Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 01

His words felt like a blow to the stomach. His logic was inescapable, he was right! I applied two standards myself!

He was not done with me." You are barley 15 now and you judged your own grandfather. In your mind he is already a greedy man who takes bribes and judge's young men who want to open their own business unfairly. You accuse him of being guilty not to follow up on his own word and have Isegrim arrested. Compared to your grandfather you have barley left the womb of your mother and you judge him?"

His words hit me hard. He was right, as I looked inside myself. "But he could have kept his word!" I said meekly, somehow knowing that I made my judgment without knowing the entire story.

He calmed down and spoke less angry. "Exactly you do not know the entire story."

"Do you know what would have happened if your Grandfather sent Union Police to Tyson Planet to arrest your Father for murder?"

"They would have arrested him and hung him!"

"Back and forth Eric, back and forth! One minute you actually use your brain and then you fall back in this stubborn child routine! You did not even think a second to answer that question."

"I don't know what would have happened."

"Much better! Union Police doesn't just arrest someone on the accusation of another person, and when it comes to the law, unlike our own system the Union takes it very, very serious. For example everyone is equal before the law. This was not always so, but ever since the Union was founded it is. That means your grandfather being a representative and all that important stuff has the same rights as your father and vice versa. You are assumed innocent until otherwise proven before a judge and jury. That means your father would not be hanged until the Union Police investigated and collected all evidence and listened to all witnesses."

I listened and said. "I really like the idea of everyone being equal before the law."

"That is what the Union is really about Eric. Not big space ships or humongous cities, but giving everyone the same chance and the same rights. That includes guaranteeing individuals freedoms and personal liberties. So the Union Police comes and investigates and they find that almost everyone on Nilfeheim has broken Union Laws and not just petty ones, but slavery, human rights violations, murder, rape to name a few of the top. So they have two options. Arrest every one, as we are all guilty of many violations or kick us out of the Union and Isolate Nilfeheim from the rest."

"I didn't think about all that. How would the Police find out?"

"Do you think your father would have gone quiet? He would have said that what he done was perfectly alright under Nilfeheim law! By doing that kicking loose an avalanche of accusations."

I didn't feel very good realizing how I had damned my Grandfather and I thought maybe I didn't really know the entire story about the business man either. I promised myself to see things from more than one side before coming to a final judgment.

"It is a good resolution but I doubt it you will keep to it for long, but it is not entirely your fault. You are a teenager and there wasn't a teenager alive since teenagers exist who didn't think he was so much smarter than his elders and that everything old is automatically bad."

"I wonder if I can do something right in your opinion."

"Probably not much, but at least you realized it and that's good. But back to your Elders. Before your Grandfather became representative. Did you ever ask who was there before him?"

"No I did not, but we are Union Members for almost 2000 years now, there had to be someone"

"Yes there were many of them. One of them was another one of your ancestors, Holger Ragnarsson. The one that sailed to the Union Outpost to complain about unfair representation, the use of energy weapons and all that, you know that part of the story as they decided on a Circle of Elders for the first time and all that, right?"

"Yes the Keepers made a point I know all this."

"Holger Ragnarsson was the first representative more or less by default since he did represent the rest of the Planet and after he won his case before the Union court. He gave a famous speech before the Assembly." He gestured to the ceiling. "I learned all this on your GalNet terminal over the past few days by the way! I did not know all this either."

He cleared his throat. "Anyway, Holger said to the Assembly that they settled Nilfeheim to get away from the bad influence of technology and that the whole mess of piracy and the bloody one sided clan wars came about due to the uncontrolled use of technology. He did not reject Union help and Union Membership but he said Nilfeheim needs to have limited contact and time to grow. The Assembly was impressed gave him right made a note to keep us alone and they forgot us pretty much. We did receive our annual Union help shipment of basic food supplies and very basic non tech materials, that helped us to survive the Long Nights until we as a society learned how to cope with our planets long winters and sustain ourselves. After that we didn't need help shipments and for the better part of those centuries we did not develop much and stayed the same and doing everything the old fashioned way,"

"I wondered what happened in all this time and why there was no real development. I mean other cultures develop space flight on their own in that time."

