Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 02

The technology wizard tried to hide in his exposed chair with little success as Vorneun glared at him. "How come we do not have instantaneous Communication? Why is it we cannot defend ourselves or replicate Translocator Cannons? Tell me why don't we have Space trains?"

The Tech Wizard waved his hand. "Because you have not been able to procure the schematics and technical details in all that time. It was a predecessor of the Control wizard who tried to gain the secrets to the Translocator technology, we suspect are hidden aboard an old Celtest ship still buried somewhere on a world they call Green Hell. I did read the reports, about our attempts to gain access to the Leedei tech and that tele listener they supposedly have. Besides Space trains are old news. They got Trans Matter Tunnels now. Union engineers plan to have the first Trans Matter tunnel connection between Terra, Sares, Ulta and Saresii Prime ready within the next twenty cycles. "His Eyes glistened. "Now that's technology I doubt even the Celtest had.Not instant communication, but instant travel and matter transfer."

"And how come you have better information than the Intelligence network I run?"

Dreih Nachzwei, the technology Wizard held up a Union PDD. "You mock us and yet your intelligence network is as inefficient as you claim we are. Why is it not possible for you to get me the specs of Terran Para dim shields? I am reading Union Tech Magazines and that's how I know about the Trans Matter Tunnels."

Vorneun sighed." Maybe this illustrates our problem better than anything. Our Technology Wizard using a Union PDD. We should not need to steal their technology. Are we not Kermac? Why haven't we developed such marvelous things on our own?"

Dreih did not back down. "Since we are speaking openly, let me be just as frank. We have not developed really new technology for a very long time years. What we have is taken from other species using our psionic abilities and we let other species develop and research. The cursed Terrans are only around for about 3000 of their years and yet they are bound to Tech Level Nine eventually. Yes the Sarans have helped them, by giving them Tech three. Do you know how long it took us Kermac to go from three to four? 25,000 years. The Terrans and the Union reached Tech 8 in less than 4000."

The Grand Wizard in the middle finally was done sulking. "Then let war be upon them. The Nogoll have started it. Let us mobilize all our forces and end this. We are the Kermac."

Nachacht was about to jump and strangle the thin throat of the Grand Wizard." Did you not hear what I said? Fighting them now would mean our end. Since we violated Freespace, I am sure the Nul won't be happy about that and neither the Shiss. The Nul alone are a very hard opponent to fight. Immune to our psionics and more than our equal in technology. The Union on the other hand is powerful enough to face us all. You know of course that even the Narth are Union."

"The Narth are only Union to be left alone. They have not participated in anything." The Grand Wizard spat."I doubt they even exist, they are not Kermac."

Dreih activated his PDD and increased the field screen so they all could see. Because of that cursed Union system, not even a thousand Dradystn from here, I am able to connect. "This is a recording of a GalNet News Cast from six cycle orbits ago."

The displayed bubble projection showed a purple throat Shiss beneath the SII-News Logo seemingly floating before the Sphere of Assembly on Pluribus and the lizard like being said.

"For the first time since their application of membership, the Narth have sent a representative to the Assembly and expressed that the Narth want to take a more active role and participate as Union Citizens. The Narth are widely regarded as the most ancient civilization in the known universe. Their council and opinion will have great weight in the Assembly and analysts of all News channels and political scholars agree that this is a historical event of great importance."

Nachacht saw his most dreaded fears come true. "I know you will not hear this Grand Wizard, but compared to the Narth we are children. They have existed before the Uni and the Pree. If the Narth add their knowledge and power to the Union, then we might as well release our thrall civilizations and join the Union."

The Grand Wizard slowly shook his head. "We are the Kermac and to regain our rightful position as the foremost species we will use the Caller again. The first time we used the Caller we formed the Galactic Council and the others accepted our superiority."

Nachacht shivered. "Even the Uni Voice warned us to use Caller again. It nearly destroyed us as well the first time. The second time the Union actually stopped them. What makes you believe they still exist or will heed the call? And if they come will, will they not be stopped a third time? The Union is bigger and more advanced. Back then they had one ship with TL Cannons. Now they all do."

"Because the Caller can be used to call those who sent the Y'All."

