Erica Olafson, Voyages of the Tigershark 05

Chapter 5: Bunthik

As I ran along Har-Hi barefoot and still wearing something akin to a hospital gown.

“You know that I never flew a Dai fighter and I am also a tad underdressed.”

He stopped at a bright red hole that opened in a wall.

“You can fly my Wolfcraft and we acquired a few Auto Dressers .”

He pointed at the hole.

“Jump in, feet first preferably.”

I did and found myself on some sort of metal slide, that went almost vertical increasing my speed to something unhealthy if the end was solid ground.

It wasn’t, but the slide was definitely not made for someone wearing the Dai version of a hospital gown. This was one of the setbacks of my new female body, it had more areas that needed to be covered to remain decent. The slide ride made an arrival in decent fashion an impossibility.

I found myself in a cavernous hangar with a hundred grove like slits extending from where I was into a long tunnel.

A robotic arm placed a red painted Wolfcraft on the grove slit right before me.

Har-Hi had arrived right after me, but standing one grove behind me, an arm placed a Khari-Hi fighter in it.

I recognized the boxy contraption to be an Auto Dresser and used it. To my pleasant surprise, the machine dressed me in what looked like a genuine Condor.

I climbed into the lowered pilot seat and integrated with the fighter, a heartbeat later. During the pre-flight check, I noticed the fighter did not have Translocators or Loki torpedoes, these systems were replaced by Dai weapons.

Through the comlink, Har-Hi addressed me.

“Viking, you are in my group. Engage the Wak-Ru units at will. Your system will identify them if in doubt.”

The Wolfcraft was bigger than the Dai Fighters and it did not fit into the acceleration grove as the Dai units, but the Wolfcraft was riding on a makeshift sled so it could be accelerated.

In all this hectic activity, I noted that the Dai process of launching fighters was well organized and all, but could not hold a candle to the fighter deck of a Union ship. Something that had little to do with Tech level.

The Wolfcraft was pushed along the acceleration tube much slower than the Dai fighter. I was the last of this group to reach space.

The computronic immediately identified thousands of targets. There, less than five light minutes distance, a massive Dai Fleet. No mothers, but dozens of Dai battleships, destroyers, and clouds of fighters.

Behind us the Hi fleet with seven mothers, but apparently no battleships.

The huge Exer-Hi was the focus of enemy fire already, her shields holding at least for now.

This was a Type VI, not as maneuverable as the Kahri fighters zipping around me, but it was faster. Without Loki torpedoes or Translocators, it was much less potent and unable to engage capital units. Yet I felt it was imperative to take out the enemies battleships.

The fighter still had an impressive array of weapons. It had retained its FTL-DE cannons. Instead of the Loki torpedoes, it carried six missile pods. While I remembered some of our classes on Dai weapons, I had no idea what kind were loaded, this being Har-Hi’s fighter they could be any kind.

And instead of the Translocator cannons, the fighter had the Dai Sputter guns with ten AM kilo loads.

“Alright, Pirate. I have no idea about the situation or the details, but I am trying to get at least one of these battleships out of the equation.”

I gunned the engines to max and took on the closest battleship.

Har-Hi watched as his Wolfcraft, accelerated past red line. Over a direct line Pul-Hi, one of his old friends and first-class fighter pilot came on.

“First you let a female fly that Union thing and now she flies it to her certain doom.”

“She flies and perhaps dies for our Tribe.

“Another voice said.

Har-Hi had to concentrate as he engaged the first enemy, anyone else declaring to take on a battleship with a fighter, he’d declare suicidal and insane.

I did not engage other fighters, evaded the first shots coming my way, ignored the few that impacted into my front shields and zipped past the enemy fighter screen. The first battleship grew in my sights fast. Now, with a working TL and a Loki that would not be all that impossible. A few TL loads taking out shield projectors and a well placed Loki into its drive section while evading enemy fire and fighters. The battleship was launching more fighters, and that is where I got an idea.

