Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 01

I shrugged." That's a definite improvement form the past and I take that gladly!"

Yngve reached into my shirt pocket without asking and swiped his PDD against mine." I bet you forgot the assignment Mr. Walters gave us yesterday. I wrote yours as well and tried as good as I could to emulate your limited knowledge.

I frowned at him." You are the only one who can insult me and I know you had no intention doing so and actually mean it well!"

As we found our seats he thought for a second and then blushed." I am sorry. I analyzed my statement and now realize how it sounded!"

Sigvard also came in and took his seat. His face was badly swollen and I saw the clear signs of a broken jaw. He glared at me only for an instant and then looked away. I knew there and then without a doubt he was looking to kill me.

Mr. Walters was on time as usual and looked us over." Mr. Olafson and Mr. Elhir you report to the school nurse and are back here as soon as possible. I will contact the nurse to see when you are done. Should either of you even so much as raise a fist against the other, be prepared to face trouble you could not even dream about in your worst night mares."

I was not sure why he wanted me at the Nurses office, but there was no sense arguing with Mr. Walters.

We walked side by side down the corridor and I had the distinct feeling of being watched. Sigvard kept staring straight ahead but hissed from between clenched teeth." You better hide in your burg for the rest of your life! Leave that burg and I am there to kill you!"

I hissed back." Just have the guts and challenge me and I be there, not that Gunnar will leave much behind after he is done with you!"

"Gunnar dies and so will you!"

We reached the nurses office. She scanned Sigvard first." Broken jaw, broken ribs, scratched lungs, Testicular torsion, torn ligaments and a severe head trauma. Why did you not come in yesterday to be treated?"

Sigvard hissed his answer." Because my father worked me over after this Nubhir snatcher attacked me!"

"I will keep you here for a while, till the doctor has time for you." She took him to the adjuring room and had him lay down. One of the doctors of the Hospital in town formed as a Holo almost right away, the Nurse closed the door and scanned me. "Uh, that is a nasty cut Mr. Olafson, it's already getting infected! We better Re-gen that part of your skin, it seems the Derma-Patcher has your name written on it as much as I use it on you!"

As I saw myself in the mirror I noticed my shirt was blood soaked. The bandage I had applied to my chest had come loose. "I am sorry Nurse Olga, my father beat me a little and I ran out of adhesive bandaging last night as I was not permitted to the kitchen to get more."

She sighed as she applied the Derma Patch, thousands of medical nanites repairing the cut by weaving new tissue, replicating mine exactly down to the molecule. The entire process took less than ten minutes and the only sensation was if hundreds of fingers were circling around my chest.

The Nurse said." I want you to stay so the doctor can look you over, just to make sure I didn't miss anything."

The doctor's projection declared me fit but I had missed most of the morning class. Mr. Walter collected the reports and told me he added the missed class to my download.

Yngve and I went topside to enjoy the wind and the clear sunny weather as we did every day since Shortsummer started. Climbing on top of it was our favorite spot; it was not far from where I had fought Sigvard just yesterday.

Here we were away from the others and their teasing, not that they were teasing us today. The wind was blowing hard but the air was not cold and I spread my arms into the gale and felt it took at my sleeves." Don't you want to fly sometimes like Loki did when he had Freya's feathered cloak?"

I had to yell my question and Yngve shrugged." Not really. Those Norse god myths did never hold my attention much. Besides if you want to fly' all you have to do is order a flight belt from Techno Shack. They come complete with Arti grav and propulsion units."

"Do you remember who you are talking to? It's me Eric. No GalNet at home, the no allowance and no tech Eric!"

"I bet a bunch of Union marines in heavy destroyer suits and armed with TKU's would take all Asgard apart, stuff Thor's hammer deep in his behind and shave Odin's beard before chow time."

I stared at him." You better never let anyone hear what you just said."

"Did you see Pluribus? Did you see how insignificant Nilfeheim is? I am going to leave this planet as soon as I can. I piss on the opinion of the Elders."

"Wow you sound quite angry today. It isn't like you at all!"

