Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 02

"The Dai threatened to release Fighters, he had to open bay doors for that and lower shields to launch fighters. I could not let that happen. Fighters would have meant our certain doom"

"It was a brilliant tactical decision."

The other officer looked onto his PDD." If you want we can take you to Corri-Door system. Space bus service to Arsenal Gate should resume shortly."

I wanted to say yes, but Alex stood. "I make sure he will be there on time, but I think I owe the man for saving my life."

"You owe me nothing sir."

"Please give me a chance to at least finish that coffee we had started earlier today."

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Interlude 10: Cirruit

There was panic, people screaming and yelling. Something had hit the space bus and damaged it. Against the instructions, Cirruit left his seat and went towards the rear. His eyes capable of seeing across the entire electromagnetic spectrum had no problem using infrared emissions. He avoided colliding with a human crew man in a space suit."What is going on?"

"A Nogoll ship has fired upon us, we have a hull breach in the middle deck and we lost life support. The Main Life boat release is fused and we can't activate the seat safety capsules. Our engineer who could fix it is dead."

Cirruit said." Go help the passengers put on space suits. I am a decent engineer I see what I can do."

He went past the man cycled through the air lock. His sensors noticed the coldness but it did not hinder him, neither did the lack of air. He saw two dead men and a freshly sealed rupture in the main hull. He saw the partially melted data and system command trunks, got hold of a floating tool box and began to reconnect the command and data lines. The ship was hit again, but he ignored it and kept on working. Then he reactivated the life support emergency by pass, extinguished a plasma fire and patched a Nuc gas fuel leak to the main drive. In all this he realized how much fun he had. The situation was serious, deadly serious and the lives of a thousand passengers depended on his work, but he was confident. He knew what to do and those were humans. Some of them may even be related to those marines ignoring their own safety to free Mothermachine. He established Inter ship comm. and called the bridge." Can someone on the Bridge hear me? I am an engineer. I have just re established life support and the Data trunks to release the Life boats. You also should have the main drive back in three minutes."

"Whoever you are, Mister, you earned a medal and all our gratitude. Can you get me helm control back?"

"I don't have the parts, but I bypass the broken lines and you should have helm back for about twenty minutes, these bypass lines are not meant to handle that kind of streams for long."

"It's all we need. We are only twelve minutes from Corri-Door. Wolf Crafts have just arrived and take care of the Nogoll."

"Good news. Let them blow those cursed Kermac lackeys to space dust. Give me a little more time..."

Then he smiled, only on the inside of course, as his face was unable to translate even the most rudimentary emotions."You got helm control, guys."

The door cycled and two Space bus crew members came in, they started hugging him and shaking his hand." We made it thanks to you."

One of them said with a sad face."We did loose eight passengers and three crew men, but it would have been 1015 dead, without you."

Cirruit learned that the nice girl that had sat next to him was one of the victims. The second hit had ruptured the hull right next to her seat. Sadness and anger that he didn't react faster, mixed inside him to a cold rage against the Nogoll.

He was celebrated like a hero on Corri-Door but he didn't feel like it at all. He had heard the news and knew about the details and why the Nogoll had attacked the space bus and how close the Galaxy came to war.

A man approached him."Are you Cirruit Sevenninefour?"

"Yes that is me."

"I am from Schwartz industries and am instructed to take you to Omni."

Cirruit handed him the contract. "I am not going to Omni. I am flying to Arsenal. I am going to become a Union engineer and the next time there is war I am doing my part to protect the Seilaghs and all the other beings of the Union."

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Chapter 10: Austin, planet

Arriving at Austin, planet it became clear to me what an Ultra Corp really was. The entire planet was owned by Enroe and it was a world with over 8 billion inhabitants. There were nine more planets and fourteen moons in the system and all were owned and developed by Enroe Corp. It was only one of many systems they controlled.

The space port we had touched down was a Class A port and it was busy with dozens of capital ships landing and taking off in a constant pace.

