Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 01

I heard Yngve's voice almost immediately answering." It was the Petharians."

The Computronic managed to sound impressed. "Very good and correct indeed. A Knowledge Citation Star has been awarded to you."

A single seat was highlighted next. "These are the representatives of the Artikaa Civilization, admitted as full members only yesterday. They are the very first civilization that does not belong to our friends of Attikan Hegemony joining us from the Large Magellanic Cloud."

Our class room zoomed close to an alcove near the top of the sphere." This is the alcove of your planet. Here your representative adds your voice to this mega culture."

A man in expensive looking traditional Neo Viking dress, with long fur brimmed leather coat and silver beard and hair expertly braided sat there, talking friendly to a non-humanoid being. I suddenly felt a deep pride coming over me. This was my grandfather, Eric Ragnarsson; I had seen him only once as a child while mother was still alive. I think he might have been at the funeral too, but I did not remember. He looked very stately, and seemed at ease talking to being that looked almost like a very shaggy Fangsnapper.

I wanted to say something to him to let him know I saw him. The Voice said. "I am sorry Future Citizen, but this is a Virtual Experience, there is no interaction with the projected environment or individuals possible."

"How do they all come to any form of conclusion to a problem?" Someone in the class asked.

Walters responded instead of the Voice." Good Question Mr. Lindholm. Every problem, proposal or request is first analyzed by the Office of Proposals and is then sent to the Councils. There are eight councils: Military and Defense, Education, Science and Exploration, Health, Finance and Commerce, Justice, Civil Affairs and Security. Each Council gives a recommendation and the proposal or problem is posted on GalNet were every citizen can read about them and leave a comment or opinion. For big issues and major proposals it is advertised and Citizens are encouraged to vote on it. The representatives here can add their opinions and comments why a proposal is good or bad for them or whatever else they want to say to an issue. Finally a Computronic analysis is made considering all opinions, recommendations and the Issue complete with the analysis is put up for a vote. The assembly then has a certain time to vote on it."

He took a breath." Sounds a little complicated and it is, but it is the best system we could come up so far to give every citizen the chance to participate."

Lindholm grunted." As if the opinion of a single citizen would make a difference!"

Walters responded." It does and it can. If that citizen's opinion to an issue is a valid point not only does the Computronic recognize that and raise a flag for that Citizens representative, but it also sends the issue back I the analysis cycle to view the issue with the new aspect included. Besides there is a population of several Centillion sentient beings classified as legal Citizens, the chances that more than one has the same opinion about any given issue is quite high and it is usually never just one citizen who objects or suggests something, but every citizen counts and your opinion and your ideas are as important as these of the president."

"What does the president do then?" Asked another student

"The Office of the president does not have many functions left, and many experts believe the office of the president will eventually be abolished, but even now it does not interfere with the decision and law finding aspect of the assembly. Its main function is to represent us. In cases of foreign affairs the Assembly can give the president a series of options and the president can then choose among those during negotiations."

Our class room slowly moved to the center and we could now hear a high pitched voice speaking and an insectoid beings image was projected in midair, a moving text band identified the being as the representative of the Klack Empire." Fellow Citizens and those assembled here. Her majesty the queen supreme Nt'gtar thk the 745th has asked me to address docket issue five and the continuous Shiss attacks on trade ships running the corridor and she suggests not only an increase of Fleet patrols but the installation of six trade lane forts along the corridor."

While the Klack spoke a visual representation of the galaxy appeared behind him. All the major species neutral, enemies as well as Union territory were represented in color. Most of the Union was in the upper left quarter of the Galaxy, this quarter was called the Upward sector. The Klack Empire included a considerable area of space in the so called Coreward Sector. There were the Shiss and Nul spheres of influence in between and much unclaimed space. The colorfully highlighted regions were connected with A very long but narrow strip connected the Klack Empire with Union space, known as the Corridor. Of course it was not a physical corridor, but a political one. Its expanse and its boundaries subject of treaties and contracts. An enormous amount of space ship traffic went through that Corridor. Of course neither the Shiss nor the Nul liked the idea that the powerful Klack were Union members now. While the Shiss officially accepted the Corridor they claimed to have no control over private Shiss raiders that kept attacking trade ships.

