Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 01

A movement beside me caught my attention, I turned and looked. Sif stood there her arms wrapped around her, tall but already very developed womanly body and she stared out the Front view port. There was nothing to see really, we ran at 200 meters below the surface and it was pretty dark out there. Her long blonde hair, the braids undone flowed around her face like a precious veil and she was biting her lower lip.

I said." I can turn the climate control up if you are cold."

"No this is not it, I wanted to talk to you and I don't know if we have much of a chance to do that later on. I talked to your old man and I decided I will go with him and I think I will be a good representative."

"I am sure you will be the best we ever had!"

"I have big shoes to fill!"

"He might be grumpy and sometimes insulting and always very direct, but you will have the best teacher you could have."

"You actually love that old man don't you?"

"I don't know if I love him but I like to think of him as a good friend."

"He loves you, I can tell!"

I glanced at the battle scanners; the boat was equipped with energy, life, metal and mass sensors in addition to the passive and active sonar. The Computronic combined the sensor data in a three dimensional representation of the ocean five kilometers around the boat. The system filtered out Bio contacts such as Tyranno Fins, Blue Finners, Three Finners and the thousand other species of fish we had. Since I was not fishing I didn't need to know and it would only show artificial contacts such as other subs and surface contacts or clans. There were two surface boats on the extreme scanning horizon.

Then I said." I don't think so. I am sure I am freak in his eyes just as I am in yours."

She came closer. "I am sorry Eric!" She put her hand on my shoulder. "What I wanted to tell you is that I am sorry for being such a bitch. I was mean to you and I enjoyed and then I regretted it. I made you responsible for what you are. Yet in my heart from the time you looked at me when you first saw me without my veil at the space port, I knew you were different."

She moved directly before me and looked in my eyes then lowered her long lashes." I fell in love with Freya you know. So you are not a freak to me, and I was mean because I didn't want to admit to it myself!"

She was now close enough that I could smell her exciting perfume. She reached out and brushed over my hair and I said with a sudden dryness in my mouth." What are you doing?"

"You have beautiful hair." She said without answering my question. Then a smile played around her lips and she touched my chin."Only that fluff is a bit miss leading you know!"

"Fluff?" I touched my own chin and felt the first signs of a beard."Oh!" I could not help but blush." I guess I need to get rid of that!"

"Yes that might be a good idea." The tiny wrinkles above her nose appeared as they did when she talked to me what seemed so long ago in the bathroom stall of the Space bus lounge." How did you know the Alien woman was not me?"

I smirked."She was nice to me."

Her eyes glittered and her mouth changed to a frown and I immediately said. "I was just kidding. At first I didn't know it wasn't you but she talked strange and pointed an Off-World blaster at me. I was pretty sure then it wasn't you."

"How did she manage to look like me?"

"She wore a very life like mask."

"Do you still have it?"

"Yes I do, it is with the alien woman's stuff over there in the map locker. I put her body in the torpedo room. If you want to see her."

She went over to the locker and came back a few moments carrying the mask." It even feels warm and it got my hair and everything." Sif then said." I wonder how it looks, can you put it on?"

I took the fleshy thing and she was right it felt warm."I guess I can try."

It was very tight and it tightened even further as I had it on. After a few heartbeats, barley felt it." How does it look?"

"It is perhaps the most frightening and strange sight I have ever seen. It is as if I look in a living mirror."

Then she arranged the hair."I wear it like that sometimes."

"I don't get you, Sif. One moment you act as if you care much about me and then you say things and act as if there is no one you hate more."

She rested her arms on my shoulder. "It is complicated as I told you. Perhaps as complicated as your desire to be a girl, how can I explain things I don't understand myself? I am attracted to Freya and know she isn't real and I hate Eric simply because he is a man. How about you? I mean do you like boys when you like that?"

"Like boys? You mean as in...? No I don't. As you said I can't explain it. I know it is wrong for a guy to even think about dresses and such. It all started when I sneaked in my mother's rooms and tried on her dress. I could somehow feel she was there, but I started to like the feel of the soft things it is sort of a magic moment when I can step out of my own self and become someone else, this is as close as I can describe it, but I don't think of guys like girls do."

She was now very close." I can still recognize your eyes."

