Eric Olafson, Space Pirate 19

Chapter 19: Ship of Horrors

The other disguised Freespace operations unit turned out to be a Togar Claw ship. A truly ancient tech level six Togar warship that had the stylized form of a lion’s paw, at least that is how Shaka described it and it was 600 meters long. At first we actually went to battle stations but the Togar female identified herself as Captain Roranak of the NAVINT X Fleet and on the same special communications equipment we had and was exclusive to NAVINT.

We met aboard her ship, officially named Quicha-Too, but it had a secret second Union designation: USS Chimera.

From the outside it truly was a crude, primitive surplus cruiser that had several private owners before it became the Quicha-Too, the ship of a freelancing independent Togar.

On the inside, it was as modern and well equipped Union ship and the Togar gave me a little tour and told me about her mission and challenges while our crews loaded crated Kermac tech, Kermac crew members in stasis and an Olour rock, also in stasis along with boxes of loot and specimen.

I learned that she was doing this now for seven years and had made herself a solid reputation as a freelancing jack of all trades. She wasn’t really known to be a pirate, but her careful crafted personality was known to do any sort of shady deal.

Her main mission was to gather intelligence for NAVINT in Freespace. While her ship was well shielded and armed, she was to avoid open conflict when possible.

She and her crew were delighted about Richter Base and having a regular port of call now. She had orders to tow the T Cruiser and bring what we had collected there for further analysis. She also looked forward to a few months R & R.

I also was informed that a fleet of Takkian civilian ships was already on its way. The news that their religious Chant Slates were true and that there indeed was a mother mountain had traveled fast and already caused an intense religious revival on Takkian and Takian worlds.

NAVINT of course helped to stoke the fire and provided only slightly doctored images, recordings and reports. A civilian Takkian scholar was credited with the discovery.

According to Captain Roranak, who had received a full breifing, the Takkian would settle the moon and Little Hell and then ‘officially discover’ the Clonk and claim the system.

Of course I had also been informed by the Admiral about everything in great detail. It wasn’t the most elegant solution according to the Admiral, but the best available.

After the Chimera was loaded and we had received some additional supplies, we bid them farewell and Krabbel put in a course that would take us Brhama Port.

--””--

I had the crew assemble in our Pirate’s Den and said to them. “Now after our little and unplanned detour we are back on track with our original mission and we are once again pirates to the world. Any ship that crosses our bow is likely prey and we are going to hunt other pirates and criminals.”

I held up a print out and said. “This is a short version of the official report about the attack on the Danny Houston, the civilian passenger liner that was attacked by pirates just before we left the Bazaar and I want to read it to you.

I cleared my throat and began to read out loud.” On February 5th, 5020 the passenger clipper Danny Houston on its way from Seven-Skies to Fairfield Planet was attacked and heavily damaged. The Ship master of the Danny signaled full cooperation with the attackers and asked for mercy for his passengers. He assured the attacker that they were a completely unarmed civilian vessel.

The Danny was boarded by those pirates.

Seventy Passengers were taken captive and every crew member was killed, the ship-master was spaced without suit.

Four female passengers were brutally raped and afterwards killed. The remaining 48 passengers including children and the old not worth much on the slave market were also spaced without suits.

Aboard the Danny Huston were Saresii, Diechsen, Humans, Klack, Purple throat Shiss and two Shail on their way home from a group vacation trip, deep in Union space.

One of the passengers a Stellaris managed to survive in space clinging to the outside of the stripped wreck and he was the one responsible for the images you now see behind me.

The Pirate was identified as Captain Swift of the ship Swift Profit. It was this pirate captain who did the raping himself.

I realize the images are hard to stomach and quite graphic but I wanted you to see them and get the same angry feeling I got in my stomach watching these, the same feeling I got fighting that scum at Outpost 96. I wanted you to see why we are out here. Now some of us didn’t have a proper vacation or might resent the fact that we can’t go to port on regular intervals, but those passengers won’t come home at all. So I ask you are you with me?”

The entire crew bellowed in once voice.” Yes, we are.”

--””--

I had finished the daily log book entry and had my feet up and looked outside my view port into the darkness of space. It was late and the First Watch was about to leave the bridge to be relieved by the Officers and crew members of the Middle Watch. I could hear the fourth Bell that signaled the last 30 minutes of First Watch that went from 2000 hrs to 0000 hrs. I glanced at the roster read out I always kept open on one of my screens and it would be the first watch with Sobody being the Officer of the Deck and having the Conn. Although he was not an Academy Graduate or had all that much Union Fleet experience, he was conscripted.

He was not inexperienced when it came to make command decisions. He had led an entire civilization for 12,000 years and traveled aboard star ships for at least as long. Besides he turned out to be an asset and reliable and I made the decision to field promote him to Ensign and to put him on the rotation roster for Bridge watches.