Yngve shoved his hands into his pockets and his face relaxed and he said." I am still angry at Annar and Gunnar. I was scared to death yesterday. Then I was scared for you and as I saw you fight those fish I was scared and knew I could never do that! I am a Neo Viking by birth Eric, but nothing in me seems to be in tune with it all. I feel like a stranger every day I am on my own world and every time I take a Virtu and I am away I fell I belong!"

I knew all too well what he meant. "I am scared every time to go home, I too going to leave Nilfeheim and I am going to be a Star ship Commander just like Captain Iron Hand."

"And then you return and you land the Starblazer right next to the Burg and kill your father by blasting the Burg to bits." Yngve said rolling his eyes." I hate to break it to you but Captain Ironhand is a fictional character and there is no Starblazer Spaceship either."

"I know that, but there is a real Union Fleet, remember the action we saw when the USS Pentragon engaged the Roxomani and there is a real Academy."

He nodded."Yes and that war is still going on."

"Speaking of, did you ever get another episode?" I asked hoping he would have gotten another Virtu Upload of my favorite Virtu Experience.

"Sorry I didn't buy any this month. I spend all my allowance on Virtus about Pluribus!" He blinked into the wind and shaded his eyes to see me better." You need to improve your grades quite a bit if you want to join the Academy and not become an enlisted. Only an Officer can become a Star ship Captain you know."

"How much do you think I have to improve them?"

"I don't know but to be accepted at the Academy to become an officer I bet they expect you to be the best of the best!"

That dampened my mood but I promised myself to increase my efforts.

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Father, and several men of the clan were gone with the Family Sub to hunt Tyranno Fins. They went to the Uhim Grounds, almost 2000 clicks from the burg and would be gone for most of the month. He never took me along and I was actually glad he did not. The prospect being pinned up in the small boat with my father for weeks on end was not something would have looked forward to. He had forgotten to instruct the remaining staff to give me any chores.

Gretel, was more often in town than at the burg, and sometimes she took he oldest son Lothar along.

With Greifen and Midrills help stayed out of sight from my step mother and those who preferred to please my father by mistreating me. It was a carefree and great time. I used the time to take long dives.

Not many Neo Vikings went diving anymore. I used them every chance I got. Down here in the cold water I felt free. The cold water rushing through my gills always invigorated me and I wished I could stay submerged forever, but while a Neo Viking could stay under water for a very long time, the loss of body heat even through the insulated dive suit limited the time I could stay submerged. Nilfeheim's oceans teamed with life and there were quite a few life forms down here, dangerous to an unprotected diver, but nothing was as dangerous as a Tyranno Fin.

However the Ragnarsson rock was in a region of ocean where Tyrannos could be found only during the first month of Shortsummer. They migrated all to the southern half of our planet where the great kelp and seaweed patches where. They did that because the docile and herbivore Three-fin fish would feed on the rich starchy kelp buts and stems to fatten themselves for the long years of Longnight. The Three fins were the preferred prey of Tyrannos and then they would fight, mate and lay eggs. Female Tyrannos would stuff seaweed in rock crevices and caves to lay one or maybe two eggs, and then guard their nests with ferocity. Fang snappers would dive from the small rock islands or floating ice bergs trying to get to these eggs or snatch a young Tyranno. Rock sharks circling it all, to either catch a Snapper, a baby Tyranno or feast on the leftovers of a Tyranno Kill.

Nilfeheim's oceans were vast and even though they teemed with life, to actually find Tyrannos outside of Tyranno Season and outside this area was not as easy as one would think. These kelp and seaweed patches were in the only area of the planet that stayed ice free during long night, due to the fact that the planets main fault line was located beneath the surface and several dozen underwater volcanoes, thousands of black smokers and underwater vents kept the water temperature even to the surface above freezing.

It was the second time since Saturday I had taken a long exhaustive dive and I finally had to get back out, as I felt my legs and arms starting to go numb. I knew it was high time. I swam through the tunnel that connected our Sub Pen with the ocean. Only a few of the old clans still went Tyranno Hunting. Others were fishing or operating Fish or Snapper Farms, but the Tyranno Hunters were considered to be the elite.

Now that most men were gone either hunting with father or tending our Farms, the Burg was eerie silent during even during the day.

