Eric Olafson, Fleet Cadet (Vol 3)

Limbur came over and motioned towards the dead beasts. "Remind me never to make you angry, Eric. I thought I was strong and badass but not like you going to town on those with just an axe."

Swybar got up from behind his gear pack. "Crawl back now and surrender your command and I will ask my father to take that in account when they pass judgment over you."

"Oh shut up. You are repeating yourself." I pointed the bloody axe at him, "One more word out of you Mister and I do with you what I did with those Saurons."

I yelled as loud as I could. "Everyone gather around. The danger has passed for now. We need to make a roll call."

The scattered Cadets came around and Limbur used his impressive voice to repeat my call much louder. "You heard the Lieutenant. Line up all of you. That goes for you as well Mr. Swybar"

He managed to line them up and I said to the admiral's son. "How many were there with you? I remember twenty one counting all of you, right?"

He didn't answer but a beautiful girl with big black eyes said. " Yes, Mister Olafson. We have been twenty one."

"Narth took three. That should leave us with eighteen, but I count only seventeen. Anyone missing?"

Swybin actually reacted and looked down the line and then said. "I don't see Lydia Caldwell. I do not think she was one of the injured."

The girl blinked and nodded. "I remember now. I saw her running form one of the beasts in that direction." She pointed north.

Still facing the admiral's son I said: "You tell your father whatever you want. I don't care. But right now the lives of these cadets are in serious jeopardy. Take them to the camp. There is food and warmth. You can blame me for everything later on and put it all on me, but for Odin's sake go now. If you hit or hurt anyone else, I take you apart piece by piece. Do you understand that?"

He was about to protest, I raised the axe. "Don't test me, if they are going to hang me like you said, I have nothing to lose and killing you won't make a difference. So move your ass, now."

Narth returned without a sound. Seeing him appear like that in his hooded robe out of thin air was more than a little unsettling, but I was glad he was back. To Limbur I said." Get them back and showered and fed. You are going to be in charge till I am back I turned to Narth." How are the wounded doing?"

"N'Buga is confident she can stabilize and aid the injured. The Cadets Al and Shaun are working on a second stasis tent."

"I am glad to hear that." To the gathered cadets I said. " The wounded are taken care of. Now take your gear and follow my big green friend here, you all will be able to shower, eat and sleep."

"Where are you going?" Asked Swybin a little less hostile sounding.

I am going to search for that missing girl."

Narth said." I shall accompany you. I can sense her. She is frightened but she is alive."

I remembered the name of one of the armed Cadets and said to him "Cadet Renoir hand Narth your blaster please."

Narth refused." I am unfamiliar with these weapons and would not use it correctly. I am by no means defenseless."

"I have seen that."

I took one of the hand lamps and I watched the cadets leave and then said to Narth. "Please point the way then."

--""--

In Orbit around Green Eden INTERLUDE

Commander Letsgo looked over the shoulder of one of the operators onto one of the view screens. It showed a high resolution bird's eye view of the camp.The satellite allowed them a high resolution view of the scene, At this magnification they could easily read the name tags on the Cadets uniforms, the image was light enhanced and to them it was like watching in day light.

"What was the name of that Cadet again?"

"Olafson, Sir. Cadet Eric Olafson."

He turned to the Holo Avatar next to him. "You were right, Admiral. He is the one that took charge."

McElligott's avatar smiled. "I was almost certain he would be the one. Are any of the Cadets in serious danger?"

"We have casualties, but according to our spy ware they are all stable. They used space suit stasis modules in an ingenious way. When we run this test, we do have casualties occasionally, but this is the first time we are running the test from so far away."

"It is necessary. The Narth would detect you if you are any closer. Narth Supreme has suggested we should stay at least 100 kilometers away. Only so can we guarantee correct test results from this scenario."

"It sure is the first time we have a Narth. I am eager to see how he performs and interacts with the others."

"Yes that is part of the reason for this test, my friend. I am for the first time in contact with the Narth Supreme and from what I understand he is as much interested in seeing how this works out."

Letsgo nodded. "Well some of them show great promise while others need a lot of work, and I see already several who are not cut out to be officers." He motioned towards the screen. So are we going to phase two, or are we interfering?"

"We go to phase two of the 'Abandoned scenario'. I did not have that much fun in years; I should have made a point and watched Cadet training more often."