We were still 72 hours away from our next destination, Brhama Port. Space was vast and to meet another ship outside planetary systems was very rare even on very busy traffic routes. Our sensors had not detected anything for the last two days. We could not use the full range of our active sensors because, active sensors could be detected and no Kartanian would have the sensor range of a modern Union ship, but we had excellent passive sensors and we could use them to the very limit, and still there was no contact.

“SHIP give me a Bridge visual.”

Normally I would not spy on my officers and crew, but I wanted to see how Sobody came on and how he handled himself.

A field screen established itself before me and SHIP said.”I am curious too, as how he will do.”

“I still find it amazing to hear a Computronic use words like curious and have an intuition knowing why I wanted to watch. I wonder if we should have more sentient Computronics.”

SHIP responded.”As much as I am thankful to you, don’t think it would be a very good idea. If personalities can choose to be good and then they also have the choice to do bad, and what damage could a SHIP AI do if it be malicious.”

I agreed and said.”Thinking it over it wouldn’t be fair to the AI’s anyway as they had no choice but become Ship AI’s and serve. Not much of a choice.”

While I watched the First Watch go through the final motions of their shift.

SHIP said. “I would have made that decision even if I had other choices. I am very content to be your AI.”

“I still think about a way to treat you more fairly. You are on duty all the time, no free time, no leisure time and all that.”

“I am not human, Captain. I am sentient but I perceive things differently. I am made to function around the clock. I don’t require sleep and I can think and act on many levels simultaneous. Thanks to you making me a crew member, I can dedicate a section of my unused back up resources to spend time on my hobbies, when there is not much going on. I am also very intelligent and speak and understand all languages of the Union and many more and yet I can’t find the appropriate words to express how you make me feel having such thoughts about me.”

“We could use the Avatar technology or maybe a robot or something so you have some of freedom other beings enjoy.”

“You would allow that?”

“I am recommending it.”

“You are the best captain an AI can have.”

I smiled at that and said something similar in return and then watched the Golden and his nine duty officers come on the bridge. I actually laughed as I saw the little Holdian walking briskly behind the Golden.

SHIP said. “Those two are almost inseparable, as you can see the Holdian specialist is the Duty Engineer of that watch.”

The transfer went smoothly and I noticed that the Golden did everything by the book. Even more so than most, and his transfer could have been recorded as educational visual.

He sat down on at the Conn and was calling in the standard reports of all departments. My supervision was not needed and since I had changed my own schedule to Morning watch in order to be on the bridge when we reached Brhama port, it would have been a wise decision to go to bed.

I was just about to turn off the field screen when SHIP said.

“Ops just reported a contact on the scanner horizon correction, there are two contacts now, and weapon energies are exchanged.”

My ready room was right behind the bridge and it took me no time to reach it. Just as I entered Sobody called me over Intra Ship.

As always two marines guarded the bridge access door and announced me. “Captain on the bridge.”

Sobody vacated the seat and I said to him while I sat down.”Sorry to cut your first watch short, but I think you did fine and you are on the permanent watch roster now.”

He bowed slightly and said. “Two contacts, Captain and right in our path. Looks like pirate action I put myself on ship-wide and said. “Ship, sound Battle stations, senior officers to the bridge.”

The light on the bridge changed from bright to red and it took seconds for my team to reach their stations.

Narth of course was first as he simply appeared and took his seat behind ops and it took him seconds to give me the first analysis.

“Contact one emits energies consistent with a Bolgar class armed trader and contact two energy signature is Kartanian and on file.

It belongs to a know pirate ship called the Mighty Nine. Identity of pirate commander unknown but the ship and associated energy signature are on the Union wanted list for acts of piracy.

Ship reported all stations signaled stations manned. I acknowledged and said. “Shaka get us within one light minute. Mao raise shields and arm weapons.”

Shea had immediately begun to run more detailed scanner analysis and coordinated with Hans who accessed Union Intel reports. She said.

“The Bolgar Class is registered to a small Union Company that does trading business with several Freespace civilizations mostly buying artifacts and selling legal civilian goods. The company is suspected to also deal with the Togar, according to an Intel report.”

Mao reported. “The Mighty Nine is well armed with Kartanian Ship to ship missiles and Faster Than Light Directed Energy cannons, but nothing bigger than 1 Giga joule per second. The Bolgar has three FTL DE turrets but only one in the GJ class. Both ships have standard shields. The Bolgar’s aft shields are buckling.”

Elfi followed right after Mao saying. “Captain we are being hailed, by the Mighty Nine.”

Har Hi pulled his folded helmet out of his collar and it became rigid as soon as it was completely out and covered his face to the chin with a yellow tinted face plate and handed me my mask.

“I assume we going to talk first right?”

I laced the mask tight and gave him a scolding look. “We always talk first. Elfi open the channel as soon as Narth verifies the bridge image matches our ships disguise.”

She responded. “You’re on Captain. Bridge image confirmed.”

