Eric Olafson, Midshipman 03

Part 3: ARSENAL GATE

Only a week ago we were intercepted long before we made it to Paui Station by the USS Shetland no less. I had to give Admiral McElligott a detailed account of my adventure. He simply listened, shook his head and and then dropped me off at Corri-Dor from where I caught a space bus to Arsenal Gate.

Once again wore my uniform and was all male. I decided not to experiment more until I completed the academy. Somehow the urge to be female was not as strong anymore and felt myself walking taller. My visit to Coven had freed me of many doubts and I felt content in myself for the first time in my life.

The space bus was filled to the last seat and most of the passengers came here for the first time.

A human female with bright green eyes and flaming red hair sat on the seat next to me. She looked skeptical at the forward screen showing Arsenal Gate getting bigger.

“Can I ask you something, Sir?”

It took me a second to realize she was addressing me.” Sure.”

“I see you wear fleet uniform. Do you have any advice how to become a Midshipman?”

“Swallow your pride for one thing. They going to test and probe every orifice mentally and physically. Most of what you experience is not done because they don’t care but because they test you and weed out those who aren’t meant for this. There is much more to this process than it appears. Especially to someone starting out. I learned that just a while ago myself.”

I listened to my own voice and realized how much had changed. How much I had chanced in only a little over a years time. It felt like a life time ago when I was finally on my way to Arsenal Gate.

She nodded.” I try to remember that, thanks.”

After we docked they herded the Newcomers into a line. At first I thought I had to stand in line as well, but I saw three uniform wearing passengers leaving the space bus and they walked to another air lock so I followed them. The Marine guarding it simply scanned my ID chip and said:” Access granted, Sir.”

Behind the door it came to me I had no idea how to get to Arsenal II from here. This was only Arsenal Gate, the actual system was still a light year away. The last time they stuck us into a military Leyland, but this time I was on my own.

After passing through the air lock from which I had entered the station I found myself in a wide well lit corridor and not far from where I was standing I saw a Project-A-Sign reading “D-Dock Saloon”.

I felt thirsty and was in no particular hurry, besides maybe one of the patrons could tell me how to get to Arsenal II, without making a fool of myself.

The bar was dimly lit, the music that played in the background sounded like Ult harmonics, but could have been any popular song played by Ult instruments, it always sounded alike to me.

There weren’t many patrons. Two humans wearing blue jumpsuits with the Engineering Bee patch on their arms sat at the bar and had a lively discussion. The bar keep was an ancient SI-5 multi task robot this one featured a chrome polished body. The bow tie around its flex neck looked out of place.

Close to the door and to the right were two public GalNet Terminals. I decided to call Elena and check my messages.

Nothing usual has happened at home. To Elena it was important things. Who married whom and who sold what to whom. Little Exa did not look so little anymore, even though it was not that long ago I had send her to Nilfeheim. It seemed the harsh climate and the good food of Nilfeheim made her grow faster. Father so I learned was on his first Pilgrimage to the Halls of Hasvik and I secretly hoped he had to climb each of those iced stairs at least twice. Perhaps he would fall and break his neck.I could not help to wish him bad things. I had buried it, but I had not forgotten what he had done, and all his new found ways to atone himself was; when I truly thought about it not enough to wipe away his guilt in my eyes. I did not want to dwell at these thoughts and called my friends, I reached none of them, but had a pending message from Pure who got the picture I send him and he insisted that I would visit him right after the Academy.

I left the GalNet booth and finished my visual survey of the bar.

Only one table at the opposite from the bar was occupied by four cargo handlers, two of them human and two of them insectoid Klack. One of the humans eyed me with an openly hostile expression on his face then he returned to his drink and to the conversation he had with his friends.

On the opposite side of the entrance was a row of floor to ceiling view ports. I went over to the windows and gasped. This was one of the hangars of this base. It was hard to imagine that this cavernous space was made by man. And even more mind boggling was the fact that it was only one hangar of hundreds like these, and all part of an artificial construct floating in the darkness of space. The dimensions of this hangar alone was hard to comprehend. A full size 3500 meter Battle ship was serviced there at the moment and there was room for at least three more. All of Halstad Fjord would have been placed here with room to spare to store every single burg of Nilfeheim. There was hectic activity of robots, vehicles and service personnel.

The giant being serviced was a wedge shaped battle ship, too close for me to see the registration name. I was certain however it was Pounder class, because of the arrangement, size and number of the ISAH Drive pods.

Even the hundred meter tall Octo Bots shifting tons of materials with their tentacle arms made of memory metal and synthetic muscles looked like toys compared to that ship. Seeing all this had the same effect on me as it had when I saw one of these giants the first time at Grandfather’s funeral.

The bulky looking man wearing a blue jump suit came over. His suit had only one sleeve his other arm was exposed all the way to the shoulder and it was clearly a cybernetic implant. His rank insignia identified him as an E-4 Petty Officer. And the stylized cargo hook above the rank informed me that he was a Cargo specialist.

“Are you lost or something?” He asked with a disapproving tone in his voice.

“No not exactly, Sir.”

“What have I done to you to be insulted by you?”