"This is an unusual group I have to admit. I do this for over twenty years now and I never seen a Cadet charge and kill two Novaks with an axe."

"He is a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim. He attacked a space bus with a submarine only recently, and destroyed a Dai Than battle ship while being at the Conn of a private Yacht."

"You are kidding me right?"

"It's all in his file. It is a worthwhile read."

--""--

BACK AT THE CAMP

The rescued cadets, looked tired, were covered from head to toe in the reddish mud and cold, they looked at the mess hall with great eyes. Limbur had them sit down while Wintsun and a few others organized food for them. Limbur said. "While we ready the food for you, I suggest you all take a shower first, and put on clean uniforms. Go upstairs, Cadet Ross is waiting for you. He is in charge of the bathroom facilities. Since we only got four showers, please limit your time.

"Then take your dirty laundry into the basement, Cadets Paulsen and Brennan will take it of you and run it through the laundry machines. After that you come here and you receive dinner. Once you have eaten, Cadet Wintsun will assign you to a tent. Tonight you won't have any chores, but tomorrow you will all be assigned to do your share."

One especially dirty cadets, looked impressed. "You organized so well and in only those few hours?"

Limbur looked very proud." Yes indeed."

Swybin had a sour look on his face." I am not taking orders of anyone. I do as I please. You are all just Cadets and in deep trouble when the Instructors come."

Wintsun looked at him cold. "I am not so sure about that. If they see what is in our infirmary and that you are responsible, I am not so sure even your Admiral dad can get you out of trouble. There are over hundred witnesses who will testify what occurred if it ever comes to any sort of hearing."

Cadet Swybar did not like to hear that and it was obvious he had not thought about that. "There won't be any hearing. There are careers on the line, they will listen to me."

Limbur crossed his massive arms and stepped close to Swybar, "If you cause any more trouble, I show you what my father did with unruly sons. He took us behind the shed and beat the crap out of us." He grinned wide. "It happens to be that we have two sheds. Now do what you are told or I adjust your attitude the Lomax Limbur way and N'Buga has another patient."

"You would not dare lay hands on me."

"I was not thinking about hands, more like a good ass kicking. Now get moving and if I even hear so much as a complaint, your father will have a hard time understanding what you say through all the bandages."

Swybin left without saying another word.

The first clean cadets appeared moments later and received their dinner.

One of them was telling the others with big gestures what happened. "You should have seen the two. That Olafson Cadet did not even hesitate a second and fought those beasts with a ferocity that was almost more frightening then the lizards. He had just an axe and butchered them. He killed two of them in no time. The Narth gestured and used telekinetic powers to throw one of those lizards back into the jungle."

Limbur looked thankful at Wintsun. "I am sure glad you warned me back then in the space bus. That Narth is something else."

Wintsun shrugged." There isn't much known about the Narth. They live totally isolated, but there are plenty of rumors and legends about them and if only half of them are true, they are perhaps the most dangerous species." He looked around." Speaking off, where are they?"

"They went after a missing Cadet."

Swybin came in, also clean and in a fresh uniform. Next to the door leaned one of the Blaster rifles, put there by one of the armed Guards so he could take a break and eat. Swybin snatched it and laughed."Now I guess I am in charge after all."

--""-- Phase Two

We had already covered almost two kilometers and I asked. "Are you sure she went that far?"

"Being unsure is a concept quite alien to me, Eric. Unlike humans we Narth act or speak only if we are certain about our action."

"So you never guess?"

"It is not in our nature to guess."

"Must be nice to be always right."

"This Narth is quite capable of making erroneous judgments and wrong decisions."

He pointed at a fallen tree just at the jungle's edge. "She is close."

I turned the light on and called."Cadet Caldwell."

There was no answer.

Narth said."She can hear us but she is very afraid of us."

As we approached the tree, I said. Well maybe she isn't used to shrouded, eye glowing hood wearing floating Narths."

"That could be the reason yes; however she might not be used to see a blood covered axe wielding Neo Viking either."

"So you think I am some sort of brutish barbarian?"

"Yes."

There was a giggle from between the branches of the fallen tree." You really are Cadets. I was so afraid when I saw you. You didn't look like..."

"I am sorry, Ms Caldwell, I was concerned about your safety and postponed my shower. Are you injured?"

"Yes I think I broke my foot or something as I fell over a root of this tree."