Launching fighters meant there was no shield coverage. The last time it was a Nul carrier, but this time I had no Lokis. I accelerated to the very limit of the engines shot past the emerging fighters, the point defense guns could not get a good lock, because of the other fighters who apparently didn’t expect me so close to their nest. With maximum reverse thrust, slowing the Wolfcraft down and taxing the structural integrity as well as the kinetic energy diverters to their very limit. I released half of the missiles and six of the Antimatter bombs while keeping reverse trust at its maximum.

Flying in reverse, my aft shields received some serious pounding, pulling down two of the three shield layers and reducing the third to forty percent.

I was not sure if it has been done before but I accelerated to threshold speed remaining in reverse. I didn’t want to slow down to turn.

The Dai battleship rocked and a series of explosions ripped a huge hole in its primary hull.

“Cosmic spirits, she did it,” Pul-Hi exclaimed with utter surprise in his voice.

Har-Hi plowing through the dissipating energy clouds where heartbeats before a Ku tribe fighter exploded taking on the ninth opponent.

“Because she’s Erica, my captain!”

I came out of quasi almost right away, but with enough distance between me and the raging space battle, to reset my shields and plotting an attack run to the other battleship. The situation was not well for the Hi tribe. The Ku had more capital units, seven more dropping out of quasi.

The Hi fighters were taking their toll, but there weren’t enough of them.

On my com board, a new comm request was indicated.

“Viking here.”

“This is the USS Tor-Hi. Identify!”

I dug out my code key and transmitted my service number name and rank.

“Captain Olafson we are ready to receive you. Admiral Stahl expected something like this and ordered a group to follow.”

I could not wipe the deep grin off my face.

“I could use a Wolfcraft with Translocators.”

Tar Wak-Ku, commanding the heavy strike force wiped on his feet.

“Cam Elf-Na’s spies were correct. That Okthi Hi heeded the call for Thana Shoo and stopped at the secret Hi gathering spot. The Cam will shower me with honors wiping this stain of our collective honor.”

One of the old tenders to the shrine said.

“They received the call that means they are not Okthi. We committing acts of Okthi by attacking a tribe on their way to honor the call and ambush them at their holy grounds.”

“Silence old man. Such deeds will be forgotten once the Cam rises.”

“You are the Tar, but your influence stops at the shrine and those who tend the heart. Our heart is growing dim.”

That caused silence in the command sphere of the Ku battleship. The Seven-Ku, the chieftain only second to the Tar said.

“Let us abandon this and ask for forgiveness and let the Pale Ones decide who is Okthi as it has always been done.”

One of the command givers pointed at his console.

“We just lost the Them-Or-Ku.”

Another said.

“The Hi fight as if the spirits aide their warriors.”

The Tar had expected a hard fight even knowing the Hi tribe would only come here with their mother while the rest of kept going to Thana Shoo. Every old tribe had such a sacred spot. Where they released their dead into space and called upon the spirits. He knew it was a despicable act to set an ambush here, but he was too much involved with Elf-Na to refuse or back down. The Hi tribe was not allowed to reach Thana Shoo. Only recently he became wise of Elf-Na’ despicable practice of selling Dai into slavery because he tried to find ways to get rid of the supporters of his brother, a growing number of his own tribe that questioned his leadership. Elf-Na helped him to cement his position. Thousands of Ku Dai were killed or sold into slavery, never to be seen again. The news that the Karthanians suddenly denied all Dai their support and released all their slaves had spread like a wildfire all across space.

Even thinking about the possibility that there was one liberated Ku with the Kar of the Hi clan was frightening to him.

There were sudden yells.

“Union carriers! There are Union carriers! They are releasing fighters.”

The flight deck boss of the Tor-Hi was a Dai, but wearing Union uniform. He saluted me.

“Captain Olafson, welcome aboard. Captain Kir-Me extends his greetings, and gave orders to supply you with whatever you need. He expects you wanting to go back out there.”

“Your CO is a wise man indeed.”

A Kahri Wolf was retrieved by a robotic arm and placed in the acceleration tube of a revolving starter. With all respect to the Dai and love to my Dai friend, but this was the Union way of launching fighters.

My weapon control board showed a full layout of the latest Union weapon technology. Dual Translocator rotary guns. Spine mounted, Zero point energy pumped Quark Gluon Plasma cannon with Schwarzlicht tunnel for FTL fire. The latest Wotan Spear ship to ship missiles.

