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CHAPTER 03: Christmas Base

Lord Lumis sat brooding on his throne as he listened to the latest report Miracel delivered standing below the golden steps that led to the Seat of the Righteous, occupied by the chosen of Crea. "Champion of light, it is I Miracel the Brilliant who must again be the bearer of news that might not be well received." The man, who existed in spite of the will of the One behind it all, removed his gauntlet covered fist from his chin and straightened in his golden seat. "Speak then, Miracel. It is about Lathrop my rival, is it not?" "Yes, mighty stalwart it is. The self-proclaimed Son of Darkness, the one called Lathrop has been slain. It is a gene clone copy of his that tries to become the Dark One ." "Foolish of course, the Dark One will not incarnate in a Clone copy. Therefore you wasted much time, chasing the wrong leads. We know the Dark One has already chosen a vessel and reunited six of the Tokens ." The Lord of Light got up."I must travel to this star isle, face and slay that creature before it can reunite all tokens. Yet where do I go?" "I told you before, mighty Paladin. There is a union of sentient species..." "I know, the one you said the Narth and the Coven are part off. Something I still find hard to believe. Maybe your sources are as wrong about that as they were about this Lathrop being the one." "Chosen Son of light, we had no guidance. Our most wise leader found it necessary to remain in the Upper Realms , while the Dark One found its vessel." "You are safe because I am in need of you. However, your criticism will not be forgotten. Now, tell me more." "It is good you will remember them, I am sworn to the light." "You insist on your story that the Narth and the Coven are part of a  larger society? The Narth do not accept the refugees from the Nether-Worlds . Besides Malag and his spawn must have reduced the Coven witches to a few survivors. Have their hideaway been found?" "The Malag has been slain, the Coven Hunters have been destroyed. The Narth alcove at the Assembly is right next to the alcove of the Coven. The Eduk and the Saresii have welcomed the Coven just as the Narth have done. Narth agents strengthen their intelligence services. There are whispered rumors that the Narth Supreme has allowed the Nnnth crystals to be accessed and Nnnth technology has been shared." Uritel another knight of the light approached the high seat of the chosen one."Lord of light. I have returned from the spiral of stars after speaking with our agents. Miracel speaks true, the Union of societies is not an empire. It is not a kingdom, but it strong and solid. They defeated the Y'All, the Piostla, and many others. The Dark One is already here, his vessel walks among them, reunited with seven tokens already." "In dire times, dire measures must be taken. I shall travel to the Stronghold of the Fallen and consult with Saeth the Highfather of the Brotherhood . You, Miracel will find the Urd and press for information. These old spirits might know where the Dark One has found his vessel."

--""--

My crew and I had returned to the Tigershark and readied for liftoff, when the Admiral of the Fleet himself contacted us, still wearing his traditional highlander costume."Captain Olafson, please proceed to your original destination, Chrismas base, and the 124th." "Aye, Sir. We  have a destination, and orders to be attached to the 124th?" "Not attached, what a silly idea, just using their base. It is about the Ypeherix. You will meet with Dr. Mark Members who has become the Science corps matter expert on these enigmatic creatures." "Sir what about the Shiss and the Unknowns?" "The First Fleet is on its way. So am I and twenty full number fleets. 96th to 100th are there already along with the very recently Nul turned Union fleets. Girl, there are so many battleships and combat units responding there isn't much room for your fish. The Tigershark for all its power isn't meant for full-scale battles." He held up his hands to keep me from saying anything and added."I read the report and seen the visuals of you fighting the Y'All, your big friend made me watch it three times. I am not questioning your ability to fight when you must, but that was and is not the reason the Tigershark exists. Besides your ships hull is just repaired not fully restored. Christmas Base has a shipyard with the capabilities to do just that." "Commodore Haraka's orders then are no longer valid?" "These are my orders. Sorry, Captain Olafson. Like it or not I am in charge." "Just checking, Sir." "Good speed, Captain Olafson." He disconnected and I said to Krabbel."You heard him Mr.Krabbel. Lay in a course for Christmas base."