"Narth, can you take her back to N'Buga?"

"Yes I can do that and I could take you too, there is no reason to be afraid of Teleportation. It is quite safe."

"I am not afraid of it. I just think I prefer walking back."

"You still do not like Psionics."

"No not really."

"As you wish, but you could trust me."

"I trust you. I just think you strained your abilities quite a bit today. Are you not getting tired?"

"Yes I am experimenting with several states of weariness and fatigue and I feel tired indeed."

"Don't come back for me then, eat something and experiment with a pillow and a blanket and perhaps you find falling asleep doesn't take much skill, besides it is only maybe four or five kilometers and I be there in no time."

"I shall comply and follow your recommendation."

As I walked back through the dark, towards the distant shine of light, I wondered where the Instructors were. Somehow it all felt like a test, but then the casualties were real. Or was this all just an elaborate Virtu experience? Of course this was possible, and all I did and experienced was just a direct neural input, but unless Narth was part of the Virtu I wasn't so sure they could fool him with a simulation for long. Everything felt real even the smells and that was something no Virtu as far as I knew could get just right, simply because the smell of sense was more than all the other senses based on memory and everyone interpreted and everyone had just a little different ideas and memories about smells and so Virtu world makers never really managed to get the more subtle smells right.

It wasn't all that far to walk and I covered the five Klicks quite quickly. The house and the tents looked quite inviting. Whatever the challenges were tomorrow and I was certain whatever this was had just started, could wait until I had a nice hot shower and a few hours sleep.

There were five Guard posts with two cadets each, one the roof and one on each corner of our little compound. I did not want to get shot and called out to the post on the North West corner, the one I was approaching. There was no response.

I managed to reach the post unchallenged and I could feel my own anger rise. No one on Nilfeheim would ever abandon a post like that. It wasn't abandoned after all. I found only one Cadet and he was comfortably reclined and looked like he was sleeping.

I did not know his name but I cursed at him. "When you are on guard, you don't sleep, Mister."

He looked up without moving much." You are not in charge here anymore. Cadet Swybar is. I decided to be on his side. He said he already called his father and the instructors will be here tomorrow and everyone that listened to you will be in trouble."

Besides Jack is with me and he is awake. He just went over to the trees to take a leak."

I said to him as calm as I could. "You are on guard post, Mister and you will keep your eyes open and ears open until you are properly relieved. I know you have learned the Eleven General Orders for a guard just like I have. I will deal with this Swybar now once and for all..."

A high pitched scream of a person in pain came from the Jungle's edge. The cadet before me lost his entire swagger."Sir that was Jack."

There was no rest for me tonight so it seemed. I turned and ran after the scream. I did not really surprise me that Swybar made trouble, but I wondered how he had convinced Narth. Maybe it was true and he somehow had the means of contacting the Instructors and they already received new orders and perhaps the word of an Admirals son did mean more than regulations. If he was the son of an Admiral he basically grew up in the Navy and knew more about the reality of things than we all did.

I reached the forest edge and it looked like a solid dark wall. I stopped and forced my breath go slow down so I could hear.

I jumped almost out of my skin when Narth suddenly appeared next to me and he pointed to a smashed path, made by something large. "He is alive and is dragged this way. I rushed into the direction he had pointed and despite the fact that no starlight penetrated the forest roof. Eerie glowing tree trunks illuminated the surroundings with a faint bluish light, plenty of light for my eyes adapted to dark oceans. Even though I had this new sense growing in me, I still preferred my eyes. He was no longer floating but walking like me along the narrow path of bend and smashed thicket. "I am sure glad to see you."

"I am sorry. I think I have failed you, but after I have brought the female cadet to the Infirmary, I did as you said and experimented with sleep and it worked. I only woke mere moments ago, as I heard the scream and received the strong thoughts of distress."

"I don't blame you for doing what I said you should, but this cursed Swybar is causing problems."

"I am sensing the thoughts now. Most of the Cadets have been locked away in the basement storage room and are guarded.

I was going as fast as the thicket let me and said." We deal with that later. The guy we following is he still alive?"

"Yes he is, and it appears we are gaining slowly. I estimate the distance now less than 1500 meters."

Let's hope the beast is not slowing down for dinner. There is only one reason why an animal would drag something that far."

"There is a reason why the beast is doing that?"