A shaggy looking creature appeared on our screen. It had an elongated somehow bean shaped head with four pointed ears and a drop shaped nose that extended over the most of the upper half of the head. It had four eyes and a small rigid mouth. The head and much of the exposed upper torso was covered in finger long unkempt looking, orange hued fur.

Narth informed me telepathically. “This is a Volting and they are members of the Galactic Council, but I can sense him pretty easily and he is as wanted there as he is wanted by the Union.”

He squealed in a hoarse voice. “Who are you and what is your business here, interrupting my business?”

I said to him. “My business is interrupting yours. So lower your shields and deactivate your weapons and we will make it fast and quick. We leave with your valuables and you leave with your life. I assure you, you won’t like the alternative.”

Even though it was the first time I saw a Volting, I could tell he did not expect that and he said. “Don’t mess with me, Female. I am of the Sinister Alliance and have many friends.”

He couldn’t know that this was the wrong thing to say to me and I responded. “Well your friends aren’t here, but I am.”

Elfi signaled me that the other ship was hailing us now as well and I had her put them on simultaneous. The screen split and a human captain became visible. He wore a corporate uniform in bright reds and blues and I found it a tad too colorful. He had dark hair and bushy eye brows that almost united above his wide nose. “I am willing to offer you 25,000 Polo coins if you help me escape this gangster who dared to fire upon us. I am a peaceful trader and have little of value aboard.”

Narth mental connection transferred an emotion I had never thought possible with him, it was disgust as he said inside my head. “Eric, he has the most horrid freight one could imagine. I seen his mental images and it is awful and most vile.”

I wondered what Narth had seen and said to the human. “I make you the same offer as I made to your Volting playmate. Surrender, lower your shields and prepare to be boarded and you might walk away from this.”

To Mao I said. “Open gun ports and incapacitate them, Shaka show them what a real Helmsman can do.”

I moved my seat in battle mode and our disguised ship went like a Rock shark between them, our Froth Casters that were part of our disguise were quite functional and those Nul graviton pulse weapons were perhaps not at par with the most advanced Union weapons but still enormous powerful and especially damaging to shields. The simulated weapons of our Silver Streak disguise also masked our QNP cannon fire, as it was virtually undetectable. It was a thrill ride I could equate to nothing else. Shaka was more than just good; we would have won the battle even without our hidden weaponry. It was as if Shaka could predict when the other ships were firing and corrected the course with the speed of thought and evaded both ships barrage with apparent ease, while he never exceeded speeds that a Kartanian could not obtain. I was fairly certain however that no Kartanian ship had such precise helm control systems reacting in Nano-second delay to Shaka’s control commands.

The stars danced around me in a wild erratic manner, whenever Shaka changed course.

Mao who trained with Shaka and knew his friends style adapted his gunnery to the flight pattern and none of his shots missed.

Our ship shuddered ever so slightly as all our turrets pointed to one side and gave the Mighty Nine a broadside.

I heard Mao say. “Shaka, I am giving the Bolgar the same medicine, prepare to compensate for weapon recoil.”

Shaka responded.”I am using that drift into Fire lee on purpose, no sense of wasting perfectly good kinetic energy.”

I had to laugh. My friends had fun, enjoyed themselves doing what they did best.

Har Hi said. “Captain both ships rendered inoperable and their shields are down.”

It took a second to get my seat out of Battle view and I said. “Mao, pound them with Tech Stop and Paralysator rays. Har Hi and Hans you take the Mighty Nine. TheOther you are with me, we going to visit the Bolgar. Hans I need 25 Marines and two Fenris stat.”

Har-Hi shook his head as we both rushed to the IST. “There is no sense stopping you, or is there?”

Everything in me urged me to rush on and board that ship but I made Har Hi my XO and he had a point. I stopped and sighed. “You are right. I will remain aboard.”

He laughed already at the door. “Just kidding Captain, I wanted to be at the door first. Stopping you to get into the thick of the fray would be cruel.”

I actually cursed him and said.” Shea you got the Conn.”

Running behind him I yelled.”What a fine friend I got!”

I almost caught up with him at the Battle dresser at the deployment deck as he said. “You don’t know how much I respect you for actually heeding my objection, Captain.”

He launched himself into space, his boot thrusters glowing bright white before he even made it past the force field curtain and he said via Command Channel. “Whoever calls Object secure first wins.”

“What’s the wager?”

“If I win we keep the Pool temperature at a cozy 38 and if you win, I prance around in High Heel boots for an entire hour.”

“I thought you hate swimming?”

“I am getting used to it as it seems you completely lost your fear of space.”

“I didn’t lose it, I simply don’t find the time lately to feel it.”

“I am getting swimming lessons from Elfi and I tell you, jumping in a pool that has only 4 degrees water is anything but fun. Only afterwards I was told that the temperature is kept at these freezing temperatures because my Captain took a swim an hour before.”

“You better get an appointment with Cateria then, because walking in these Heels isn’t as easy as it looks.”

“You forget I have Hans with me and I am already halfway there.”

Once again I flew through deep space towards a hostile ship, accompanied by Elite Marines and two Fenris robots.

