Book 10 - Chapter 04: Aesir-edited

"The Rundiranz?" I repeated. So what do you know about all this?"

"Lize Biz, Captinz." Meeze said, looking at the greenish goob of organic substance in one of his small hands. He took a bite."Iz baaz Captinz buz maybez I puz the salz or ze strawberriez onz ze Rundiranz."

"Mr. Meeze can you pause your culinary experiments for a moment and tell me what you know?"

The worm creature gave the green glob a last look and then tossed it back into the cracked open cryotube."Meeze knows lize biz. The Rundiranz anz ze otzers travelz from ze planez zo ze planez anz changz ze lifez. The Rundiranz noz likez ze otzers."

I tried hard to understand, but the worm's explanation made little sense.

TheOther stepped next to me and exchanged sentences in an alien language with Meeze and then said to me. "Meeze thinks, the beings in these cryotubes were ready to be seeded but somehow had not been deployed or released by the Life changers. Meeze remembers Mora legends about two distinct life seeding mega societies. Each trying to spread their particular brand of life and opposing the efforts of the other society."

I digested the information, even though it was much clearer, I was not sure how it applied to our situation, but it was more than we had before. "You speak the native language of Meeze?"

"Yes captain, I believe Meeze and Y'All are related somehow, we share basic genetic similarities. The other Yehaa aboard have taught me Mora language."

Luitenant Bergdorf one of the Mini Terran buzzed close and hovered at eye-level before me. "Captain, we discovered tanks full of these." He held up a plastic container and inside was something that reminded me of a tiny organic shaped throw dart.

He continued. "Shea examined our scans and we think these things are rained onto a planet by the billions, then they sting lifeforms and inject an aggressive gene code changing virus. Captain, I think we discovered a Seeder ship."

--""--

Our expedition to the alien wreck was uneventful and while we now had the outline of an idea what we had encountered, there were lots of unanswered questions.

I had returned to the Tigershark and went to Circuit to check on the progress of the repair work.

My X101 Centmac engineer told me that everything was progressing nicely. The Dime-Tap was almost ready to go online and that the Janus device was also close to being restored. The science department had completed a planetary survey and reported the existence of a stone-age society of lizard beings on another continent, unable to cross the oceans. Open contact with a primitive culture was strongly discouraged and if at all to be avoided.

I permitted Shea to lead an excursion to the alien wreck to give it a closer look.

All this activity kept my crew busy, but there was little I needed to do. So, after an extensive swim, I decided to take the opportunity for a leisure day and a nice long sleep.

I just closed my eyes and was ready to catch a few zees, when I found myself inside a dark glowing shapeless environment without clearly defined ground or any other solid boundaries. I felt my brother's mind, more substantial than before. Whatever he was, he was gaining awareness and with that, he began to separate himself from me. The distinct feeling of him being a completely separate person had grown.

"I am indeed growing and becoming more and more aware of what I am. The bonds that tie me to this body and you are weakening."

"Does that mean, I have to fear you? I am mortal and tied to this body, unlike you, there aren't mystical trinkets for me."

"Sister, you need to listen to our friend Narth. I am forever tied to you, you are more than a temporary vessel. Even without me, you will be a powerful psion user. It was you who the Narth Supreme invited."

"There is a reason other than some weird mental sibling chit chat we are talking, right?"

"Yes, sister, the pace of my ultimate awakening is quickening and the Omniverse is preparing for that. Some forces fear my coming, some believe they can affect my essence and become the vessel. Others believe it can be prevented. The closer we approach this time, the more powerful and potent these forces will become."

"That means exactly what?"

"Nothing can harm or stop me, but until I am what must be, you can be harmed. If you, my vessel is harmed or killed. I can not incarnate as pre-ordained and the Decision can not be made. Sister, we must seek out the remaining tokens."

"You know, I am a Starship Captain, no matter what. I can't just go on a quest of my own.

