forms, why could they not pay attention to the little details, like he did?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He looked at the next form coming up. Now this was a perfectly filled out form, it came from Bone Yard 49 of all places and it was for 50 Loki Torpedoes, 2000 TKU rifles, Twenty Quasimodos and 10 Cerberus XI robots. All in all nothing special and the form was properly filled; it carried the necessary command officer seal. He cared little why they needed these things there and was already sending the necessary ware house instructions and designated a transport while he contemplated to contact the officer and commenting him or her for such a perfect order form. He swiped his hand to reveal page two of the form and to put his signature on it and to file the form when he saw that the, Notes field for special instructions was also filled out, no one ever filled out this field. Logistics did not need special instructions, they were professionals. Even though field 32a on the Form was there since requisition form 44563-B replaced requisition form 44563-A over fifty years ago, it should not be marked!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And whoever filled out the form so correctly bumbled so badly on page two, requesting Engineering Manual 12X. That was the detailed field manual for Translocator Cannons. It should have been requested under field twelve on page one. Since it was a highly classified document it needed two Command level signatures!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He triggered the Comm. Link code associated with the requestor and got an Oromal specialist three minutes later. He checked the specialists name and classification, like all Oromal he had a tongue twister for a name, Noxthyxthyazonix. So he said. “Specialist, I am processing your requisition form. I wanted to comment you how neat and well it was filled out, but you are not authorized to order Manual 12 X it requires two of your command officers signatures and Nelson verification!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am sorry Lt. Harrison, but Admiral Swybar ordered these things and one of his associates added the Manual request later. I am just a specialist; he is the Chief of Logistics.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Harrison blinked. “Are you out of your mind, Specialist? Admiral Swybar is dead! He has been executed!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He is the one who signed the Order form, sir! He is here and he is not dead.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Harrison checked the Signature in detail and this time cross checked it with Nelson, the Fleet’s Central AI. The response came back almost immediately.” Signature authorized to Commodore Arnold.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Harrison knew Arnold; he used to be the right hand of Admiral Swybar. All this didn’t sound right. He disconnected the call to Bone Yard 49 and asked the Computronic to connect him to NAVINT.

Chapter 36: Interlude: Boneyard
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">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!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He was no fool however and knew his associates were just as resourceful and the Kermac went through all these troubles to get something from Koken. If a civilization as mighty as the Kermac went through all this to get whatever it was, then it was something very valuable. Valuable things meant power and something an entire Civilization wanted must be very valuable. He wanted revenge and his main target was this cursed Admiral McElligott, this self-righteous immortal who had no right to be in charge or even still alive.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac agent interrupted his day dreaming. “How long do you think before the supplies you ordered arrive?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He wiped his lips with a napkin. “The secret of success in logistics is to play the system. The form is properly filled and no one will raise any alarm bells and you get your hands on Quasimodos, Loki Torpedoes and even Cerberus robots, but the system cannot be rushed if you want to operate under the scanners. I expect the first transport to be here in three days.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac could not believe his luck. What legions of spies had not accomplished he would gain in one sweep and one mission. He would return with a marvelous ship filled with Union secrets and the very manual how to service and make Translocator cannons! Such a success would secure him the seat of the Supreme Wizard. The bumbling fool occupying the seat now would be swept aside. He smiled at the human ex Admiral without saying a word, but as soon as the supplies arrived he was no longer needed and he would show this human what Kermac did to those that outlived their usefulness.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He cared less about the secrets the First Wizard wanted secured. The real secret was not in believing in ancient prophecies and living in the past, but do it like the Terrans and embrace the future. He was certain that this was the true key to success. With the Terran weapon secrets exposed and duplicated, they could not keep that huge area controlled and pacified, chaos would reign and the Kermac would rise under his rule. The old wizard clung to the old phantasy that the Y’All would come again, but they had been defeated before and if they ever came they would be defeated again. No this was not the way! Waking the Kermac out of their lethargic state and take control themselves, lead the vassal civilizations with an iron fist and control the Galaxy, that was the goal and with the things he gained here, he would lay the foundation.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The other man remained quiet, even though the others thought he was an agent of the worm, he was really working for the First Son of the Dark Church. His mission was to get his hands on whatever the Kermac wanted to find on Koken. He had orders to dispose of both of them as soon as their usefulness ended. The First Church of Darkness never left any open ends

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac leaned forward. “Why not use your connections and get us perhaps a few spare parts for Translocator Cannons?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry about that, but it would raise too many flags. Especially since such a request needs two command level signatures verified by Nelson.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I thought you can fake the signatures of a dozen High level Officers?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I can, but Officer Signatures are complex and no fake will make it past Nelson. Be satisfied with what you get. Translocators have to wait.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">DEMONS 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In all my anger about my situation I could not help but pity the pirates. I wondered how they could have survived out here, being so amateurish. Stoo turned out to be some sort of semi sentient pet lizard of 3 meters length and five pairs of legs. It had bright red and yellow scaled skin and an ugly looking head with at least 4 pairs of eyes, maybe more. It posed no threat as it was in a cage on the small bridge of the cruiser. The only time I seen as much filth and garbage was in the basement of my old friend. The air was reeking of organic, slightly sweet and sour odors that made me gag. There was damp laundry hung from hooks and ropes strung across the narrow main corridor. The engine compartment looked like an exploded hardware store. The main power coupling had been repaired with everything but the right parts. Someone had actually used a sledgehammer to fit, what looked like an old Ult shield coil into the housing of a Kartanian shield generator, the sledgehammer was still there and the coil looked bent, and deformed at one end, but for some strange reason it not only worked, these old but very powerful Ult Coils boosted the Kartanian shield to more than six times their original output. A Shiss made Control unit hooked into a Nul Graviton, connected to a piece of alien hardware I could not identify, partially glued and welded to the floor. Either the last engineer was the greatest genius or simply mad and very lucky but this wild mix of technologies and systems seemed to work just fine.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The weapon energy lines and the weapons itself were meticulously maintained however and the power levels of the ships FTL cannons were quite impressive for a flying garbage dump like this.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To my surprise, there was no Command chair but an actual leather sofa, with a wooden back, glued with Stick and Fix to the floor. The leather was worn down and there were smudgy looking pillows. While the original Kartanian design was not too different from Union bridge layouts, most of the consoles were dark, or torn apart to salvage parts. The ship was operated from three Consoles still intact.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Computronic had no objections to take my commands and it turned out the old security codes and safety measures had been disabled, making me think that the last owner did not buy this ship but took it from someone else.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The scanners, to my surprise were Union made GE brand, High Efficiency with special filter software to compensate for the dense micro matter soup out there. It took me at least an hour but I finally figured out the main layout. I found the rescue pod with the former captain of this vessel and also saw the other two pirate ships.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Even though the vessel had better sensors for these conditions than I had, their efficiency was reduced, and I didn’t have all too much sensor operation experience, it took me another 12 minutes to find the energy signature I believed belonged to the Scooper vessels that took the Commander.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t want to stick around much longer; it looked like the other pirates had found the rescue pod and sooner than later, the captain would be able to tell his story to them, besides I had to rescue the Commander!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just as I accelerated, one of the Energy signatures exploded in scale and the visual sensors captured a violent explosion. One of the Scooper vessels just exploded. A cold fist cramped around my stomach and I opened all hailing frequencies, disregarding my initial plan to sneak up on them.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Here is Midshipman Olafson; I am hailing the scooper vessels. You have captured a Union Officer, if you are under attack send me coordinates and situation so I can assist. Be assured I will fight you to the last ship if you harmed the Commander in any way!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was no response.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">GWEN 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In order to flee their doomed Universe the Coven opened a gate to another dimension, another reality known by the ancients as the Netherworlds. Almost all sentient civilizations had legends about creatures of evil nature dwelling in a fiery dark place full of unspeakable horrors. The humans of Earth once believed in a place called Hell, the Saresii called it Natkah, the Ult knew it as Huhun and the Klack called it Akth’tjak. Dr. Isah the most brilliant scientist Earthers ever knew once released a paper about a dimension he called Under-Verse, a condition of space separate from the regular Omniverse. The Coven fled into that Nether Space and did escape the destruction of their own reality, but at a price. They had to become creatures of the Netherworld, loose much of their original identity and knowledge, but even in their adapted forms they were only unwanted guests and had to leave.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen did not know much of the details and understood little of what occurred, as it happened long before her essence was restored, but like all of the Coven she was as much a creature of that world as she was now a life form in this Universe. She loved and hated her true form with equal intensity. Freed of the fragile human form she was a creature of power, able to roam space without the aid of a space ship, feeding on energies but she was also deprived of sensations of smell and touch. So simple these sensations seemed, so much did she miss them when she no longer had them. The ability to feel cold and heat, to feel moisture and release emotions with a few tears were treasures humans took for granted. No she would return to her human form, she would mourn for that human that was so brave and then she had to face the anger of the Coven and perhaps even the anger of the Narth for being instrumental in his demise.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There, the pirate vessel came into the reach of her senses. They too would face her anger! She had to be careful though, she remembered that they used Gravitational weapons, these weapons were quite capable of hurting her, or even destroying her essence. To be flung back into the netherworlds without essence was a fate worse than death.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Vessel used Tachyon Radio, she could pick up the emissions, maybe she could scare them telling her what they did to Eric.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">At first she could not believe it but it was Eric’s Voice! He somehow managed to take over the vessel and was searching for her! Against all odds he still remembered his promise to her! She needed to change back; she needed her human form because only then could she laugh. What a poor creature she was now, she had the power to fight starships, travel faster than light with a mere thought and yet she could not laugh. But in her rage she had destroyed her rescue pod and with it her suit.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Eric would be frightened and in panic if he would see her that way.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then she heard the voice of the Coven.” Do not hide! Let him see your true form. His reaction will determine his fate and our decision!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The human is brave and he fought for me. You know how mortals react if they see us in our true form. I care much for this man and I care for the Union.” “Oh little sister, don’t throw away your home and heritage so easily. What affection would it be if you have to lie to him for the rest of his existence? She, who loves the warrior, has shown him her true form and he has not changed his mind.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Whatever argument Gwen wanted to say was no longer valid as the vessel was within optical sensor reach.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">ERIC