Just then the sensor board sounded alarm and the Computronic spoke." Five sub surface contacts in proximity, Incoming projectile!"

I almost threw Sif off my lap, and wanted to say sorry but she moved as fast as I did and jumped behind the helm controls. Something clanged against the outer hull and the hammer blow of an explosion rocked the boat."

I checked the damage board, but the reactor showed green and so did weapons and all the other systems. The hull integrity indicator did not show any leaks or breaches. The Sensor screen showed five subs, one was damaged it seemed and sinking. The others were fighting each other firing explosive tipped harpoons at each other. Sif evaded another harpoon!

"Wow where did you learn that?"

She didn't turn to answer but pushed the speed controls." My clan has subs too, you know and father let me steer them from early on."

I turned on the visual sensors and the Computronic enhanced the picture. The sinking boat was a dark red colored Olafson boat! The others in Bendixen and Lindbergh colors. One of the Lindbergh boats fired from a cannon and whatever weapon it was it was not a harpoon. The shot hit the left Bendixen boat and penetrated its hull! Massive air bubbles escaped lit up by an explosion. Astrid had appeared and was sitting down, putting on the restraints. "That Bendixen boat is using a Gauss Accelerator, Eric! Very accurate and dangerous!"

I pressed the contacts to activate shields and to activate the weapons. The Computronic responded. Unable to activate shields or weapons. Then the Computronic started laughing! "Greetings from your Step-mother, Eric! She paid us to sabotage your boat not to fix it. Have a nice sea funeral!"

The lights flickered and went out!

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INTERLUDE 11

Gretel tried to reach Jon for the fifth time and every time the system responded. "No such user registered."

She wasn't too concerned perhaps there was a technical problem so she decided to call Rex Schwartz over the contact information he had given her and the system responded. "Rex Schwartz is not a registered user on the Dream Maker Network."

"Then connect me with Rex Schwartz directly. Tell him that his Gorgeous Eyes wants to talk to him!"

A woman appeared, after the SII logo flashed over the field screen. "Good afternoon, I am Lindsey SII General Information desk. How may I help you?"

Gretel got angry. "I want to talk to Rex, Rex Schwartz personally. He knows me and said I can call anytime. I have problems with the direct access he gave me!"

"One moment please." The woman looked up then nodded and said." It seems you have been the victim of a scam using images, names and trademarks registered to SII Corporation. You seem also be under investigation for fraud, illegal drug traffic and user. A team of Schwartz Security Experts will visit your world shortly and investigate. Have a nice day!"

The woman disappeared.

Gretel suddenly started to sweat and the terminal reported an incoming contact. She agreed with a tremor in her voice.

This time a man established itself and he wore a dark blue uniform, she knew the man. He had the hint of a cold smile on his face." Good Afternoon, Ms. Olafson. I am Union Police Detective John Cue and you are hereby notified to report to the next Union Law enforcement agency in person. You have the right to bring legal representation with you. You are charged with multiple accounts of illegal drug trafficking, purchasing highly restricted drugs without a valid physician's license, several counts of bank fraud, further there are questions regarding the death of Erik Ragnarsson"

She crossed her arms. "I do no such thing! I simply stay here!"

His fine smile increased." Suit yourself, Ms. Olafson. I was obliged to inform you to report to a Law Enforcement Agency due to Union Law 778."

He waved at her." Good bye Ms. Olafson and be safe!" He then cut the transmission.

A snickering voice from the door to her boudoir said. "Union Law 778 declares anyone dealing, trafficking or using drugs of Level nine and above without proper permissions and licenses as an outlaw. You can now be killed, sold, shot on sight anywhere in the Union. Given the fact that you have a sizable bounty on your head, I expect bounty hunters by the dozen. This is why he wanted you to turn in, for your own safety!" Hogun now laughed." How smart are you now fat woman?" Then he closed the door.

Gretel stared at the empty box of chocolates from Jon and the now wilting rose and threw it to the ground and stomped on it with rage."

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Harkun was very pleased with himself. His master was most likely dead already. His wife no longer a factor and dead sooner or later, maybe he could kill her himself, fifty thousand Credits was nothing to sneeze at.

Eric Olafson the only legitimate heir resting near his father on the ocean floor, left only Tyr in his way. Harkun had the DNA samples to proof Lothar had not a drop Olafson blood in his veins. unlike him!

