Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 02

"Oh don't be such a sissy. You look gorgeous and just as slutty as I do."

Again I could not fight the feeling and started to enjoy to be Freya. It was, as always, as if I stepped out of a cage and into a palace and somehow felt free.

It was Friday evening and the Space Port and Shopping mall was very busy. The Space bus had arrived and also the weekend shuttle of the Miners from the mining Colony on Balder. Elena insisted and I did leave the cloak behind. I felt very exposed and kept tugging on the way too short skirt and hoped it would not ride up too far. Yet it was this idea of doing something forbidden, that electrified me to the core. Elena had hooked her arm into mine and we strutted down the main concourse. We weren't the only girls of course. The Space Port was still the meeting point of most women and girls, and on a weekend the more modern minded Neo Viking Families and couples of Halstaad Fjord came here to visit the Virtu Theater or go to have dinner at one of the two fine restaurants that opened at the mall only recently. Groups of miners gave us cat calls and I could not help but enjoy every one of them. Elena leaned closer. "See I knew you would get pleasure from this."

"I should not, but I do."

We shopped and while it was perfect, I was reminded of the others and of Astrid who was no longer with us.

She nodded."I miss her too, but wherever she is now, I bet she would want us to have fun."

Elena purchased a neat little device called a shape field bra. The sales woman praised it as truly invisible and perfect for sports as well. I had to decline of course as the sales girl wanted to fit me one as well.

I had no care in the world and just as we planned to go to the Coffee shop, Elena suddenly cramped her hand around mine, her legs buckled and she fell. The black shiny material of her dress had a small burning circle. A woman screamed and I turned and saw Lothar holding the silvery weapon I had seen his mother use. He aimed at me and fired.

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Interlude 1: Noticed

Captain Dennis Miguel of the USS Galveston had been called to Union Naval headquarters Annapolis City on Arsenal IV. His ship was currently refitted and would be in dock for a few weeks.

While it was not uncommon for a ship commander to receive such orders, he still wondered what the reason was to be called there. Especially since he wanted to meet with Lt. Commander Anya Cruse, he knew her since the academy. Even while they were lovers, they never gotten into a tight relationship, partially due to the fact that he was a star ship captain and she was the tactical officer aboard the most powerful ship known to exist, the USS Devastator. Neither one really wanted to give up the career they had. It was very rare they both found themselves in the same quadrant, much less in the same system. It was sheer luck that the Devi was on Arsenal IV as well. While the Galveston was in space dock and tied up for six months, the Devi would leave in a few days.

There weren't many reasons a captain was called to Fleet HQ. One of them was to be stripped of the command due to some grave errors; another was to be transferred to a new command or to receive a promotion. He could not think of a reason why they would strip him of his command, and he was fairly certain he was not in line for a Rear Admiral Star. He would hate to lose the command over the Galveston. Even though she was only a Merrimack Class Destroyer, she was his first command. On the other hand if they would offer him the command chair of a cruiser or even a super cruiser he would certainly not decline. The chances to get command over a real battle ship or a carrier were slim at this point of his career, but one never knew. He did hear the scuttlebutt about the four brand new battle ships that would be delivered any day now to Arsenal IV.

He walked into the cool marble and brass lobby, with the warm wooden paneling. It was an impressive place in a very subdued elegant way. To the left a wall with the golden name plates of every ship ever lost. Like a giant conveyor belt the plates kept slowly moving up, it had to be many thousand names. To the right a floor to ceiling field screen listing all ships currently in service along with the name of the commanding officer. Against all hope he paused for a moment and wondered if the Galveston would scroll by. The listing was alphabetically sorted and currently at Letter K. It would take many months before it reached G again. The ceiling was a projection of the M-0 Galaxy displaying the Union territory in blue. He stepped up to the horseshoe shaped reception desk and a Kilonian with Lieutenant rank bars wiggled its antennae and greeted him. "Good Morning Captain Miguel, the Admiral of the Fleet is expecting you, please take IBT 4, it is dedicated and will drop you of at the top floor."

