Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 02

"A space bus would be an easy target." Derek added with a gloomy undertone."

A passenger across the aisle, looking older than most of the other passengers turned."

I live on Nome Moon in the Barrow System, that's even closer to GC space than Arsenal and much less protected and we don't worry too much. The Nogoll the closest Galactic Council thralls are kicked out of the GC and the Corridor is actually no longer in GC space at all. The Eternal Warrior sure showed them whose master in this Universe just a little while back.

Either those black goat heads are already on their way to Pluribus and hope we accept them or our Fleet is preparing to make this part of space Nogoll free."

Derek did not share the same confidence as the older man. "This is still just a space bus and the Nogoll might want revenge or the Kermac made this a gigantic trap of some kind."

The man laughed. "You worry too much for a future Cadet. You forget we still have Admiral Stahl and the Devastator. Whatever else might fail, the Kermac sure don't want to mess with him. The Goats lost 2000 ships trying." The man crossed his arms and looked pretty confident.

Evoking the name of this mystical immortal Admiral made Derek smile. "You are right of course. The Galactic Community would not want to make him angry."

"Who is this?" Asked the ThreeOz.

Derek almost glowed as he said. "He is Immortal and 3000 years old. He is the greatest warrior of all time. They even once chased him away, didn't heed his warnings and he left for centuries but when everything looked lost and it seemed we would be destroyed by the Y'All he returned with a huge battleship of unknown origin and incredible powerful weapons and saved us all."

"I am sorry for my ignorance. We ThreeOz have joined only recently and we do come from another Galaxy. How can it be that he is 3000 years old?"

The Older man across the aisle smiled. "We always welcome new members in our Union. Once you accept Union laws and the Assembly has no objections everyone is welcome. No need to be sorry. As for the Immortals, that is an old story and no one knows the details anymore, except of course the Immortals, but it was at a time when Earth was still isolated and Terrans had not discovered faster than light travel. A very hostile species called the Xunx awoke from an inactivity cycle to once more conquer and destroy. One of the planets that would have been attacked was Earth. They say a godlike machine left behind on Earth perhaps by the Celtest, awoke and helped humankind to the stars by choosing two hundred humans, giving them special tasks, secret powers and immortality. Richard Stahl was chosen to be the Warrior and boy did that Guardian choose right. I care not so much about the other Immortals that are left but Stahl he is my hero."

"It's all just myth and story." someone behind us grunted. "There are no Immortals, no mystic Gods or Entities. It's propaganda and made up stories. I think Stahl and the others are clones or avatars and reproduced whenever they are needed."

"But Encyclopedia Galactica confirms what the man just said. "Complained yet another passenger.

"No machine could put the fear in our enemies like Stahl can. He and the Devi are not Holos or simulations." A woman spoke with a proud smile."I saw him once."

Meanwhile the space station visible on the view screen was getting bigger by the moment. It was a gigantic elongated spherical construct with a thick ring around its equator. Huge illuminated letters in Standard lingo identified it as: ARSENAL GATE.

The actual Arsenal system, so I had learned was still a light year away, but no civilian traffic was allowed to approach the system and had to go through Arsenal Gate.

Arsenal was one of the biggest fleet base systems, several fleet departments headquartered here and considered to be the best guarded and defended system in the known universe. I read all this on my spare time while I was on Palomino, reading and watching GalNet shows was not really exciting but kept me out of troubles, at least while on Palomino.

The space bus approached an enormous docking gate, from te looks of it probably able to accommodate full size Union battle ships, and slipped through the shimmering energy membrane that separated the inside of the dock from space.

The robot repeated its announcement once again and added."Thank you for choosing Grey Lines as your transportation service provider. Please consider us again. A Ticket kiosk and booking agent can be found at the Civilian Accessible Gray Line docking area."

I debarked with at least 300 beings from all over Union Space to stand in line before the Station access doors. A four armed, non humanoid giant wearing Fleet uniform and two heavily armed Space Marines in bulking Destroyer suits checked everyone before they let them pass.

"That is a Petharian." said Mix. "He too comes from Andromeda but they have been members for a long time. They are as mean and even stronger as your Galaxies Nul-Nul."