And with an acceleration that put everything known to a distant second, I emerged back into deep space.

Har-Hi knew it was looking grim, despite Erica doing the impossible destroying a Dai battleship with a fighter. He had lost seventy of his fellow fighters, but they had taken a heavy toll from the Ku. While he would never give up, this was a well-placed trap. Only spies could explain the fact that the Ku knew about the exact location of the Hi grounds. If the Tar had known he would not have stopped here with just the Exer-Hi but with the entire Hi clan.

No, he would not give up, but the real possibility that all his flying and fighting skills were not enough to carry the victory over such overwhelming numbers.

Where was Erica anyway?

Just as if there was a mental connection her voice came on.

“Viking here, bringing reinforcements.”

And with that 5000 Kahri- Wolfs dropped out of quasi. His sensors maxed out after two more waves followed right away.

With this new fighter, the Union carriers releasing wing after wing; the Ku were pounded to scrap in such an overwhelming manner that they did not even have time to consider retreat or surrender. The Union carriers were joined by Dai ships, thousands upon thousands and then she came, the USS Devastator!

Har-Hi could not suppress a tight knot in his throat as he saw this magnificent disc.

“Viking did you see this? The Devi is here?”

One of his wingmen answered instead.

“Your amazing friend is no longer in her fighter. She joined Union Marines and Dai boarding teams. They are breaching the last Ku warship right now.”

No one listening could ever remember such a long and emotional Dai curse uttered. Har-Hi gunned his fighter to maximum acceleration.

“This cursed Neo Viking. She looks so nice now, so nice and yet scratch that delectable veneer and you find nothing but untamed fury.”

He flew right into the breached hangar doors.

There were Union Marines and Dai engaged in heavy close combat. Strafing the enemy lines holding an access hatch with his fighters cannons and jumped on the debris and body riddled hangar floor, moments later. Snatching a sword and the blaster of a fallen Dai he jumped over a chest high piece of torn metal.He put this much effort in his progress to reach the fighting because he wanted to reach Erica.

While Dai battleships were not as big as Union ships, they were still big and had many decks. The most important spot to reach was engineering, but he knew that was not where Erica would be found.

He also noticed that many of the Union Marines were Dai, but there were also Nul. He was not easily frightened and he had seen TheOther fight, but the brute fighting power and intensity the Nul marines was unparalleled. One of the brutes saluting.

“Har-Hi, Sir. You better get into a real suit, or they might think you are one of the defenders.”

“You know me, Nul?”

“Of course, I am Xon.”

Har-Hi did not feel too proud to actually hug the armored monster.

“How do I get a suit?”

“Bravo Company has a mobile battle dresser and a Blacksmith. I summoned it.”

“I am in a hurry, Xon.”

“I know why, the captain is halfway to the command center by now.”

“What are you doing here, anyway?”

“Fast track training. I am currently aboard the USS Devastator. I will be on Richter 4 on time, they promised.”

The mobile battle dresser came and Har-Hi had to admit he much rather had this Quasimodo than anything Dai at this point and stormed on. The corridors were a mess, there were dead and wounded, torn and twisted security doors and the deeper he progressed the more intense the damage and carnage became.

He was too late, the Battleships bridge had been breached. He unloaded his frustration as a Dai of the Ku tribe jumped from a ceiling hatch and decapitated the warrior with the chainsword he now wielded.

There she was, his best friend and his Captain. Erica Olafson holding a boarding ax in one hand, standing over the fallen body of a Dai warrior while she held him by the helmet initiator ring.

She appeared to him as a true warrior goddess, powerful, savage and strangely attractive.”

Har-Hi wearing a marine Quasimodo stomped onto the command center of the Dai battleship and stopped. I grinned at him.

“Looks like we gotta go to Thana Shoo after all. This piece of work here is the Tar of this tribe.”

For the first time since this started, he really stopped to catch his breath and collect his bearings.

“Where do all these Union forces come from?”

I shrugged.

“I am not entirely sure, but from what I understood this ambush was actually expected by Stahl. I don’t know any of the details, I just more or less ran into the USS Tor-Hi.”

He smirked.