Captain Miguel thanked the Centipede and went to the designated IBT. He did feel more than a little nervous. Being called by the Admiral of the Fleet was very much like being called by God. Admiral McElligott was an immortal and in charge of the Fleet ever since it all began. Over 3000 years old.

First, only Admiral of United Earth, but after the Union was founded, he became the highest authority in the Union Fleet and had remained in that post ever since.

Dennis had never seen or talked to the Immortal Admiral, and as he rode the Inter Building Transport up to the top floor of this gargantuan building of 12,000 meters height, he thought hard if he had done something that would warrant the interest of this legendary, almost mystical Flag Officer.

An officer of Commander Rank greeted him and said. "Please step right on through. The Admiral knows you are here.

Dennis saluted and went through a set of wooden doors into an austerely furnished office with a modest old fashioned wooden desk. The Union flag in one corner and the Flag of the Spatial Navy in the other. He snapped into attention. The Admiral of the Fleet stood by the windows that gave a spectacular view over the sprawling modern town below and the austere cold desert beyond. The admiral turned. "At ease, Captain Miguel and good morning."

Dennis relaxed only a fraction and said, "Good Morning Sir."

The Admiral was not very tall and a little on the chubby side. He had almost completely white hair and the face of someone looking between hundred fifty and two hundred years of age, but made a very vital and healthy impression otherwise. He wore a simple black uniform with the five star cluster rings on his sleeves and collar and a skirt exposing his stubby knees. Of course everyone in the fleet knew, this was not really a skirt but a kilt. The traditional dress of the Admiral's home region on Earth.

As he looked into the Admiral's eyes, he knew this man was far beyond the age of any normal human being and there was more to this man than just a very long life span.

"No reason to be alarmed. Richard and I were just discussing your response to that planetary attack incident a year ago." The Admiral pointed his flat hand to a person sitting in a leather couch he only now noticed. Dennis could not help but swallow. The man so casually introduced as Richard, was none other than Admiral Richard Stahl, another Terran human, made immortal during the same time as McElligott.

Admiral Stahl was known the galaxy over, respected by friends and enemy alike. Also known as the Eternal Warrior.

Physically he appeared much younger than McElligott. Muscular and tall. He had short blonde hair styled into an extreme short marine corps hair cut. His face could best be described as heroic, with a hard distinctive pronounced jaw line, piercing blue eyes and a scar from under his left eye to his mouth. Stahl nodded a greeting and pointed at a free, comfortable looking, visitor's chair.

Dennis could actually feel the authority emitting from this man.

McElligott sat down behind his desk and a printout appeared floating above his desk. "As I said Captain, we just came across your report and I am sorry it took so long. The attempted destruction of a Union world with a classified Fleet weapon is nothing that should have been simply filed away, but raised many alarm bells." He spread his arms in an apologetic gesture and added. "We are currently upgrading our Computronic Main System, but it will be a while till NELSON II, our new system, will be online."

Captain Miguel was not sure what they wanted him to say, but he decided to be candid. "That is a problem we are facing for a while, Sir. The information processing is taking too long and goes over too many desks without anyone having enough authority or the guts to escalate some of them. I expected a hearing, an investigation and the Assembly going nuts. Yet nothing appeared to happen. The theft of a P Bomb should have been on every news channel and the thieves hanged"

Stahl cleared his throat in a theatrical way and McElligott agreed.

"Yes Captain Miguel we are aware of that and that is why we are implementing Project Nelson II in the first place. Our Union is growing faster than anyone really anticipated and so does our fleet."

"At no point in the history of any society known to us has an organization as big as our spatial navy existed. All time proven methods of administration are simply inadequate. Everyone lauds the battle and combat victories of my esteemed colleague, but no one really has any idea what it means to keep it all working. Do you know how many personnel transfers we are processing every day? How many promotions?" McElligott sighed. "However this is neither here nor there. We asked you to come here to clarify a few things in your report and since you were in the system we thought we ask you in person."

Stahl interrupted. "Did you really write submarine in your report?"

"Yes Sir. It was an old SII Mil Tech Product for the Markan Wars. Designed to be a Submarine and fight primarily in and under the oceans of these twin planets, but it was Space flight enabled to go between those planets."