Yes he was an Olafson too! A bastard son! Born in shame as his father Volund Olafson, bedded with a Low woman after his marriage! Volund was his father just like Isegrim and they had killed Volund together and swore a pact to each other.

Volund had strangled his mother and raised Isegrim like a prince. He, Harkun however was raised like an unwanted orphan in the Tanneries lower than the lowest, belonging to no one, eating the scraps of the floor. Isegrim, who knew Harkun was his half-brother, freed him out of the stinking Tanneries as soon as he could.

He did this after Volund died falling drunk down the stairs to the Submarine Pens and breaking his rotten neck. No one but Isegrim knew that Harkun had pushed the drunken Clan Chief and enabled Isegrim to become clan chief so young. Isegrim thanked him by making him his man servant and he became the best man servant a master could want. Biding his time for his revenge.

When the agents of Tyson Galactic talked to him during the Sea food Conference on Tysons Planet he was eager to help them achieve their goals and in return he would achieve his.

After Isegrim was dead and Eric too, they had no choice but to declare Harkun the rightful Clan chief of the Olafson clan and he was to inherit Eric's riches as well. Tyson then making an exclusive contract with the Olafson Clan and hehad the power and the riches to use the Olafson clan influence to unite or destroy all the clans under his rule!

His long years of patience and humiliation had ended today! Tomorrow he would be on his way to become King of Nilfeheim, no nothing less would do.

He knew this burg like no other and every secret passage, and now it was all his! He decided to celebrate by having fun with the beautiful little girl he caught himself only yesterday! She was actually the daughter of a Freeman. Never mind the new rules Isegrim put in place, remodeling the Tanneries and sending them to school. He was in charge now and all would be back as it used to be.

Harkun made it to the under croft and past the vaulted basements in the old dungeons of the Burg, His personal kingdom. Well not much longer as everything was his now!

Down here he set up his personal chamber of horrors. Here he had a collection of ancient torture devices, all well maintained, oiled and modernized and a wardrobe fit for the master of pain he was! He loved to torture them, see their pain and their fear. There was no greater thrill, no drug no feeling that could compare.

He put on the black leather pants and the gauntlet style rubber gloves and donned the frightening leather skull cap mask that left the lower half of his face open and then entered his chambers. The girl, she was maybe fourteen had been tied to a vertical rack and she had nodded off after she cried herself to sleep. But she stirred as she heard the heavy door and her big eyes started to swim in tears once more.

He could feel his pants tighten, yes this was it!

Before he could do anything, he was suddenly pushed forward by a strong force! He turned angry at who dared to disturb him down here!

There stood a woman in the door wearing a blue cloak on top of the three step stairs. She lowered the hood and said." Remember me father?"

She was a dark haired beautiful young woman and while her face somehow looked familiar, he could not place her. He grabbed a leather whip from a nearby table. "I don't know who you are but you will not leave this room alive!"

She came down fearless and without hesitation in her steps; some invisible force constricted his very arm. He could not raise the whip! At the same time the bonds that held the little girl fell off as if an invisible ghost was undoing them. The woman in the cloak said." Go to your mother little one! This sick man will no longer torture anyone and you are safe!"

The girl nodded in tears and ran out the door. Harkun was driven back; he slammed into the rack made of stone wood beams and the shackles closed around his wrists and legs. It was him now who felt fear as a hand formed seemingly out of foggy mist right before him and penetrated his chest! He could feel an ice cold grip around his beating heart. He soiled himself in pure panic and fear and the woman said.

"I am Elena; I am the daughter of Gudrun! One of the many you have raped and tortured. It was you who let the Elhir clan in to drop the Fangsnapper in the yard that killed her! My mother hated you as she hated me for being your daughter!"

Elena took one of the sharp knives forms his tables, inspected its edge with a satisfied nod and cut away the leather pants and his mask. She wasn't too careful and smiled as he yelped in pain. "Thanks to Eric I am alive today and thanks to a God I met, I have now the means to make you suffer and then I will kill you!"

She stepped back." No pain I could inflict would make you pay enough, but you see the God I am talking about has a long memory he and collected the pain and suffering from many of your victims and now we give that back to you!"