All this information was transferred via text directly to my retina as I looked at the image.

The representative of a world that was close to the Corridor demanded that war was to be declared against the Shiss and their menace removed once and for all.

While we were there, the Klack proposal was approved and a fleet liaison promised increased fleet patrols along the corridor and the planet representative was happy after it was decided that a special Corridor Patrol fleet was to be created and head quartered in the same system.

The images faded and our classroom returned to its normal boring self.

Walters pocketed his PDD and said." I want you to write about what you think would be an important Nilfeheim issue that should be addressed by the Assembly and then we will role play an assembly session tomorrow. After the break you are to upload sections four and five of the History Knowledge data package. Do not upload more than these and don't let me catch anyone forgetting to do it! I will be here to check!"

He sternly looked at each of us and then nodded." Dismissed for lunch break!"

We had two school yards. One was outside and the other one underground and inside, used during Longnight and it was here were the Cafeteria was.

I glanced over the menu." Lobscouse again! "I complained to Yngve who stood in line behind me." Not that I mind it, but she puts way to little fish and way to much beetroot on it."

"Do you realize that she is doing you a favor? At least in a sense of value. The fish are local silver-flicks and you can buy a full kilo for less than a credit. The beetroot comes from New Holland 70 light years away."

"I still don't like it."

"Well you helped me out big time this morning so I am buying lunch. Take what you want."

While I had no money at all, father did not find it necessary to give me an allowance Yngve's father was quite wealthy and Yngve always several hundred Credits to spend on his strip.

Quite happy I accepted his invitation and selected Pizza from the Serve-Matic and Sparkle Bright Soda."

The Cafeteria's view ports were actually underwater and for the most part you did not see anything but the same greenish water and the occasional fish.

I just had finished half my pizza when a collective awe made me look. A Rock Shark swam past the view ports. Everyone tried to give their expert opinion on the sex and size of the fish. Mr. Walters and another teacher I didn't know by name stood almost next to us and he said to Walters." I am teaching Neo Vikings now for almost eight years on this planet and I never seen a Rock Shark in the water like that. Walters said. "I was just transferred here and I am stunned by the size of that thing."

"Its a big aggressive fish alright, only second to this worlds Tyranno Fins."

"Is there a man in the water?" Mr. Walters asked and as he pointed it out we saw it too, there was a swimmer in the water and he was unarmed.

Annar came screaming on top of his lungs down the stairs." My brother! Sigvard has thrown my brother into the ocean and he poured Bait scent in the water too!"

Form the green depths the gigantic shadow appeared again.

Like everyone else I rushed to the top across the school yard and climbing the shoulder high Duro-Crete wall and then crawling up the piled up tumble of boulders that closed the open end of the "C" against the sea.

There on a big rock stood Sigvard holding a Slayer harpoon in the right, laughing and yelling against the stiff breeze." This is ancient tradition! This is how we deal with traitors and cowards!"

Mr. Walters was the first teacher that reached the top. Sigvard lowered the Slayer harpoon. "I am dealing with you Off-Worlder! The way we should deal with all space scum that pollute our ways."

"All this was going on while Gunnar was in the water with a Rock Shark!"

I never liked Gunnar but that was no way to die, without having a chance. I simply had to do something!

Things happened rather quickly. Sigvard was about to shoot, he could not miss and the explosive tipped two meter long harpoon would certainly kill the teacher. This spear gun was magnitudes bigger than the weapon of the mysterious woman that almost killed me. I grabbed a rock and rushed as fast as possible across the rugged boulders to cover the 20 meters that covered us and threw as hard as I could.