"Is it true what I heard, that they are related to the Y'All?" asked Derek.

Mix wiggled his ears back and forth. "That's the rumor, but not according to the Encyclopedia Galactica. They do look similar to Y'All that is for sure. "He lowered the volume of his and came closer."Never mention that rumor to a Petharian if you value your health."

I too had learned about the Y'All in Gal History and Xeno Class, but I never heard of the Petharian or that rumor. "How come you know so much about other species and such?" I asked Derek.

"I have a subscription to the Galactic Geographic Magazine. There is nothing I'd read or watch. I have collected every issue since 3300 and my mother sends me even older downloads whenever she finds one. She works at the Harvest 12 public library."

I felt suddenly a little ashamed for never even going to the public library we had on Nilfleheim.

Derek raised an eyebrow; probably guessing what I was thinking and said: "I didn't wanted to sound like a geek, but going to the library and going on Virtu Expeditions with the GGM was a wonderful escape for me, when I was a kid. I am no Data head or anything like that."

I grinned back. "I know what you mean. I loved Captain Iron Hand Virtus and watched every experience the Union Fleet gave me in that information package the recruiter gave me"

Mix wiggled his ears. "Jane's Ship Registry was my favorite recording of all the data chips in that package, with virtual tours of every space ship type. I checked out every one, at least twice."

"That's a lot of ships to check out." Derek said." Would take years to see them all."

"It did, it took seven years to be exact." Mix said proudly.

The place was enormous. The floor had a coating of a black rough material. White and yellow markings directed traffic, designated landing areas and places of danger. In the distance behind us the huge docking gate. It was so big I was certain you could have stacked five burgs on top of each other, complete with Ragnarssons Rock and shove it through with room to spare. The emptiness of deep space behind it. Four more space buses had arrived along with the one I had been on and each added throngs of beings to the long line of applicants.

It took the better part of an hour before it was my turn. The Petharian Fleet officer eyed me up and down with glowing yellow eyes, and it had six of them. Its skin looked like the surface of a barnacle and the voice sounded like it was coming from the bottom of a steel barrel. "State your name and your home planet. Expose your Citizen ID implant for scanning."

While I swiped my right wrist where my CIT was implanted across the reader sensor I answered," Eric Olafson, Nilfleheim."

It seemed to look at something beyond me; it probably had the data read out projected straight to one of its eyes." Olafson, Eric. Nilfleheim. Citizen ship confirmed. Your reason for visiting Arsenal gate?

"I want to apply at the Academy."

"Academy applicants are to follow the red line and proceed to the red waiting room. You will wait there until receiving further instructions. Be advised that if you are found outside red marked areas you might get shot." After saying that the being no longer paid any attention to me and barked," Next."

The red line was one of several different colored lighted bands in the floor and after following the red line like all the others for about a kilometer or more through a featureless corridor I reached a red door revealing a waiting lounge with rows of bio-netic chairs. To the left large windows allowing a view into deep space and the brisk traffic of small and large space craft, another wall was occupied by a row of Serv-Matic Vending machines. The wall facing the entrance had recruiting posters, for the Fleet and for the United Stars Marine Corps. There also was a small podium and a lectern. The room started to fill with humanoid and non humanoid beings. I walked over to the view ports and gazed outside. Just then a wedge shaped battle ship of the new Uni design emerged from the station dwarfing a heavy destroyer nearby as it gained speed and disappeared.

"That was the USS Melbourne." It was Derek who had stepped next to me. "Have you ever seen a battle ship for real?"

"Yes, one landed on Nilfeheim."

"I wonder what mission they have, perhaps patrolling the Nul-Nul border, or hunting pirates."

Mix joined us as well and he said. "My people fought a long war with the Briaaad and we were about to be conquered. You cannot imagine our wonder and awe as we saw an entire squadron of those Union battle ships appear in our system, blasting through the Briaaad invasion fleet like a Nastooh wind through a Nolch forest." Mix red eyes became even bigger," We applied for membership to the United Stars the very next day and one day I will be aboard one of those ships visiting other worlds. Repaying with my service what you all have done for us."

