Eric Olafson, Neo Viking Vol. 02

Grass so it seemed to be some sort of sea weed that grew on land.

Holstein had a population of nearly one Billion and exported mainly dairy products. The cheese and milk sold on Nilfeheim came from here. Its main city Lunebeck had a Union Police station and a sector court.

I decided to skip Holstein planet, as a sightseeing destination and stay aboard.

Lay over time was only three hours anyway.

The list of tourist attractions was short and none really peaked my interest:

Tour of a dairy farm, tour of a brewery, hiking in the moors and visiting genuine replicas of German medieval castles were on the top of that list.

We had burgs at home and the rest was not what I considered interesting.

Our next destination would be Twilight, a moon that was tidal locked.

Only a strip where both sides overlapped had a climate and sported conditions for standard NiOx breathers.

I activated the Privacy-Bubble and set the Sleep-Inducer for arrival Twilight and went to sleep.

-""-

Twilight so I learned from the same multi media brochure displayed on the entertainment unit was a moon in orbit around the fourth planet of the Yutoo System.

Twilight was tidally locked around that fourth planet, named Gigaball, an enormous gas planet with nine planet sized and hundreds of smaller moons. Twilight was unique among them as it had a Nitrogen Oxygen atmosphere, acceptable to most NiOx breathers in the Union.

A strip of about 6 kilometers width and 12,200 km long follows the permanent terminator line between the planet and the space side.

The information displayed told me that the day side was the one facing the planet and the night side opposite and whenever the moon swung around the big planet, the night side was facing the distant sun of the system and technically became the day site.

However the distant sun was not providing all that much light.

I sighed, this sounded more complicated than the winter seasons of Nilfeheim.

I was swiping ahead a few pages and learned that the planet facing side could experience temperatures up to 250 degrees on the old C-scale. While the temperatures on the night side and while behind the big planet could go as low as minus 60 degrees.

A strong permanent wind circulation between the two sides had smoothed much of the moons rocky surface and created valleys with lakes of mile deep micro dust. Fresh and liquid water existed at the terminator and there was indigenous plant life.

No mobile plants or actual fauna life have been discovered so far.

Twilight was settled by colonists from many different regions and no particular dominant culture about 1500 years ago.

According to the brochure, most cities and settlements were located on or under the terminator strip but there was a Sunside city and a Planet Side city.

It seemed noteworthy for whoever wrote this, to mention that the Sun Siders did not like the Planet Siders and vice versa.

Both sides consider the Termis (those living in the middle) to be snobs and weaklings.

There was short but violent local war about 300 years ago between the two sides until the Termis in the middle called for Union intervention.

Main export items were mushrooms that grew in caves as well as minerals and metals.

Twilight was also considered a Union traffic hub for this region.

Some of the Tourist attractions listed were: Dust skimming, White water boating and a traditional Amusement Park.

I yawned and stretched a bit, maybe the Ancient was exaggerating, the Universe so far sounded quite boring.

--""--

There was not all that much to do on a space bus. On the main deck was a restaurant, with very basic and mostly printed food offerings. Of course there were GalNet terminals, part of the seat entertainment system. Most passengers kept their Privacy-Bubbles and Sleep-Inducers activated. Since this was my first space flight, I explored the bus, but found nothing that really peaked my interest.

So I read the GalNet entry about Twilight and again and found I was still not too interested in the local attractions, but the bus would be there for eight hours, time enough to stretch my legs and perhaps have a bite to eat.

Besides I had left Nilfeheim much sooner than originally planned and now I had to kill four month before I was to report at the Academy for my entry exam.

So I was not exactly in a big hurry

TWILIGHT

The spaceport was much bigger and busier than the one on Nilfeheim. Two other space buses had arrived simultaneous with us and I was told they all waited for a fourth one to arrive.

This was the reason for the eight hour layover. So passengers of these buses had a chance to board connecting flights to their destinations.

My first change of bus routes would be in two more stops at the OXR-Hub, which stood for Old Xunx Region.

The space bus to the right had just arrived from Brennans World, forty four light years from here. The other one was from New Sweden. The fourth one yet to arrive from Ne Plejades. Across the terminal were a bunch of smaller bus bays connecting hourly to destinations within the Yutoo system.

I learned from a friendly Info Bot that all nine moons and two rock core planets in the System were colonized. The bus from New Sweden and would leave for He Mang. The one from New Plejades would continue to Cascade system and my space bus next destination was a place called Halifax system.

An even bigger bus than ours, all the way in the last docking bay serviced an Outward Fringe Region almost a thousand light years distant and thus had cabin accommodations.

It would soon leave to Galia in the Halifax system then proceed to Nightlive. From there I could either catch a fast clipper to Alconyne or Neo Nebula. Both destinations had Space Train connections to Blue Moon.

