Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 01

The pig pointed at a lit board."These are our menu choices. You also can order from the tables and booths. There is a touch display and you can access a menu choice wizard with explanation, but I recommend our most popular item, A Triple BBQ Rib with fries and a coke. Or the Nilfeheim special: Six pieces of deep fried flicker fish filets, our signature dip and fries. Also comes with a soft drink."

"Let me have the Triple thing. How much is it?"

"For you it's free! You saved my life!"

"I did what?"

The pig operated a machine behind him and arranged the appearing items on a tablet."I have my break in a couple minutes and join you."

After I had carried my meal to one of the tables, the restaurant was quite busy but I saw no one I knew and all present were Bondi, Freemen or Low Men and no one wore the colors clans I knew.

The pig being approached my table, sat across me and removed the head, which turned out to be a mask. To my utter surprise it was Annar and he said."I never thought I would see you at Arthur's!"

I chewed and said."These Rib things are delicious!" Then I added." Things have changed a little for me lately."

"So I have heard. You are more often in the news than anyone else. I am sorry to hear what happened to your Grandfather. My Uncle said he was the greatest man that ever lived and he is trying now to become the next Representative of Nilfeheim at Pluribus."

"So you are working here?"

"Yes, I started here at summer break, after Sigvard defeated me and I had to move to my Uncle who lives on a Rock close to the West side of Bifrost. Only 10 minutes with my flier."

"You got your own flier?"

Annar leaned forward."Eric, losing to Sigvard was the best thing that ever happened to me. My father made Gunnar his heir and sends me to my uncle. He opened my eyes to the real world. My Uncle is the third brother of my father of the Peerson clan. He had no desire to go to Hasvik and become a Keeper or work under the constant thumb of my old man. Well long story short he was allowed to open his own business and gather enough money to buy himself a small rock. So he started his own new clan."

I had finished the rib burger and the fries and worked on the large Coke. "Yeah I know how it is, the sad part I be glad to be the second or third born."

Annar nodded."You sure caught the short end of the stick with your father."

He made a gesture towards the counter and then pointed at his strange uniform. "It used to be just a summer job, but they pay well and have great benefits. I have money in my pocket and made enough in only three month to by me an old flier. Granted it isn't much. Just a Mini Saab, but it's in good condition and it gives me great freedom to go where I want. I even went to Isen Landsby all the way to the South Pole to watch the Snapper rounding and I met a nice girl there too. Since I am a Twin Eric, I would have to fight my own brother for the rights of the first born when I turn sixteen. The best thing ever happened to me when I lost to Sigvard."

"Sure sounds like it. Especially since he didn't kill you."

Annar pointed at my Coke. "Care for another one? There are free refills anyway. Or would you care for a shake. We got good malts and shakes."

"Sure not that I know what that is."

He touched a few symbols on the table surface and smiled."Trust me, there is nothing on Nilfeheim that compares to a Swine and Dine Vanilla Shake with strawberry swirls." Then his face became more serious. "Sigvard was content to be declared the victor after I dropped my spear accidently, because he didn't want to face Gunnar who promised him a challenge if he killed me. Besides no one is as tough as you! I saw the fight when you sliced that Steiner Boy. I am glad now I never made you challenge me."

"I am not tough; I didn't really want to kill Ardalf. It just sort of happened. I am not proud of it at all."

Another pig, from the forms underneath the costume, it was a female, came and placed large cup with straw before me and said."Enjoy!" and left.

"What's with the costumes? Was that not a girl?

"There is nothing in the Old Traditions that prohibits a girl from a Bondi or Low Men family to work. I guess the Elders back then did not anticipate Arthur's or any of the other companies to come here. The Town folks are still traditional and all but not as religious and strict as you Old claners. He tugged at his costume. "You get used to it and actually it is tradition if you will. Arthur's Swine and Dines are around for two thousand years now and this is how Arthur Swine dressed as he opened his first restaurant on Venus. And the masks are a good thing especially here, and allow girls to work not being harassed by traditionalists."

"Yeah I begin to learn that there is much more to my own Home world than I thought I knew."

"I discovered the same thing, Eric. I am going to the Swine and Dine University after graduation; they offered me a restaurant manager position and taking over the store in Isen. If I stick with it I can become regional manager or even Sector manager. You can go far in this company. I am Assistant Store manager already."