--""--

Calia Lethra lounged relaxed in the comfortable Vari-matic seat of her space ships' little lounge and had watched a News Cast on GalNet One, the Union's main News Channel. Her elegant little Sports Ship was speeding towards Togr, the homeworld of the Togar. The ship was currently in Quasi-Space and the oversized ISAH Pods propelled it with many times the speed of light via this trans-dimensional layer between real space and HyperSpace where faster than light speeds could be obtained without the tempo-spatial limitations of real space. She was a Togar female, member of a proud and ferocious feline species ruling over a sizeable empire in the Upward Sector of the Milky Way Galaxy. Soon her ship was soon to leave Union Space and traverse into Freespace and after another 430 light years would reach Togar Space and the Planet High Togr, the, and center of the Togar Empire. Like most Union citizens, she was following the events unfolding near the Union Klack corridor; technically not a corridor anymore since the Nul had joined. Two colonies had been attacked and destroyed by unknowns, apparently aided by the Shiss. The unknowns turned out to be Shiss as well, led by a renegade named Hazzzock. A sizeable fleet of Shiss warships had been engaged near Balmung of all places. The other news dominating the channels was the recent engagement of the Eternal Warrior and the Commandant of the PSI Corps, Alycia Lichfangh. Calia was one of the few Togar that gained Union Citizenship. She was the commanding officer of the American Spirit, the private space-ship of Alex Enroe, the president and CEO of Enroe Industries. Alex was her employer, but he was also her friend. Enroe Industries was the only Union entity that did business with the Togr empire, Alex considered to be a friend of the queen herself.

Calia Letrah landed her elegant little ship near the estate of her family. It was almost 2000 gorth from High Togr, the capital, and almost twenty gorth to the next neighbor. Out here at the southern edge of the Golden Savannah, nature was still unspoiled and just the way it was many thousands of years ago when the Togar did not fly among the stars to fight and conquer. Calia was as proud as any Togar of their achievements, but she realized how much the Union had changed her way of thinking and looking at things. Her mother and three of her siblings came running and she saw her father and her brothers in the back waiting for the females to allow them to join. The Letrah family had neither been very influential or rich until Calia worked for Enroe Industries. Now they could afford this sprawling home complex, with servants and six square gorth of private land.