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I expected anything but that! The visual sensor displayed drifting debris of two or three space ships and in the midst a glowing thing. My mind raced to find something to compare it with, but failed. It was a creature, something that lived I was certain. It was about sixty or seventy meters long, it had elements of what a dragon might have looked like, but it had also humanoid elements, leathery wings that seemed to be on fire. Fire with flames were impossible in the vacuum of space, yet there was one creature in my cultures mythical lore that would have looked much like whatever it was that floated out there, Sutr, the Fire Giant! The all-powerful Giant and enemy of Thor and Odin!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As much as I believed in science and rationality, I was raised in a society that still worshiped gods and believed in supernatural beings, for all I knew I was facing a real Demon!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">At first I felt fear, and I wanted to turn the ship and flee, maybe come back with a fleet of Battle Ships but that was no option. Maybe Gwen was still alive, against all odds. She could still be in her Escape Pod and just not visible to my scanners yet, even if she was dead. No matter the form of the creature, this was a first contact situation and I wanted to be a fleet officer. Running was no real option, no matter what. Maybe the thing could be hailed. Attempting to make contact was the first step.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I opened the program bank of the Computronic and asked if it had First Contact Protocols loaded. Of course it had not! What would a pirate ship need first Contact protocols anyway?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">So far the creature did nothing. It was just floating there. There was no telling if it could sense me or not, but I was certain that a being that could survive in space had some means of sensor input adapted to this environment. Would it be able to receive Tachyon radio?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I opened all available channels and tried the direct approach, if it was able to receive the transmission maybe it was able to determine that I was not hostile. The being however looked everything but friendly, every aspect of the creature spelled death and destruction.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is Midshipman Eric Olafson, representing the United Stars of the Galaxy. I am on a rescue mission and seeking a being much like me; if you are able to understand me I am open for dialog.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">GWEN 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was pride in the telepathic voice of the creature that was Gwen. “He acts just like a Union Fleet Officer should. He tries first Contact procedures!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“He is in a starship with weapons that masks his fear!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Of course he fears me I am so much bigger and more powerful than he is, in the fact that he overcomes this fear lies his and the human’s strength. He is still half a child even in his society, he is not even fully trained and despite all the obstacles he came through!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You speak like an advocate for the humans.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am an advocate in my human form, and I realize just how much human I have become. I am born of the Coven but I shall end it in human form whenever my time has come and my allegiance is with the Union.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are the second sister of the Coven that makes such decisions. Proceed as we had planned and bring him here. We must learn more. We are curious what he will do if he learns what you truly are!” <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">ERIC 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was a long shot after all, the creature did not respond. What other options did I have, to make contact? Maybe contact was not possible, maybe the creature was not sentient. I doubted my own suggestion; somehow I knew the thing was sentient. I needed to go on and find Gwen or find out what had happened to her and then I had to return to Union space.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Just then the Computronic signaled an incoming transmission. “Eric, don’t be alarmed I mean you no harm. Please let me come aboard and let me explain.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That the voice of the creature sounded like crackling fire was something I actually expected, but not what the creature was saying. “Well I am sure glad that you don’t mean any harm but I this ship isn’t big enough for you.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I will reduce my size, Eric you know me. I am Gwen”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That response caught me completely off guard. Was this some sort of holographic projection? Was this a life from that perhaps mimicked or copied the personality or voice of the victims it killed or perhaps ate? Why could things not stay easy and normal around me? It seemed there was always another door opening revealing something completely knew, always when I thought I had something figured out. I opened the response channel,

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Alright let us assume for the moment that I believe you and you are Gwen. Did you eat her and now use her memories to trick me into something? On the other hand if I judge the situation correctly it was you who tore those ships apart and you somehow being Gwen is the reason I am not shredded to bits.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was sure there were other options and my captured junk pile was well armed, including a few of those Ult Gravo Mines. I was contemplating releasing two of them and thus trap or even destroy that creature. However beginning hostilities with a new life form was clearly not what a Union Officer was supposed to do.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am Gwen. I am Commander Brown, Eric. I have more than one shape and this is my true form!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am opening the cargo bay door. Not that I am very comfortable doing so, but I doubt we have all too much time. If the previous owner of this ship explained to his buddies what happened we might have a few pirates on our tail soon.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">In vain did I try to find a remote control to open the Cargo door and the ships Computronic was no help, claiming to have no circuits to do so for me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">What weapon should I take to meet the demon like creature? Thor fought Sutr with his hammer and Odin had his mighty sword. Somehow I wished I had Mjördaren with me, as the TKU blaster felt inadequate.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Pirate’s ship small arms collection was impressive but nothing really better than a TKU, at least from the stuff I could identify. So I went down the damp smelling corridor and into the small cargo hold.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">After I had cycled the air out and pressed the door opening controls, I pressed my teeth together and hoped I did make the right decision.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The thing looked even more frightening. It was not so much how it looked, I had seen renderings of Demons at Hasvik, but the fact that it actually existed. That it emitted flames in an environment where there should be no flames and that it had parts of its body that looked like sections of fresh slaughtered beings. It had horn like extensions much like the Nogoll but much bigger and twisted. Bright white energy like fog wafted out of a horrifying maw like breath from a raging Fangsnapper in a cold Longnight winter. It had four arms with razor sharp claws, but quite distinctively formed like a human hand complete with four fingers and a thumb.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Communication was impossible as the emergency space suit function of my uniform did not include a tachyon radio.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As it came closer it did shrink steadily and I noticed the large wings and was certain this creature could survive in space but was not at home there. Appendixes of any kind were pretty useless and I was certain that even in the densest part of the matter cloud there was not enough for wings to be of any use.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It now was only about twice the size of a man as it passed the door halves. I closed the doors and that started the air cycle as well. The creature kept shrinking and changing as well! It shifted and shimmered into a naked woman that looked exactly like Gwen!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I folded my helmet back into the collar and we stared at each other then she said. “Permission to come aboard?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Permission granted.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She wrapped her hands around her firm looking small breasts and looked cold and miserable.” I will explain it all to you, but can I find myself something to wear? It is very cold!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And that’s from a being that just came from deep space and looked as hot as an active volcano.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “It is more than a shape shift, Eric. I am now one hundred percent human female and we do tend to get cold easily.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It actually took us almost an hour to find something for her to wear, that was reasonably clean and somewhat suitable, but a trunk stored in the stuffed mess hall was filled with pre packed mechanic coveralls and one fit her reasonably well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As she was done putting it on she wanted to say something when the ship jerked violently. I ran back to the bridge, almost certain knowing the reason.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t bother to check; I manually raised the shields to max and accelerated in the first best direction. I needed a few moments to orient myself and hoped to gain enough time that way.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Now I took the time to sit down in the Helm position and checked the scanners. As I expected the two other pirate ships had found us. My randomly chosen course was taking us straight for the matter expanse and whatever botch job the engineer of this ship did to the engines was quite impressive, that Kartanian rust bucket accelerated almost as good as the brand new Sturgeon I had lost and took us out of their weapon range for the moment.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Of course I could not maintain this kind of acceleration even with the reinforced shields of this ship, the matter was getting denser and the shields were getting strained.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I leaned over to the Tactical controls and with the tips of my fingers I released the two Gravo mines, with a 2 second delay. I hoped they would pull a big ball of matter behind us, completely masking us from their sensors.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen appeared and said. “Let me take Helm, I know this place and the secret path.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There would be time later, at least I hoped to ask what she meant, but now I simply let her do what she wanted to, got up and placed myself behind the other console.