The American Spirit no longer looked shiny and beautiful, she had scorch marks all over and a gaping hole in the lower hull, Two of her Isah pods were completel missing, a third was just a mass of black and twisted metal. Alex said she would be repaired and look as good as new in a few weeks. Captain Letrah put her paw like hand on my shoulder. "If they don't make you captain, you come to us."

Alex smiled and nodded. "You can change your mind right now and I promise you the command of a ship in a few years."

"I thank you both and if the Union Fleet thing isn't working out I might come back to that offer, but I have already signed up with them and I don't like backing out on a commitment I made."

The feline Captain brushed her agile tail across my face. "I am going to home to the Togar Empire to visit family. My ship is smashed up and she'll be in dock for a while. You could come with me and I show you the great golden tundra of Togr my home world and we could hunt Grass Beasts together."

"I would actually like that, but then I might end up invited to a Togar dinner Party as the main course."

"I am a Togar female and it is us who are the warriors of our world. You don't want to be protected by a female is that it?"

"Of course not, Captain, but from what you told me about your world that is all you would do, protecting me that is. What kind of vacation would that be?"

"Alex here is protected by the queen herself. He could sleep naked covered in bacon grease in the middle of High Togr and during the last day of seven day fasting and no one would even touch a hair on his body."

Alex laughed. "While this is probably true, I would not be brave enough to try. Besides I think I would not want to sleep anywhere naked and covered in bacon grease."

"I will try to visit Togr one of these days with you Captain."

"Call me Calia and I hold you to it. Togar girls could show a human male some things you would like very much."

She whisked her tail across my cheek shook my hand and said."You saved my ship and my life. I will never forget that." Then she walked off and stepped on a slide way that carried her away.

Alex said."She likes you and that means a lot. As you know now Togar have a hard time liking others."

"I am honored I am sure, but I think it is my cue to say good bye to you as well. I really need to get to Arsenal. I go to Corri-Door and wait, till it is time. No more detours for me."

He laughed."I can understand that, knowing your recent adventures. He handed me a data chip."Here is my personal card. You can call me anytime and direct. I won't offer you any material rewards, because I think you would reject them but I offer you my friendship and I hope you call just to say hello once in a while and if you need help you call me too."

"That's the best thing you could have offered. I promise I call."

"Well there is a little more. You are as of today a special Executive of Enroe Industries and it might come in handy. I have the Swift Tornado standing by to take you to Corri-Door anytime you want to leave, but how about some Lunch before that? I know a great Rib place in town."

"I am sure there is time for that. And if you go back to Gore, can you send a poster and a T shirt to a friend of mine?"

"If you give me your friend's address I make it happen right now."

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Interlude 10: The Narth

GalNet Entry -- Narth

>>> The Narth are a Union member civilization and they occupy a planet around a white dwarf of type DX. On the outermost regions of the A1 Outer arm of the M-0 galaxy and the Upward sector. The system is off limits to all space traffic and has no known Union installations. All traffic and communication ends at a deep space station, just outside the helio pause of the star, named Narth Gate.

No space ship, accidentally or intentionally has ever managed to approach the star closer than one light year. Space travelers are apparently diverted and no able to navigate closer.

The sun, Narth-Light' has none of the usual characteristics of a normal white star. The Wurgus Sun engineers claim it is the only star they do not understand. It is not known if anyone other than Narth has ever set foot on the seemingly featureless and only planet in the system. The System is not always there and often vanishes completely. Narth do not export or import anything. Narth individuals appear to be humanoid and wear body covering, floor length shrouds with long sleeves and metallic belts. Their faces are hidden beneath hoods. The hoods have eye holes the eye holes glow usually dark red, but bright yellows have been noticed as well.

According to the Saresii, the Narth have been known to the ancient civilizations redating even the Pre and the Uni. The Saresii further claim that the Narth are the most powerful psionic talents in the known Universe. (a claim that has been substantiated by Leedei scholars in study published just before the historical decision by the Narth to become more active members in 5011 OTT.) Until very recently the Narth did not participate in any inter civilization activities and remained completely isolated. The Narth applied for membership after the most recent Y'All invasion with the explicit wish to remain undisturbed.