Behind the Space Bus bays was the vast open area of the spaceports landing field. The patient Info Bot explained that the fish shaped space ship taking off was a luxury liner named Blue Dolphin with over sixteen port of calls on its trip,. With final destination Sol Hub. Seeing that elegant ship climb into the yellowish sky I was actually considering booking a voyage too.

Once on Sol Hub it was only a short inter system trip to Earth and the home of the original and first Vikings.

Seeing all this gave me a first glimpse of how big the Union really was.

Many passengers and locals weren't human and I saw members of non humanoid species, but could identify only a few.

Four insectoid Klack loaded with shopping bags, had a lively conversation with a four meter tall Andorian and a frightening looking Kilonian who used eight legs to walk and its upper pairs as arms, looked like a segmented Sausage with legs.

A Wurgus, wearing a rainbow colored neck to floor shimmering robe, bumped into me. His head really reminded me of a freshly butchered and plugged chicken with two onions stuck to it for eyes.

Mr. Flensburger one of my teachers told us in Xeno Class that the term Chicken head was used in many jokes but should never be said in front of a Wurgus.

He mumbled an apology and rushed on.

In all this there were robot vendors, message bots, info bots and security drones. Everyone seemed to be in a rush and had urgent business.

I smiled as I saw an Arthur Swine and Dine, complete with waving pig. A thin looking dirty boy wearing a shoulder bag grabbed the shopping bag of a woman who had set it down to talk to an Info-Bot and then bolted.

He was stealing that ladies bag.

And he ran my way, not seeing me as he glanced back.

I grabbed him by the shirt. "I don't think that bag belongs to you."

He turned tried to worm himself out of my grip and screamed.

"Let me go."

Now I noticed it wasn't a boy but a girl. Her hair was cropped short and she was perhaps twelve or thirteen years old. Wearing a one piece stained and smudgy coverall that maybe was white a century ago.

I twisted the collar making it tighter. "Not before you gave back what you have stolen."

She kicked me on my shin bone and I felt her kicks even through my padded Fangsnapper leather boots.

Two similar looking but much older teens and male for sure, approached us trying to blend in the crowd.

"Now you are in trouble Mister, my brothers are coming and they will shank you, better let me go now."

"I don't think they will."

They had spotted the security officer just as I had.

The girl changed her tune."Please Mister, don't turn me in. I don't want to go back to Mother Moore's happy Orphanage. Please."

Tears glittered in her eyes and I said. "We give the lady back her belongings and I let you go."

"You don't understand. If I don't bring my share I get beaten and kicked out of the nest."

"I tell you what. We give the lady back her stuff and I buy you dinner at Arthurs after that I buy you something you can use for loot. Stealing is not the answer and unfair to that woman who paid for whatever you stole."

"You aren't for real. Are you?"

"I always keep my word."

"Dinner and twenty Credits and you got a deal."

"Alright. I give you ten now. You give back the bag and I give you ten more and buy lunch."

She nodded. "Deal." with her free hand she fished a battered scratched looking Credit Chip form her pocket and I swiped her ten credits in the thing.

She stared at the read out." You give me ten more?"

"When you done your part of the deal."

I let her go. At first it seemed she was about to bolt but then she went to the lady who was still arguing with the Info Bot and had not even noticed her missing bag. The girl put it right where she took it and came back, first on distance with a distrusting expression on her dirty face.

"You earned the second ten and I keep my side of the bargain."

She approached and I swiped another ten in her strip.

On the far left of my field of view I noticed one of her smudgy friends coming closer. The security officer had moved on and was now out of sight. The thin humanoid was holding his right hand under his jacket and I turned fast, as he was only a step or so away.

He flashed a knife and hissed." Don't interfere with the Port Roaches. I brushed aside my mantle drew Mördaren and held the blade under his chin.

"Don't threaten a swordsman with a knife."

He paled and tried to flee but a suddenly appearing Security robot grabbed him by the shoulders and a police man arrived moments later.

"Traveler did this Non citizen harm or steal from you?"

"No but he tried to stab me."

"I have scanned your weapon. It appears to be a simple metal sword without energy signature and is therefore permitted. You may however put it away now. Can I also scan your CITI?"

I slid the sword back into its scabbard and let him do it.

He thanked me and said. "Thank you for your cooperation Mr. Olafson. Have a nice stay on Twilight."

"Do I have to do anything else?"

"No Sir. It's a clear cut case. Legal Central gives you all green. This thief and would be stabber will see a Judge however, attempted armed attack isn't a misdemeanor.

It's either Ma Moore's if he is a minor or a Dust camp if he is old enough. He won't bother travelers for a while in any case."

The cop left with the robot dragging the young man along.

I didn't see the other boy or the girl.

I decided to check out the shops get me some different clothing, a better PDD and maybe go outside and see how the air felt on another world and did not think much further about the incident.