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My plan had worked, the Gravo mines created a dense matter ball, but as amateurish the pirates were in trying to capture me, as good they seemed in piloting ships in this soup. One of them was just coming around the outer fringes of the dense cloud I had created behind us. Whoever piloted that ship was very good, skimming the fringes of the Gravo mine effect envelope with virtually nothing to spare, but that put him in a very bad spot, because I executed part two of my escape plan and fired the FTL into the dense matter ball. Volatile gases and matter pulled by dense gravity didn’t need much to ignite! My shot had created an intense fire ball behind me and a new temporary micro star. The other pirate was too close, his shields already strained. The pursuing ship disappeared in the blinding light. What ever happened to the other I could not say but if they were around their sensors would be completely blind towards us.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I turned my attention to what Gwen was doing and noticed she flew the ship in a complicated course through a nearly invisible path of less dense matter deeper into the nebula.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">INTERLUDE: NELSON OMNITRONIC 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Nelson was more than a giant Computronic. It had been built by SII Intelli-Systems and an army of the finest X101 Cybertronic engineers. It was designed by Mother Machine herself and it was without question the most advanced artificial intelligence system in the known Universe second only to Mother Machine herself. It was built inside Phobos, one of the moons of Mars. It was one of seven such systems, networked to each other, but Nelson was the core system.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It lacked true self-awareness, something the system engineers carefully avoided and prevented. The Nelson Operation and Management (NOAM) team consisted of the finest cybernetic talent.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Neuro Electronic Lead System Operations Navy processed and managed the incredible flood of data created every second by the United Stars Fleet. Every report, every material request, every personnel decision was analyzed, stored and filed. Despite its size and efficiency it turned out to be too small and overwhelmed by the flood of data. Reports slipped through, requests delayed. True Quantum computing had been pursued since the early 21st century but a real quantum level computing system that did not turn sentient and therefore dangerous had not been developed. SII experimented with Bionetic alternatives and used such systems for years were deemed unreliable.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Admiral Dr. Holman knew all this as he was one of the four System Administrators of Nelson. He had just finished his daily conference with Mother Machine; a System he would have married if that would have been possible. Mother Machine was the only thing he loved more than Nelson. It was his opinion to simply relocate Nelson to Factory and make it an extension of Mother Machine. She would know how to introduce sentient qualities to Nelson and control the system at the same time.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mother Machine kept refusing and the Union council for Fleet Control was also opposed to this idea.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Holman was certain the answer did not lie in a bigger system, but in making Nelson sentient and allow the system to live up to its potential. The true problem was not the system but the inadequate beings operating it and interpreting the data.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While he made a few notes and send work orders to the appropriate engineering teams, he never questioned the suggestions Mother Machine made, even though he hotly debated them when she was online with him, and had them implemented.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Mother Machine always complained about his lack of objectivity and called him a love-struck sack of carbon based cells, so he argued her suggestions, just to keep her happy and did what she wanted anyway. He was not System Administrator of Nelson because he was a fool; he was a true genius with a level 12 intellect. He graduated with highest honors of the University of Cybernetic Engineering on Factory, the only Terran Human ever to achieve this feat.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While he was working he patted the dome shaped NELSON interface on his desk. The chrome metallic shape was only one of many such interfaces but despite all his intellect he was still human and illogical emotions ruled his behavior as much as his brilliant mind did. Like a soccer ball sunken halfway into his desk, this shiny chrome object was Nelson and he patted it like a proud father patted his first born son.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I hate to interrupt you, Admiral Holman,” said the well-modulated artificial male voice of Nelson.” But I have a logical problem here that seems impossible and frankly I need the help of a biological brain to sort it out!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You never interrupt me and you know you can call me Barry when we are alone.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Logic dictates that when a being is doing something and is addressed by a third party with a matter unrelated to the activity, it constitutes as an interruption. So I do interrupt you quite frequently and we both agreed that we should maintain a level of professional distance to limit the danger of emotional based errors and judgments.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Barry Holman sighed.” You sound more like a Narth every day.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Perhaps this is due to the fact that we now have a team of Narth Experts working on improving my capabilities until we can migrate to Nelson II.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Logic also dictates that I am now completely disrupted and if you present me with your problem maybe we can discuss it, so I can go back to implement work orders. Despite all the marvelous improvements the Narth suggest, Mother Machine’s suggestions hold much merit.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then it comes to no surprise to you that Mother Machine finds the Narth level of engineering so far advanced that she herself will implement some of their Ideas.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He leaned back. “Please tell me about your problem.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is a request order for a Translocator Cannon Manual coming from Bone Yard 79. It has been signed by only one authorized Officer. The signature is authentic except it missed the mental wave component, signed by an Officer known to be 1200 Light years away from the place the signature was filed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This is serious and indicates fraud and perhaps a case of espionage. As serious as it is it should not represent a logical problem to you. I am sure such attempts happen often and you should report this to NAVINT with a red flag since it involves Translocators.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have already done so. The problem I have is that the Issuing Technician on Bone Yard 79 reports that Admiral Swybar made a whole list of material requisitions including Cerberus Robots, Loki Torpedoes, Attikan Engines and so forth, yet the signatures point to a former Assistant of said Admiral. I checked the visuals and even though the person has an altered appearance, I am certain to 99 % that it was Admiral Swybar who made the requests. Motion patterns, retina pattern, behavior and voice patterns all match. Yet said Admiral was executed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Holman activated his GalCom terminal before even answering Nelson. He used a special one digit emergency connection and said to the appearing Navint Officer. “We have a Level One Tech breach at Bone Yard 79. Someone unauthorized, masking as a former Admiral has acquired Level One Mil-Tech and is in the process to acquire more. Bone Yard 79 is also the depot for the RAMA project! This is a Level One alert!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To Nelson he said. “Scan all reports about Admiral Swybar. I want to know who executed him, what happened to his body and who requested his remains. I want to see every requisition form he or anyone of his staff has signed in the last five years!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Requests have been received and are processed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Holman then turned back to his GalCom Unit and said. “Direct Connection to Admiral McElligott!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">THE COVEN 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She programmed the Nav Computer with perhaps the most complex course I had ever seen, and she did so out of memory without the aid of a Nav Calculator app. She engaged it and only then turned around.” I am sorry Eric for putting you through all this, but I will answer all your questions.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Ma’am, I have so many questions and even more suspicions that I have a hard time to decide where to begin.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">My voice sounded angrier than I wanted it to be. “I have the sneaking suspicion I did not fall asleep all by myself. I don’t think that Nav Computer of the Sturgeon failed all on its own.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pointed a finger on her. “Now I don’t know who or what you are, but overwriting a Nav Computer on a Navy Computronic like that is not easy and I expect your sister on Pauli Station to be in on this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She simply looked at me so I continued. “Again I have no idea what you are but in doubt I will go by the book and you seem to be a serious threat to the Union and the Fleet and I should arrest you and have Union Command figure it out.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “I know how it looks to you and you are not so far off with your suspicions, but before you arrest me please open your PDD and activate your Order chip!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Again she surprised me, this time with a response I did not expect. However I did activate the PDD. The Order chip automatically engaged.” Cadet Olafson, time and spatial coordinates verify that you have reached the Igras Nebulae and that you have penetrated it further than any Union officer before. If all went according to plan you are now on the way to a secret planet called Coven, it is the home of a civilization with the same name. Not much is known about this civilization, other than they are to be considered as powerful and advanced as the Narth. Given this potential they present an opportunity and a danger to this Union like few others. You are in the company of an avatar or representative of said culture. Your orders are to obtain as much information as you can about the Coven and represent the Union on our behalf. Why such a mission has been given to a Cadet will be discussed when you come back, until then we expect you to act according to the training you already received and to the values we all live up to. Signed Admiral Richard Stahl.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen nodded.” Our existence is not known to many, but Admiral Stahl and a few others do know about us. I am a loyal Union Officer and hope my kind will soon join the Union.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I raised my hands. “I still have no idea what this is all about, but even if all this is true and Fleet Command knows about it, why me? Why not send an experienced Xeno contact team, I am but a Cadet. I am sure Admiral Stahl has enough clout to send anyone!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are not like other civilizations. We are not millions, but less than one hundred. There is no need for a public vote we simply decide if it is right for us to join. I was asked to find someone I think would represent the Union well and I met you and found you to be perfect.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Just like that? I am not a perfect specimen to represent the Union or the Fleet. I am flawed!” I blushed. “You know about it! You have seen my personal file.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“That is part of the reason you were chosen! We of the Coven might even have an answer to your burning question and your gender.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What has this to do with anything? I still don’t see why me? There are the Saresii; they are experts in this kind of thing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“The Saresii know about us. They have legends and pre conceived ideas about us, we wanted someone who is free of all this. Someone who has no preconceptions about us, most sentient beings are utmost terrified seeing our true form and cannot see beyond genetic and cultural implanted stereotypes. You have seen my true form and you have not acted in panic or fear but given me a chance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“With all due respect, I might be from a backwater world but I have seen some strange life forms already. One of my friends is a Non Corp. His true form puts your fiery self to shame. He might not have this demon shape quality but I am sure he could take on such a form as easy as he takes on human shape. I had a Shaill Xeno Bio Instructor at the academy. A two meter, slime oozing slug with eyes on stalks, able to mix the most deadliest psycho drugs with a mere thought and command to his own body glands and I have seen something that is far more frightening, mind boggling and wonderful at the same time than you. So comparing you to all that, your true form isn’t all that frightening.