Har-Hi and I had stopped our banter as we now concentrated on the job at hand. Right next to me was TheOther who looked truly frightening in his modified Gilgamesh suit. The suits had been camouflaged so they did not look like Union products; their adaptie camouflage took on the non reflective black of space.We did not use the suits cloaking cababilities.

TheOther was the first reaching the Bolgar class ship.

Bolgar was not a species but an old Union Company that manufactured civilian space craft for about two hundred years but went out of business. Still there were many Bolgar ships out there and they had a reputation for being solid and reliable. The ship was about 450 meters long and had the simple shape of a dull cone with a base radius of 180 meters. Six ISAH pods attached to its aft.

The Gilgamesh augmented the titanic strength of the Y’All to an almost unimaginable level. It became evident as he didn’t use any tools to rip the strong airlock door out of its socket.

My suit Computronic reported Communication activity from within the Bolgar and reported that there were still functional energy sources and energy shields within the ship. Apparently our Tech Stop rays didn’t do the trick. Tech Stop was very effective against unshielded electronic equipment, but completely ineffective against shields. It was not completely unexpected as many ships, especially of Union origin had internal shields to protect key components and areas. This of course would also mean the Paralysator rays did not incapacitate everyone aboard.

I tuned in to the communications and heard screams of panic. Someone in that ship screamed into his audio sensor.”Y’All! We are attacked by the Y’All!”

I went in, arm cannons ready with two Marines at my flank while the rest breached the ship in small teams on different spots as per my orders.

It wasn’t much of a fight, but I learned why the Y’All where such a terrible enemy. TheOther was a whirlwind of doom and he marched unstoppable creating a corridor of destruction, He held two TKU mini cannons, usually fielded by the large Union Army battle walkers, in his left arm pair and a brand new QGP-rifle, of which we had twenty prototypes in our armory, in his lower right hand. A weird looking boarding sword of enormous proportions in his upper right, cut down brave members of the ship’s crew who dared to put up resistance.

Force field curtains collapsed as he simply marched into them, the aggressive ParaDim shields of his suit interrupting their field cohesion and every other obstacle he cut, ripped and stomped into twisted metal.

I reached the ships bridge without firing a single shot, one of the marines at my side turned out to be Pure and while he very rarely talked he was compelled to express his amazement.”Beasts of Tarnak, can you imagine an army of these?”

The other marine, a Petharian giant also with two arm pairs was less impressed. “I seen Perthanian platoons in action, there isn’t all that much difference I would imagine and yet an entire army of us was defeated in the Battle of Gabthrt in 4319 by a Union Marines Battalion led by Admiral Stahl.”

I elbowed him in the side as I stepped on the ship’s bridge.”There isn’t much that impresses you Perthanians, now isn’t there Lt. Hrrtew?”

“Oh there is, Captain there is.Aformentioned Admiral Stahl of course and you should see what happens if our Security Chief really lets loose.”

While I wondered what it would look like if Hans fought not holding back, I looked around the bridge of the Bolgar. It was a standard Union layout like it was done half a century ago, with all the duty stations behind a bridge dividing chest high barrier and only the helmsman having his station before that barrier and behind armored viewports. It was all well maintained from the looks of it, there was even a civilian GalNet Terminal. The bridge crew was hiding behind the barrier. I counted six humans and two Togar. Narth popped out of thin air next to me into existence, of course in his Alvor’s Cove dust and sand mantle disguise and held out his hand.

The Captain of the ship started floating.

Narth explained to me. “He was about to destroy his cargo, I could not let this happen, before you all seen what he is shipping to Togar markets.”

Even though Narth had yet to say what he found out, I got a stomach turning suspicion as I knew what the Togar liked to buy. Narth nodded. “Yes Captain, your notion is quite correct.”

Har-Hi came on and said.”Pirate ship secure, we won.”

I said to Har-Hi while I approached the ship’s master.”You won. Strip the ship of valuables, secure anyone alive in Stasis boxes and report back to me.”

The Ship’s master came floating towards me and he looked back between Narth and TheOther obviously not sure who he had to fear more.

He said to me. “Are you Black Velvet, the Pirate?”

His helmet peeled away from his face like the skin of a fruit. The tough material of his armor ripped like tissue paper and Narth answered for me. “You are in the presence of Captain Black Velvet and it is not I you need to fear and not the Y’All, but her.”

I asked.”What is your cargo?”

His eyes shifted and his mouth became a thin line. “Nothing you pirates would be interested in.”

One of my marines came onto the bridge; even through the face plate of his helmet I saw his pale white face and an expression of shock.

“Captain, the vessel is secure, but you better not go inside the vessel’s main cargo hold, it is the most horrible thing I ever seen.”

What was the freight that shocked an elite Marine and a Narth?

I said to TheOther. “Hold him and make sure they don’t touch anything. Have Circuit come over and disable any self destruct mechanisms.”

To the Marine I said.” Show me!”