"We crossed many light-years stepping over trans-spatial thresholds. We traveled with Luci Fera, bypassing space via the Netherrealms and we traveled with the Narth Supreme, Time and space have a different meaning to us...to me. We know where the gauntlets are. Let us go to Netlor and retrieve them, we will be gone for less than five minutes."

I sighed, opened my eyes and got out of bed.

"Tell SHIP that we will be back. You are a Starship captain indeed, and able to make decisions, you come to the aid of anyone asking. I am your brother."

"You know how to get there?"

"In theory sister, as I have never done it before as you know. Take our ax, it cuts everything including the very fabric of time and space."

"And if it does cut it, how do we mend it?"

"Such cut or tear is not permanent."

I sighed got up from the bed and it took only a thought to summon the shroud. It appeared out of nowhere and replaced the nighty I was wearing. With the shroud, my boots appeared.

A metal belt girded the loose shroud above my hips.

"Sister, I know this is not your style but it is mine."

"Let us just hope no one gets a heart attack seeing me like that."

Aloud, I ordered: "SHIP, I will be gone for five minutes or so. Don't be alarmed, if anything urgent happens, let Har-Hi know."

I raised my hand, the ax grew to full size. My mind filled with images of Netlor. I knew this was not me, but the growing abilities of my brother able to see a distant world with such incredible detail. These images were so substantial. I swiped the ax in an arch through the air, creating a glowing rift and I stepped through.

--""--

Har-Hi sat brooding in the command chair and stared through the front viewport. As usual, the viewscreen had been raised to allow a direct view over the dust-dry desert landscape. He had asked Xon, who was sitting behind the Comm Channel to keep the common channels open, so he could listen to the science team aboard the shipwreck. Their voices were excited in the usual science geek way, but there was no distress or any indication they were in danger. He was still worried, despite the armed marines, half of them conscripted Y'All.

Har-Hi's lips curled to a faint smile as he was thinking about these terrifying brutes. Beings of a dozen galaxies felt panic like fear, just hearing these brutes were coming.

Yet, in Quarva the hollow asteroid moon in the Leo II galaxy when they faced a whole troop of these genetically constructed warrior beasts, but true to the unexplainable Tigershark magic, fifty revived Y'All joined the crew, then argued and pleaded with the Admiral to have them remain aboard. To the Tigershark crew, they weren't fear-inducing, of course mainly due to TheOther, who had long ceased to be frightening but was the welcome sight of a dear friend.

But Har-Hi was not just a Union Officer, he was also Dai, boarding ships to plunder them was a way of life. He knew of many stories when inert and dead wrecks had concealed lethal terrors.

He shifted his position. "Of course no Dai boarding party ever had Y'All warriors in heavy destroyer suits, Petharians, and a dozen Cerberus to keep guard."

He was actually glad when the ship bell announced the begin of the next watch. Not that this had been his shift, but like the Captain, he sometimes extended his shift just to make sure everything was running smoothly.

Har-Hi had no words for it, nor did he consciously know he had it, but he too had this unexplainable sense, humans called gut-feeling. Something didn't feel right, the Tigershark was almost back to normal, but almost was just not good enough for him, until the Dime-Tab was back online, they were sitting Kanthus. Easy prey in other words.

The Dai got up, so Roghor could occupy the command chair. He briefed the magnificent Togar cat on the status of things and walked to the rear bridge access. He decided to forego the planned meal and do the same the Captain did, take a nap. Even though a Dai warrior could forego days without sleep. If his vague insubstantial feeling of something looming, he might as well find some rest now.

He glanced back and watched Roghor adjust field screens and ask for a mission and repair update, he agreed with Erica, that Togar cat was technically just a Luitenant, without even a month at the academy, but Roghor was, in experience and demeanor a seasoned commanding officer. Captain Olafson kept calling Roghor by its old Togar rank of Commander. Everyone picked to serve as a watch officer and hold the Conn, as this particular task was called in the Union Navy, was doing an excellent job, but Roghor added an almost palatable element of confidence to it. The Tigershark was in good paws and Har-Hi was certain the day would come when Roghor would wear Union Captain's gold on his sleeves and command a Battleship.