Stahl looked in the distance."Ah yes, the Markan Conflict, I remember it well. Nulofan the Fourth was finally arrested but only after he nuked the daylights out of Markan II."

He refocused on Miguel."We got the reasons and the outcome out of your report. I am more interested in the details of this little engagement of Submarine versus Space Bus. That has to be a first."

Dennis actually laughed. "Yes Sir, I am sure it was a first, but the young commandant of that boat has my deepest respect, Sir. The space bus was armed and carried a P Bomb. The Sub had only very rudimentary sensors, no ISAH pods and much of its space systems had not been used in 550 years and was on the verge of giving out. Yet the guy and his all female crew of three managed to shoot the P Bomb, manual targeting I might add, survive a direct double blast of a Class four FTEs. Then, without weapons or shields left, rammed that space bus head on and basically plowed right through it. No hesitation, no fear about their own safety. They did save their planet and over two million inhabitants. The boat lost one of its crew, a girl fixing the busted fuel lines after extinguishing a plasma fire and dying as a hull fracture sucked the air out of engineering."

"Nilfeheim you say? Never really heard of that planet." Stahl said.

McElligott responded before Miguel could. "It is an ocean world, P191 Culture, very restrictive on tech and very little contact to the rest of the Union compared to other old Colonies. Remember the Neo Viking Pirates? They came from there."

"Oh right now I remember. They actually tried to board a battle ship at one time, If I recall correctly."

McElligott looked at a readout. "You know they have their very first Academy applicant. He signed up in the Pre Pool program at the age of 15 and renewed every year. He should be ready to join this year and if I read that right he is the same name as the commandant of that Sub, Eric Olafson."

Stahl leaned forward with a sudden glitter in his eyes. "What did the recruiter write he is interested in?"

Obrock McElligott also smiled knowing his old friend well. "It says here, he wants to become a Star ship captain."

"I think I will keep an eye on this Olafson."

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Chapter 2: Consequences

Lothar's beam burned through my chest. It felt as if my entire torso was on fire, but I was alive. I did not faint or pass out instead fulled by burning rage I ran towards him, his face was pure horror he still held the small weapon he did not fire a third time. I reached him in mere seconds, buried my knee in his groin and smashed the palm of my hand against his nose with the hope I would shove his nose bone up his brain. Something completely impossible f course, but I was furious and kept pounding him until strong fists dragged me away. Space port security had arrived and they took me and Lothar into custody. Med bots carried Elena away.

I was brought to the clinic and it turned out that the water filled plastic bags I had used to simulate boobs, had saved my life. The Thermo blast energy vaporized most of the water and turned it to steam, which had burned my entire chest and face.

Elena had suffered a life threatening trauma but the fast arrival of the med bots putting her in stasis saved her life.

One of the Space port security men turned out to be a former Lowman of the Olafson clan talked to me with a snickering cackle in his voice. "I didn't recognize you until I ran your CITI. What a hoot. The hero of Nilfeheim dresses up like slut out for a cheap date on Friday nights. Who would have thought?"

I was embarrassed and felt very ashamed. Elena hissed at him. "Did we break any laws?"

"I don't know yet. The chief is reviewing the security footage and questions the assailant." He kept laughing. "This is too funny. You are a joke. Oh man look at you fagot."

Another security officer entered. "I am sorry we detained you here at the clinic for a little longer. We reviewed the security footage and I interviewed Lothar Olafson. He recognized Elena Olafson and admitted his intent to kill her. He had no knowledge that you were Mr. Olafson. It all was analyzed by Legal Central and a duty judge on Holstein court confirmed neither of you have broken any laws. Mr. Olafson acted in self-defence.

"Lothar Olafson however will be facing serious charges and will see a Union judge on Holstein planet. You are of course free to go. We will keep you informed in case we need you for the court procedures."

Then he turned asked. "What is so funny Officer Brimhilf?"

"chief look at that dressed up Tranny. It's Eric Olafson, the oh so famous Tyranno slayer and world saver."

He slapped his knees. "I can't wait till I tell this to the guys."