"It did take us a long time to cope with the harsh conditions of Longnight and the fact that there isn't enough land to really spread out and grow that also kept development at a snail's pace."

"What about the Union school it should have made an impact!"

"Yes it should have, but until about 400 years ago, there was one Union School and only the firstborn sons of clan Elders were allowed to go, and of those only a small number wanted to go."

"What changed?"

"One clan Chief who did go to Union School ordered himself a Submarine about 500 years ago after he had read about them at school. He lost two of his sons in Tyranno Fin hunting accidents and argued that he won't risk his third and last and that Tyranno Hunting in a sub was safer."

The Old man tipped his head." That man was my father by the way and I tell you the rest of our history now from firsthand experience."

"I can guess what happened next."

"Surprise me!"

"At first he used the Submarine to hunt but found out he could much easier use it to ask others to give up their catch and if not blow them out of the water. Others did the same, then someone decided to up the ante. I have a feeling that Submarine down there is the an answer to that escalation."

"You did surprise me! Well done putting two and two together. However clan wars were outlawed after the last one. We then got an XChange and with it the first Union Credits and things went from there. Now things are changing a little faster and I fear that those who affect those changes don't think things through and are as much in the dark as you about the consequences."

"Where does this leave me?

"You judged your father. He is already sentenced to death! Oh I know if anyone deserves it, it is him, but even the worst criminal deserves a fair trial and all aspects should be looked upon before a death sentence is given. Death is awful final, Eric!"

I cried tears of shame as he spoke about grandfather but when he mentioned father my tears dried up. "You are correct in all you say, Old Man and I understand now what you mean when you tell me I should think, but there is no argument you can make to absolve my father. I am the eyewitness of his most foul deed. He killed my mother! All else I would forgive, not this! Even if it damns me to hell for eternity I will kill him!"

"Do you really know what you are saying? Do you know what hell is? You could not begin to understand what eternity means! I am four hundred years old and I don't know. Your Ancient friend, the keeper managed to see almost 3000 years go by and I assure you he does not."

"Do you say I have to abandon my quest for revenge? Forgive my father for all he did?"

"No Eric, I am saying to see things from all sides and then decide and if your revenge is worth messing up the rest of your life and thus give victory to your father. Eric. I promised your mother to teach you. She had a good idea what life had in store for you." He waved angrily at my chest pocket. "You listen to your mother every night and yet you have not heard what she is saying: She asked me to teach you all the things about the rite of passage. She wanted me to share some of my wisdom with you, but you only want me to train you how to fight and compete. Why do you think I had you clean all this? Tell me!"

I suddenly had no answer. A second ago I would have said. Because he didn't like me, or because the place needed it, but now I did not know.

He suddenly grinned again. "Yes the place needed it, badly so and I am actually thankful for you doing all this work, spending a considerable amount of your own money on cleaning supplies, vodka and all the other stuff. It cooled you down Eric. This mindless labor put some distance to your anger and it made you more open to listen to me. You cleaned for almost the entire three month you are here now and only now you begin to listen and to see me as something else as just a dirty old man living on top of a mountain of trash. I think you are ready now."

He got up and walked towards the now easily accessible door that lead down to the old and now equally empty treasure chamber.

He opened it and said. "We can reach this darn door now without the risk of breaking our necks! Are you coming?"

I caught up with him as he was already halfway down the stairs, but this time it was not dark, the stair case was illuminated by a bright orange light and the torch he spoke of was floating before him, but it was no normal fire that burned it was simply a sphere of intense light.

"If you can fix your own body on a molecular level using Psionics, making light is actually quite easy." He explained before I even finished thinking about it.

"Need more money? If you want to sell more Gold, there isn't any left, but I said before I can share my Credits with you."

"There is a small fortune sitting on the boat landing. I should have let you sell the plunder. We are going a little further down. I think you will notice that we are already past the old treasure chamber."