"And who is that?"

"No one knows. The Caller has never been used that way."

"If whatever comes is mightier than the Y'All. Then how can we make sure they won't destroy us as well?"

"I am the Grand Wizard with knowledge and wisdom you lack. I alone have access to the Center Shaft of Deep Keep and the crystal tablets of the Uni."

Nachacht and the others fell silent. Vorneun finally spoke. "The legends are true then?"

"Yes they are. The Dark Ones had come to find it; the Uni, the Pree and the Celtest have paid the ultimate price of utter termination defending it, not even knowing what they are defending. The Union is a mere shadow to these ancient powers and they have failed. The Dark Ones will return and wipe this Galaxy clean of all our enemies."

Vorneun was no longer as forceful and arrogant as he was before."Do we know what these Dark Ones are searching?"

"This is knowledge the Supreme Wizard alone holds."

Nachacht was less convinced, but he too knew the Grand Wizard of many ages ago unleashed the curse of the Y'All upon the galaxy and he knew of the legends of a mystical demonic force that wiped out the Celtest, punished the Saresii and eradicated the First League of sentient species over a million years ago. He knew the Uni fled the galaxy to escape destruction. He knew of the whispered ancient legends that spoke of the Narth hiding from that force. "Do you know what you are doing? Do we know what the Dark Ones are? And what is it they seek? Will they not also vanquish us?"

"No they will worship us for we will give them what they seek." The Grand Wizards eyes sparkled with a light that almost looked like madness."

Vorneun was certain the Grand Wizard was playing with powers and knowledge that should never be used. He too knew about the legendary tablets and the warning the ancient Knights of Light and Order have spoken so long ago to the First Wizard: "The master was defeated with the price of a Universe and must never be woken again. The Rule must never be broken."

"Silence you sniveling subordinates. You called this meeting to gain answers and the answer is given."

A tiny Thimthal fly still a common insect on Kermac Prime, sat not too far from the wizards on a dark wall, then flew across the dark chasm crawled onto the Grand Wizard and rode, hiding in a fold of the robe to the outside. Once under the open sky the little fly buzzed up upward in the air, not noticed by anyone. Thimthal flies weren't very fast or could fly very high. Yet this little insect flew faster and faster and further into the sky. The snapping sound as it went Trans sonic was heard by no one.

The Kermac could have found it but they never searched for bugs. They relied on psionics and expected their thrall species to maintain technology.

The little fly was not a product of nature, but of a very advanced technology.

With many times the speed of sound the Fly passed through the last layers of atmosphere, and microscopic ISAH pod, most likely the smallest in existence, started to glow blue and the fly went superluminal to reach its creator and deliver its weekly intelligence report.

A Kermac operator noticed the tiny blip of Trans-dim energy for less than a second on his scanner, but dismissed it as a system glitch and reset it.

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

Chapter 8: Command Seat

The Attack came totally unexpected.

The scanner operator of the American Dream was watching GalNews about the space battle between Dai, Nogoll and Union forces like everyone else on the bridge and thus missed the fast approaching contact.

I was still sitting in the Command chair, while the main viewer showed high definition recordings of the space battle of Union Fleet against the Dai and the Nogoll.

Titanic fists shock the yacht so violently that Calia Lethra, Alex and everyone else standing before the mains screen watching the news were thrown about. Smoke filled the bridge and a dozen warning sirens and signals blared. Lights flickered. The Automatic restraints had grabbed me and a force field bubble encased the command seat and me. To my shock I noticed a rupture in the hull. One of the bridge crew men was sucked out, before an emergency field sealed the crack. There were only two officers still moving as they too had remained in their seats and kept save behind force field bubbles, the rest was piled up near the now sealed crack, among them the Togar captain and Alex, none of them showed any signs of life. The main screen now showed a red space ship pursuing us. The Helm officer moaned with a whiny voice." What are we going to do?"

I responded, " We need breathing space to sort it out, get this tub going as fast as you can."

"Yes I will do that."

None of the controls of the seat responded and a Computronic voice said. "You are not registered or authorized. Alex stumbled to his feet, frozen blood across his face. "System recognize Alex Enroe. I give full command authority to Eric Olafson." then he collapsed again.