He showed me his credit Strip. "Getting almost 3000 Credits every month is not too bad to start out with!"

The shake was creamy and sweet and ice cold and I did like it and I smiled. "Well I doubt there are such career possibilities at Hogun's Inn, but he pays me now too, for helping. It is the first time I got money of my own."

Just then two teens walked in, not from my school but from the looks and their clothing clan sons. Gunner put his mask back on and said."That is the reason I like the uniform!"

They looked around and immediately came over. One of them glanced at Gunner."Hey Off World Swine. Get us two fish platters and Cokes and make it quick, Servant scum!"

"You may place your orders at the counter or at tables."

"I didn't ask you to speak or give me instructions, Off-world Slave. I asked you to serve. Now do as I said or I cut myself some ribs out of you!"

I said." It does not become a Warriors honor to harass and insult unarmed freeman. To our traditions this is their house and you are guests. Your clan association means little in a freeman's house. Ill mannered behavior like this besmirches the honor of all warriors."

The larger one of them dropped his hand on his skinner knife and said." I have not asked to be tutored in manners. Now draw whatever laughable weapon you carry and face me so I may cut that sharp tongue of yours with something sharper."

I got up and put my hand on Mjöraren. "Then I suggest we go outside and I answer your challenge. You insulted the sword of my Grandfather as laughable and this I will not let pass unpunished!"

The boy became pale and the other said." It is Eric of the Olafsons. Christian my brother has spoken in haste and without thinking! He did not mean to insult your sword or you!"

"It seems a common theme among the sons of clan leaders to speak before thinking." And I silently included myself, promising Uncle Hogun not to get into a fight.

A grown Warrior wearing the colors red and white came from the back of the restaurant and he too carried a sword." This restaurant operates under the protection of the Peerson clan with the blessings of the Circle. I hear you two harassed a staff member and a guest."

"We were only joking. Nothing serious. We come here all the time. Please don't tell our father we came here."

The Adult said to me." Should you been challenged then take it outside please. We don't allow any fighting in here."

"I was just suggesting that, Sir."

The one who had insulted me and his brother identified as Christian was near tears. His chin quivered "I don't want to fight you Eric Olafson. I saw you fight and I am not good at sword fighting."

"I don't mind to pick another weapon. Knifes, Axes, Spears, Clubs. You are the challenger but I will allow you the choice of weapon. So what will it be? Let us be quick, I like to kill my opponents before dinner." I was cruel on purpose. I hated their arrogant swagger from before. I was almost certain he would back out." So first you and then your brother? Do you want to call your father first?"

He now barley contained his tears and said with a trembling voice." If father learns we came to this Off-Word restaurant without his permission he will punish us badly!"

His brother hit him." You Snapper Skull! Eric is about to kill us and you are afraid of the trashing." To me he said," Can we not atone and appease you? We do not want to challenge you!"

"Then conduct yourself from now on with honor. That means you treat those beneath your rank with respect and protect the weak and less fortunate. Not insult them and hide behind title and status. And do not insult and challenge anyone before you really know who you challenge. Now if you apologize to the restaurant staff, order and pay for your food. I will consider myself appeased. Do I ever hear you do that again I shall descend upon your burg and will challenge you and only leave satisfied if Mördaren drank the blood of those insulting it!"

The two apologized and sat down at a distant table meekly and obviously relieved.

The strong man that was the Restaurants guard also seemed pleased and said. "You do live up to your reputation, I must say."

I left the place. I had a reputation. Would I even be able to go down town without trouble following me? A disguise like Annar's didn't sound so bad after all. I slowly walked along the store fronts and soon my brooding thoughts went into the background as I stared into the windows and saw all the things they sold. Tyranno Steaks packed in plastic trays, Blue Fins, skinned and deboned. Leif Ericson and his followers left Earth to escape this and now it could be found right here. I remembered the words of my grandfather and those of the Ancient one and it became clear to me that Nilfeheim was changing and its famous isolation was no longer as absolute as I believed it was or as the Elders hoped it remained.

After I went passed the windows of the Edeka Food Mart, I lingered for a few moments to stare at the window display of a weapon dealer. Then was stopped in my tracks. There in the window of the town community building was a poster and it read 'Union Armed Forces recruitment event today!' The poster showed a Battle ship and a Union officer standing before it, next to him a Union Marine and a Union Med Tech. The figures changed their faces as the visual sensor picked me up and I could see myself wearing these uniforms and flashing words read." Imagine this to be you!"