Her ship was a brand new sixty-seven-meter Enroe Colt III. Designed to be a toy to the super-rich. As the commanding officer of the American Spirit and a friend of Alex Enroe, she received a very generous salary and this ship as a present. She pressed the contact of the cargo door and waved the kids and the family close, the men also.”I have a load of fresh pork, Lots of tuna and a ton of bacon.” She yelled and waved them close. There was nothing Togars loved more than Terran style bacon, except perhaps Terran style Tuna fish. It was served in small portions to the very rich and influential families in expensive eateries. She probably could have purchased a nice villa in the Vughtr quarters of the Capitol for the revenue of her cargo if she decided to sell it. She managed to get home only every other year or so, because Togr was far and the trip was, despite her fast ship not without risks. She had to fly across pirate-infested Freespace, and on more than one occasion was fired upon by Togar ships, as she reached Togr space. Of course, they were supposed to hail, but Togar usually fired first and rarely if ever hailed. Some were openly jealous and would not hesitate to blow her little ship to bits to get to the cargo and the fine tech it contained. Togar tech was crude and primitive compared to Union standards. She always managed to outrun them. That the little ship had a high powered FLT Quon Plasma Cannon, six HEL torpedoes (a miniature version of the famous and feared LOKI torpedoes Enroe Industries manufactured), and was equipped with the finest Union shield technology was, of course, another reason she always managed to reach Togr unharmed. The Enroe Colt was magnitudes faster than anything the Togar or pirates had. Officially she was under the Queen's protection and much of the cargo in the other hold was for the Queen herself. While Enroe Industries was officially doing business with Togr, doing the actual trade was difficult. Corporate ships of Enroe delivered the wares to Pandenom, a world just 25 light years in Freespace and Togar ships picked it up. Enroe did not want to make it too obvious they traded with Togr. While there was no Union law prohibiting this kind of trade, the general public was not too fond of the Togar, mostly due to the unfortunate and well-known practice of Togar buying humans to eat. Pirates usually had no quarrel attacking a single Togar ship either, so battleships had to be sent along, making the traded wares quite expensive. Her mother greeted Calia who was the oldest daughter of the pack. ”Have your claws and fangs dulled slaving for those meek and weak humans?” Her mother could not make up her mind if she should be proud of her daughter or ashamed, so her greeting was no different than usual. She did enjoy the gifts and the wealth that came with them and kept the insults to a limit. “Some of the humans I know, could rip you to bits and before you had time to roar, mother.” It was no boast either. She had seen Union Marines fight; however, the average human had no chance against a Togar female who could take on a Shiss and win. Of course, this was a moot point. Neither the Togar nor the Shiss, stand any chance of survival if the Union really went to war. The feared Nul, perhaps the only known civilization that would at least caused some damage, had in a quite surprising move, joined the Union only recently. And now even the legendary Y'All or whatever was left of them were Union members. She had seen the images of the latest space battle. The Shiss had attacked with everything they got and were slaughtered, it wasn't even a real fight. Whenever she was thinking about these things, she remembered the young man, Eric Olafson who had taken command of her ship and defeated a Dai battleship. Sometimes she wondered whatever happened to him. He most likely had graduated Academy and perhaps advanced to Luitenant, serving aboard a battleship. There were great warrior species out there: the Dai, the Shiss, the Nul to name a few. But Humans and especially the Terrans were not just warriors they were soldiers and in the end, Soldiers always defeated warriors. Her mother ripped open a seal pack with bacon and stuffed a handful of slices into her maw, then said. ”I have seen humans they are weak and easily slaughtered.” “You have only seen slaves, tied up, naked, spirit broken colonists, kids, and women. You never faced a real Terran. Our queen who is a strong and capable fighter respects the human who is my boss.” “The queen played with him, she considers him a fancy little pet. It is a disgrace that my own daughter, a warrior born is subservient to a human and even worse he is a male!” “It doesn’t stop you from eating the bacon or selling my gifts to live in luxury.” The banter was interrupted by the high pitched noise of approaching fliers. Only important families and the nobles had fliers. The ones approaching were large and armed and bore the sigil of the Queen. She counted seven and the first one bore the banner of the queen herself.