"Wild animals don't do things for fun, or like to spend unnecessary energy. I bet there is a nest somewhere with young and we are pursuing one of the parent beasts and judging by the previous attacks these predators do not hunt alone but in packs. So we might be faced with more than one animal."

"Your knowledge and intuition about nature is truly fascinating." Then he asked: "Many of the others experience an emotion called fright. Aren't you afraid? You charged these animals armed with nothing more than a primitive axe and now you are pursuing one through this alien landscape."

"I am afraid all the time, but it doesn't affect me much as long as there is something I can do about it. I was raised hunting huge carnivorous fish in a very dangerous environment. This is scary I tell you, but real fear I learned of my father so I am used to fear I guess; besides a Vibro-Axe isn't exactly all that primitive. And what about you? You don't strike me the as the big outdoors type. Unless you are invulnerable or something like that."

"I am as vulnerable as you and my physical body is not much different from yours, and you could say it is the first time I am experience outdoors in quite this way."

"So why are you not afraid then?"

"This is a good question. Logic dictates I should feel fear. This is an unfamiliar environment and there to many primitive life forms around us, without sentience but almost everything around us feels hunger, fear and aggression." There was a pause." I am afraid."

Then he disappeared.

Splendid. First he didn't know what fear was and now I made him realize it. Good going Eric. I was trying to catch my breath, but dared not to slow down. I was the only hope the cadet had. I just wished I did not have to face a whole herd of these things.

Narth reappeared and kept effortlessly pace with me. "Yes I am afraid but I am not helpless and I am not alone. I apologize for leaving. It was quite a new emotion I must say and my first reaction was to get away." Narth grabbed me by the shoulder and jerked me back with force. At the same moment something broke through the jungle floor in an explosion of leaves and wet dirt. Sharp mandibles clacked together before a ring mouth filled with sharp teeth, missing my head by less than a centimeter. I swung the axe before I knew I was doing it, blood sprayed all over me for the second time this night and I had cut the creature in half. It was large centipede, multi segmented thing with six small eyes still fixed on me. I took a deep breath. "That was close. Thank you Narth. You saved my life twice today already"

"No mention is necessary. The being caught me by surprise as well. It has no detectable thoughts and its primitive neural impulses blended in well with all the others around us. Logic dictates that saving the life of a friend is an endeavor worth pursuing"

I wiped sweat, blood and pieces of foliage of my face and we kept pressing on. After a few hundred meters more, Narth stopped and pointed between two bushes. "Cadet Jack Landon is right behind these branches and there are a number of animals with strong hunger emotions."

"We do it as before." I whispered. "I fight the beast and as soon as it lets go of the cadet you take him and get him back as fast as you can to the camp."

"What about you?"

"No time to arg..." I had no longer time or air to spare to finish what I wanted to say. The lizard beast had just broken through the thicket before us and it directed a terrible hissing scream at us. The Lizards maw hovered only inches before me but did not move. It was as if its head was caught in an invisible trap. I did not waist the opportunity and chopped the beasts head off. I needed several swings but it was more butchering than fighting with the animals head held by Narth Psionics.

We passed by the still twitching cadaver and found the badly wounded cadet, much of his legs already gone, ripped apart by four little lizards in a nest. I felt remorse as I killed the young, but I had to get them off the terribly wounded man and Narth snatched the Cadet and disappeared."

I took a breather but I knew I could not stay. I was certain there was an army of beasts smelling the blood and ready to fight for it. So I went back in the general direction from where we came. I had to fight three more of the centipedes, was stung by the needle sharp leaves of a bush as I evaded something large I did not want to see close up, only to run into something large with lots of teeth and claws that looked quite different from the other lizards and had many more legs and a snake like body. Of course I did not expect Narth to return. Most likely he was exhausted from doing that teleportation and even if he returned I was already several Klicks away from the lizard nest, but I could not deny a certain disappointment. Finally I made it out of the jungle and stood on the banks of a river or lake and I realized I went into the wrong direction. I usually had a good sense of direction but it was difficult to keep a straight line of walking in a dark foreign jungle without any landmarks to go by. I was certain I would not find my way back to the nest not in the dark. The stars I could see them now, they were brilliant and beautiful but foreign and gave me no clue as to where I would have to go. The best thing for me to do was to wait till day break and then trace my own tracks back from where I came from.