I went in. The Community hall was deserted except for a man in Union Fleet Uniform sitting behind a desk flanked by Union Flags and several visual displays stands showing Fleet and Marine equipment. A full size Quasimodo Battle Suit was there as well. My heart pounded and my throat went dry as I watched a Virtu Hollow showing a Battle ship group engaging a Nul Fleet. At first it focused on fighter pilots in their amazing Wolfcraft Space superiority fighters and then showed Gun crews operating the bomb conveyors for translocator cannons. It showed Battle robots and marines boarding an enemy ship and fighting. It was all incredibly awesome but as the show changed and focused on the bridge of a battle ship and the man sitting in the middle on a raised chair. Calm and relaxed giving orders to an efficiently working bridge crew it was what I really wanted to see.

I went to the desk and said." Where do I sign to become a Star ship captain?"

The man in the black uniform had gray hair smiled at me and said. "Roast me a Nul. I didn't think anyone would show." He got up and pointed at the Virtu Display." There is no form you can sign to become a Star ship captain. You can however sign up to be tested at the Academy and if they accept you and you make it through the four years of cadet and Midshipman training, you will be an Officer. If you then serve with distinction for many years, and if Fleet Command thinks you are indeed the best of the best. They might send you to Command school and then you will serve as a Senior Officer, at Ops and then as XO. After all this and you are very lucky and very good they will call you to Annapolis and a panel of Captains and Admirals will roast you. Should they find you have what it takes them then will offer you a commission and a ship to command?" He put his hand on my shoulder."Of all careers the Union fleet offers, you picked the single most difficult one. There is no other job, no other position in the entire Universe as demanding and special."

He then pointed at the Captain in the Holo." I do not want to dis-encourage you. To the contrary we need Commanders and the Union Navy has many ships and each of them has a Captain. So it can be done."

I was never clearer or more certain about anything. "Sir I don't care how long it will take, what I have to do or endure to get there, but by Odin I will do whatever it takes to one day sit in that chair!"

The Officer took half a step back. "You know I am doing this recruiting tour for a few years now and been to all sorts of planets, but I must say you are one determined young man. You are a bit young to make the final decision, but I will put you in the pre-enrollment program. You will get some training and information material and I set you up so you can access the Spatial Navy info Site on GalNet. You have the choice to opt out at any time and your records will be sponged, but if you stick with it I can guarantee you a space bus ticket to one of the academies and the screening process."

"Sign me up then, Sir!"

"Let me make it clear to you. There is no guarantee from me that they accept you. The decision is made when you are in the pretesting phase at the academy. Should you not be accepted you can sign up to the enlisted program, the benefits and career paths for an enlisted are just as rewarding and there is always the chance for a field promotion. Or you can try with the Marines. Their requirements are different altogether. I somehow doubt I could interest you in a military med career."

"No Sir. I doubt it would be for me. I am sure the Marines are a great choice but..."

"They don't offer ship commands." He finished for me." Now sit down son so I can take your information and scan you."

An hour later I left the building. In my hand I held a PDD stick with brochures and Information material and all the jobs and careers the Fleet offered. I also had a sticker on my sleeve with the Union Flag and the Fleet Insignia, below it read. "Academy Pre Enlistment Trainee"

To the last fiber of my very being it felt right and I knew I made an important, perhaps the most important step in my life and still there was not the smallest doubt. Now I knew for sure I would leave Nilfeheim in a few years and then all traditions, my father, the clans and everything else could go to Hel's deepest pits and I would not care.

I walked back to the Inn. Uncle Hogun was already back and there were a few guests, but he said as I approached the counter." Found anything you like downtown?"

"Yes they had a recruiter there from the Fleet today!"

Uncle Hogun leaned forward, his huge arms on the bar." Now that you mention it I think I heard something about that."

"That is why you took me to town today, wasn't it?"

"You better get your behind in the back yard. No need to skip training just because you have a fancy Off-worlder badge on your sleeve."

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Chapter 15: SIF

Two days later, the Elders placed Ragnarsson flags and a shield with the Falcon symbol in a ritualistic ceremony into the Caves of Extinct clans and had the alcove bricked shut. An Elder smashed my Grandfathers signet ring with a hammer on an anvil and tossed it into the ocean. The Ragnarsson clan was no more.