There is no biological data on file, no individual names or Citizen Data recorded. On April 5012, OTT the first Narth representative came to Pluribus.<<<

Narth, the young of the unified entity Narth Supreme that has ever been conceived. He was the first new Narth conceived in 300 Million Standard years. This Narth was barley 5000 years old. Besides being a part of all that was Narth, it was also an individual and needed still much to learn. The young Narth was at his favorite location known by all Narth as the perch to eternity, a perfect place where pure energy consciousness could look over all conditions known as space and time. It was an omni dimensional window to conditions not yet understood by the Narth, but they just started on their path to become a true trans spatial entity. The young Narth currently observed the birth of a star and a mild sensation of regret brushed his core consciousness as he received the gentle summon of the Narth Supreme. Narth separated its senses from the swirling energies of the young star and returned to Narth Supreme. The collection of all that was Narth addressed him. "It has been decided to take a more active interest in the space time continuum we occupy. You have been conceived and selected to incarnate this interest. It is possible that the corporal linear existence in this continuum holds answers and secrets we have not pondered. Narth Supreme furthermore observed continuum trigger events that require closer observation. Therefore you shall receive a corporal shell and join those Narth who interact with this continuum. Your corporal shell will be unique as we used a human body as model and have approximated how it would function. We are now a part of a Multi cultural civilization and want to be more interactive and partake. You shall be our explorer. You will explore what a feelings and emotions are, what do these strange concepts mean the humans have. You will share all this with us so we can experience it with you."

"A corporal existence will certainly be an interesting experience."

"Yes we are looking forward to share your experience. There are other Narth hat have begun to interact, but you are the first that is truly corporal and attempt to emerge. You will now leave Narth Prime and go to a world called Arsenal where you will become a Union Fleet Officer. We the Narth will thus fulfill our obligation and send one of our young to partake in the defense of this Union. Your observations and your experience will give Narth Supreme the answer to the question if we shall continue this membership and partake more or ponder the advancement to another plane."

Another Narth voice said. "Please try to experience pain. One want to analyze this concept one cannot understand."

"One is intrigued to learn what a hooded freak is. Please ask and establish knowledge."Another Narth tasked."A human addressed one and Narth does not know if this is another concept.

"One shall undertake attempts to collect information to aid comprehension."

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Chapter 10: Corri-Door

I arrived at Corri-Door nine days after I had left Austin. The System was on the very edge of Union space. The declared space Kermac/Galactic Council space begun right beyond its helio pause towards the gneral direction of the galactic center, or in te old astronavigation terms, towards Galactic East.

Two so called transit corridors, marked only by marker buoys and defined by the Armistice treaty that ended the last big war originated from here. One of these corridors connected Magnitude, the home system of the machine species called the X101s and the other ended at Arsenal a nine planet system that was now one of the Union Navy's biggest fleet bases.

Corri should have never been an important system would it not have been for its strategic position. It consisted of Corri an Orange K III star and three rock and ice planets and one gas giant with only one sizeable moon.

Yet every rock and surface of the system was occupied or utilized. The Sixth and the seventh fleet had their permanent headquarters here.

Border Control was stationed here. Responsible for logistics, intelligence and patrols for the 22,000 light years of border space the Union shared with the Galactic Council and Nul. Due to the recent events the system was busier than a flicker fish hatchery at feeding time as we arrived.

The planets were named Corrosive, Corri-Door Corri Giant with Moon Corrode, and Corri Rock. Our destination was a Class A port on Corri Door, even though this world was on the second orbit around it star. It was too far out to receiv.e enough heat and was mostly composed of a methane and water ice mantle over a rock core. It no minerals or metals worth mining, a very thin atmosphere and it was almost as cold on its surface as it was in deep space.

The Space port and sub planetary city of Corri-Door was completely different from Twilight, while there were a few civilians among the milling crowds of beings, almost everyone was wearing some kind of military uniform and there were no Gal Drifters, or Bottoms to be seen anywhere.