We used the ships functioning Ship elevator and it took us down to the cargo hold level of this armed freighter and as we approached the Cargo bay access doors. Two more marines came out and both looked as pale and disgusted as the one with me.

Moments later I stepped through the door and stopped in my tracks. The Cargo hold was laid out like a freezer meat locker. There were rows of long steel racks from the floor to the ceiling and on steel hooks packed in transparent plastic, human bodies. Headless, arms and legs tight to the body, like hams in a butcher shop.

Large shipping crates with labels like; 250 human heads, fresh frozen, 200 human legs fresh made me a gag. Even a rough estimate made me think there had to be at least 5000 of these frozen bodies.

The Marine said. “There are four cargo holds like that, Ma’am! One holds live human prisoners in the most horrid conditions.

I had to see it for my own eyes. He was right, the conditions on the cargo hold with the life slaves was an impression, I was certain would follow me for the rest of my life.

They where stacked in metal shelves, wrapped tightly in plastic up to the head with hoses attached to body orifices to siphon body waste and to feed them garish looking slurry. The groaning and muffled crying of at least 3000 victims was perhaps even more disturbing.

I actually ran, I ran back to the bridge of the ship and grabbed the Ship’s master by the throat. I tried to find words that could adequately express my feelings to him, I failed and said.

“You will pay for this, like no one has ever paid.”

He tried to shrug and said. “What is it to you? You are a pirate and these are all Union humans. It’s just business, very good business too.”

I didn’t even recognize my own voice as I asked. “Your Company, is that what you do? Are there more ships like this?”

His eyes glared at me. “The Togar are waiting for this ship. It is unwise to make the Togar and my company your enemies, Pirate. I have a GalNet terminal and I called for help and described you and your ship. Help is on its way, so you better make a deal with me.”

I still held him and said to Narth using our mental connection.”Tell Shea, and Three-Four to come over here and have them copy every bit of information of this ship Computronics. Tell Krabbel he has the Conn and you man your sensors and make sure we know when something or someone approaches.”

Narth responded with.”Aye Captain” and disappeared.

To the Ship Master I said.”I hope they come and I send them all straight to Hel.” My mind was still seeing the images I had seen in his freight bays and the knowledge that I could not punish him accordingly filled me with a cold, different rage than I ever felt before. It was not the sudden anger I often cursed and I felt and could quench with plunging myself head over heels into the fray. It was the realization that death was not enough, that the only thing that would satisfy me was to torture him, to make him suffer a long time and I said to him.

“Here is the deal; I am going to sell your load of human flesh to the Togar myself. I am going to fill them with bio engineered disease and when your filthy cat friends will eat, they spread it and die.”

One of the Togar officers of his bridge crew who was like the rest of the bridge crew restrained with memory tape and held like a weightless toy in TheOther’s fist hissed with fear. “You cannot do that, that is Genocide! You are evil.”

“Yes Cat you are right, I am! No mercy, no remorse I will descent upon your kind and make you pay. You Togar shall perish to the last as for my wraith knows no limit.”

The Ship master, I was still holding struggled and screamed, and it was as if there was a vacuum inside his body. His eyes were sucked inside his skull and his cheeks pulled in around his teeth and jaws. He screamed, and then he gargled with a dying voice. “The flames, the dark flames, please don’t...” His last words died on his bloodless lips and he looked like a thousand year old freeze dried mummy hanging from my fist.

TheOther who was still holding the Togar said. “Captain, that was epic and like the texts of the ancient Book I love, your words made me feel fear.”

I dropped the corpse and said. “You better check the suits of these other officers; they seem to have some kind of suicide device built in.”

Then I asked him. “What words? I still try to find something adequate to say to this filth.”

He held the Togar up and before me and the Cat struggled trying to get away from me even while bound and held by a Y’All and TheOther said.”You sure impressed him as you can see.”

I shrugged and said. “I wish we could really do that, spoil their food but I doubt the Admiral will let us.”

--””--

I stood in one of our empty freight bays and watched Har Hi and teams led by Sobody bring in the spoils of the pirate ship. Sobody came over and said to me.”Captain, can I make a suggestion?”

I nodded and said. “Of course.”

It would really help our reputation as Pirates if our deeds became known. I mean we should tow the pirate ship to Brhama Port and sell it. The Mighty Nine is a well known ship and us bringing it in would be a bold statement, not to mention make a nice profit. Would be a shame to let it drift or blow it up, you know.”

Elfi called me over Intercom and said. “Captain I got the Admiral as you requested.”

“Pipe it down here, Elfi.”

A field screen established itself before me and showed both Cherubim and the Admiral, sharing half of the screen each. Even though Elfi had sent them a detailed report and visuals, I gave them a short oral report.

Cherubim said after I was done.