A fish-faced Ult overheard Mix and said, "The Briaaad made one big and fatal mistake; they fired on a Terran Explorer ship and made Terrans angry. Everyone in this galaxy knows you don't make Terrans angry."

Before anyone else could say anything, a humanoid female in black uniform stepped behind the lectern and her voice was obviously field amplified as she said:"Welcome aboard Arsenal Gate, Academy applicants. I would like to thank you all for coming this far and considering a career in the United Stars Spatial Navy. By doing so you showed your willingness to serve and protect this federation of civilizations and do your share to make it work. Some have come here after visiting a Recruiting office. Some of you might have simply boarded the space bus to Arsenal Gate to see what will happen.

"All of you will have a chance to be evaluated. Before we ship you to Arsenal we need to test you. It is a process and an exhaustive battery if tests to find out if you meet the qualification requirements. Those requirements are of physical and mental nature. Some of the tests we have to perform are to make sure that no agent of a hostile civilization gains access to the Academy or Arsenal.

"Once you step through that door next to me you are Fleet personnel. You have no ranks but you are subject to all Fleet rules and regulations. Civilian laws and rights have no meaning. You must follow orders and do what you have been told. Failure to comply can result in punishment and dismissal."

She made a pause and looked from one end of the lobby to the other. "I am not here to discourage you. We welcome you and the Fleet needs Officers and Personnel. But we don't want anyone who has doubts or isn't here to fully commit to this choice of career.

Now is the time to think about it. If you feel you made the wrong decision coming here, simply remain in this room and you will receive free passage back to your home world or any other place in the United Stars territory you choose.

"You will be compensated for your troubles and receive 500 credits and a free dinner. No civilian record will be kept of this decision and it will not affect your Citizen status."

A man dressed in some sort of transparent purple plastic film suit and not much else raised his hand: "Excuse me; did you say we get free passage to anywhere and 500 credits?"

The woman sighed and nodded. "Yes Sir, that is correct."

The strangely dressed man got up. "That's sounds good to me. I am out of here."

To my surprise seven more decided to take the money and leave.

I wondered why anyone would make this trip just to get 500 credits.

Mix answered me. "There are some individuals doing that every three months. They travel from Academy to Academy get their ticket and the 500 and go on. They have no intention to join. That man in the plastic garment did that several hundred times."

I gasped. "And the Fleet doesn't keep records on that and let them get away with it?"

"I don't know but I am sure the Fleet keeps records of everything and they know about it, but what are a few thousand credits to the Fleet? They spend ten times as much every micro second just for floor polish"

"How do you know all this?"

"I read their minds."

"You are a telepath?"

He nodded. "Not as good as the Saresii but my Heidelberg psionic Index is at 223."

"Don't get caught. It's against the law to read other folks minds."

"No it's not. It is illegal to pry into it but I can't help to overhear what they transmit. It would be same as to make overhearing a conversation illegal to any being that has ears."

"You hear everyone's thoughts all the time?"

"No not everyone. I met beings I can't receive all the time. For example that female fleet officer or those Marines behind her. There is nothing I detect, but then they are most likely shielded. Your thoughts on the other hand are pretty clear and quite loud in a psionic sort of sense."

I never liked psionics, not even when the Old man did it. I felt everyone should have a right to their own thoughts, but then Tyr could not have talked to me and in his case I didn't mind telepathy, maybe not all psionics were bad.

The female officer resumed her speech:"All those who still plan to apply at the academy are to pass through that door. You will be asked to take off all your clothing and relinquish all your personal belongings. They will be returned to you after you completed your training or you decide to quit

You will be scanned for cybernetic and genetic enhancements, bio weapons and microbes. We will evaluate your psionic abilities and give you a physical and mental check up before you leave to Arsenal II."

She smiled. "We have a lot of applicants today so this process might take a while, please be patient and wait your turn. The Vent-Matics are provided for your convenience and do not require credit payments"

She ended her speech and was joined by four more officers and they handed out little plastic cards with numbers, mine was 239.