The Queen’s flier landed close while the six others landed in a semi-circle behind. Ever since the trial of the Innocent white daughter of the Light spirit, the queen was quite aware of the fact that there was a growing danger to her life. The ruler of the mighty Togr Empire herself stepped down and approached. Calia and her family knelt and lowered their heads, paws stretched upwards to show devotion, obedience and that there were no weapons. Tobaia the seventeenth approached Calia and said.”Rise and face your sovereign.” Calia did. The queen had not come alone. Two steps behind her was an all black Togar female with glowing yellow eyes. Black Togar were very rare and usually in the service to the Goddess of Togr. This one was no exception, she wore the hooded robe of the High Priestess. The Queen was among the largest females, her fur was of rich golden color that at places was turning grey around arms and legs and along her nuzzle. The queen showed interest on Calia’s ship. “You have a new one again? This one looks quite fast.” “Yes, your majesty. It accelerates at over 890 north per second and I made the trip from Union space to Togr in only sixteen days.” The queen sighed. “My engineers tell me that our fastest ships accelerate to 300 north. The humans always seem to excel in these matters.” “Your majesty, I brought you gifts. The finest Tuna, something called Sardines, delicious honey roasted ham and of course bacon.“ She reached into a pouch she had on a strap across her shoulder and held out a glass jar with a blue lid. “This your majesty, is called Caviar and comes from an exclusive fish farm on Terra itself. Mr. Enroe sends this and a case with 100 more jars as a personal gift to you.” The queen opened the jar and scooped a mass of dark grey fish eggs with a clawed finger, sniffed at it and then tried. She squeezed her eyes closed and then licked her chaps. “Convey our thanks. It is a delicacy like no other.” The priestess stepped forward. “Your majesty there are Togr delicacies just as good as any the humans have. Should the sovereign of our glorious empire not lead by example?” The queen held out the jar. “Sample this, priestess and say what we have that compares.” The Priestess reluctantly tried, it was clear that she was unable to pretend it was not good and she said. “It is decadent and designed by the Humans to make us dependent.” The queen waved at Calia's family."Remove yourselves, we have need to speak to Calia." They watched as Calia's mother and her sisters were running back to the dwelling and Calia wondered with a growing sense of alarm what this was all about. The priestess was the one speaking first."We decided to use you. You are a Union citizen after all." Celia's neck-hair was standing up."Use me?" The queen gestured towards the dwelling. "Your family will be the incentive. Their welfare, their very lives depend on you now. We are your queen, but we are aware that our commands and wishes might not have the importance and gravity they should have to you." "What is this all about? I am a visitor, not a subject." The priestess snarled. "All Togar are subjects, it is not your decision that makes it not so. A criminal, traitorous, blaspheming renegade has fled our justice and avoided her due punishment by fleeing and hiding behind Union borders." Celia knew of course what they were talking about."The White Fur?" The Priestess spat."A pretender, bleached fur. Offspring of a mangy criminal! She must be executed for her crimes." The queen said."Are you not Togar? This criminal has created much unrest and her existence threatens Togr. She must be unmasked for what she is in public and drowned as it must be the fate of such insidious crimes." "What threats could the offspring of a mangy criminal pose to you, mighty queen? Especially if she is so far away?" The priestess clenched her claws."Consider the fate of your family! Consider your own life. Do not anger her majesty with questions. You are a simple mind and you are to obey. Bring the White Fur here. Your family will rise in importance and exist in safety, defy us and every one of your family will be drowned after being declared traitors."