"You will do no such thing. Have you forgotten your oath and training? You know you can't discuss duty related things in private and what you are doing right now is highly unprofessional."

"Not to mention illegal." Said the space port doctor. "What your officer is doing, chief could be considered cruel and unjustified and I will testify to that as witness if they press charges."

"I will take care of this." The security chief promised. "Since he finds this so funny he will like the idea to be transferred to Pit Moss Planet, immediately"

To Elena and me the doctor said. "I was informed your grandfather is waiting outside to pick you up."

I looked at Elena and she shrugged. I had no Grandfather, and she did not know hers. I knew Egill called me Grandson because he was a distant relative, but he was on Pluribus as far as I knew. In the waiting room of the clinic sat the Ancient One, the Old Man of Muspelheim and he did not smile or looked pleased at all. "I brought a flier to the entrance. We can leave when you are ready."

We went out the side door and he rushed us to enter a black Mercedes and I noticed Richard the swordsman behind the control.

Elkhart motioned to the back seats. "Go sit down you two. Richard, we are in and ready to leave."

Only after the flier was in the air and he sat across us he explained his serious mood. "Eric did I not tell you to be careful with your desire? I warned you not to go in public like that. It makes no difference to me or the true keepers living in Muspelheim, but this world is not ready for this. If this becomes public you will ruin everything you have gained. Our population in general has very little tolerance for what they think is not normal."

He hushed me as I tried to say something. "I am not done Eric. The practice of killing deformed or otherwise handicapped children is still done here on Nilfeheim.

"They will try to put Nilfeheim logic to it and perhaps accuse Sif putting you under some spell to gain her position and subdue the most prominent hero of Nilfeheim." Elkhart sighed and dropped his arms. "You are a celebrity a warrior. The young ones want to emulate you and they play Eric Olafson, fight imaginary Tyrannos and bad space pirates. Can you imagine what Nilfeheim would say if that comes to light? They will ask questions and then find out that you are not really married to Sif. Sif is not ready yet and won't be for many years to come. The recent events were powerful enough to move our encrusted society a little forward. Give Low Men and women a little more rights, what you did tonight could destroy it all."

Everything he said hit me harder than the whip of my father and I felt very much ashamed.

He sighed again "It happened in public and I do not have the wonderful mental gifts Egill or Tyr have to make them forget." He stabbed his finger in Elena's direction. "And you are neither trained or gifted enough to do that."

Elena cried. "We meant no harm. Eric's mind is so much at peace when he can be Freya. No one would have noticed or recognized him."

He nodded. "Thankfully no one but the Security guards and the doctor have. I am not blaming you for what you are or what you desire Eric. I do not understand it, but you find in me the most open minded person and if I would be younger I might even try it for a change, but this planet is at the brink of a new future and a better one for everyone. Hasvik is suddenly alive again with many applicants and both girls and boys from all walks of life and social standing. The fighting schools are overwhelmed with young women wanting to emulate Sif and the Elders discussing openly how to integrate a few women in the circle of Elders. All this is thanks to Egill and you."

I tried to make my voice sound firm but failed. "What can we do?"

He said. "Carl has killed Lothar. Officially your brother committed suicide, Carl is very good at that. So it won't come to a court case that anyone could watch on GalNet, where you would have to appear as witness.

"Sigfrida is also taking care of the security guard, he will have an accident. She too is very good at those things. No one will expect Lothar's death as anything else as a suicide. For the Union the case is closed and they won't release any security footage or names to the public, that was all we could do, but I don't like having to kill people to protect your secret.

In a week school ends for summer break and your basic school is finally over and Mr. Valthim will make you citizen, After that you will leave Nilfeheim. Out there you can be Freya to your heart's content, Eric, but not on Nilfeheim at least not for many decades to come."

I nodded. "I will do that."

"You wanted to leave anyway and join the Fleet, now you leave a little early. It will give you time to travel a little."

He leaned back and smiled a weak smile. "I know you did not mean any harm and I can attest you look fabulous as Freya. Your clan could not be in better hands, Elena will make a great clan chief and break another barrier and you can trust her."