“We think we know where Klotzky & Harris Freight and Export gets these humans. They run an advertisement campaign on GalNet and offer good paying jobs to Non citizens, GalDrifts, criminals and other similar groups and promise them a new life with good conditions on a corporate colony with paradise like conditions that almost sound too good to be true. We have alerted Federal Police and they going to execute a search warrant on that corporate world in short time.”

The Admiral clenched his fist.

“Even though I think your plan has merits, I can’t condone it. We can’t poison the Togar. As much as their practices disgust us, we cannot project our moral and ethical values onto another species. Not a single Togar ship has ever attacked a Union ship or a Union target, as they know what will happen then. Every human has been sold to them by others, and this is part of the very mission you are on, to make sure those who trade are caught and dealt with. The Togar, so I have learned from the small community of these Cats that live as Union citizens, actually prefer pork and your friend Alex Enroe tries his part to diminish their demand on human flesh by delivering pork to the Togar as I think you know and hopefully there will come the day where Union space touches Togar space directly and then things will change quickly.”

I had to agree with him and I did remember Captain Lethra, Captain of the American Spirit and Alex Enroe’s private yacht. It was not so long ago and yet it felt as if it happened a lifetime ago.

The Admiral said. “I just talked to your friend Alex and since Galveston shipyards isn’t that far away he will send three of his ships. One of them will tow the horror ship back into Union space and we take it from there. As soon as you see the Enroe units on your scanners I want you to leave that area, as you are a pirate even in their eyes of course. They do have strict orders not to engage anything and simply tow that ship back; but they are corporate private units and are not under Fleet command. Corporate Captains don’t like Pirates at all.”

I told him about Sobody’s suggestion and he said.”It is a good idea and I think he is right. It would make your reputation more solid than the rumors we have spread. Go ahead tow that ship to Brhama Port and sell it, put the captured Pirates in stasis boxes aboard the Bolgar ship, so we can deal with them as well.”

I acknowledged his orders and he smiled at me saying.

“Tell your crew you already made a difference, capturing the Mighty Nine and that K&H Corp ship and that we are quite proud of you all. How is that Golden passenger of yours working out?”

“Sir, he isn’t a passenger but became very fast a valuable and reliable member of my crew and I have changed my mind about him completely and would not want to miss him.”

“Good to hear, carry on and good luck.”

-””-

The Enroe ships had arrived and we were on our way seeing them on the outmost horizon of our sensors. We also noticed a group of four ships speeding towards the same location. Shea identified them as ships registered to the K&H Corporation. Most likely the help called and mentioned by the dead Ship master. I was tempted to turn around and shoot them all to pieces, but Har-Hi did his job well, keeping me in line and Hans was certain that the K&H ships didn’t want to mess with the Enroe ships, officially designated as Corporate Security units but in reality almost as big and as powerful as regular Union Battle ships. I hoped Dawn herself would execute everyone involved in that vile business and make sure they dangled a while before they died. This time I actually wished I could be there as her assistant and would volunteer to push the switch. I didn’t like GalDrifts but I knew from first experience, not all of them had chosen this lifestyle, my little Exa was born into it and had no choice. I was sure there were many more like her, who somehow fell through the social net of our society and to prey upon those with false promises, to lure them into a trap to sell them as meat was worse than slavery.

It was almost scary how much my view of the world had changed since I left Nilfeheim.

Was I really the same person? On the outside I had changes so much that I was certain no one on Nilfeheim would recognize me, perhaps with the exception of Elena, who was among the first I shared my secret with. Looking down on my own chest that now sported a set of female breasts, tightly arranged under thin black leather, I remembered the conversation I had about these with my step sister in the yard of our burg while we crossed blades.

I realized it was the first time in my life; I had a feeling of homesickness. I wondered if it was time for breakfast at the burg. I could almost smell the fresh bread Midrill would bake and I could hear the sharp claws of the Nubhir Wolfs clacking over the stone floor in the High Hall for the best places under the big table. It was Longnight once again on Nilfeheim, Elena and the Olafson warriors were now gathering our herds of Fangsnappers and the packs of Nubhir wolfs to bring them to Isen to be slaughtered or sold. I could hear the voices and the animals bellows. I could almost smell it all, yet I knew at the bottom of my heart, that Nilfeheim was no longer my home. I could visit I was certain but I would never fit in again and never be more than a guest on my own home world.

Narth entered my thoughts, not intrusive but like a welcome diversion. Even though the Narth were alien to me, his mind was not. It was as much part of me as my Eric persona and Freya the strange female that shared my mind. In many ways the female side of me I called Erica was more alien to me than Narth and especially now that I lived and was perceives as a woman her desires and motivations seemed that of a different person altogether. It was as if I shared my very being with her, but I wasn’t her. Narth voice inside me said. “Yes it almost seems as if you have shared Hugavh with a female person, you are the same and yet different when you are her. Yet I know at the very core of all this you are Eric and whatever changes I am confident you will never stop being Eric first. As the Narth Supreme said you are Narth but I think you will be the first among us who has an individual name.”