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen looked at me with big eyes.” I don’t exactly how I appeared to you. Our true form cannot be seen by beings of this plane. Your eyes and senses give us a proximity shape and each being sees us different, genetic inherited fears about demons, devils and Hell are put into form and shape and cause terrible fear and horror in those who see us. You are only the second being of this universe that looks beyond this fear. Maybe it is as you say, the children of man have grown long beyond their primeval fears and fantasies being exposed to the incredible diversity life has taken in the Universe.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I actually smiled.” Ma’am, I would lie if I say I understood what you are trying to say, but if you say I saw you like I expected Sutr the fire Demon to look like then you are spot on. I was raised in a society who believes in such things, but it is also the hallmark of a real Norse to stand tall against such denizens of the deep. As much as it might disappoint you, but appearing in your true self on Nilfeheim would not cause all that much panic, but start a fight among the men who would be chosen to fight you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed.” Terrans, you are so different from all the other beings in the Universe! Every other society fears and flees if they come face to face with what they believe are demons, Terrans want to fight it!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t know much about Terrans, Ma’am. I can only tell about the backwater Norse Neo Vikings of Nilfeheim!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Your kind has left Terra before any Aliens mingled, your Norse have stayed isolated ever since and as much as you are children of Nilfeheim, you are guests on that world and your blood and DNA is a true and undiluted Terran as can be. Sorry Eric, but as much as you think you are of Nilfeheim as much are you a true child of Terra.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well since it seems you know more about us than I do, why not telling me exactly what you are? If I get you right you say you are indeed Demons, the kind that bathes in brimstone and tortures souls in the name of Hel?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“We are demons indeed that are perhaps the closest description or term. Imagine the Universe like an Onion if you will. Each layer of skin is composed of an incredible number of parallel universes. Each universe holds a finite number of elements, atoms, energies, particles and time. Each universe represents a possible combination of all those elements. In another Universe Eric Olafson might be an Attikan, or a Shaill. You might be a girl or a rock in yet another; there is a Universe where you do not exist at all because the elements are combined in such a way that prohibits all life.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And all these Universes are separated by layers and conditions of space, incomprehensible by your senses of sight and mind. This is why you need special equipment to navigate in Quasi space and sensors and scanners that look down into your own universe. No being of this universe can look out the window in Quasi Space and see anything. It is eternal darkness, yet ask a Narth they will tell you that Quasi Space is anything but dark, anything but empty and yet Quasi space is in spatial terms only a thin layer between the other dimensions of space and time.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She paused for a moment to give me time to keep up and I felt I was once more in a class of Trans-spatial physics where a Level 10 intellect teacher tried to make us understand the basic mechanics of our trans-dimensional technology we used every day. “I think I follow so far, as long as you not try to ask me for a test later and put into an equation what you tried to tell me.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No worry, I am at a loss to understand what these Meta Math and Trans Dim Physic experts talk about. I am just a being from such different Universe that does not mean I understand it all. Just let me explain it to you as much as I understand it myself.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I motioned her to do just that, and so she continued. “Now my kind was actually just a group of female beings from another Universe. We do not know if we have been human or humanoid, most of our memories from our Home universe are lost. Our universe was ruled by what you would call magic, not technology. Of course these are merely terms to describe the same thing. We had and have the ability to channel the energies of a dimension we call the Nether region. The opposite what you would call Hyperspace, a layer below the one you occupy. Not that the terms up and down really mean much in terms of spatial temporal layers of existence. But it helps to understand if I say that all these Universe bubbles swim above this nether region and if you know how to penetrate the veil that separates it all, you can travel, using that nether region, to all the other universes.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She stopped again and sighed. “I am losing my thread, but it is so hard to explain something like that, because I barely understand it myself. What I wanted to say is that we were a group of females, fighting with a means of a form of magic or perhaps just another form of psionics against others. We, as well as our enemies channeled energies and the powers of beings living in the netherworld to do our bidding. The fight we fought reached a point where it was clear our very universe was doomed and bound to be destroyed.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We searched for a way to escape the imminent doom and found it by transferring ourselves as a group into the Nether regions. Thus we removed ourselves from our universe and escaped its destruction. What we did however violated the RULE. Because in the greater order of things, the Universes must stay separate. Nothing that belongs in one Universe is to be allowed into another. Each universe is balanced and introducing something from another Universe is like introducing a virus, something foreign and something that disturbs the balance.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What is the Rule?” I wanted to know.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It’s basically a set of natural laws that govern how all works together. At least that is how I understand it.” She checked the course and seemed satisfied with the result. “Now we of the Coven escaped the destruction of our universe but were more or less unwanted guests in the Nether regions and we were eventually expelled into this, your universe. We lost much of our knowledge and memories of the old universe but we are still connected to the Netherworlds with our physical appearance as there is not a single atom left over in this universe for us to use, every molecule has its place and use and technically we have no business being here, so we use a compromise and occupy the bodies of beings of this universe and share it with its true owner. It is a symbiosis as we are able to exist in this universe and the other part gains virtual immortality. So I am really Gwen and I really am something like a demon. A being from another realm, not able to exist in this without her, we are very old but not indestructible.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I swallowed. “So you say there really is a Hell, a place with demons and such?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No I am saying there are the nether worlds and there have been interactions between our realms ever since time began and these interactions are the source of all those fairy tales and mythological stories you humans and all the other beings of this realm have. Your ancestors could not explain thunder so they imagined Gods throwing big hammers. The same way they could not explain the occasional interaction between these planes of existence and called the apparitions demons and devils. The veil that separates these planes of existence is not impenetrable and once in a while there is an exchange and such an exchange is usually the source of a legend or a tale of gods and demons.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I scratched the stubble on my chin. “While it all somehow makes sense and technically not so hard to understand, it still is heavy material and hard to comprehend, it explains why you floated in space and looked like a demon. It explains somewhat why you are also look like a human woman. It even gives substance and background to stories and fairy tales and the old saying that there is a speck of truth even in the most outlandish story and tale, but it opens a can of worms of even more questions. Does that mean magic is real? Does that mean someone can actually mix Fangsnapper blood and teeth of a one eyed cliff eel with the hair of a virgin to make a potion that makes someone invisible and all that? Does that mean that souls exist and go into a nether region? Is there a land of the death? And if there is a Nether region, is there an opposite, an upper region where the gods live?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If there are souls or an existence after death, we don’t know and I think that is a question everyone needs to answer for itself until perhaps someday there is a scientific discovery that says it is so or it is not. I don’t know how the original Coven managed to pass to the netherworlds, that knowledge is lost to us. I can tell you that the Coven of this Universe started out mixing potions and seeking answers the alchemist way, looking for ways of making transmutation real. Of course no combination of matter regardless of origin will open gates or channel energies, all these rites are just an expression, a tool to quantify and explain what really happens.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Gwen you see before you, the body of the woman was born on Earth before the Industrial revolution and she was what you would call a witch. She did all these things a witch would do; none of it has any effect or power. Your society accepts Psionics as a part of the natural universe, because your science advanced far enough to understand that if you look really close at matter, nothing is solid and atoms are by far not the smallest thing, that the world of sub-atomics is as complex as the macro cosmos. There are particles that exist simultaneous in more than one dimension and some that swing back and forth. The marvelous instantaneous communication you all take for granted is based on such super exotic particles, it allows data bits to travel outside the realm of this space and distances measured in light years are not Trans versed but circumvented. All sentient beings regardless of origin have some form of psionic ability. Have you ever wondered how you are able to draw a gun, aim and fire and at the same time duck for cover, and still have time to think about your next steps and actions? In all this your eyes manage to see, your nose smells, and your heart beats and your glands produce adrenaline. It would take a Nelson Supercomputronic, for every human to really run a human body after a program. The only way all this can happen if your brain is able to perform some of its functions faster than the speed of light. Before man reached the stars, Eric, you thought the speed of light is the limit of everything, yet the speed of thought is much faster! Now beings with Psionics as you know have the conscious ability to access the same realms as the super exotic particles. We of the Coven are no different we simply access a different realm. All the chants and potions, all the practices of the Dark Lore are simply a way to focus those talents. Once you realize the truth, the chants and potions are no longer needed. It is very much explainable, very much quantifiable and with the right physics and math it could be made available to everyone in the form of technology based on that knowledge.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She leaned back looking exhausted and I felt the same way. My mind was swimming full of images and ideas and I knew I was scratching areas of knowledge not meant for me to understand, at least not yet.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Something in that sofa was poking my back quite painfully and brought me back to reality. I jumped up turned around, just to see something scaled, small and with lots of teeth disappear between the cushions!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I pulled my TKU at the same time as I tried to check my behind.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen laughed. “This ship is infested with Narlings, that’s why they keep the Hantkit Squirmer as a pet!” She pointed at the red scaled lizard in the cage.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I think I’ll burn this sofa!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“No worries Eric, we have reached Coven and while we are down you can let the Hantkit loose.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I stepped away from the infested sofa and glanced outside. Here in the middle of the matter nebula was a Solar system with a yellow sun that had burned with a strange halo, most certainly caused by sucking in the matter around it and there was one planet in the green zone and we were approaching it.