As I followed him I became somewhat nervous. What if it was true and there really was a God down there? The old man's powers were quite real and they did not call him Wizard for nothing as I had found out myself. If I understood him correctly then my Grandfather's son, my uncle died down here and not crushed by a Tyranno as I had been told. Did I shovel the bones of my Uncle in the recycler?

As so often he spoke, responding to my thoughts. "When you first saw me I made a little show with rune stones. Do you know that I could not even identify the names of the runes until about fifty years ago when your friend Sigfrieda explained them to me just as she did to you? I can't read the runes. Why do I use the rune stones then?"

"I think it is for the benefit of those you try to give advice. If you tell them your advice stems from Psionic powers they equate it with Off-world and dismiss it. If you tell them the advice come from you they might question it, but who could question fate, the gods and mystical powers?"

"Bravo!"

The narrow stair case was no longer made of masonry but was hewn out of the rock itself. It was moist and for a moment I thought I felt a faint draft coming from below and with it the smell of something burning.

He laughed. "Wasn't it you who said: even if it damns me to Hel for all eternity. A very bolt statement for someone who has no idea if there is Hel or not and most certainly could not begin to comprehend how long an Eternity lasts!"

The light he carried suddenly vanished and it was completely dark!

I felt around and slipped and fell into gagging foul smelling liquid. Something wet and clingy was in that liquid, but I found ground and stood up, something was still covering my face so tight I could not breathe. Yet I heard many voices and laughter and someone kicked me and yelled. "Quit fooling around and keep on working! Finally I got the thing of my face. I looked around and to my complete and utter surprise I found myself in a Nubhir hide tannery. I had never actually seen our own tannery, however I heard plenty about it and now I stood in a tub submerged to my hips in the most awful smelling substance.

All around me were dozens of these tubs and dozens of women stomping and slushing it. But not just women but young girls as well. They all wore hip wader boots and white blouses, some had rags tied before their noses and all wore head scarfs. Men carried heavy loads of wet, gray and reeking skins on their shoulders, balancing on the rims of the tubs. Someone yelled at me. It was a Freeman and he held arm long thin stick in his right and smacked it right across my face!

I was so stunned at the sudden change of scenery, from the dark stair case to this reeking stinking loud place! And this freeman was hitting me!

I caught the man by the shirt and before he could hit me again and said." Dare hitting me again and I teach you a lesson you won't forget!"

"She must have hit her head, when she slipped!" A woman said and put her hand on mine. "Let him go! Or do you want to end up in Harkun's bed tonight?"

The man snorted. "Wench! Go and get cleaned and I will forget this and then go and scrub hides!"

He brushed my hand of and walked on to whack another girl with his stick and yell at her to pick up the pace.

The woman said. "Come girl, slipping in that filth is not healthy! Let's get you clean. We still got lots of hides to scrub before we can call it a day!"

"Where am I?" I still could not make rhyme or reason of my new surroundings and my situation.

"Oh my, we better get you to Midril. You really did hit your head hard!"

She helped me out of the Vat and as I looked down myself. I almost fainted again. My trousers were gone. I wore a white blouse and hip wading boots. What I saw under that white wet blouse clinging to my skin were two female breasts!

She called for someone and another woman helped her dragging me through the stinking hall, through a door and into a drab looking bare bones shower room. They stripped the clothing of me and then I was pushed under a lukewarm shower. Someone handed me soap and said." Rinse your gills good! Urine isn't water you know!"

"Urine?" was the first word I was able to say since I discovered my transformation, which was as I now noticed quite complete and in no way artificial as when I was Freya.

"What is it with you, Loki? Of course Urine. What do you think we use to get the hair of the hides?"

"But that is disgusting! Why would anyone use Urine!"

"Listen to our Princess here!" the first woman laughed." Wait till she has to work in the Nubhir poop!"

"Where am I?"

The woman said softly. "We get you to Midril as soon as we can, but let's get dressed."