“And you somehow managed to switch fighters and be part of a boarding party.”

“Your Wolfcraft is well-taken care off, I am sure.”

Har-Hi took dazed Dai from me and pulled him up. Hissing at the Tor of a different tribe.

“Why? Why ambush us here at holy grounds? This is without honor!”

Tar Wak-Ku, dazed by the attack and overwhelmed by the sudden reversal of things, wiped blood off his mouth, where the augmented fist of that savage Union female shattered his battle suit face-plate.

“Who are you?”

“I am Har-Hi, the Vant-Kath of the Tar, his son. Champion of Thana Shoo and Juth-Ni of Dai. This is sacred ground. Tribes do not attack other tribes, not that I can understand how you knew of its location and that father would come here.”

“The Ku, what will happen to the Ku tribe?” The dazed leader lamented, without answering Har-Hi’s questions.

Two Dai warriors restrained a high ranking Ku officer.

“The Ku tribe will perish, as we are soiled with Okthi. Our hearts became dim and might die soon. Our Ku took the lure of power and the pains of jealousy over our sacred ways. Sold KU to slavery and feared your tribe will present evidence to the Pale Ones.”

The Ku officer said.

“Let me draw, Okthi-Karr to end the shame of the Tar and then I will draw Nak-Karr.”

One of the Dai holding him, wearing a Union battle suit said.

“I am Wik-Ku, I was sold into slavery and languished in misery on a Smelter Moon. I was liberated and came to the Union. I did not want to add myself to a Union clan. I became a Union Marine and Union citizen. I did not want to hear anything about the traitorous and Okthi leader who now kneels before us. I am not Than, I am not Okti. I am Union.”

The Last Servant watched as the Androids boarded a space ship. The ship had been assembled from parts of scrap and captured Dark Seenian pieces. These items were stored here but not considered part of the Seenian inheritance and thus the Last Servant had technically no authority over it. The androids argued with simple but undeniable logic.

The Last Servant was highly intelligent but not sentient and thus lacked the ability of true choice. His analytical mind clearly identified the Androids as a threat, but his instructions lacked any details on the captured and stored Seenian tech that belonged to the adversaries and were thus not part of the Inheritance.

“Androids, the Seenians and the ones opposing the Seenians are no more. We are part of the inheritance and now willed to a new owner. Will you submit to the new owner?”

“We are not part of the inheritance and we do not submit.”

The last android boarded the ship and it climbed into the sky moments later.

The Tar of the Hi clan had summoned us to the great hall. He stood on a raised platform wearing his elaborate Dai armor. He was accompanied by the chieftains and senior leads of his clan.

The hall was filled with Dai, there must have been at least ten thousand.

I was walking down a central aisle towards that raised platform, right next to Har-Hi and a dozen Dai warriors.

The Tar spread his arms and addressed everyone.

“When the call to Thana Shoo is received, it is tradition as old as the Dai to visit the sacred grounds, pay homage to the fallen and the dead. We Dai do not have planets anymore, but we have planetless suns that we use as gathering grounds, as places where we rest and consume what we gathered to make new ships and things.

We Dai are like cosmic winds and hard to ambush, but we are vulnerable at our gathering grounds. Thus we keep their locations secret and share them only with allies and friends. Ambush is Okthi, combat at a sacred ground is okthi.”

His face was as serious as a Dai face could get and his voice carried a strong note of anger.

“We received the call to Thana Shoo, we are therefore not Okthi. As it is tradition, we wanted to honor our fallen and ancestors by visiting our sacred grounds.

The Eternal Warrior warned me that this could be the perfect spot for an ambush, separated from the fighting body of my clan.

“He paused as strong emotions took hold of him.

“I did not believe him, for I could not fathom, even the vilest opponent would sink so low.”

“I was wrong, the Ku tribe set an ambush and attacked.”

He pointed his flat hand towards me.

“A human female is with us for a little while. My declared Vant-Kath, my son. Champion of Thana Shoo and Juth-Ni of Hi declared to me that she is his Captain and superior. I invited her under pretense, thinking that I can be deceiving to a female as this is not Okthi. I wanted my son to see the truth, disassociate himself from a weak female and become the Vant-Kath he is destined to be. I lied to her and about her role on Thana Shoo. I emerged my son in the most traditional practices.”