As he stepped in the brightly lit corridor of the command deck and the heavy iris doors of the bridge closed behind him, a dark shrouded being peeled out of the air right next to him and kept pace.

While the being looked exactly like his dear friend Narth, he instantly knew this was not Narth, but the Narth Supreme himself.

"Permission to come aboard, Commander Hi."

"Permission granted. You are the Narth Supreme are you not?"

"Indeed. Your senses are developing remarkably well."

Har-Hi did not know what the Narth Supreme wanted to say with that. "Not that it would do much good denying it, you Narth can appear inside any ship."

The shrouded being sounded amused. "This ship is transparent to me because our mutual friend Erica allows it. SHIP would never let me pass her defenses if it was not so."

"I was trying to make a sarcastic joke, Honorable Supreme Narth. You are always a most welcomed visitor. We are not far from our never used Officer's lounge, can I interest you in some refreshments perhaps? My friend Narth has developed quite a taste for real food."

"All Narth knows, and there are more and more that embrace food, not as a source of sustenance, as we do no longer require it in this form, but as a source joy through taste and flavor. Let us then proceed to this lounge, a portion of the famous Tigershark coffee would be appreciated indeed. While the venue of your Den would be far more welcome, I came to speak to you."

Har-Hi sighed. "I was certain you would say that, not that I appreciate your visit and presence, but you are an entity of god-like level and hardly waste time on a simple Dai if it wasn't necessary."

"Har-Hi, I am not a god. Far from it, but you share the vicinity with an entity that will be the closest definition of an omniscient, omnipotent condition able to alter the fabric of space and time."

"It is about Erica, is it?"

"Only indirectly, Har-Hi. She is not aboard, I came to see you."

They had walked past the Captain's quarters, his quarters and approached the entrance to the Tigershark's officer lounge. Har-Hi remembered being here once, back when the Tigershark was given to them, and he made a point to walk every deck.

His chin fell as he heard those words. "She is not aboard? Abducted again?"

"Oh no, she can no longer be abducted all that easily. She used her Ax to split time and space to retrieve things that belong to her."

The doors slid open with a faint whisper, instead of the expected unused officer's galley. They had walked into a food and meat locker. Boxes and bags of all sort of food items, piled scrap metal and system parts.

Har-Hi was stopped dead in his tracks. "SHIP, what in Trauks infected eyeballs is going on here?"

"Midshipman Meeze asked, if he could utilize an unused room to store a few personal items, you approved it by signature."

"A few personal items? I think I read the request line item. This looks like a ton of things." Har-Hi's eyes were caught by a bloody thing in a vacuum seal pack. "Spirit of the Universe, is that a Thauran arm, didn't we get rid of all that?"

SHIP tried to sound innocent. "This is the least used room of any and there was no stipulation on weight, type or amount."

Har-Hi wanted to say something when he heard the sound of chewing and a sharp burp. There behind a plastic barrel, with raw gag reflex inducing odor fish and meat bits sat Fafnir, the not so little dragon blissfully chewing on what looked like the thigh of something big. Puffs of black smoke escaped its nostrils now and then between bites.

"SHIP, I am busy with an important guest. When I come back I want Mr. Meeze on the carpet and discuss this, this... mess!"

Apologetic he said to the Narth Supreme. "I am so sorry, this is not suitable. My quarters include an office, maybe we can go there."

--""--

Never was he more afraid than now. The statuesque med-tech hummed a little tune, while she kept an eye on the read-outs. He was completely immobilized, not a single muscle in his body reacted to his mind. She stepped next to him and padded his cheek. "Ten more minutes and I know where to attach the neuro path scrubbers. Every brain is a little different. A simple mind wipe would be easier, but you going to be a very valuable asset. Just as your friend, Alegar. Through you two, we can control a Narth, how delightful."