Chapter 37: Interlude: Bone Yard
<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar stood in the cargo bay of the Red Dragon and watched as a gang of S10 robots stowed away containers with real Loki torpedoes. His Kermac associate stood next to him with an almost feverish stare in his eyes. It would not take much and he would actually drool. The Agent of the worm was nowhere to be seen, but he expected him to be around. The Kermac pointed at a large cylindrical object that an Octobot had just lifted into the bay.” Is that really what I think it is?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes this is a genuine Terran P Bomb. One such device is enough to ruin the day of any planetary based opponent.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“How does it work and why is it called a P Bomb?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Officially it is designated a Ship to surface planetary incendiary device. It ignites a nuclear fire that consumes any matter. Once ignited on a planet the fire spreads and turns the entire surface of a planet into molten matter, there are no conventional means of stopping the fire as it consumes whatever you put it on including water, depending on the elements present the process can turn violent and the planet turns into a temporary sun. It takes millennia to burn out and what’s left is a smooth ball of nuclear cinder, turning the world into a parking lot, hence we call it Parking Lot Bomb, or P Bomb.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It amazes us how many nasty weapons the Union has and still claims to have the moral high ground.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Using will benders and enslaving entire civilizations to do your dirty work isn’t exactly very moral either!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is the natural way of things, we Kermac are superior and it is only fair that we open the eyes of others to that fact!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar was a ruthless man and his own morals had eroded long ago, but he did not become an Admiral of the Union fleet because he was stupid. He had been trained by the best and went through the most comprehensive training to become a Union Officer and he was trained to expect the unexpected and react to it. Something was wrong, at first he could not say what it was, but then he noticed that the Octobot had disappeared despite the fact that there was still a pile of supplies to be lifted into his ship.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac did not notice anything and said. “There is a manual I added to your supply request, make sure I get it right away when it comes aboard.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You added something to my request form?” Swybar asked carefully controlling his breath. “The secret to stay under the sensors is to play by the rules of the system. This fleet is not run by officers and Admirals but by bureaucracy and you must stick to the rules! There was no room for anything to add! What did you order?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac shrugged. “I am aware of your primitive bureaucracy and since I am unable to obtain a Transform Canon, I ordered a Maintenance Manual. It should give our Engineering thralls enough clues to figure out how they work.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar hit the Kermac so fast and so hard that he was thrown to the floor. “You idiot! You ruined everything! You could have had a ship load of secrets, more than every Kermac spy ever dreamed of taking home, but you were not satisfied! We are lucky to make it off this planet alive!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He turned and said.” Computronic, Emergency Procedure Theta Sigma! Emergency Lift off!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac touched his torn bio flex mask and the bloody lip below. The entire ship shook, hit by something powerful. As the bay doors closed he saw the shape of a Marine Drop ship in the distance.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar touched a panel on his left glove.” Rama Command: Defend this ship and destroy all intruders.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He knew, even the mighty Rama bots would not be enough to stop a drop ship load of Ultra Marines, but until they came up with the correct command codes it would buy him time enough to escape. He went as fast as he could to the ship’s bridge. Chances are the Marines did not come alone and there was a Union Battle ship or two in the system as well.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Not even with the powerful weapons he had installed would he dare to go against a fully armed Battle Ship, but with the new Attikan Engines and the Saresii Camouflage he certainly could out run them before they decided to launch Wolfcrafts.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was worse than he thought; there were five Battle ships in Orbit, and a sixth one just dropping into Real space. He recognized the new comer as the USS Shetland. It was the Union Flagship, and he knew her Commanding Officer Captain McKenzie. She was as experienced as they came, but as bad as it looked he had a few aces under his sleeve. The Red Dragon was the last product of the Yakazuma Ship Development Corporation. It was not moth balled because it was obsolete, but because Yakazuma lost the corporate battle against almighty SII. The Red Dragon was to be the answer of Yakazuma to the Fast Raider design competition. A Competition he himself initiated. Yakazuma once had been SII’s number One competitor in the field of space ship design and they had gone all out on this last effort to secure a company saving fleet contract. SII won the battle as it usually did with a hostile take-over and with every dirty trick in the book, but not by coming up with a better design. The Red Dragon was fast and now with oversized Attikan Engines, almost as fast as a Wolfcraft. It was meant to operate deep behind enemy lines, to raid colonies, destroy space factories and interrupt supply lines. It was designed to carry and drop Special Forces commandos on enemy planets, unseen and for this the finest Saresii camouflage technology available was incorporated. He deployed all eight decoy drones. Little marvels of Terran Saresii Technology, emitting the engine and mass signatures of battle ship sized enemies while his own engines emitted no more energy than a D 20 long range shuttle. While the Union Battle ships chased after eight blazing signals, he slipped away like a shadow.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He cursed the captain of the Shetland; she had barley dropped out of Quasi and already deployed Wolfcraft and Augurs. The Augurs was an unarmed version of the Wolfcraft, stuffed to the brim with the finest scanning technology. They would soon determine the true nature of the Decoys!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He had to reach the local sun fast!

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both his companions came on the bridge, just as his ship was rocked by another explosion! Frantically he checked the ships sensors, but no Wolfcraft or anything else was in range. Of course if one of the Battle ships noticed his location it would be too late, one single shot of a long sniper TLC would end his plans and he would not even notice the explosion that ended his live. So what happened?

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Red Dragon kept accelerating and with a brief sense of satisfaction he saw the Wolfcraft chase his Decoys and seconds later six bright suns stood in space behind him. Sniper rounds had ended the existence of his decoys.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">He wished for an experienced bridge crew, this ship was too big and too complicated to be flown into combat by him alone, but then he saw the reason. The damage board blinked red and indicated the complete loss of his most treasured secret. He howled as if in physical pain! His well-guarded secret, his own Translocator cannon had just exploded, but how? He had the engineers remove all safe guards or so he thought.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It could not be helped, he still had plenty of other fire power, and he had to escape. He had no illusions of escaping the hang man again if they ever caught him.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Then one of the Argurus turned. It had found him. No need to panic! He had three Silkworm Anti Fighter missiles. A shame to use them now, but it could not be helped. He fired all three, revealing his position for sure to the Argurus, but that Sensor ship was doomed, not even a Wolfcraft could evade three of them at once, it gave him the necessary time to slip into Quasi space. He immediately changed course and followed exactly the particle trail of one of the incoming Battle ships. He was certain it would take them days to figure out which trail he used to mask his escape, but even an hour delay meant he made his escape. He had done it! He had outsmarted and out maneuvered the first Battle group, not bad for an old logistics Admiral.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac held a Line blaster leveled at him. “Change of plans, human, we will not go to Koken; we will now take direct course to Kermac Prime to analyze what we got! Then I will teach you the consequences for hitting a Kermac Wizard!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If it wasn’t for your stupidity we would have everything including a Translocator Canon. I had enough of you!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Agent of the worm stepped aside. “We must go to Koken that is the purpose of our agreement. If that is no longer possible then my association to this endeavor has ended.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Kermac waved his gun. “This is but a symbol of my power. You have a Kermac device in your cranium, human. Do as I say and change course! Have a taste of pain!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">With a mental command the Kermac agent activated the device and nothing happened. Swybar grinned at him. “This ship is equipped with a state of the art Auto Doc Sick bay; the first thing I did was a detailed med scan. Your device is long gone, Kermac. You are nothing but predictable and I expected such a device ever since I woke in the coffin.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Agent of the Worm suddenly emitted two bright beams from his eyes and the Kermac Wizard collapsed, much of his head burned to ashes. “The Equation has changed and so has the parameters of my assignment. I hope we can come to an agreement.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I see you have hidden talents and it might be good to have an agent of the Worm along, now that we are freelancers.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“What are your plans now? Are you still planning your revenge on McElligott?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes, but I am not in a hurry. He is well protected and need a lot of planning. I also have not forgotten that snot nosed cadet. He might not be big in the scheme of things, but he is the reason I ended up on the gallows and want him dead!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“This cadet is of interest to my employer as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Why is that so? What could a cadet have that is important for the worm?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“To show you some good will and my willingness to cooperate with you, I’ll tell you. This Cadet Olafson has somehow managed to rise to importance with the Narth. My employers would like to know details.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Swybar leaned back in his command seat. “I can see where increased Narth activity within the Union could spell problems for the Worm, indeed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“For now that is a good reason as any. I do have a contact that could help us there, someone who knows more about this Cadet than anyone.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“One of his friends at the academy?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Much better than that, his wife! There is a certain girl named Sif. She is on the run from the law after dealing with Califerm. My contacts signaled that if we provide her with transport off Pluribus and with a new identity she would be willing to tell us everything she knows about Eric Olafson. Even give us bait to a trap he will take for sure.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Then let us go to Pluribus, no better place to hide then right before their noses anyway!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">FREYA 