--""--

Shaka dropped us out of Quasi-space. "Rudolph's Star and Christmas Base right ahead, Captain." "To what directional plane are you relating this statement?" Narth wanted to know. "If straight ahead is a line of direction drawn from the bow of this ship to Rudolph's Star, we are not aligned correctly." Shaka made a defeated gesture. "I stand corrected, Sir." I smiled at that and said."What kind of place is Christmas Base?" Shea looked up from her console."It is a GWC 4C, a very cold planet with a narrow equatorial strip of more moderate temperatures, but perpetual rain and snow storms. It is home to the 124th, which is a full number fleet, thus this is a sizeable base. Bigger than Richter and unlike our home base very busy." Circuit sitting behind the engineer controls in the rear, instead of being in engineering said."Advanced Armor and Hull development has a small dockyard here as well." "That makes me wonder." I said."Why would they put this so far beyond consecutive Union space?" Circuit answered."Christmas base might be quite distant to Upward, but you know the Homestar of the Camogi isn't too far, they are the best nuclear chemists, being sentients based on Nuclear chemistry themselves." Hans chimed in."Besides this is sensitive research and the further away it is from main traffic, the easier it is to know who is coming and going. "Alright then, Elfi announce our arrival and ask for docking instructions."

--""--

Three hours later I found myself face to face with the Commandant of the 124th. He was, much to my personal dismay, Thauran. I had sworn to myself not to generalize and judge a being by race or origin. But this Admiral lower half made that very difficult. "I am your commanding officer and I care only about the official orders, not what you think or want, Captain Olafson. Your ship is damaged and orders from Fleet Command are to have it fixed at the docks of the AAHD. Your Chief Engineer and his team will stay with the ship and receive additional training there." He sat behind a wide desk in a spacious office with mustard yellow carpet and floor to ceiling viewports over a wind-swept landing field and endless planes of snow beyond. He played with an order chip between his fingers and stared at me out of cold disapproving eyes. He had not offered me a seat and had me remain standing. "I expected you much earlier. Commodore Haraka gave you very specific orders. Why did you find it necessary to take a side trip to Earth? Never mind answering. You are an acting captain according to Commander Haraka." "Sir, I was ordered to..." "I did not give you permission to speak. According to this, you are a Midshipman. What shenanigans did you pull, perhaps wiggle those boobs in someone's face and obtained the permission to transfer a damaged piece of unregistered hardware to AAHD? Well, Midshipman Olafson, the gravy train ends here, you are assigned to the USS Braden. There you will assist Master Chief Hwenro in environmental until we can figure out how to send you back to the academy or drum you out of the Spatial Navy. We don't really need failures like you. Never graduated after all this time, what has the Academy come too?" He shook his head. "This never happened when I was there." "You did not graduate from Newport by any chance?" I asked. "Ah I see, excellence is recognized. Of course, I am and I told you to be silent. Wasting my time already." He had never put the order chip I had given him into a reader but kept playing with it. Then he tossed it into the recycler. "You are dismissed, midshipman. I have a good mind having you scrub a corridor for being insolent and pretentious." He snorted."Acting captain, pah! A midshipman. No wonder, it all makes sense now. You, not showing up on any lists." "Sir, please contact the Admiral of the Fleet." "Just so you know, I have you investigated by JAG. I have an idea of how you bypassed so many rules, slept with any officers lately, bimbo? Who was your commanding officer and why did you become acting captain?" "Admiral McElligott made me acting captain." "Commodore Haraka told me about that. This is all very serious, you should not take this lightly." "Oh I am taking all this very seriously, it is you I am taking lightly." I raised my voice."Computronic, identify Olafson, Erica. Service Number 1082320-O-5434" "Identification verified. Voice, Menta and DNA patterns match ID implant data and Central Personnel Data.Personnel data classified." "Priority Contact request, McElligott, Admiral. Day Code Iced Tea." "Requestor on priority direct list. Switching to secure direct." It took mere moments and McElligott responded."Captain Olafson?" "I am under arrest and in the brig of Christmas Base. Admiral Taros has stripped me of my command and assigned me the Brender as a shuttle pilot or something. How many more times am I going to be arrested and harassed because you fail to inform those half baked pencil necks about me?" "What are you talking about?" I gave him a full account and added."If you wanted me here and strip me of my command, why this way? What action of mine made you decide not to tell me and have me treated like this?" "I...I gave Commodore verbal orders, he must have misinterpreted them and added his own. I deal with him." "Misinterpreted? Admiral McElligott, I respect you. If you think I am that stupid just say so. This phenomenon of self-absorbed, self-righteous pieces of Nubhir dung infesting this navy stinks to high heaven. He did not misinterpret anything. You tell that Andorian that I have challenged him and will send him my gauntlet. He may choose any weapon and the place, but by Thor, I will be there. If he fails or ignores this, I will ask my uncle to have me address the assembly and re-issue my challenge while standing on the Focus." "You are getting more like Stahl every day, first he threatens me with the Assembly and now you." My anger felt suddenly less and there was a sense of deep pride."He did?" "Never mind that. Admiral Taros are you there?" The Thauran was not so arrogant and self-centered anymore."Yes Sir." "Who is the Admiral of the Fleet?" "You, Sir." "Are you certain?" "Absolutely, Sir. You just made me Commandant of the 124th a month ago." "So Commodore Haraka is not, right?" "No." "Captain Olafson handed you an order chip of mine. Why are you ignoring my orders then?" I snickered."Because he never even bothered to check it. He is a Newport graduate, Admiral McElligott." The Thauran reached for the collar of his uniform."I assumed they were just written duplicates of Commodore Haraka's orders." With a friendly tone, McElligott said."Please insert it in your reader. This action will not only verify the orders given but the identity of all the ones the orders are for. As you know of course, as every single member of this navy." The Thauran changed into a very pale shade of blue."Sir, I misplaced it." "He tossed it in the recycler," I said crossing my arms. McElligott said."This is very serious. Destroying Order chips and disregarding protocol. You are to vacate this office. It is the office of the fleet commandant, which you are no longer. You are assigned to the USS Braden, to the environmental until JAG can finalize your case." "Sir, I am an Admiral!" "Not much longer, Mr. Taros. You are welcome to resign of course." I said."Not so fast. He belittled me and insulted me and that while we both wore uniform.  I challenge you Mr. Taros. Chose your weapons and the location,now!" "I do not understand why a lowly midshipman has the ear of the Admiral of the Fleet unless my accusations of sexual favors offered in return for advances are true. A tall blonde and an old man..." McElligott got red in his face."This is... Erica, kill that bastard or I will!" Taros laughed."I will best you, woman. I am a master with the rapier.I trained with Master Millieu. And we fight outside. I am used to this snow world!" He was not bad, I had to admit in a mediocre sort of way. I pulled the rapier out of his chest, as he dropped to his knees. A thin line of blood trickled from the side of his mouth."How?" "You challenged a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim to a swordfight in the snow and you wonder why? Go ask whoever you meet next why this was certainly the dumbest idea in your life."