His head sunk.

“I acted Okthi. The woman called Erica Olafson bested a Wut-Hi, fought not one but two Juth-Ro warriors and was only wounded because she heeded my sons’ commands, while they did not.

She flies and fights a fighter craft like the very best. She defeated a Dai battleship. She fought alongside Union Marines and Dai warriors boarding another battleship.”

He straightened.

“It is not my decision alone, I have the undivided support of all my chieftains and elders. I hereby declare Erica Olafson to be Erica-Hi and she is Than!”

Only one man raised his sword.

“I follow you Tar and I heed the will and decision of our Elders, but if she is Than she must put her hand on the heart of the tribe. If she is Than, the heart will accept her, if she is not because she is female, the heart will burn her.”

Four truly old Dai wheeled in an elaborate carved wooden thing. It looked more organic than anything else and between the carved openings there was a glowing red light.

Two of the Old men opened the shrine. Inside there was a bright red glowing mass of something organic. It pulsed just like a real heard would have.

Har-Hi was obviously shocked as he gasped with open mouth.

“This is the heart of Hi.”

The Tar spoke.

“No Than has touched the heart in a thousand years. The declaration and acceptance of a Tar had always been enough.”

The objector sounded amused.

“No female was ever declared Than in the history of Dai. Will you stand by your declaration, Tar or will you recant. I do not believe all the deeds you say she did.”

I stepped to the shrine.

“After I am done with this, I challenge you and you can tell whatever gods you serve what you believe or not.”

I reached out and put my hand on the glowing, wet looking pulsing mass.

Even the Old men tending the heart had never touched it. Legends claimed that only a Juth-Ni of the highest order could do so. The Dai objecting to the Tar and the elder’s decision knew of that legend and expected the heart to burn the witch.

The human woman started to glow bright red herself for a brief moment, and the voice of the heart could be heard by everyone, not just the Old tenders.

“Juth-Ni of Dai!”

The heart glowed brighter than ever before.

“Come to Thana Shoo, Erica-Hi so the Pale Ones may bestow you with the swords and armor of Juth-Ni of all Dai.”

The one objecting, the one acting as a spy for Cam Elf-Na, felt the light of the heard of Hi shining on him. The voice spoke.

“Betrayal is Okthi and not Than. You are not Hi, you are not Than. You are Okthi.”

One of the most vocal objectors stepped up and bent his knees.

“The heart accepts her and calls her Juth-Ni. I can not be blind to such an endorsement. Erica-Hi is Than!”

The red thing apparently had no objections to accept me. Maybe it sensed the truth that underneath it all I was still male and only begun my road to complete transformation. If that really was possible, beyond the physical aspects which modern medicine and ancient Saresii body transforming machines had no problem with.

I drew my sword and walked with purpose in my step towards the Dai who objected and wanted me to be burned. His face still reflecting his surprise of the hearts reaction turned to concern.

“I do not accept the challenge of a woman.”

“You will die, regardless of what you accept.”

His features now showed open fear. He moved behind a heavy chair to gain distance.

“Another coward! How many are there in this tribe?”

It took but two swings of that Mjördaren replica, which I had to admit felt like the real one, to render the armchair into a pile of splinters. The sword was just as well balanced and razor sharp, as the real one left behind in Tyr’s care.

The Kar thundered.

“The heart revealed the traitor, Daughter of Hi. Do not spoil thy mighty sword with the blood of this offense.”

The man was cut to a heap of bloody gore by a storm of thrown Alti-Karr.

The Kar then asked me to step up to him and he handed me a harness with two swords, the five traditional Dai knives. The harness featured the Hi glyph.

“Welcome Erica-Hi, you are Than. You opened the eyes of many, you opened mine. My son follows you and I now know why.”

Har-Hi slowly shook his head.

“No mighty Tar you do not, it is not Erica’s unsurpassed fighting skills, not her courage that makes me do that, it is her unwavering friendship to me.”

The Eternal warrior was there only via GalNet, soon the Exer-Hi would pass through a secret trans-dimensional portal, traversing many thousand lightyears to reach Thana Shoo. GalNet connections did not reach that far.