Sigvard fired the spear gun the same time my rock hit him against the upper arm. I was close now, I didn't want to look back, and I could hear the explosive crack of the harpoon hitting something, now I had reached Sigvard. He was taller and much stronger than me, but he held the huge 2 meter long slayer weapon and instead of dropping it to fight me. He worked the reload mechanism to rotate the second barrel into the firing position. Not to give him any chance I kicked him as hard as I could between the legs. His eyes bulged like a Silver flicker fish on land and his hand dropped from the rotating lever. I had to remain on the offensive and not give him any chance to retaliate and as he bend forward I rammed my knee under his chin, his head snapped back and he fell hard on the ground.

The Slayer harpoon rattled as it dropped to the ground. Gunnar was probably long dead. Like all Neo Vikings Gunnar had gills and could breathe underwater.

I did not know what possessed me other than I hated unfair situations and Gunnar's situation was as unfair as could be, being unarmed in the water with a Tyranno. I grabbed the slayer and jumped.

I hit the water about twelve meters below, even though it was still Shortsummer the water was very cold. My gills opened and cold water rushed inside me. After breathing air, it was always an exhilarating and intense moment to switch to water breathing. It was an act of will to stop breathing with nose and mouth and use the gills but we all learned to do this from very early on. Along with the gills we Neo Vikings had a second eyelid that allowed us to see well under water. However I neither saw the Tyranno fins nor Gunnar, I struggled with my vest, it was not easy to take it off under water while keeping the big slayer harpoon, but I managed. I swam as fast as I could, wishing I had my fins. We had seen Gunnar from the Cafeteria Viewports.

I cannot explain what it was that warned me, but the sudden feeling of something huge made me turn as fast to the right and towards the rocks as possible. My heart made a double take and fear cramped around my throat like an invisible hand as the pointed nose and the huge maw of a shark shot past me, not further than an arm length!

The rush of his propelling tail-fin send me into a tumble and away from the rocks. Then I saw Gunnar, his hands were tied, but he was almost by the rocks. If he could make it, he'd be safe, but the shark was already turning. I completed the reload on the slayer and swam holding the weapon ready and aimed before me. While the Slayer harpoon had been used and made for exact that purpose: to hunt and kill these big fish. I had done it before and not so long ago with Tyrannos

Rock Sharks were somewhat smaller, but very fast.

Gunnar and I were only alive because we were so close to the rocks; he would have had no chance further out. Rock Sharks did not rely on their eyes but electro location that told them the position of a prey. The surge above us hitting the rocks and the rocks itself masked our presence somewhat, but not completely. The other reason was the sheer size of the fish. Here close to the rocks the fish had to do swim a rather wide circle to realign his teeth filled jaws with as small preys as us. Again in open water were the shark could use it full speed Gunnar would long be dead.

While I still cursed my own stupid impulsiveness that got me into this mess, trying to save the life of a guy who hated me, a strange calmness came over me. I spotted the mark, unlike the yellowish skin on a Tyranno, it was the gill flaps on a rock shark. clearly and at the same time the eye of the shark looked directly at me and for a split moment and of course only in my imagination I believed to see some sort of understanding, a recognition in that dark eye now fixed at me. The shark changed directions with a flick of his enormous tail, the distance was not perfect, and the angle was off and in another heartbeat would be out of reach. I fired!

The almost two meter long shaft of Ultronit steel with a razor-sharp tip darted almost too fast to see through the water leaving a thin streak of bubbles pieced deep past the gills. The shark now completed its turn opened his maw, it came closer. Then the fish was less than two meters from me, suddenly arched and a thick cloud of blood and bubbled came out of its maw!

The savage elation of the kill was filling me with pride and at the same time I could not shake a feeling of guilt. I saw the fish now dead slowly floating to the surface. Gunnar had reached the rocks and moved towards the surface. Being distracted by all this, I almost became prey to a second shark that suddenly up from beneath. It was sheer luck and perhaps my small size perhaps that saved me. When you are under water, and not built like a fish for this environment moving fast without any artificial aide was impossible. The maw of the fish rushed past me so close I could see down its throat and the horrifying sight of the many rows of dagger-sharp huge teeth and something scratched me painfully down the side.