A little later I met the new Commandant, a Battlegroup commander had been asked to fill the position. The new Commandant was a Maggi Sauron and he said."For whatever it is worth, Captain Olafson I thank you for what you did. Now I understand the Admiral of the Fleet is standing by to speak with you. Please use the office as long as you need." He saluted and left, while the McElligott established a hard light avatar."Did you slice him good?" "I think he lives. The medics were right there." "Good." I said sharper than intended."This phenomenon of self-righteous, self-important bureaucrats in positions of power in our navy appears to be an epidemic. I don't even understand why someone like him wears the same uniform I do." "As I said before you sound more and more like that idol of yours. He basically used the same words before he wiped the floor with Gaylord but I can not dismiss either critique easily." "Gaylord, who?" "Another admiral who at first refused manual labor, he is digging like a mad man right n..." McElligott stopped himself and cursed."Sweet mother of god, now I am explaining things to you. Good heavens, where did he find you? As it may be. Captain Olafson, I will try to clean up our navy a little better. The Tigershark is grounded until she is space and battle worthy again. Your brilliant engineer and his department will stay with her to learn how to fix that hull and get the tools to do it. Give the rest of your crew two or three weeks shore leave. You, Ms.Schwartz, the Dai and the Narth go find Dr. Makers and get up to date on that phenomenon about those shattered worlds. Another garden world turned volcano just a week ago."

--""-- Har-Hi thanked the Klack waiter for the beers. We both sat at a table next to large viewports that overlooked the same windswept landing field, just a few levels below the Commandant's office. This officer's lounge was almost completely deserted. He raised his glass."Maybe it is the fact that we jumped pretty much every normal line and that we have not been exposed to what the navy really is, but we sure met a fair number of tools. Newport eh?" I nodded and reached for the other glass."Yes, I somehow could tell the moment I walked in his office. O thin you might have a point there." "Well, then there is the fact that there are literally billions of officers and enlisted that never seen or talked to the Immortals. Heck, I remember there were officers aboard the Devi who never seen Stahl. I think that is also a factor. We are exposed to the highest levels and that makes our view of things different. I don't think that Admiral you just ventilated, ever even considered that you really know the Admiral of the Fleet. I doubt many will ever believe me that I was at Stahl's wedding." He tapped my glass with his and drank. I did the same and drained it. Ordering another, the glasses were ridiculously small. "You know I think you have a point there. We would not have been to Newport in the first place." The waiter placed more beer before me and said."You're captain Olafson right?" "Yes I am, why?" "The base is abuzz, Ma'am. Somehow you managed to get him replaced. Pardon my Klack, but he was a rancid royal drone. Everyone hoped for the Maggi, well the Maggi Saurien we got now." I simply nodded."I didn't want to discuss fleet business with a civilian employee. Har-Hi apparently had fewer inhibitions."He wasn't well liked?" "He wasn't here long enough to be really hated, but he made sure that this would change. Anyway, I got guests in table eight." I drained the second glass, belched and wiped the foam of my lip. Elfi who was just arrived said with an elfish grin."Captain, that was not exactly ladylike." "Well, princess not everyone was raised in a royal palace or as a girl. I am still getting used to the female side of life. Besides I am a child of Nilfeheim, we praise Odin for a cold beer with a thundering belch, male or female." She rolled her pretty eyes."That you are from Nilfeheim we know, your latest attest is still kneeling in the snow outside." "He died? I thought the medics were right there?" "Yeah to diagnose his demise. From what I understand no one really feels all that sorry." Har-Hi shrugged."I was at a banquet in Nilfeheim, and Eric's sister is a sight to see. There were women and maids, daughters and wives but the term lady might have been misplaced." "Hey! We have ladies on Nilfeheim!" "Yep and one of them drank a dozen Dai Warriors off the bench and sliced off a hand and two ears while not spilling a drop of her beer. Not so long ago." Elfi laughed and sat down, waved for the waiter and ordered one herself. We just started to relax when Roghor came to our table."Captain, I think Jolaj has been taken!"

--""--