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We did not land on the Planet. Gwen simply took me by the hand and we stepped through a suddenly appearing field of a white glowing energy cloud.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">For the briefest moment did I see images of fire and glowing rivers, but before I could really focus or think we stood on the surface of a small cobblestone plaza, a big gnarly looking tree in the center surrounded by a few dozen one story houses, not too different from the dwellings Lowmen and not clan associated freemen used to live on the outskirts of Freikstat. One of the houses was bigger and clearly some sort of official building. I was reminded of Uncle Hogun’s inn as I noticed a sign hanging from chains just above the door, made out of a plank of wood there was the cut-out of a cooking kettle or cauldron.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen said. “It is a bit rustic and perhaps too much cliché, but most of us came to this Universe when much of Earth’s Europe looked this way and it is sort of homage to the roots of our human hosts. We have ceased to be really different entities, but you know how it is with old traditions. They die hard especially if there is no apparent need to change things.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed at the mention of traditions and nodded. “Indeed I do. When I grew up I cursed them and wanted to change them. I have somewhat changed my mind, some tradition is good and change is not always a good thing.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She raised one of her shapely eyebrows as the wind tugged at her hair. “You do have wisdom that seems beyond your age.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t think common sense comes from age alone but also from exposure and by having my eyes opened by older and wiser mentors and teachers.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Well there is no sense of standing here outside and discuss those things, when the others already await you. But there is one more thing I would like you to ask, before I introduce you to the Circle.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I came this far and as it looks like I have strict orders to treat this like a First Contact mission. So what is it I have to do?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Let your female side come to the surface and join us in your female form. Males are not really welcome here.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I have brought nothing along, and whatever I had left was blown up with the Sturgeon. My body has changed and it is much more difficult to pass. I don’t like to appear like a Norse in drag, which is worse!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You talk to someone who knows the secret of shape shifting. We can do that to others too!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Again she took me by the hand and dragged me with a soft but persistence to one of the one story buildings.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Inside it had only one room and a flight of stairs leading upward. There was a fire place that came to live with a crackling fire as we entered and the light came from warm yellowish glowing lanterns. She smiled apologetic.” I know it is too much of the rustic décor, but I haven’t been here in over two hundred years and frankly I don’t think I will be back much. I much more prefer my apartment on Lorman’s Starbase which I consider my real home.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pointed at a full length mirror mounted inside a wooden frame, I was not certain if it was there before and she said. “It’s our version of an auto dresser and it does work just like that as well. The reflection you see is how you would look like and the mirror does the rest.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Is it magic?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “I think I wasted a lot of explanation. No it is not magic, there is no such thing as magic. Like the super exotic particle I told you about we exist on both sides simultaneous and with our side that rests in the nether world we are able to do some things that others cannot. Did you ever question the things your Friend Narth did? Believe me compared to the Narth we are childlike and impotent, with all our knowledge we don’t understand what Narth really is. When we came to this Universe the Narth did not like us being here, and considered us nothing more than perhaps annoying gnats, not that we believe we would still be here if we really annoyed them. A few millennia ago a Narth explained to our mother what we had to do to find peace and a place in the Universe, through their council and perhaps help we were able to form these bonds to human hosts that allows us to mirror is an advanced Saresii Auto Dresser. We do not oppose technology and it only looks that way to match the rest of the interior. Saresii Auto Dressers are just like magic to us as they manipulate matter, even skin and tissue on a molecular level.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had held my breath I think the entire time while she spoke and now took a deep breath. “I never liked Psionics, but since everyone knows about them and we get tested in school for the HPI, I never really questioned them. In Science class they even explained to us how they work and all that.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“If things go as I hope then perhaps pupils get tested for their Channel ability in a few decades from now.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The mirror image of me began to change and first I saw Freya as she looked, as I looked when going out with the other girls at the Space port mall. Then there was Elena and an Image of my mother and they somehow swirled and melded together to a new image of a complete stranger, a woman I had never seen before and yet I knew exactly who she was. This was me! This was me how I might have looked like if I was born female from the start. She had my eyes and that is where I recognized her. The truly golden shimmering hair of my mother, somehow looking shinier and softer than the hair I was used to. My arms did not appear as thick or pronounced but rounder and smooth. In this reflection I wore the old maroon dress, the one with the golden seams. Without thinking my hands touched my chin and then slid down to the plunging neckline of the dress. This cleavage was not something artificial, it felt warm and I could feel my own touch. The reflection the image in the mirror had become me! I turned to Gwen. She had changed the drab boiler suit for a soft looking white blouse and a black skirt. “Sul be damned, you are stunningly beautiful and what a choice of dress.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“It is your magic mirror that did all this! It’s not real.” I said trying to convince myself, in a losing argument. I felt elated and free and deep down wished that this was the end of my confusion and this was the way I was meant to be.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There is no force we know of, this side or nether side that could read your mind if you don’t want to. What I see before me is what you want us to see. This, is you, Freya!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I could not help it but feel beautiful. It was and I clearly recognized a distinct female emotion. Something that resonated in a completely different way with the very core of my being.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">There was a validation in this as well, it somehow did not feel wrong or perverted but perfect and just as nature intended.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had followed Gwen outside, and paid a little more attention to the details of this world, at least this region of it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The sky was heavily clouded and if I would had to guess, I was certain it would rain very shortly. Due to heavy and dark cloud cover, a misty twilight was cast over the cobblestone streets and the one story stone buildings.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did not see anyone else. The place had an eerie almost dead character. There were no advertisements, nothing really colorful.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She walked next to me and seemed to guess what I was thinking.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“There are not all that many of us, Erica. We are all many thousand years old.” She sighed. “I guess we are older in soul and spirit than we realize. I too find all rather depressing to be honest.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I did pay attention to the surroundings, and listened to her words. I also was fascinated by my new body. I could not put in words, but it almost felt as if I had moved from a Lowman’s shack into the luxury chambers of a Clan lady of the highest standing.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I don’t really understand it, to be honest. I mean what you really are. This place seems abandoned, more like some sort of museum or exhibit instead of the main town of a society.” I gestured towards the fields beyond the buildings. “I am no expert on agriculture by any means, as we do not have much in terms of fields or such on Nilfeheim, but even the fields seem dead and abandoned.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Maybe we should pay more attention to the now. I think I told you, I feel much more at home right at Lorman’s Star Base. I have friends and colleagues there. As much as Lorman’s is a dusty and dry world it is much more vibrant and alive.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And we are going where?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She pointed out a larger building we were approaching. “we are going to the Circle and meet the others.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">We entered the building she had pointed out a few moments later and just ahead of the starting down pour. The door was just like the door of her cottage, made of heavy wood and iron bands, except this one was much bigger and had two wings.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The room beyond was lit by candles and lanterns.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It all reminded me of the Thingstead house, because here too, a bunch of individuals had gathered in an almost complete circle. All of them were females. Dressed in varieties of outfits. Dresses, skirts, blouses. Old and young faces, beauty and women that could only be described as old and ugly.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They all stared at me and there was a great silence. Some of the faces clearly showed disapproval of my presence. Others apparently approved and even smiled.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Right across the entrance and from the direction we had entered stood a tall woman

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She had a very feminine voluptuous body, with ample breasts. Her skin had the shade of dark gray slate and her hair was long and of an ashen color. Her face was quite beautiful, but her eyes glowed in a subdued red.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She wore skin tight leather pants, an ornate bikini top that matched her belt. Her outfit also included wispy white veils attached to her bra and the ornate metal belt. “I am Luci, the oldest. Welcome to the Circle of the Coven, you are the first outsider ever we welcome here in this very nucleus of our society.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was quite unsure as to what was expected from me, so I said. “Thank you for this invitation. I must confess I have no idea what I am supposed to do or why it was me that has been picked for this task.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I curtsied and said.”I am Cadet Olafson and I am representing the United Stars of the Galaxies. From what I understood of my orders this is not a first contact situation but an evaluation for potential Union membership.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The tall, white haired woman across me nodded her head in an elegant fashion. “Indeed Erica, this is part of the reasons you are here indeed.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The woman next to her, appeared to be a Saresii beauty, also with white hair and I was almost certain I had seen her before.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">A woman to my right suddenly changed her appearance and was no longer a human female but appeared to be a gnarled, muscle bulging demon, drooling fire armed with a glowing chain.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">As if by signal dozens of them transformed and became truly frightening entities. Gnarling and growling at me. One of them, I think it was the first who transformed growled. “You are a little human, shaking and trembling with fear. We do not need to become members of that pathetic Union of yours. I think I will devour you now. It is quite a while since I ripped a little human to pieces.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I did not move and said. “I did not come here prepared, my understanding why I am here is a mystery to me to be frank. But one thing I can tell you, we do not offer Union membership. It has to be applied for and if the Assembly deems you worthy enough, it might allow you to begin the process of becoming a Union society. I am not afraid of you or any of the others. So if you want to kill me go right ahead. I can’t fight that many and I am unarmed, but by Odin I will not run.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned half naked woman that introduced herself as Luci snarled. “Return to your human form, all of you. Erica is our honored guest not an enemy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The one that looked like a Saresii smiled proudly.”Those of you who share their existence with a human of Terra, know how stubborn, how violent and how curious they can be. None of you could impress the Eternal Warrior, and it becomes apparent you can’t do so with her.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To me this was more than just bizarre and none of my previous experiences gave me any guidance or reference what I was supposed to do here. The strange women demons however reverted to their human forms.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii said. “Erica, we have met before in the office of Admiral Webb. I am Alycia Lichfangh.” I blurted out. “Commander Hollow, is a JAG officer and now I find NAVINT command here. Yet you are not Union members. Is this some sort of conspiracy?” I wished I had a weapon and needed to contact Admiral McElligott.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia spread her arms. “No, Cadet Olafson. Those of us that serve the Union are indeed citizens. You won’t find a more dedicated and loyal fleet officer than my young sister, Gwen. The man known as the Eternal Warrior has been encountered by me over 1500 of your years. I fell in love with him and became a Union Citizen. I too serve our community to the best of my abilities. However our society, the Coven has not joined the Union and many were opposed and wanted to remain hidden and dissociated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned, uncanny looking woman named Luci continued. “This has changed, we are discussing and pondering Union membership ever since Richard Stahl had gallantly fought for one of us, ignoring her true form and risking his life to save hers. Gwen followed her older sister and she too became a citizen and advocated membership. We asked her to bring you here, so we may get to know you and make the decision to join, after this meeting.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I should feel honored and humbled to be the one you invited to this, but ever since Gwen revealed her motives to me, I can’t help but wonder why you picked me. If you are indeed General Lichfangh and you know Admiral Stahl, would he not be infinity more qualified for this? Or perhaps yourself?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci answered. “Neither Gwen, Alycia nor the eighteen other sisters that are already Union citizens are unbiased. They are biased advocates to say it mildly. Now look at you. You stand before us in female form. The mirror revealed your inner self and expressed it as we see you. This is one reason why it is you that stands before us. No man, not even honorable Stahl can join us here within the circle.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She stared at me with her glowing eyes. It is indeed not a disguise, you are female and yet you are also male. The duality expressed in one person.