“One thing is certain my friend, all this is still beyond the comprehension of a Neo Viking and while I have this strange notion that there is yet even more, someone else inside me. Not you, not Freya but someone else. When I do the meditation exercises you have taught me, I can almost feel it, something that is deep asleep but there.However it alson feels more familiar to me than anything. I can’t even explain it to you.”

Har-Hi interrupted us and said. “Captain you should go to bed, you are falling asleep on the Conn. Not that this is a bad thing, but your shift is long over and we are still more than 14 hours out of Brhama and we can’t get any faster as we are towing the Mighty Nine.”

I straightened myself in the seat and said. “It is a good idea Har-Hi and I will heed your advice, but first I am going to the Den, have a bite to eat and have a nice cold swim.”

He grinned and said. “I won, thus there won’t be any cold water in the Pool for a whole week.”

I got up stretched myself and said. “Teaches me to wager with a Dai.”

Union ship time was equal to Standard Union, and because of this the ship was still on night mode.

Most beings had a wake and sleep cycle, a steady day night cycle was thought to be better and healthier for the crews. During day cycle the corridors were lit with light that simulated the same spectrum as a GIII star, but during the night cycle, the lights had a softer yellow glow and only every other light element was on.

So I didn’t expect many to be in our Den, but I found Sobody, the Holdian, the Shail and two marines sitting around a smaller green table and playing a game that involved colorful round coins and little sheets of paper they held like a fan before their faces. Well in the case of the Holdian it covered much of his upper torso and he had to hold that paper fan with both his little hands, while one of the Marines was a Petharian and in his hand they looked tiny. The Shail used the mechanical hands of his hover sled as it had no natural hands at all.

The human marine jumping up and said. “Captain on deck.”

I said. “Not here Marine, no parade ground atics in our den, stay as you are.”

He sat back down I looked to the ceiling and said. “SHIP, can you let the galley know I would like to eat something?”

“Yes Captain. I take care of it myself.”

While the Tigershark had the most advanced Serv-Matics that could be found in almost every room of the ship, there weren’t any in the Hangar Bays of course. Like the day and night cycle and for similar reasons, all fleet ships also had a real Galley where food was prepared the traditional way. I had met our Chief Steward briefly as he boarded the ship on Richter base and the ships galley was under the jurisdiction of the Steward department. I also knew we had a Chief Cook, but I had not met him or her so far.

I looked over Sobody’s shoulder and asked. “What kind of game are you playing?”

He cursed with a deep smile of satisfaction on his face and said. “Polonium may kill whoever invented this game. It is a Terran card game called Poker and that smart Marine Corporal here, is showing us how it is played now for the last nine days. If we would play for real, he would be the richest Son of a gun in the Union Marine corps. Yesterday he even won against SHIP and Shea.”

I made a step back in disbelieve. “How could anyone win against those two in any kind of game?”

The Marine now also grinned and said. “Because part of the game is how well you can bluff. Now I can’t ever win against Lt. Schwartz or SHIP again as they now knows how it is done, but I did manage to do so once, Captain.”

“Maybe I need to try it myself, right after I ate.”

Just as I said it a Crewmember, I had not seen for sure walked in followed by a stout looking Elly wearing a white jacket and salt and pepper patterned pants. He was carrying a covered plate. The crewmember coming in looked like a female X101, with the same chrome colored skin and I wondered why I had not noticed her before. Unlike Cirruit, she had shoulder long hair, looking very much like the silvery tinsel we used on Nilfeheim to decorate the Yule log.

She wore Navy black and had the Ensign rank bar on her collar. She greeted me and I immediately recognized the voice, it was SHIP. “What do you think, Captain?”

I smiled at her and said.”Very nice and I am glad you followed up on that. Is it an Avatar or a robot?”

“It will be both, Captain. Cirruit managed to get a direct link to Mother Machine. She approved and is making me a real body that can directly link to my mind. Until we can pick it up however it is an Avatar representation of Mother Machine’s design. Cirruit recommended that approach so my physical representation is above any legal challenges. With Mother Machine involved no one will be able to challenge your decision to make me a person.”

“Good thinking and I do like the hair. It looks very nice.”

She said.”It is part of the newest X101 series improvement, that is just been born.”

I then pointed at the covered dish, held by the Elly.”Is that my dinner?”

“Yes Ma’am. I made it myself and thought I take the opportunity to meet you in person. I am Petty Officer First Class Nanjo Eeeryt, and I am this ships, Chief Cook. I noticed your preference for fish dishes and allowed myself to prepare you Terran French fish soup called Bouillabaisse and Norwegian Lutefisk with mashed potatoes, mashed peas and bacon.”

Remembering the Gelatinous Pulse Stink Maggots and the state dinner on Archilerb, I was not too keen to see what he fabricated.

I changed my mind after first whiff of the soup and after trying a spoon, I was certain this was a close second to Midril’s Fin stew. He stood there watching me eat and I noticed the poker game had stopped and everyone was watching me and it was as silent as in the Cave of forgotten Clans so I said.