Despite Short Summer, the Burg was always cold.

I remembered the secret passageway that would lead into the big house and I wondered if I could find some warmth in the furnace room.

It was just my luck to find this usually deserted occupied by two men. One of them was Audgisil, the old servant of my grandfather and the other looked like a lowman, bare chest, dirty breeches. They both sat at a stone table and each of them had a tankard before them. It was apparent they did not expect anyone down here either.The dirty workman actually reached for his knife, but Audgisil stopped him. "This is Eric, his stand with that cursed brute is worse than anyones."

To me he said."Eric, this is Ottar Ellingboe, he is one of the stone masons that work for your clan."

I nodded towards the two men and said."I only came here for a little warmth. I am not supposed to be here anyway."

"Nonsense, young master." Audgisil said,"This is your burg. No amount of Off-World witchcraft can change that.You will come into your own."

The stone mason said."When your grandfather was still in charge, we did not need to hide like mangy Nubhirs in the under crofts for a tankard of ale. I seen you Eric, I was just startled."

"No appologies necessary. I find another place and let you be."

"Why don't you go into your mother's chambers? I built the wall that seals them, no one will disturb you there."

Audgisil made a troubled face."Oh aye the fair ladies chambers, but you had too much ale already. How would he get there?"

"This burg has many secrets and hidden passages, only some are known to the living, some are forgotten by time. One such passage leads to these chambers and there you can hide from everyone and find some peace."

He led me from the furnace room to a cellar with bottle racks and barrels. Then he reached underneath one of the racks and I could hear an audible click. "This was made during forgotten times as means of escape for the lady of the burg," He said. "Go use it, no one knows about it."

I thanked him as he opened a hidden door, camouflaged as a meat rack. Then I slipped inside and found a very narrow but steep spiral stair case.

I was shivering and not just because I had stayed longer in the cold waterthan I should have, but I was about to go where mother died.

Father's new wife did not use it and had it sealed with a wall.

The secret passage ended behind a concealed door behind a tall tapestry.

Nothing seemed to have changed. I somehow expected blood stains everywhere, perhaps even her body. But other than a layer of dust, everything was just as I remembered. No blood and no body.

The old book was still lying on her dresser. My mother's closet door was not closed entirely and I went to close it, but instead I opened it. Her dresses and things were still there. My hands touching the soft fabrics and I could smell her wonderful perfume. I suddenly could almost hear her voice, no words or anything just the tone of her voice. I missed her so much! Something cold ran down my cheeks and even alone I felt embarrassed by my tears. Men did not cry! Before I really knew it held one of her dresses in my hands and then held it before me and remembered the story of Thor dressing up as Freya to fool the Giants. Following a strange impulse I put on the dress. It fit me and it felt so soft. I opened my braided hair and somehow I could see my mother in my own reflection in the large mirror. It was and I could not say it any other way like a religious mysterious experience. Eric the looser and the unwanted son had disappeared and a blonde Viking girl stood there before me in the mirror. She wore a beautiful gown and I was certain now I could feel my mother's presence. I now cried and did not feel ashamed at all. That day my life had changed forever and whenever I could I sneaked into my mother's room and put on one of her dresses. I even started to wear the female undergarments and sat down reading in the old book. I knew it was wrong, but Thor had done it at least once and every time I felt connected to her. She was there just out of sight, but she was there.

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Chapter 7: Erik Ragnarsson returns to Nilfeheim

The weeks to summer break went by faster than I liked. Mr. Walters came into class this morning and said after we greeted him. "Tomorrow will be your last day of school and you have three month to prepare for the next year. Everyone in class will advance. While your grades and results have much room for improvement, they are satisfactory. Today I want to ask if you know why we keep time the way we do?" He pointed his finger at Yngve." You will not speak."

Since Mr. Walters gave positive marks for active responses and I had vowed to myself to improve my grades, I got up." Union school and most union worlds keep to a universal schedule and summer break has nothing to do with the seasons on Nilfeheim or any other planet."