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen standing next to me made an amused face. “You see, there is more to you as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci stepped down and came closer. “Welcome indeed Erica. You fought gallantly for Gwen and I think your female side has suffered a lot, let her be and relax for a little time. Take a vacation not only from your ordeals but also from Eric. This world is yours to explore while you perhaps explore what it means to be Erica.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blinked. “That is it? I was sort of expecting some ordeal or test and perhaps more explanations as what you all really are.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are welcome here and all of us will try to make you understand what we are. Perhaps it is easier to understand by osmosis instead of trying to understand raw words that mean little, especially with a subject like this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The NAVINT general also came closer. “You promised O’Brock to take it easy and stay out of uniform and away from fleet business. This is a pleasant world and there are vast oceans. Swimming is a favorite past time of yours is it not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I do love swimming for sure.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That big meeting was anti climactic for sure. I could not tell if I failed a test or if there was something like that in the first place.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci made an inviting gesture. “Why don’t we give you a little tour of the place, while the feast is prepared.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen answered my unasked question. “There is always a feast when the sisters of the coven meet. It is all traditionally prepared and some of it is very good, I promise.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Spider legs and toad skin?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both of them laughed and Luci said. “No Erica, roast beef, dumplings, chicken and fish. Lots of vegetables. Many dishes are prepared after century old pre-astro recipes. No witches potions, honestly.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They took me to a vaulted chamber, I suspected was more or less right underneath the big meeting room. It appeared to be some sort of treasure or trophy chamber. With items and artifacts displayed on little stone stands and in alcoves. There were crowns, swords, helmets, shields, pieces of jewelry and ornate decorative items. In the center of the room, an open display stand with a single silver colored ring of sorts. The ring was not ornate, or female in design. It did not seem to fit with the rest of the collection. Still I was suddenly and strongly drawn to that ring. “What kind of ring is that?” I asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci said. “It is an old, a very old token. It is waiting for its right owner since this Universe came to be. Like us, it is not of this plane. Go ahead touch if you like maybe you can. No one was ever able to.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That made little sense to me. “Is it electrified or under some sort of force field?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t really wait for an answer. I was mesmerized by that simple piece of jewelry. Now I could see its face was decorated with the same strange fanged skull symbol, the man in the black robe wore on his chest. The one claiming to belong to the Church of Darkness; the one we met at the shore walk on Perryton.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I reached out for the ring and at first it appeared it was always just a few inches out of reach just beyond my finger tips. No matter how much I tried to reach it. At the same moment something cold, utterly cold was rising from deep within me. It was not painful or unpleasant at all. On the contrary, it was a welcome oddly satisfying sensation. I could hear my own voice yet I could not really tell where it came from. “Nothing can prevent me from taking what is mine.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took it and put it on the ring finger of my right hand. For a split second that may have lasted an eternity, I felt unimaginable power. I was certain I could see the entire galaxy, the very universe and the desire to punish and destroy it all. A supernatural voice, so tremendous it could not originate from a living being spoke. “Hail thee, darkness incarnate. The age of your resurrection has begun. Once you reunited all that is yours, the decision must be made.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Whatever just occurred started to fade. Numb and in a strange confused state I found myself standing by that display stand. The ring was no longer there. It was on my hand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry, I seem to have slipped on your ring.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci whispered in an almost breathless way. “It is your ring, Erica. Yours alone!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I marveled at a diamond and jewel encrusted dagger, I tried to remember what just happened. Something profound, something very important I was certain of it, yet I could not remember. “That dagger seems particular impractical.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci said. “Yes it appeared that way, but in the hand of the queen it was a deadly instrument and sharp enough to pierce the king’s heart.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I assume you of the coven did more than just dance around cauldrons and chant dark magic spells.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen nodded. “Indeed, Erica. There is no such thing as magic. It is just science and the utilization of conditions that are not known to man.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned woman touched her chest. “And sometimes, female magic yields as much results as swords and brute strength.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wish my mother had some of that magic.” I sighted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And I think we sulked and reminiscent-ed enough for one day. I am hungry and I bet Erica is too.” The NAVINT general said. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had spent three days on Coven planet indulging myself swimming to my hearts content in the cold deep oceans.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The water was fresh and good, but just like the planet, the waters weren’t like the oceans of other worlds. I did not see much in terms of fish. Nothing big or aggressive. The entire world had a sleepy somewhat old and tired character. I was also still contemplating what the real reason was for me to come here. That short somewhat strange meeting with the other members of this weird society could not have been all there was to it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But the ones I spoke to were friendly and everyone tried to explain to me what the Coven really were. While it smacked of things and supernatural conditions I had hard time accepting, it wasn’t like things Narth tried to explain to me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">From what I understood, the Coven were a group of beings that existed in a previous, different universe. That there were more than one spatial conditions was not new. Quasi space, GalNet and Space-trains all this technology utilized different planes of of existence and space to circumvent the limitations of this Universe. I knew of anti-matter of course, and the idea of anti-energy and an entire anti-universe was not so far fetched.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">If I understood them correctly, they were survivors of a different universe and escaped its destruction by entering that anti-universe they called the Nether-verse.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And in order to exist in this universe they had to share bodies with beings from this reality.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While it all sort of made sense and it wasn’t so hard to understand, as long as you didn’t try to understand the details. I still didn’t like the idea of yet another unseen power able to influence and manipulate beings and conditions. I didn’t like or really understand psionics and now there was another power like that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was lounging in a comfortable chair right by the shore and while I contemplated these heavy and hard to realize concepts, I could not help but marvel at the long lissome legs of mine. My body was really all female, it wasn’t a disguise or a costume. Yet while I felt utterly content, there was deep feeling inside, a feeling of certainty that this was not the end of my transformation and that I was indeed developing into something else.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia Lichfangh walked into my field of view. She wore a one piece bathing suit with a wispy beach skirt tied around her hips.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You’re making the same face as my beloved when he contemplates the fate of the Universe.” She said coming closer From where the second chair came that was now right next to mine, I could not say. With the elegance and grace only a woman could, she flowed into the other suddenly present beach chair.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed. “I am thinking about all this, this strange planet. You and Gwen and what you guys really seem to be. About myself and what it all means.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And to what conclusion did you come?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am just a simple Neo viking and all this PSI and Nether stuff is just beyond me. What good are space ships and blaster weapons if there are beings that can travel in deep space, able to tear apart pirate ships and make things happening with their minds?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You sound just like Richard. He too claims to be a simple marine. Yet neither you nor him are anything but simple anymore. You are not that frightened Neo Viking boy, threatened by the sound of your father’s heavy feet coming to give you another lashing. You have grown and developed and you are still growing and developing. So is humanity and the Union. Compared to just about any star spanning society, the Union is very young. Three thousand years is not much in terms of cosmic time spans. Yet I believe the Union has come further than any such society we remember. At the beginning, Terran Humans were defenseless against Psionics. Today there is technology that protects, prevents and shields. I have no doubt, Union technology will come up with ways to protect or perhaps even utilize nether space and nether energy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had to admit what she said made lots of sense.”Looking at it that way makes it less spooky and uncanny.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She gave me a warm smile. “The Coven has decided, we will join the Union and with our membership we open our archives and provide access to all we know. I have no doubt Terrans will come up with some sort of weapon first that will scare even the dwellers of the deepest pits.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would have never thought hell actually exists.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The dark skinned woman with the long white hair joined us just then and she said. “True hell is created by man and on this side of the Universe. I have been wandering these parts for millennia and I have seen true evil and the manifestation of hell on battle fields and behind closed doors of human dwellings. In slave cages and torture chambers.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “The Nether-worlds are not a good place, but no one of this plane is sent there for punishment. No one that dies here ends up there, at least as far as I know and I should know as I am the daughter of a very powerful entity. I am technically not a Coven, I was not born in a doomed universe and sought refuge in the Nether realms, so if there is a real hell as some believe there is for the souls of the evil doers, it is not where I come from.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I listened to all they had to say and could not help myself thinking that this was all knowledge and information they wanted me to have, for some greater purpose.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was too much meta-physic mambo jumbo for my taste and while I was glad for the few days of peaceful vacation. I was more than ready to leave this uncanny place and return to Arsenal to begin my second year.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I can tell you, we do not offer Union membership. It has to be applied for and if the Assembly deems you worthy enough, it might allow you to begin the process of becoming a Union society. I am not afraid of you or any of the others. So if you want to kill me go right ahead. I can’t fight that many and I am unarmed, but by Odin I will not run.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned half naked woman that introduced herself as Luci snarled.”Return to your human form, all of you. Erica is our honored guest not an enemy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The one that looked like a Saresii smiled proudly.”Those of you who share their existence with a human of Terra, know how stubborn, how violent and how curious they can be. None of you could impress the Eternal Warrior, and it becomes apparent you can’t do so with her.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">To me this was more than just bizarre and none of my previous experiences gave me any guidance or reference what I was supposed to do here. The strange women demons however reverted to their human forms.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The Saresii said.”Erica, we have met before in the office of Admiral Webb. I am Alycia Lichfangh.” I blurted out.”Commander Hollow, is a JAG officer and now I find NAVINT command here. Yet you are not Union members. Is this some sort of conspiracy?” I wished I had a weapon and needed to contact Admiral McElligott.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia spread her arms. “No, Cadet Olafson. Those of us that serve the Union are indeed citizen. You won’t find a more dedicated and loyal fleet officer than my young sister, Gwen. The man known as the Eternal Warrior has been encountered by me over 1500 of your years. I fell in love with him and became a Union Citizen. I too serve our community ton the best of my abilities. However our society, the Coven has not joined the Union and many were opposed and wanted to remain hidden and dissociated.