“This is food fit for the Aseir. I must apologize for thinking skeptical. Mr. Eeeryt this is the best I ate since I left Nilfeheim. I hope you made enough for seconds and why is it I am eating alone?”

I could not tell how or where they came from but the table was full in no time and everyone was trying the fish soup.

The Cook said to me. “I know our reputation, Captain. Believe me I do. I was the butt of every joke there is during boot camp and specializing training, but I learned cooking in a town of Earth called Marseille. I have worked as a Chef at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and was the Head Chef on the Silver Swan, a five star luxury liner before I decided to serve our Union.”

I had stuffed myself like a starving Tyranno during the last Shortsummer month and hoped that my leather suit would hold. I leaned back smoked one of Shaka’s cigarettes as he had joined us as well, before me a cup of Navy blend coffee and a glass of golden Whiskey that came out of a case, McElligott himself had sent.

The horror images of the last days slowly faded into the background of memories.

To the Golden I said.”Sobody what can you tell me about Brhama port?”

He had just finished his third plate and pushed the plate away, dabbed his small mouth with a napkin and said.

“The area is known to most as the Thalim Nebula, the Union calls it the Prometheus Five Star Nebula, while no one knows why all five suns went supernova approximately at the same time, and it created a nebula.

Not nearly as thick as the Igras Nebula soup and not as full of radiation as the Ballard Nebula, those Mini Terrans call their home, but full of Roids, I mean Asteroids and planetoids, micro matter and solar gases. One side is in Union space and the other extends into Freespace. Brhama Port is much like my own Bazaar a hollowed Asteroid, but much smaller.”

SHIP called up a map of the area and then a visual of Brhama Port, while the holographic image was slowly turning in the middle of our table Sobody continued, “The Asteroid is about nine kilometers in diameter and as you can see, looks more like a Terran potato than anything else. The area has always been a particular nasty space in terms of outlaws and pirates, but Brhama and the area around it is controlled by the Bassett Roid Mining Association. The Bassetts are a big family of nineteen brothers and seven sisters with all their extended families. They are as tight as it gets and you only get in by marrying or being adopted. The other miners associated to that area lease their claims from the Bassett family by sharing parts of their profits.

The Port is also a well known Pirate hang out and they can do as they please as long as they leave the miners alone. Attacking a miner is a no-no and stirs the Bassetts like a nest of Thikar-stingers. They do most of their business with the Kartanian and the Togar. The miners on Union Side are their sworn enemies and there are constant battles, as the Union border is less than well defined in this area.”

Shea who had joined us just a few moments ago asked.”The Bassetts are humans or a species?”

Sobody shrugged. “I am not sure, I haven’t seen one personally, but they maintain a sales stall on my Asteroid and I was told they are humanoid. Rumors I can not substantiate say they are a mix of Human and Kermac. Disliked on both sides and that is why they settled there, but then this family is in business for almost 1000 years and they keep their family secrets well.”

Har-Hi sighed. “I know this area actually, well the galactic north part of it. It was there where my father and the other Clans that decided to join the Union crossed into Union space, with Cam Elf-Na and 6500 Dai Clans in hot pursuit. It was a dark day for the Dai indeed.”

Sobody made a sad face and nodded. “I know, noble Har-Hi. There are many scavengers still scouring the area for Dai artifacts and scrap. I have seen many thousands of tons go through my Bazaar alone.”

Shea asked. “Why haven’t the Dai attacked this port?”

It was Har-Hi who answered. “We don’t mine, but we need raw materials. Attacking them will supply you once, buying minerals and metals will allow you to get a steady and reliable source. I am sure these Brothers have several Clans among their steady customers.”

Shea made Har-Hi tell the entire events out of his perspective and told us that this is when he saw the Devi for the first time. He had forgotten his cigar that was burning in an ashtray before him and he finished saying. “Only three weeks after that I was on my way to the Academy.”

Narth said. “You could have almost met each other back then, Eric and you that is.”

Har-Hi raised one of his sharply angled eyebrows and said. “I thought you weren’t in the Navy back then and still on Nilfeheim. Were you already fighting on Union side?”

I said. “No not exactly, I was aboard a civil yacht when we encountered a battle ship of the Ima Clan under the command of a Dai named Win-Do.”

Har-Hi now raised both eyebrows.”I know of him, he was always known for his exceptional hate towards all Union. I think his clan was destroyed as he was one of the first that entered Union space. How did you survive?”

I tried to tell the event without many details, but they kept asking and so I had to tell the whole thing.

Har-Hi put his hand on my shoulder. “Win-Do made one fatal mistake, he asked Eric to surrender.” Then he started giggling. “You are something else, Captain. I wonder what else happened before you even went to the Academy.” -- THE END

Here ends Eric Olafson, Space Pirate (Volume 5 GC 31 ) If you want to know what happens next, join me in Volume 6 GC 32 Captain Black Velvet

"Eric Olafson, Space Pirate " The End