“Sir I fail to understand how I insulted you.”

“You did it again. Do it one more time and you going to get to know me in a very unpleasant manner.”

He was out for trouble and I had no intentions of fighting with an enlisted man. Technically I was a Midshipman and his superior but it was obvious he was not impressed by that.

I was sure whatever I said would escalate the situation, so I backed up, raised my hands in a defensive manner and said.”Let us not escalate this situation, Sir. I am going to leave.”

The man grunted and swung at me. I evaded and walked to the door. He said.” First you insult me three times and now you run like a coward and such jelly belly jerks think they are so high and mighty. You are nothing but a stinking coward.” He came after me and I knew I would not make it to door unless I ran and I would not run.

So I stopped turned and said. “I will ignore what you said so far, Petty Officer. I will forget that you tried to hit me. But take one more step towards me. Threaten me one more time and this will end for you in the medical ward of the brig.”

He did stop, the three workers at the table now paid full attention to the situation. One of them said. “Curt you better stop or that Midshipman will have you scrub the deck plates from here to sector 12.”

Cyberarm’s name was Curt and he didn’t like that comment. It egged him on and he snapped at me. “This is Loaders country. You have no business here. There are no Marines to come to your help. You are on your own and if I decide to rip your head off, then that is what I do. It is exactly what will happen now.”

“I warned you nicely. Let’s see if we can’t find a supervisor of yours and see what he thinks of your conduct.”

Curt launched himself forward. He was an experienced brawler I could tell at once. I needed to make a point and do it fast. Brawling with an Enlisted was not a good career move. I stepped inside his attack, grabbed him by the wrist, added momentum and smacked the palm of my hand hard under his chin. He tumbled with a spray of blood and teeth backwards into chairs and tables,

The robot bar tender extended a red light from his skull and announced: “Cease all fighting. Station security is alerted.”

Curt came up, with several of his teeth missing and not to steady on his feet and past his pain I saw fear in his eyes as he glanced towards the door. The workers at the table did not look much happier and the same one said. “Your goose is cooked Curt. Attacking an officer, you going to get spaced if you’re lucky.”

And just then the door opened and two Marines with shock batons arrived. By the looks of them it was clear that they could have cleared a room of fighting Petharian without breaking a sweat. One of them pointed at me. “What is the nature of the disturbance here?” He looked at Carl and then at me. “Oh I see, that green want-to-be-officer strolled in here and you picked a fight, isn’t that what happened Curt?”

I straightened my posture, ignored the speaking marine and addressed the second:”Corporal are you on official security detail?”

He looked at me as if I asked him if space was black.” Yes I am.”

“Then I assume you recording this for your watch log?”

He nodded.” Yes of course.”

I raised my voice just a notch. “This is Midshipman Olafson. Marine Corporals of the watch have displayed extreme disrespect against an officer of the fleet. Responding Marines did not address me properly but used profane language and belittled my statue and position. I herby file and official complaint.”

Both Marines seemed to shrink several inches and I went closer to the first one looked for his name tag and said. “Corporal Rengar how do you explain your observation calling me a want to be Officer? Did you check my ID.? Did you obtain any data that could make you think I might not be an Officer?”

“Sir, I apologize. I did not mean any disrespect Sir. This is not the first disturbance of this nature and in this bar. Did this Petty Officer cause you any harm or trouble, Sir?”

“None at all Corporals. This Petty Officer asked me to demonstrate an Aikido throw that was all. The robot misinterpreted the situation.”

“If you say so Sir.”

“Indeed. Now do I need to follow you to the guard center and file a complete report including the record of your conduct or can we file this situation under false alarm?”

“It seems that would be an acceptable solution, Sir. We will report it as a false alarm. Have a good day, Sir.”

The Marines apologized again and left.

Neither Curt nor the workers on the table had said a word during until the Marines left.

Curt stepped forward. “That was mighty noble of you, Sir.”

“Well I don’t want to see anyone spaced. Just never call me a coward, that is serious matter for someone where I come from. But you are right about one thing. I don’t belong here. I better go now.”

One of the Klacks got up. “Why don’t you join us for a drink, Sir? We owe you at least that much for saving our friend.”

“Alright I guess I can use a drink.”

I sat down with the four and Curt also found a chair and pulled it to the table.

The human worker leaned forward. “One tip of advice, Sir. Don’t call enlisted personnel Sir. That Sir is reserved for officers.”

“I am sorry. I didn’t know. I am fresh out first Year academy I call a fence post sir.”

That caused laughter and even Curt smirked. “I am sorry I was a jerk.”

I just waved and turned my attention to the Serv-bot. “Got any Holstein Pilsner?”

“No, but we have Heilbronner on Tab, that is also a Pilsner.”

“Alright one of those.”

The Klack ordered sugar water and asked:” What are you doing here if I may ask. This is a bar usually frequented by Cargo handlers and long shore workers like us.”

“I need to find a way to get to Arsenal II and I have no idea how to get there so I thought I find someone to ask and the bar was the first thing I saw after the airlock.”

“There is hourly shuttle service right from the Equator Deck Section 9. Just take any IST and tell the System where you want to go.”