Harkun screamed like no human being had ever screamed as the memories of his own victims flooded his mind and he had to relieve every moment.

After over an hour his head dropped to his chest, and drool dropped from his open mouth. Elena stabbed the knife without any feeling of remorse or hesitation deep in his chest. Then she said." Thank you Tyr!"

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Chapter 30: Out in the Cold

The lights flickered and Astrid said." Looks like his Tech stop has trouble to get through our armor and hardened systems. She then pried open an access panel and said." I am sure I can fix this!"

Her hands pulled chip connectors and reset them and then she turned. Eric flip open your left armrest. Beneath is the Code sequencer. They could not have altered your Command Codes, without your permission! All they did is bypass it and tying in their own!"

I did and pressed my hand on the now exposed DNA reader." The lights came back on strong and Astrid said." Shields engaged. Just then two of the Gauss projectiles slammed into us. The kinetic energy made the boat shudder, but the shields held.

I leaned back in the seat. "I had about enough of these bastards! Sif both engines to full throttle, dive planes to 60 percent and take us on 91 degrees north."

She pushed the accelerator levers for both screws and said." Aye!"

Astrid closed the panel and threw a compact device on the floor." You got full control now, weapons too!"

"Open gun ports and charge FTL's!"

"Faster than light Forced Energy Projectors extended and at 98 percent Eric!"

The green cross hairs wandered across the main viewer, turned red as they lined up with the first Brunar Boat." Fire!"

The Poseidon was pushed sideways as two sun bright spears of light hit the Brunar boat and virtually vaporized it and a few thousand gallons of water with it. An enormous gaseous bubble with debris and superheated gases rushed to the surface.

One Bendixen and one Lindbergh boat remained intact and both forgot about their own conflict, turned and tried to flee, side by side.

I turned on Nilfeheim radio." This is Eric Olafson speaking, calling both fleeing boats. Stop your engines and surface. If you do not I blow you both out of the water!

"Astrid, target a spot next to the second boat!"

"FTL's still charging, Eric and at 34 percent."

"Switch to Sub-Roc."

The left torpedo tube of the Poseidon opened and an underwater missile accelerated fast driven by bubble streaming rocket motors, covered the distance to the second Brunar boat, in a few heartbeats slipped underneath its bow and exploded only about fifty meters beyond them. The shock wave tumbled both boats like toys and reached us a half a minute later as well, with much less force however. The Radio crackled in the typical way all ELF transmissions did and I heard Brunar Bendixen's voice." We surrender and surface now!"

A second voice came on." This is Isegrim Olafson. Our boat is damaged but I think we can emergency surface."

There was no help we could render to the first Lindbergh boat. Its hull pierced on both sides. Filled with water, sinking like a stone. If anyone in there survived the explosion they were already beyond the depth of even Nilfeheim swimmers.

Astrid rubbed her temples." The voice of your Old man can be pretty loud when he is excited, but I knew what I was doing. "She turned and grinned. "I always wanted to become an Engineer you know, a real one!"

Sif simply hugged us both and Astrid said. "What you did earlier was really hot in a very twisted way. I am sorry but I get confused with two Sif's around!"

I remembered that I still wore the mask and rushed in my cabin to change.

All four sub marines floated on the surface. Their crews standing on the decks Astrid remained behind the control of the FTL turrets and the snub-nosed muzzles moved back and forth in their ball like turret housings aiming at the other boats. I too was on the top of my boat standing by the bow as Sif steered the boat slowly towards the red sub of my father. He was supported by two of his crewmen. The wind was ice cold and the sea was rough but Sif expertly steered the boat with the waves and limited the rocking. She was even better than I thought.

The men with Father were Greifen and Bjorgolf. I knew the other three by sight but not by name. I yelled over "What is wrong with him?"

Father answered himself." I broke my leg as the explosion hit us."

Greifen added." Your Sire also hit the steel frame with his head real bad."

I smirked and yelled back." Better check that steel frame then, knowing the thick skull he has!"

Brunar Bendixen yelled using an amplifier." It is not over! You might have the upper hand now but I challenge you right now Isegrim Olafson! You are the clan leader of the Olafsons and if I win you are as dead as if on the ground of the Ocean and I will be lord over what was yours!"