She readied a helmet-like contraption, clearly meant to be lowered over his head and begin that inhuman procedure of wiping Egill's mind and implanting a new personality.

He screamed, he fought the mind-numbing drugs, but not a single sound reached his lips. Not a single muscle twitched.

A male medic entered the room. "The detective is more complicated. It appears whatever keeps him alive for so long has altered his brain and makes it more resistant."

"He is Terran, go for an old fashioned Lobotomy and cauterize the lobe stems. He might heal, but he will be a drooling fool. He just was too long exposed to deep space."

"How about that primitive fool from Nilfeheim?"

"No complications there, his mind was easily mapped. He is an impressive Psi talent and will be a great tool."

"Praise the Tribunal!"

"Yes, the Ajax protocol was premature and has been stopped."

She turned to Egill. "Say goodbye to yourself, Egill. Time for me to make a new one."

Before she could proceed, a bright arch of light appeared in midair.

Egill could see only very little, not even his eyeballs reacted to his will, but he felt a sudden presence. He heard the distinct gnarl of leather gear, the faint metallic hiss of a blade drawn.

The Seenian special operations android, masquerading as a male Med Tech said. "I am sorry, visiting the patient is not possible right now. We are preparing a surgical procedure. If you want to wait in the designated area of this clinic, we will keep you informed."

Whatever paralyzed Egill was fading and he was able to raise his head. He could not believe his eyes. There was Siegfrieda and Old Elkhart. The tall blonde had her sword drawn and pointed it at the disguised Sentmac.

He recognized Elkharts face, but not the body. The old feeble Keeper looked stronger and bigger than mighty Hogun.

Elkhart thundered in a voice that made the medical equipment vibrate. "Foulest of all contraptions, wicked adaption of man."

The Seenian Sentmac attacked, it was nearly indestructible, strong as a Cerberus and armed with a concealed Seenian matter dissolver. The greenish shimmering beam able to neutralize the atomic cohesion between molecules and atoms bathed the tall blonde. Part of her fur cape rendered to molecular dust, but she was otherwise unharmed. The Seenian android grabbed her left wrist. Not even a Petharian was strong enough to withstand such a bone-crushing grip which had equally no effect on her. Her sword cut through Seenian metal and bio flex skin like a hot knife through butter, severing the Sentmac's arm at the elbow, another swipe decapitated the machine.

Elkhart in the meantime had taken hold of the female. She was not a Sentmac, but a masked and disguised Saresii. After her initial surprise that her Neuro Shocker did not affect that anachronistic dressed and armed old man, she had a different tone in her voice. All the arrogance was gone. "Who are you?"

"Nilfeheim men have old friends and the prayers of a warrior are always heard by the Aseir!"

With a simple move, effortless as if breaking the spine of a Silver Flicker, the Old Man snapped the woman's neck.

Egill realized he was no longer suspended in that bio gel bed. He was standing on his own feet, fully dressed in the traditional warrior leathers and furs of a Nilfeheim warrior. Of all wonders, he noticed Dødbringer, the fabled broadsword of his clan in its scabbard suspended from his belt.

All the Pluribus sophistication peeled away, the dignified Eldest of the Circle of Elders, the Representative of Nilfeheim, the Wiseman of the Assembly even that grumpy old hermit had disappeared. In their place, a Norse Viking warrior. Full of vigor, strength, and rage that boiled into a berserker like anger.

He did not see Siegfrieda or Elkhart as he looked up. Dødbringer almost felt alive as he drew the razor-sharp broadsword of the Skallagrimmson clan.

He did not even wait for the door to open. Only somewhere in the back of his mind did he notice the deep gashes his sword cut into the door's metal. His vast psionic telekinetic powers ripped the panels out of the frame like tissue paper and hurled them like missiles against an unarmed security robot, alarmed by the noise.