Stunned and mechanical I put on the blue dress and apron. The women sounded concerned." I think she is seriously sick! She can't even tie her Apron right!"

"You are at the new Olafson Tannery five, formally known as the Ragnarsson Tannery three and you are Loki Hemstaad."

"I am a Hemstaad as in Gretel Hemstaad?"

"That is your lofty Aunt. She managed to get out of here, not that she would ever remember any of us. You are one of the few that survived the massacre over at the old Olafson rock. What a stroke of luck it was, being with your mother and the tanner at the pelt market."

The other woman took me by the arm"Enough talk, you still look very confused. We better get you to Midril, maybe Greifen can smuggle you aboard his flier and take you to the Union Hospital."

"Why does he need to smuggle me aboard? The Union Hospital is there for everyone and it is free!"

"Did you sneak to school or something? You know it is forbidden for Low Men families to attend school or use the Clinic!"

"But that is against the law!"

"I think you became insane, Loki! The only law you need to worry about is the law of the House and the clan you serve!"

They took me up a long flight of stairs, past the under croft and the cellars and we emerged on the other side of the Main Hall of the Olafson Burg! I was home but I was a woman and I had a female body. It did not feel very different being a real woman actually I could feel no difference right now but then to say that I was confused and in a state of shock was putting it mildly. Maybe there was Odin underneath the Rock Pillar and this was my punishment for doubting the gods and dressing up as Freya, but seeing Midril again would be a good thing! I didn't even know the names of the women that accompanied me. The left one was maybe thirty years old and the other perhaps twenty. Both wore the same dressed and their arms were looked thick with underarm muscles but the skin of their arms and legs was pasty white and looked unhealthy and completely different from their faces. Neither wore make up. While the Older one had, and I could not say it any other way a simple face. The younger one was quite attractive and had a bright expression. It was her who said."Wait here Loki; let me check if Midril has time. She doesn't really like to be disturbed so close to Dinner."

She disappeared in the entrance to the common halls. After a few moments,

the younger one came back and said."Midril is busy but she said we should take you to the still room, where you can lie down. She thinks you have a concussion and she will check on you as soon as she can."

I knew the still room only too well and behind the distill to make homemade vinegar and liquor and the pots and jars where Midril made soap, ointments, was the burgs room to treat the sick and wounded. There was a stretcher and a locked cabinet with the advanced medical instruments, and the Gal Net Terminal to get a doctors Holo if needed. The two girls left me alone and I was about to open the Cabinet, as I knew of course the code combination. I wanted to call the Old man and ask him if this was indeed some sort of punishment.

Just as I had it open, I heard a noise and I turned. Harkun, my father's man servant stood there with an evil grin and with one hand inside his pants! "Oh what a naughty girl we got here! Aren't you supposed to be in the tannery and stomp piss into hides?"

"I had an accident and wait for Midril to help."

"You are a nice looking one! I wonder why I haven't noticed you before? I think you will have another accident before the day is over!"

He came closer."You will do whatever I want you to do! I want you to drop to your knees and service me and if you do it good I might even let you have seconds in your little arse. I have you whipped and perhaps even killed if you don't do everything I want you to do ... Now take off that dress and blouse!"

He actually dropped his pants! I almost threw up right there and then as I realized what he wanted!

"I cannot believe such manners, such shameful conduct. Cover thyself and be gone! You are a servant of this house, such dirty behavior fouls the name and honor o this clan and name so utterly it is beyond words. Go to thy Lord and beg for forgiveness as you are his man servant! Then chastise yourself!"

I was outraged. First the foul conditions at the tannery and now this! As evil as my father was, he was a Warrior and an Olafson and he would never condone such behavior. He would let his steel whip dance over Harkun's back for sure!

He actually stopped, blinked confused and then slapped me so hard across the face, that it send me to the floor! "I am the Lord of all that crawls and walks in this house. If I say this one shall die, then Isegrim makes this one die! You must be out of your mind opposing me! Have they not told you about me down in the stink and shit pits?"