Eric Olafson, Midshipman 17

Part 17: INTERLUDE: SIF

Sif woke, despite the sleep inducer that had been placed over her head. More out of instinct she rolled of the bed she was on and removed herself from the dazing and sleep causing Neuro-feed rays. Her mind instantly cleared up and she remembered.In her dreams she thought she felt a probing mind searching for her. In her dreams, Egill had not forgotten about her. But what would the old man say if he saw her like that? It was better he would never see her and besides those were only dreams of a sick mind.

She had to get out of here and get to a GalNet terminal, call home. Just as she tried to examine the room with the mind of a warrior, the hunger returned. The pain of the Califerm addiction cramped her muscles, made her skin crawl and her head spin with blinding pain. It was useless, Egill would not find her, no one really cared about her.No one, not Egill, not her parents would have Califerm. She pressed her teeth so hard together that one tooth cracked and splintered. She was not just some Fad Kid, she was also from Nilfeheim. The Arnske clan looked back all the way to the landing of the Stockholm. She was the first female ever to make the pilgrimage to the halls of Hasvik. She was the first female to pass the Ancient Challenge. Deep down she was more than those spoiled brats of Pluribus. Her friend Gloria became hysterical after a few drops of rain. They said there was no cure for Califerm addiction, but all the addicts she had met were soft spoiled brats. She wanted to be as tough as the toughest Nilfeheim Warrior. She wanted to show them a woman could take it and now she was losing the battle against a chemical in her blood?

She tried to fight it, she wanted to fight it and yet every fiber of her body screamed and burned for more. She barely noticed that she was throwing up, and nearly choked on the bitter tasting bile. Just as she was about to give up and think of suicide, she felt a presence.

It was not one of her captors. It was not Egill. It was something very familiar, someone she should know but could not remember. A huge white undefined shape was somehow manifesting before her inner eyes. The pain completely vanished; there was a warm feeling of love and concern. Still her mind was numb and unable to put a name to the presence. “Poor child. I tasked my Old friend to teach you and to become the next Representative of Nilfeheim, yet I forgot that he never raised girls and is so old he forgot the sometimes impulsive behavior of the young. And while I have great plans for you, I never raised young or know all there is to know about human females.” The voice was warm, full of authority and there was a hint of regret. “You stumbled Sif, but you have not fallen and you are not alone.”

In her state she did not question anymore who was talking to her. Maybe a figment of her imagination, maybe she was dead, there was no pain. “I have fallen. I have let Egill down. I let my family down and I betrayed Eric.”

“Egill is searching for you and with him are powrful friends. Their probing minds made me aware of your perill. eric is growing faster than anticipated and those who seek to harm have learned nothing substantial from you. I wish I could be with you but I must still sleep. I wish I could reveal myself to you but I must remain hidden. You young lady, must return to your way and relieve Egill when the time for that has come.”

“I am a failure. I am as far away from that goal as can be. Why must I become the next representative anyway?”

“So the other child can remain free from obligations towards Nilfeheim. He has an enormous task before him.”

“Eric, you talk about Eric.”

“Yes and he would shoulder the task of representative if the day comes, Egill can’t.

Eric must not be distracted. Everyone shapes his own future my child, but some have to play certain parts and do certain things, so there can be a future.”

She did not know what the voice was talking about, however she somehow understood and she wanted to return to her path.”

“That is the spirit, my child. I must return to my sleep and when your mind clears you will remember little of this, but the Poison that cripples you will have no power over you anymore and you will find the means for your escape and your revenge.”

Sif found herself lying on a cold Duro-crete floor, in a puddle of reeking body excrements. Yet her mind was crystal clear. The pain and the Califerm was nothing but a memory. She did remember that someone, something had helped her. Something connected to Eric and Nilfeheim, but that was all.

She was in a small room with a vaulted ceiling and naked, crude looking Duro-Crete walls. There was a bunk bed and a Sleep Inducer suspended above it. There was a single Lumi-Plate giving cold light and there was a solid looking metal door. She was completely naked, and then her eyes fell onto a bundle on the floor. Nilfeheim warrior leathers, boots and a fur brimmed cape and as she took up the cape there was a broad belt with a broadsword and not just any, this was the sacred sword of the Arnske clan, Hämnd its mighty name.Hämnd meant venegance.

Either Egill had more secret powers and the rumors that he was a Wizard were true after all or perhaps the Gods themselves had intervened. Yes, perhaps Sif, the Goddess with whom she shared the name had taken pity.

She began to dress and each piece she put on, seemed to strengthen her and give her a little more confidence and connected her with her roots and her home. With a shiver, not caused by the cold air of her prison she girded the sword, but a shiver of anticipation. She just closed the buckle of the sword belt as she heard a sound from outside the door, someone was coming. The door moved to the side and a dark robed, bald headed man carrying a plate of food appeared.”Dinner time for the filthy brat from Nilfeheim.” He stopped in his tracks and stared at her with disbelieve. It was the last thing he did. First the plate of food dropped to the floor and then his head, the eyes still wide open.

Sif did not wait to see the body collapse. She was out her cell and stormed down a narrow corridor. She hoped there were more.She wanted to kill, it wasn’t the beserker rage, but a burning desire for revenge. Unlike the artificial desires of an alien drug, this one could be stilled with the bloodof enemies.

She was eager to find the grey dressed man before she tried to escape this place. Yes she was a woman, but she was also Neo Viking, a Norse. A cold rage had taken hold of her and she thanked the Gods who had delivered her. She would not let them, Egill or her world down again. Sif the party girl was no more, she had died lying in a puddle of vomit, in her place was once again Sif Arnske, first female warrior of Nilfeheim. It was not her who had to adapt to the life on Pluribus, by Thor. No Pluribus had to adapt to her and woe to whoever tried to take her of that path again.

part 18 »