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned, uncanny looking woman named Luci continued. “This has changed, we are discussing and pondering Union membership ever since Richard Stahl had gallantly fought for one of us, ignoring her true form and risking his life to save hers. Gwen followed her older sister and she too became a citizen and advocated membership. We asked her to bring you here, so we may get to know you and make the decision to join, after this meeting.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I should feel honored and humbled to be the one you invited to this, but ever since Gwen revealed her motives to me, I can’t help but wonder why you picked me.” If you are indeed General Lichfangh and you know Admiral Stahl, would he not be infinity more qualified for this? Or perhaps yourself?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci answered.”Neither Gwen, Alycia nor the eighteen other sisters that are already Union citizens are unbiased. They are biased advocates to say it mildly. Now look at you. You stand before us in female form. The mirror revealed your inner self and expressed it as we see you. This is one reason why it is you that stands before us. No man, not even honorable Stahl can join us here within the circle.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She stared at me with her glowing eyes. It is indeed not a disguise, you are female and yet you are also male. The duality expressed in one person.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen standing next to me made an amused face.”You see, there is more to you as well.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci stepped down and came closer.”Welcome indeed Erica. You fought gallantly for Gwen and I think your female side has suffered a lot, let her be and relax for a little time. Take a vacation not only from your ordeals but also from Eric. This world is yours to explore while you perhaps explore what it means to be Erica.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I blinked.”That is it? I was sort of expecting some ordeal or test and perhaps more explanations as what you all really are.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You are welcome here and all of us will try to make you understand what we are. Perhaps it is easier to understand by osmosis instead of trying to understand raw words that mean little, especially with a subject like this.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The NAVINT general also came closer. “You promised Obrock to take it easy and stay out of uniform and away from fleet business. This is a pleasant world and there are vast oceans. Swimming is a favorite past time of yours is it not?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Yes I do love swimming for sure.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That big meeting was anti climactic for sure. I could not tell if I failed a test or if there was something like that in the first place.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci made an inviting gesture.”Why don’t we give you a little tour of the place, while the feast is prepared.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen answered my unasked question.”There is always a feast when the sisters of the coven meet. It is all traditionally prepared and some of it is very good, I promise.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Spider legs and toad skin?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Both of them laughed and Luci said.”No Erica, roast beef, dumplings, chicken and fish. Lots of vegetables. Many dishes are prepared after century old pre-astro recipes. No witches potions, honesty.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">They took me to a vaulted chamber, I suspected was more or less right underneath the big meeting room. It appeared to be some sort of treasure or trophy chamber. With items and artifacts displayed on little stone stands and in alcoves. There were crowns, swords, helmets, shields, pieces of jewelry and ornate decorative items. In the center of the room, an open display stand with a single silver colored ring of sorts. The ring was not ornate, or female in design. It did not seem to fit with the rest of the collection. Still I was suddenly and strongly drawn to that ring. “What kind of ring is that?” I asked.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci said. “It is old, a very old token. It is waiting for its right owner since this Universe came to be. Like us, it is not of this plane. Go ahead touch if you like maybe you can. No one was ever able to.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">That made little sense to me. “Is it electrified or under some sort of force field?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I didn’t really wait for an answer. I was mesmerized by that simple piece of jewelry. Now I could see its face was decorated with the same strange fanged skull symbol, the man in the black robe wore on his chest. The one claiming to belong to the Church of Darkness; the one we met at the shore walk on Perryton.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I reached out for the ring and at first it appeared it was always just a few inches out of reach just beyond my finger tips. No matter how much I tried to reach it. At the same moment something cold, utterly cold was rising from deep within me. It was not painful or unpleasant at all. On the contrary, it was a welcome oddly satisfying sensation. I could hear my own voice yet I could not really tell where it came from. “Nothing can prevent me from taking what is mine.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I took it and put it on the ring finger of my right hand. For a split second that may have lasted an eternity, I felt unimaginable power. I was certain I could see the entire galaxy, the very universe and the desire to punish and destroy it all. A supernatural voice, so tremendous it could not originate from a living being spoke. “Hail thee, darkness incarnate. The age of your resurrection has begun. Once you reunited all that is yours, the decision must be made.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Whatever just occurred started to fade. Numb and in a strange confused state I found myself standing by that display stand. The ring was no longer there. It was on my hand.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“Sorry, I seem to have slipped on your ring.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci whispered in an almost breathless way. “It is your ring, Erica. Yours alone!”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While I marveled at a diamond and jewel encrusted dagger, I tried to remember what just happened. Something profound, something very important I was certain of it, yet I could not remember. “That dagger seems particularly impractical.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Luci said.”Yes it appears that way, but in the hand of the queen it was a deadly instrument and sharp enough to pierce the king’s heart.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I assume you of the coven did more than just dance around cauldrons and chant dark magic spells.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Gwen nodded. “Indeed, Erica. There is no such thing as magic. It is just science and the utilization of conditions that are not known to man.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The gray skinned woman touched her chest. “And sometimes, female magic yields as much results as swords and brute strength.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I wish my mother had some of that magic.” I sighted.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And I think we sulked and reminisced enough for one day. I am hungry and I bet Erica is too.” The NAVINT general said. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had spend three days on Coven, planet indulging myself swimming to my hearts content in the cold deep oceans.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The water was fresh and good, but just like the planet the waters weren’t like the oceans of other worlds. I did not see much in terms of fish. Nothing big or aggressive. The entire world had a sleepy somewhat old and tired character. I was also still contemplating what the real reason was for me to come here. That short somewhat strange meeting with the other members of this weird society could not have been all there was to it.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">But the ones I spoke to were friendly and everyone tried to explain to me what the Coven really were. While it smacked of things and supernatural conditions I had hard time accepting, it wasn’t like things Narth tried to explain to me.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">From what I understood, the Coven were a group of beings that existed in a previous, different universe. That there were more than one spatial conditions was not new. Quasi space, GalNet and Space-trains all this technology utilized different planes of of existence and space to circumvent the limitations of this Universe. I knew of Anti matter of course, and the idea of Anti energy and an entire anti universe was not so far fetched.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">If I understood them correctly, they were survivors of a different universe and escaped its destruction by entering that anti universe they called the Nether-verse.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">And in order to exist in this universe they had to share bodies with beings from this reality.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">While it all sort of made sense and it wasn’t so hard to understand, as long as you didn’t try to understand the details. I still didn’t like the idea of yet another unseen power able to influence and manipulate beings and conditions. I didn’t like or really understand psionics and now there was another power like that.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I was lounging in a comfortable chair right by the shore and while I contemplated these heavy and hard to realize concepts, I could not help but marvel at the long lissome legs of mine. My body was really all female, it wasn’t a disguise or a costume. Yet while I felt utterly content, there was deep feeling inside, a feeling of certainty that this was not the end of my transformation and that I was indeed developing into something else.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Alycia Lichfangh walked into my field of view. She wore a one piece bathing suit with a wispy beach skirt tied around her hips.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You making the same face as my beloved when he contemplates the fate of the Universe.” She said coming closer From where the second chair came that was now right next to mine, I could not say. With the elegance and grace only a woman could, she flowed into the other suddenly present beach chair.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I sighed. “I am thinking about all this, this strange planet. You and Gwen and what you guys really seem to be. About myself and what it all means.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“And to what conclusion did you come?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I am just a simple Neo Viking and all this PSI and Nether stuff is just beyond me. What good are space ships and blaster weapons if there are beings that can travel in deep space, able to tear apart pirate ships and make things happening with their minds?”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“You sound just like Richard. He too claims to be a simple marine. Yet neither you nor him are anything but simple anymore. You are not that frightened Neo viking boy, threatening the sound of your fathers heavy feet coming to give you another lashing. You have grown and developed and you are still growing and developing. So is humanity and the Union. Compared to just about any star spanning society, the Union is very young. Three thousand years is not much in terms of cosmic time spans. Yet I believe the Union has come further than any such society we remember. At the beginning, Terran Humans were defenseless against Psionics. Today there is technology that protects, prevents and shields. I have no doubt, Union technology will come up with ways to protect or perhaps even utilize nether space and nether energy.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I had to admit what she said made lots of sense. “Looking at it that way makes it less spooky and uncanny.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She gave me a warm smile. “The Coven has decided, we will join the Union and with our membership we open our archives and provide access to all we know. I have no doubt Terrans will come up with some sort of weapon first that will scare even the dwellers of the deepest pits.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">“I would have never thought hell actually exists.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">The dark skinned woman with the long white hair joined us just then and she said. “True hell is created by man and on this side of the Universe. I have been wandering these parts for millennia and I have seen true evil and the manifestation of hell on battle fields and behind closed doors of human dwellings. In slave cages and torture chambers.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">She sighed. “The Nether-worlds are not a good place, but no one of this plane is sent there for punishment. No one that dies here ends up there, at least as far as I know and I should know as I am the daughter of a very powerful entity. I am technically not a Coven, I was not born in a doomed universe and sought refuge in the Nether realms, so if there is a real hell as some believe there is for the souls of the evil doers, it is not where I come from.”

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">I listened to all they had to say and could not help myself thinking that this was all knowledge and information they wanted me to have, for some greater purpose.

<p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">It was too much meta-physic mambo jumbo for my taste and while I was glad for the few days of peaceful vacation. I was more than ready to leave this uncanny place and return to Arsenal to begin my second year. <p style="margin-top:12.0pt;margin-right:0cm;margin-bottom:0cm;margin-left: 0cm;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-align:justify">Here ends Volume III of the Eric Olafson Saga. If you liked it please join me in Book IV: Eric Olafson, Midshipman

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