The controls lit up and a bank of screens lowered around me. "Command authority granted."

"Activate all available shields, reroute spare energy to aft shield generators."

"Acknowledged."

The Helm Officer turned." We are gaining ground Sir, but we have only one ISAH pod left, it seems we are still faster than that Dai Battle Ship."

"Don't turn around. Keep your eyes on the controls when you talk."

I looked down to find the right contact for ship wide." This is Eric Olafson temporary in command of this vessel. All Departments report. Damage and status. Medical emergency on the bridge."

"Engineering here. We have still full power but only one ISAH pod, we lost the other three. Several Hull breeches, sealed with nanite foam and force fields. Main generators at 100 percent and not damaged. Primary shields gone. Secondary shields holding."

"Engineering shut down every nonessential system. Concentrate on repairing the shield generators."

"We do our best."

"Medical reporting. We have 67 casualties, 19 reported fatal."

"Triage and prioritize. Bridge crew first."

"We send medics and bots."

"Tactical, do we have tactical? Communications?"

There was no response and then the Computronic replied." Tactical and Communication stations are not replying."

"Computronic open all Communication channels on all available com equipment."

"Open."

"This is the 'American Spirit', Enroe Industries private Yacht. Eric Olafson speaking. We are under attack. Dai Than Battle ship in pursuit. We are damaged and there are heavy casualties. Need assistance urgent."

I then told the Helm Officer to transmit our coordinates and whereabouts.

"We are being hailed." The Computronic reported

"Put it on."

"Hello American Spirit. I am Ima Win-Do, patriarch of the once glorious Dai Than Ima Tribe. I have lost my honor and my tribe. Our Mother has been destroyed by your demon warrior. Now I will seek revenge and I will cause mayhem and destruction. I see you are but a boy; your officers are dead or gone. Surrender and I shall be merciful. Your hail for help will be heard, I have no doubt but all help will come too late for you. Surrender and I shall not launch fighters. I will kill you all quickly and painless. Deny me and I shall board and skin you alive."

I looked down again to identify the correct contacts for tactical. Then I responded." This is Eric Olafson, temporarily in command of this Vessel. You are in Union space and have committed acts of piracy and murder." While I talked my fingers activated weapons." I will not let my crew down and I will fight you to the last breath. Bring it on red face and learn that Neo Vikings do not surrender, ever."

The tactical screen showed his vessel just barely within reach for Loki Torpedoes, the American Spirit but this private yacht had two tubes for these military grade weapons.

I noticed big doors opening in the hull of the Dai Ship, displayed on the screen that showed a magnified view of our pursuer, no doubt Fighter bay doors.

I cut the link and yelled." Helm reverse thrust full reverse."

"What?"

I overrode his station and did it myself and cursed. "If this is over I am going to kick you from here to Andromeda and back."

The battered and damaged luxury-yacht's mass inertia compensators could not cope completely with the sudden reversal of thrust, and the Medics just coming on the bridge were thrown off their feet and I was pushed hard into the restrains. The Dai Battle ship in full pursuit rushed close in a few heartbeats and the distance between the two ships shrunk fast, I hammered my fist on the Torpedo release and both tubes launched, aiming at the open doors. At the same time I fired every available FTL and weapon.

The Dai Crew was good and its Computronic reacted faster than its crew several of the Dai Cannons fired and the American Spirit shuddered hard, but I saw with satisfaction as one of the two torpedoes slipped right past the open doors I had aimed at. The other was intercepted by Point defense guns" I maintained backwards thrust. Two more shots peppered our bow and our shields collapsed completely. The Dai Battle ship was at least eight times the size of the American Spirit, then it suddenly expanded into a bright fire ball and a huge explosion ripped through its hull. Two round objects released from the doomed Battle ship. The spherical objects followed us. Not fighters, but some kind of kind of armed life boats and while their weapons were small we had no shields and their fire caused damage. Again I reversed thrust and went past red line, hitting one of the spheres head on and fired with the remaining FTL cannon at the other sphere.

The tactical screen and the remaining functioning sensors showed both spheres destroyed and no life signs aboard the remaining fragments of the battle ship.