The Slayer had one shot left; I rotated the last barrel as fast as I possibly could into firing position, almost losing the weapon as I had found no time to strap it to myself as I should have done. The shark snapped its head to the side as it noticed it had not caught me. It twisted its entire enormous body but almost plowed into the rocks and moved again to avoid a collision. It presented its side and the gills, I could not miss, the barrel barely in position I fired, the side fin caught me as it rushed by and the impact made bite my tongue, I saw nothing but darkness and felt crunching pain. I almost inhaled with my mouth and that would have drowned me as surely as any Off-Worlder without gills.

The Slayer was no useless and empty. The fear of being torn apart or being swallowed whole somehow kept me from passing out. I swam as fast as I could towards were I remembered the rocks. My vision was still blurred and I felt the numbness coming over me from the loss of body heat. Even though I could stay underwater without the need of air, the exposure would to cold water without an insulating suit was just as limiting.

Fists grabbed me and hived me aboard a floater hovering close over the water. I gasped at first and someone hit me with the flat hand across the face and yelled. "Open your mouth and breathe!"

------------

I had been rushed to the nurse's office. She was the only woman with authority in our school but she was not an Off-Worlder. "You had a very nasty cut, a serious concussion. You cracked a tooth and bit of a part of your tongue."

She said looking into a floating field screen before here and then smiled at me. "All fixed. You are a hero. Mr. Olafson. Nothing too good for a hero."

I didn't feel any better or worse than before I went into the water and said." How is Gunnar?"

"Gunnar is fine he was unharmed save for a few scratches, a mild cae of hypothermia and of course his wounded ego."

I jumped off the treatment couch and said." Am I free to go?"

"As far as medical and health wise goes yes, but I doubt the words free to go apply to you for quite a while."

I blinked." What do you mean?"

"Mr. Walters and the principal will explain it to you. Your father is here as well!"

My father was here! Her revelation hit me worse than the icy water and fear made my hands shake. I would have rather faced another Rock Shark than him.

Outside the nurse's office stood Galvin. He was the schools janitor. He was an Off-Worlder and some rumors claimed he used to be in some sort of military service for the Union. I knew he was also the schools security officer but he usually only donned his uniform when he addressed us at the beginning of the school year about the rules and told us that bringing weapons were prohibited.

He now wore his uniform now and said."Mr. Olafson, looks like you managed to get yourself, the school and Nilfeheim into a big mess! I am here to escort you to the principal's office."

"What have I done?" Was all I managed to say and my fear of the upcoming confrontation grew with every step we took towards the administrative offices.

"A whole list of things, but I am not the one to tell you. I just take you there but it is as serious as it can get!"

His words only added to my worries while my mind raced to find a reason for all this. At one point I even considered to take my chance and run, but were too? I could not run from an island.

At the front office the Administrative assistant, Ms. Jansen sat behind her desk. Usually she wore Off-world fashion and handed out school supplies. Today she wore her hair in braids and traditional dress. She looked very bland without her usual colorful make up, but she smiled at me and said." You can go right on in. Two of the Elders are here as well."

My head felt numb, worse than when I got hit by the Rock Shark fin but having Elders here, explained why she was dressed that way. She was after all a local and not an Off-Worlder.

I never had been to the principal's office before. I knew the tall very dark, almost black skinned man of course as everyone at the school did. His name was Lothar Valthim, his skin and facial features showed clearly that he was not a native of Nilfeheim, but I knew he was of a planet called New Sweden and his black hair and beard had shades of silver, but he braided it a different way. He stood by the windows overlooking the ocean. Next to him the colossal figure of my father. Wearing his huge Fangsnapper fur lined sleeveless coat exposing his massive arms and the wide Ultronit rivet studded leather wrist bands. Whenever my father clenched his fists you could hear the croaking of the leather and veins as thick as my fingers appeared on his underarms, just like they did now! His almost bluish shining black hair braided and his same colored beard reaching almost to his chest. His right hand clenched even tighter around the handle of his steel cable whip as he saw me coming in and the steel hard look I got from his ice gray eyes was pure hatred and unspoken promise of unprecedented punishment. Underneath the open coat and above his tight fitting leather shirt he wore the golden clan chain of the Olafsons with the medal of the Wolfs.