In a shower of sparks, plastic and metal parts the S-18 went down.

The medic bending over Alegar in the next treatment bay, starred in disbelieve at the sword blade that just pierced his chest.

Egill did not stop or slow down. He kicked another med-tech so hard in the stomach, the man was slammed into a wall three feet behind him.

His sword careened of the metal skin of another disguised Sentmac, unharmed by the sword but ripped apart in a million parts. A Narth had appeared, his mind was as angry and as furious as that of Egill.

Egill panted, his white hair in a wild mane around his bearded face. One fist around Dodbringer, the other around the shaft of a hand ax. "The Detective!"

The Narth touched Egill and together they teleported into another treatment room. The two med techs in the room were already dead, collapsed in the floor.

Egill, with horror, watched the blinking Psycho surgery robot and the already lowered helmet contraption.

His mind reached out in anger, and both tech items exploded into parts.

Unlike Alegar, the old detective did not move at all. Did they come too late?

--""--

The Narth Supreme had found a seat across Har-Hi's desk and the Dai said. "We have only met once at Narth planet, yet I recognized you and your voice both acoustic and in my head. It sounds so familiar."

"Not just Erica, Mighty Dai. You also are welcome on Narth Prime, for a day or the remaining days of this universe. You are not just Dai but you are Narth."

"I love Narth the other one, I mean our Narth, like a brother, but I am not a super-entity like Erica. How would a simple Dai fit in with all you Psionic wizards?"

"You are anything but simple, you have long ceased to be 'just a Dai'. The time will come when you realize you did not come to Narth Prime just by the association to Erica and you did not leave Narth Prime without a gift.

The being that is Eric will not be on Narth Prime, Erica, however, might find a home there once her star roaming times are spent. Nilfeheim will never be home to her again, The Exer-Hi for all her size and splendor will never be your home ever again. There will always be a special bond between all those who serve aboard this remarkable ship, but to them, the Tigershark will be an episode. They will go on to other ships, retire, return to civilian life, love, be loved and die. You, Shea, Narth, and Erica, however, have changed forever. It is not just Erica who is changing and evolving, mighty Dai, you too are on a path that removes you from the rest."

Har-Hi wanted to protest and argue that this did not hold true for him, but there was no falsehood, no room for argument. It was the Narth Supreme speaking to him, revealing an aspect of his self he knew existed, ever since he saw the Black Flame for the first time.

The Narth slowly nodded and said with his deep warm voice that resonated in his mind, not just in his ears. "Remember your battle with the Star Demon outside an old Nexus Point?"

"Yes!" And as he said it an obscuring veil-like fog lifted of his inner eyes. "It was not a star demon. I fought Zophim."

"Yes, Har-Hi you did what no mortal was ever able to do before. You have slain one of the twelve self-appointed Guardians of Light and one of the servants to the one called Lord Lumis.”

I obscured your memories of this titanic deed because you are an important part of a cosmic conflict, your best friend Erica is at the core part of this conflict!"

"I know, and I begin to understand this more and more. While it concerns me, even tough I do not understand. I am Erica’s friend and will stand with her against anything, no matter what it might be.”

"Erica takes much strength in that. You stepped before the Dark God to defend her, no being in all the Omniverse could have been braver."

“Gods are real? Erica really shares her body with a god?”

“As I tried to explain to the Eternal Warrior, to Erica and now to you, the term God is very hard to define, but even in Narth terms, what Erica or Eric will become is indeed godlike, with powers and ability one can only describe as omnipotent.”

“What is she or what will she become and why?”