I took time to wipe the sweat of my brow and said." All hands damage control."

Twenty minutes later we were hailed by a fleet of Enroe Security ships.

Interlude 9: Captain Harris

Captain Harris, the current commanding officer of the mighty USS Devastator called his friend and superior who was in his quarters. "Admiral we received a distress call from the private yacht of Alex Enroe. They are under attack of by a Dai battle ship"

"Launch long range fighters, Barracudas and send the Moscow and the Tel Aviv to assist. We are still tied up here." Stahl leaned forward." He is a rich man and his yacht must be fast. Maybe he can outrun them"

"Details just coming in. The Yacht was based on an Ocelot class Super cruiser. Six FTL's and she is authorized as a test platform for Loki torpedoes. She has two one shot tubes. The Dai on the other hand is a full size Be-Tha-Ra class."

Stahl had a concerned expression on his face. "Send the Enroe corporation our condolences, tell the Moscow to secure the area and help finding possible remains."

Captain Harris eyes widened."There is an update coming in; The yacht is heavily damaged but won the battle"

"An Ocelot with two torpedoes and six FTL's defeated a Be-Tha-Ra? You can't be serious."

Harris responded. "Enroe security and the USS Petersburg, a fast super cruiser of the fourth who was the closest of ours are there closing in and confirming it. According to this, a seventeen year old passenger took command after the bridge had a hull breach, killing and disabling most of the bridge cre. He destroyed the Dai battle ship. Knowing you I thought this might peak your interest."

"It certainly does. I want all details of that fight, log entries and such. If Enroe trains their cadets that well we might need to talk to them."

"Citizen Data identifies the young man as pre entry applicant to the Academy, Eric Olafson of Nilfeheim."

Stahl's eyebrows shot up." The one who flew a Submarine against a space bus?"

Now it was Harris turn to look perplexed." Sir I am not sure what you are talking about."

"I send you the file, you be amazed old friend. I want all details of this encounter, make sure I get it."

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

Chapter 9: Aftermath

After the Enroe ships and a Union ship had arrived, everything happened fast. The wounded were evacuated. I had stepped down from the Command chair and felt myself ignored as robots and help crews rushed back and forth. I simply sat back down and waited for whatever would happen next. The heat of the battle was over. While it was happening I was neither afraid nor did I have any doubts, but now I wasn't so sure anymore. Should I have tried to escape and not stay and fight? Was I responsible for the whole mess in the first time for sitting in the Togar woman's chair?

Then a tall man in Enroe uniform looked around the now empty bridge and snarled." Who are you? I don't see you on the manifest."

"I am Eric Olafson."

"What are you doing up here? passengers are not allowed on the bridge. Are you hurt?"

"No I am not hurt."

"Then get your ass of the bridge. I still like to know who you are. You are not mentioned in the manifest. Are you a stowaway?"

"No he is my personal guest and he saved our lives." Alex Enroe stood in the door. "I was looking for you, Eric. The Union captain and I just watched the bridge recordings and we must talk."

I saw he had tears in his eyes. I learned that all of the bridge crew, except the tactical specialist who had been sucked out, had survived.

In an empty cargo bay the crew and a delegation of the Union ship had assembled. The American Dream crew had twenty two fatalities among them the chief engineer and the man servant butler. Alex had cried open tears and he didn't seem to be ashamed of them and addressed us standing behind the row of elongated cargo boxes, now used as coffins. "I am deeply sorrowed about the losses in my crew. One of them was Finlay Pearson, much more than a butler and employee. He was a dear old friend.

War has been avoided and while tensions are high, peace has been restored; yet this brief period of violence was not without suffering, injury and death. We stand before the remains of twenty two of our co-workers, employees, crew members and friends. The reason we stand here and do not share the same fate as them is thanks to a young and new friend of mine, Eric Olafson. Let us pledge in the memory of our friends to be more vigilant at all times and do our utmost to prevent such tragedies in the future."

Three of the coffins were released into space; the rest so I learned would be delivered to their families.

In a debriefing before the Union officers, the Togar captain and Alex I was shown the bridge recording and every word I had spoken. After the recording had ended one of the Union officers asked. "How did you come to the decision to reverse thrust?"