After the Ceremony Hogun took me downtown again, he explained that a lawyer had come to open my grandfather's will.

The building where Hogun landed the floater had three floors and was made just like our burg out of big square hewn stone blocks and Duro-Crete, but the windows were much larger than in the traditional buildings and there was a round company Logo etched into the glass of the automatic door. A stylized version of the Ragnarsson Sigil. Next to it the words: 'Ragnarsson Inc.'

Inside wall to wall carpet, a modern looking hover desk and behind it a pretty looking woman with her hair open and cut much shorter than any woman I ever saw. Her hair was shorter than mine. She wore a traditional dress, blue with a white apron but her skirt barley reached her knees instead of the floor length kind I knew. She smiled at us. Good Morning Mr. Olafson. The others are already waiting in Conference Room one."

Hogun nodded."I know where it is."

We entered an elevator and it lifted us to the third floor and Uncle Hogan led me through a wooden double door into a room with a large polished steel and glass table that was shaped like a spear head and around it leather upholstered hover chairs. Two men were there, both quite obviously Off-Worlders, as they wore suits like Mr. Walters and their faces were beardless. My heard dropped as I saw father and his wife sitting there as well. I wondered what Gretel was doing here, whatever this was it was men's business and not for women. Had my father changed that much and did she really have that much power over him?

She even spoke before anyone else. "Must this abomination be here? The very presence of this failed abortion makes me sick!" She looked towards Isegrim.

One of the Off-worlders sat directly opposite them at the narrow end of the elongated triangle shaped desk. The other was sitting to the side and Hogun made me sit across him. The man at the small end said. "Yes he must be here, Ms. Olafson. You on the other hand may leave as your presence is not required in these proceedings!"

"Oh yes it is! I want to know how much we get! As it seems that most of the old bastard's riches are in bank accounts and not on Nilfeheim!"

The man ignored her now and turned to me."You are Eric Olafson; please place your hand on the little device that is sitting before you."

I did do as he said and put my hand on a glass plate that was there. After a second a beeping sound could be heard and a voice said:" Analysis complete DNA is one hundred percent identical to the sample provided and it can be concluded with an error margin of less than 0,001 percent that this is indeed the grandson of Erik Gustav Ragnarsson. Sufficient to open all Seals placed by deceased."

The man smiled completely business like. "I am David Silverzweig your grandfather's personal legal adviser and despite all rumors that lawyers can't have friends. I was proud to be among those so designated by your Grandfather. I am here to open his last will that was drawn following all Union Laws and by witnesses. Your Grandfather was of sound mind and this is so attested by the Psych Examination attached to these documents."

An Ultronit box in front of him snapped open all by itself and he took a PDD from it. Again he paid no attention to anyone but me. "If you have any questions at any point say so and I will try to explain everything to you. The gentleman next to me is John Cue and he is a Federal Police Detective, asked here by me to be a witness. He is also here to make sure the rights and laws are upheld and a few very serious questions are answered." The last words he directed towards my father!

Father snorted and grinned."This is only a fancy off world office. We are still on Nilfeheim!"

The lawyer sighed." I am painfully aware of that. But now let us proceed."

He put the PDD on the surface of the table and suddenly my grandfather appeared, the Lawyer got up and made room for the projection to sit down and it did. It was a disturbing experience to see a dead person come to life like that. Grandfather looked at us all as if he was still there and I constantly reminded myself that it was only a Holo. He spoke. "I am Erik Gustav Ragnarsson. clan eldest of the Ragnarsson clan, and the Owner of Ragnarsson Inc and all its subsidiaries listed under section B of the appendix. I recorded this last will in the presence of three witnesses and after the required Psych evaluation. While I am bound by my heritage and my origin to the traditions and laws of my home world Nilfeheim and must dispense my possessions, my name and home according to these laws. I am under no such constrains to my possessions I was able to gather away from that world. If you see this recording I am dead and I was not able to see my Grandson come to age and do this in person. I know you are all here now Eric my beloved Grandson who I failed in many ways. Isegrim the man who killed my lovely daughter guilty of murder by Union laws but protected by our sacred ancient rules and traditions and you Hogun Olafson who I know to be one of the fairest and humblest men I had ever the honor to get to know."