“This universe is only one of many, but there was only one at the beginning of it all. In this first condition of reality, two concepts took on sentient form. One represented light, life, and creation. The other became the incarnation of death, destruction, and darkness. Together they formed a perfect balance. Because there can be no good without evil, no light without darkness. This balance became THE RULE. One of these entities was Crea, the spirit of Creation and life. She also became the definition of female, decided to destroy darkness and reshape further universes without darkness and death.

In doing so she had to fight and attack the incarnation of Darkness.

The very act of ambush, fighting and attacking are not aspects of light but include elements of the other side. As the desired result of that conflict was the destruction of the other side. It sounds simple but on a cosmic scale it is infinitely complicated and she disturbed the balance and by doing so broke the Rule.

Crea was punished and sent into exile to another plane of existence. Unable to directly influence reality, she raised a mortal being as her defender and agent. The mortal became Lord Lumis and was tasked to destroy the Dark One, or at least prevent his incarnation.

Now we are in the final Universe, and it is here where the Dark One will reincarnate, unify the twelve tokens of his power and rise to make the decision. Erica or rather Eric inside her is the Dark One.”

Har-Hi felt completely overwhelmed and quite afraid. ”What can mortals, what can a Dai do?”

“You, Richard Stahl, Shea, and Young Narth have very important parts in this. The Dark One will recognize you and perhaps a  friend. He might listen to you or may shape the decision he is to make because of you."

“What is it, I am supposed to do?”

"I don't know, Har-Hi. That is a question you alone will have to answer. Erica has gathered eight of these Token and is on her way to obtain two more. The need to obscure your memories is no longer indicated, Eric has meet Lord Lumis. I also came to bring you what is rightfully yours."

The Narth revealed a long sword, out of thin air. "This is Lord Zophim's sword. Like the one Shea carries."

"Or like Erica's ax?"

"Nothing is like the Ax."

--""--

The space station was humongous, as it was a full-sized Gigamon plus. It hung over Sares Prime and was known as Sares Hub. It featured several Union Hospitals, this one felt like a Klack colony at the Queens birthday. It crawled with NAVINT, ANA and Union Police. The brazen and almost successful attempt to perform Psycho Surgery on three Union citizens. Two Assembly Representatives and a genuine immortal. The whole affair was compounded by the fact that Alegar was the highest Saresii Councilor and this happened right here in the Saresii home system.

What frustrated Egill to no end, was the fact that none of the 15 culprits survived.

More than that, their bodies were quickly deteriorating and had crumbled to dust, before they could be closely examined.

Egill was certain that at least seven of the attackers were artificial life forms. Human analogs of great sophistication, and not X101s. Yet nothing of the attackers remained.

It took almost a day before genuine med experts released Phil Decker. He had been partially lobotomized and at first, they declared there was not much they could do restore his mind, but to everyone's surprise. His body restored itself and Phil grinned, declaring a major headache.

By the time, he examined the crime scenes there was nothing left.

Now all four sat in a lounge with a spectacular view of the Sares worlds and sun.

Phil raised his glass, with nothing but ice water and said. "I am sure that is the extent of your involvement."

Egill slammed his beer mug down. "Hell is damned! If you let me, let us stay in the case with you; we want to see the end of this case and whoever is pulling the strings on the business end of a Federal Executioner's rope. It is personal now!"

Alegar agreed. "Same goes for me. I offer you the full support of all resources I control."

Phil Decker smiled sadly. "I know who is behind this. The methods and the many levels of utter sanitation leave only one suspect in my opinion. However, I know there is not a shred of evidence, not a single witness that I could use to refer that case to a Union Court."

Alegar leaned forward. "Who?"

Phil slowly shook his head. "In all my long career I have never pointed a finger at someone without evidence."

"Then let us not give up, Mr.Decker!" Egill said

The detective smiled. "Alright then, let us pick up where we left off and find out what that Olympus Scholar wanted to find in the Grey Cat Library."

The pretty Saresii looked at Egill. "Now, where did you get all that Nilfeheim gear? Sword and all?"

"From the Gods. Odin exists."

--""--