After observing the proceedings for a while it became apparent that they called 10 applicants at about every 20 minutes that meant almost eight hours before it was my turn if they kept the same pace. Mix was among the first and Derek was called with the third group and after a while even the repeating visuals of the recruiting posters became boring.

The Vent-Matics were well programmed and provided brand name snacks and drinks for every taste.

I decided to call home and to Egill before I had to go in. If we had to give up our personal belongings, it might include the PDD as well. It was just past five in the morning but I expected most to be awake.

Elena came on after the third signal. She was outside wearing thick furs, sitting on a power slider, it was the usual dark twilight of long winter and I saw a burg far in in the distance. That meant the ice cover had already moved past the north ocean and you could probably already walk or drive to Halstaad Fjord. This was the time fishing was done almost exclusively by subs and most clans and families now concentrated on Fangsnapper and Nubhir farming and ranching. Her breath rose like steam from a kettle. "Eric." She motioned someone outside the optics and said." Quick guys put up a tent. It's Eric."

Her face was completely covered with a Nubhir fur mask and goggles underneath a thick fur brimmed hood of a fang snapper coat. She turned the PDD and I saw nine or ten similar dressed persons with power sliders and a big ice tractor pulling a train of cage and cargo sleds. Hundreds of Fangsnappers herded by men and rugged Nubhir wolfs. The men riding Snapper bulls wielding steel cable whips and prodders, seeing all this I felt a little homesick. I would have loved to ride a bull or a power slider.

They erected an inflatable tent in mere moments. Elena removed her head gear and revealed her red flushed cheeks and the pinkish nose. Even there with virtually no make-up she was breathtakingly beautiful. With her were Sigfrida and Greifen. She activated Avatar function and my PDD confirmed that the nearby GalNet terminals were in range for Avatar creation. Greifen waved and went back outside.

Elena and Sigfrida shimmered into existence before me. They looked real and would almost feel real. Their shapes, body and environmental data provided to my Personal Data Device via instantaneous communication from the sensors in her PDD. Since I was within range of an avatar capable GalNet Terminal, my PDD linked with it and the terminal sent out little mobile force field emitters that created a form energy field that simulated the shape and texture. A localized arti grav field provided mass and substance. This incredible technology taken for granted by Union Citizens and used every day was, so my teacher had told me, the most envied technology by Non Union civilizations.

Since she was able to see and interact with me that way surprised me, as it meant they had to have a very advanced and expensive mobile GalNet terminal with them.

She hugged me. While the Avatar was a very good approximation and I could even feel the coldness of Nilfeheim, it was not the same as hugging a real person. It didn't matter though. She had her arms on my shoulders and said. "You have grown both in your stature and you look more grown up too."

"You aren't a child anymore either. You look absolutely stunning."

She grinned boyishly." We are chasing Snappers all morning long I don't even want to know how I look."

Sigfrida asked." So where is it you are right now?"

"I am on Arsenal Gate, waiting to get the pre admission test to the Academy done."

Elena stepped back and said." Finally you made it. You know we had bets going if you were involved in that awful business on Corri-Door but you're on Arsenal that's great."

I didn't have the heart to tell her I was involved after all, so I changed the subject." What else is new?"

"Nothing much. Midril is again off planet and sorely missed. Father went ice fishing and let me in charge of the winter move of the Snapper herds. Little Exa is in school now and has friends of her age." She was putting her gloves back on." Oh and the Ancient accompanies Midril and a bunch of others, they went all the way to Pluribus to visit. Isegrim authorized the purchase of five of these SII-Avatar Consoles. One of them is installed at the court yard and another in the Commoners Hall. So everyone can use them. Freemen and workers and all. The atmosphere on the Rock has changed Eric. Folks are content now and you can hear laughter."

A tall human, a taller than me, very muscular and athletic looking stepped into my view field and actually pushed me aside. "I noticed this applicant conversing with the most beautiful creatures known to Marellus Bewley and I could not help myself and inquire your names and whereabouts. He is not man enough to have two of such incredible looks."

His shove made me look around and there was actually a small gathering of exclusively male juvenile applicants staring at Elena and Siegfrieda.