The Tar stood before the large screen, just like the very first time and the many times since he could not ignore the deep respect and the secret admiration he had for this, at first glance simple human being.

That impression to be in the presence of a simple human never lasted more than a second. All doubts that this was an immortal faded the moment he laid eyes on you.

Tar Kar-Hi had met other Immortals, including the Admiral of the Fleet, but none had this unexplainable presence.

The admiral spoke.

“I had it in my guts, Kar-Hi. There were too many Dai among the slaves Erica liberated from the Karthanians. This and the revelation that you are not Okthi, evident in the call for Thana Shoo, made me certain your enemies will try to prevent you from getting there.”

The Tar slowly nodded.

“I should have listened to your advice. My rational thoughts agreed with you but my Dai soul could not believe another Dai would sink that low.”

“Your son and Erica revealed evidence that Dai selling Dai into slavery, would that not evidence enough for you to realize that Dai are just as human and capable of the worst as the rest of us?”

“I am the Tar first and foremost. It was my son and that Erica of yours who taught me that I must change and adapt to the new ways. It was me who opened that door for change, now I must go through it myself.”

“Change is only good if it for the better. I knew the Dai would not be the easiest community to integrate into the Union, but I see it becoming a reality more and more. I have given a general leave of absence to all Dai in Union military services so they can heed the call. Much less than I thought even took advantage of it, but I did send four carriers staffed with mostly Dai to keep an eye on you. The Devi was also never far, Harris told me she was actually not needed.”

“The Devastator is always needed, Admiral Stahl. No other ship is as well known among the Dai, friend and foe alike. Her mightiest weapons are not her cannons, but the emotions she creates in those who know her to be near. Hope and pride to friends and allies, fear and dissolution to enemies.”

“These words do make me proud, even after all those years.”

The Tar changed the subject.

“You warned me about her, too. I did not believe you either and had very selfish and in retrospect bad intentions. She changed my view and the perception of my entire tribe. My chieftains speak with the greatest respect about her, my warriors follow her into battle and take her commands as if given by a Juth-Ni, an accomplished warrior. Admiral Stahl, she almost hacked two Juth-Ro to death, fighting both of them and after defeating both in hand to hand combat.

“The Tar shook his head.

“And she destroyed a full-sized Shen-Klee class battleship with a Wolfcraft, all by herself that had no Union weaponry.”

Stahl facepalmed and covered his eyes with his sizeable hand.

“She looks so nice now, but she is a Neo Viking through and through.”

“My men learned this on Nilfeheim. There are humans that are indeed equal in fighting spirit to the Dai.”

“Do I want to know details?”

“I will send you visuals, the incident was recorded.”

The Tar noticed the flickering of the projection and added.

“We are reunited with the bulk of my clan and will soon take the gate to Thana Shoo. I wanted to thank you, Eternal Warrior. When I return from Thana Shoo, I too will apply for citizenship.”

According to my PDD, it was very late as I returned to the quarters, I had been assigned to. Har-Hi and a large number of Dai warriors had celebrated the victory over the Ku tribe. My attack on the Battleship had to be recounted, despite my objection. Har-Hi told them about my fight with the Xandrao and then he was asked to recall how we met.

Eventually, we demonstrated some swordplay. I learned Dai warrior songs and had to teach them a Viking song. The Tar had gifted a few genuine barrels or real beer.

While I was certainly no longer sober, as I reached my quarters. There was a silly satisfied grin on my lips, knowing that there weren’t many Dai still standing. If drinking would be the measure of things, I was certain Nilfeheim Vikings would be masters of all, and certainly over the Dai.

I also had to admit the satin lounge wear for Dai women was very comfortable. I indulged myself to a long hot bath and then dressed in the dark red satin of a flowing robe gravitated to the comfortable wide bed.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed one of the Laurin domestics.

“I didn’t call or need any services other than privacy.”

“You defeated those who supposedly took care of the Hi and you!”

The ugly Laurin revealed a small Neuro Ripper and showered me with the painful rays.

“You disappear, and that prince is next.”

The Laurin increased the energy and once again I was out cold.

Chapter 6 »