I could not help but smile as I noticed an Arthur's Swine and Dine restaurant. This one the biggest I had seen so far and everyone of the hundred or so tables were occupied with soldiers, space crews and marines. I was told space bus traffic to Arsenal had not yet resumed but the Grey lines Info bot was certain, they would resume regular scheduled flights witin the next four to five days.

I went into a recruiting office and they confirmed by Pre Entry appointment and I was assured, this time by a life officer that I was still way to early and had be plenty of time to make my application once the connection was re established.

So I had at least four days to kill.

With no particular destination I went to the huge view ports allowing a view over one of the landing fields. Six battle ships were currently serviced by towering robots with dozens of flexible metal tentacle arms. Marines in precise columns marched to board a Marine drop ship. Another Marine ship landed and at least two hundred Dai Than pirates and twenty or so black Nogolls wearing prisoner control suits restraints, guarded by battle robots and armed marines were herded into a waiting transport skimmer.

I watched for at least two hours before I got tired standing and decided to sit somewhere and have something to eat. I also needed a hotel.

A fur covered Attikan behind the counter of the Holiday Inn made an apologetic gesture. "I am sorry Sir, we are booked solid and I am afraid all space port hotels are as well. I doubt you find anything in town right now. It looks like half the Union is here and you might have to take a Shuttle to Corri-Rock or Corrosion."

I turned and considered the options, looking for an Info Bot when a tall red haired woman with a dark green velvet dress said to me. "Excuse me, Sir, but I too needed a room and I heard you were as unsuccessful jst as me. I just found out the Cloud Castle on Corri-Giant has rooms available. I just called an Inter System Cab. You are welcome to share the cab fare with me if you like."

"Yes that would be great. I don't really want to sleep three nights in the Space Bus lobby."

"I was afraid I would have to do something similar." She said. I guessed she was between fourty and ninety years old. Her hair was long and curly in a dark coppery shade. Her eyes were as green as her dress and she had a nice feminine curved body under that velvet knee long dress. Over she wore an open matching dark green coat. She held out her hand." I am Dawn Blythe by the way."

"Eric Olafson."

She wore thin leather gloves and a bunch of silvery bracelets tingled as I shook her hand.

The Inter system Taxi arrived moments later. It was a large D 4 flier capable of Intersystem space flight and piloted by a very tall humanoid being.

Dawn said to him:"Cloud Castle on Corri-Giant pleases."

The pilot waited till a robot put the ladies luggage in the cargo box and answered. "It's my sixth trip today, to the Gas Planet, every room is booked solid. Not just military, there are going to be a lot of people coming to see the executions. "He queued his cab behind a row of other taxis and fliers heading for a force field membrane to get to the outside of the planet's surface. He switched to auto pilot and asked."So you are here for the executions as well?"

I shook my head. "I don't know anything about any executions. I am on my way to Arsenal but the buses have not resumed service."

The woman answered. " I am here for the executions, yes."

I was not really interested but said. "Someone famous getting hanged or something?"

"Seventeen Dai Than Clan chiefs are getting executed. They have been identified as slave traders and responsible for many deadly attacks and raids. Most of the captured Dai are processed and released but these seventeen were identified as especially cruel and selling Union Citizens into slavery."

The Taxi passed through three energy curtains and we were outside. The pilot pulled the shuttle into a steep climb and accelerated fast. I was distracted for a moment as I saw a Union Battle ship take off not too far from us and the immense ship climbed faster than we did, and a feeling of great pride filled my heart as I saw the Lettering and read the ships name, USS Ragnarsson.

The Shuttle pilot changed course and kicked in the small ISAH drive and I could not see the ship anymore. The pilot and the lady were talking and I paid a little attention, but the pilot had other ideas He turned his seat. "Andoria my home world is clear on the other side of Union space and we never had any Dai raids, but my nephew was killed in a pirate attack and I think we should hang them all, no mercy for pirates."