Walters went through his usual motions and pulled his PDD." I give you a positive mark for attempt, and you are quite correct, but that is not what I asked. I asked why we do that!" He wagged his finger. "You been brave enough to get up, so remain standing and try again."

"It's from the days of the Ascent, when humans left that planet Earth. Our way of keeping time was simply practical because of the human biological clock."

He nodded and the green light on his PDD indicated he gave me a positive mark." You may sit down, Eric. It seems no one else and I exclude you Yngve from this statement, never wasted a thought on time keeping."

Gunnar got up. "That is not true Sir! Just the other day my father explained it to us!"

"Then why don't you share what your father has explained? Answering my questions and active participation will earn you marks."

Gunnar clenched his fists and grinned sheepishly." It's sort of Yngve's thing to be the geek."

"We will talk about that at another time. Now enlighten us!"

"Father said, that during the early years of the Union, all time measurement was based on how time was measured on Earth. A time keeping reform was tried to accommodate all other member species, but back then the few other members didn't care one way or the other and even the most primitive Computronic had no problem converting Earth time in whatever local time. Long story short the entire Union, Non humanoid and humanoid cultures alike now kept Earth time."

Walters took acted as if he was hit by an invisible fist." Gunnar!" He almost shouted. "You managed to surprise me and gave a great answer! I will raise your grade an entire point" To the rest of the class Walters said. "Gunnar or more so his father was quite correct and we pretty much still keep Earth time. Surprisingly the Ult have adopted this time keeping system and introduced a bill to make it the official time of the Union and it passed through the assembly with over 90 per cent approval."

A calendar appeared behind him and he said." Of course the Universal Time keeping has been modified from the original Earth time. All month have the same length. Before the time reform of 3044 month and years were directly linked to Earth's orbit around its sun called Sol. Most Terran settled worlds like Nilfeheim counting the years after some religious leader's birth and we reached the year 5012. The Official Union year is 2802 and it counts the years since the Ult, the Sarans, the Pan Sarans and the Terrans came together to become the United Stars of the Galaxy."

He looked at one of the students behind me behind me and said." Mr. Bergeson, you have a question?"

Alvar Bergeson was perhaps the quietest of us all. If he had spoken more than hundred words all year it would have surprised me. "That religious leader was that Thor?"

"You Snapper-skull! " Lif Lindholm who sat next to Alvar blurted." Thor is a god and not a religious leader!"

"Mr Lindholm!" Walters scolded Lif and said to Alvar. "Why don't you research that yourself? As a teacher Union school I am not allowed to talk about any religious matters other than cultural impact and influence on society, but it might come to a surprise to some that Thursday was named after Thor and Friday after Freya."

Walters smiled and let us actually cheer on that one before he became his serious self again and motioned us to settle down, then he asked. "What are you going to do during summer break?" He clasped his hands behind his back walked down the middle isle and stopped right behind me." Mr Bergeson how about you?"

"I am going to work at our Nubhir farm as every summer and every day I am not in school." Alvar sighed. "I for one can't wait till school starts again. Nubhir farming for our clan is profitable and our family business but sometimes I wish we would invest in a few S-10 robots. I don't see the damage to traditions a few robots would do."

"That, Mr. Bergeson is a question I cannot answer. What is it you don't like about Nubhir Farming?"

"You sure are an Off-Worlder for sure, Mr Walters. Nubhir poop and they poop a lot and if you don't feed and wash them you clean out their poop."

As if Mr Walters hit a button and released a flood. Alvar kept on talking about Nubhir farming, their diseases, fur and meat quality and pretty much everything anyone ever wanted to know about it and Walters leaned back and let him talk without interrupting. Finally however Alvar did find an end and sat down. He seemed surprised about himself and somehow he looked pleased.

Our teacher actually padded his shoulder. "This was an excellent oral report on Nubhir farming. I give you five marks for it!"

He then turned to Sigvard. "How about you? What are you doing during Summer Break?"

"I am going to appear before the Council and will have to fight Annar. Only one of us will return next year to this Off World school of yours and it is going to be me!"

"I see!" Walters glanced over to Annar and said." No need to ask you then what you will do." He walked all the way to the back of the class and Ike told him he would go fishing with his family and that he looked forward to it.