But the girl suddenly stepped in my way. "You still owe me a dinner."

"Of course, and I will keep my promise. We can go back to Arthurs or go that Pizzeria there or any other restaurant. I see there are many choices here."

"Any restaurant?"

"Sure."

"We go to 'Chong's-All-You-Can-Eat' then. But I must warn you it's 12 credits a nose for humans."

"It's okay I think I can manage it."

She led the way to a set of black lacquered doors with golden symbols and two ferocious looking golden animal statues sat on each side of it.

A sign informed me that the restaurant served LSLD food only and charged extra for Ba Phy XL, whatever that meant.

Inside behind a counter was a woman; her face looked very much like that of the Off-world assassin I had fought in my submarine.

She bowed slightly and smiled at me but glared hostile at the girl. "Your kind is not welcome. You have no money and steal much food."

"She is with me and I pay for all the food she eats or steals."

"This is fortunate and acceptable to me. She is now welcome."

The restaurant consisted of rows of tables and in the middle a long buffet with rows of tubs of steaming foods.

I was thinking the lady would have to change her sign, if Neo Vikings would ever find this place. A grin crept into my face when I imagined how the buffet would look after a crowd of Nilfeheimers descended upon it.

The girl took a tablet and a plate and looked at me.

"You pay for the food I steal too?"

"Yes."

She first loaded her plate with a white cereal of little steaming kernels and filled bowls with stew like meat dishes.

Then she filled her bag with rolls, and chicken pieces.

"Don't you want to wash your face and hands first? I am sure they have a wash room and maybe they could wrap the food before you put it in that bag? Remember I pay for it."

"Can I eat first and wash later? I am really hungry."

"Sure, it was just a suggestion. So what's good here?"

"Everything is good. Do you like chicken or duck, spicy or not so spicy? Get little of the rice and much of the meat. It's all natural sourced at He Mang, not far from here and not printed. Nothing exotic just human standard food."

I simply did what she did and went to a table.

To my surprise she used two sticks instead of a knife or spoon.

Luckily there was a spoon like contraption made of ceramics. She ate like there was no tomorrow and then pointed at my plate.

"Have you never eaten with chopsticks?"

"No not really. We actually advanced to spoon and knife."

"They have regular silverware too; you don't have to use the rice spoon."

After she went for the third time she finally slowed down, chewing she looked at me, "So what world are you from? You wear furs and leather and a sword and all that."

"I am from Nilfeheim. Not that far from here."

"Never heard of Nilfeheim."

"And you? You are from Twilight?"

"You are not some law man right?"

"No I am Eric Olafson from Nilfeheim. I am a Neo Viking, the first time off planet and on my way to Arsenal."

"Oh right I heard of the Neo Vikings. Rough barbarians from some water planet, galactic west from here, right?"

"I think so."

"I am Exa, don't know if I have a real last name and I think I was born on Blue Moon if my mother told me the truth, but she stowed when I was real little to here and that's how I ended up on Twilight."

"Stowed?"

"Stowed away, hid in a freight crate, you know. That's how Gal Drifts get around. It's not easy and sometimes you get stuck on a planet for a while, the Freights are pretty tight secured these days."

"It's not really my business and I have no idea what a Gal Drift is, but why are you stealing to get by and why are you hungry? Aren't you going to school?"

She poked the sticks in her food and then said without looking at me.

Galactic Drifters, it's a subculture.

They don't believe in CITIs and think it's not right to be tagged like cows so Big Brother can keep tabs on you.

They don't believe in Union laws and that includes schools. Citizens of the Universe, they call themselves and believe all war is wrong, weapons are for evil purposes only and think if the Kermac want to rule over us then let them, instead of fighting them. Gal Drifts would not accept them as authority either."

She sighed. "My mom got hooked on God-Dust, you know Califerm. She got caught and shot. They often shoot Califerm addicts here on Twilight when they get caught outside of Union ground. Only the spaceport is Union ground."

"So you are a Gal Drift? How about your father?"

She pushed the plate away. "No I am not a Gal Drift. I am the product of one. I told you Mom left Blue Moon or whatever planet when I was very little. Gal Drifts don't marry or keep track of their lovers.

Of course it is easier on the men they don't get pregnant.

I am no Gal Drift. I am a frikkin' Below sometimes they also call us Bottoms. Below everyone else. Below the high and mighty Citizens, below Non Cits and Drifters.

Without Union school you don't become a Union Citizen and the only school I can go to as an orphan is Mother Moore's Happy Orphanage.

It's the worst place there is, it is pure hell and I ran away three times. It isn't easy to get away.

They have security like a State Pen and if I am sent back now I go to the inside on Slammer Moon. No chance of escape there."

"Seems you caught the short end of the stick. If you want you could go to Nilfeheim at our place and go to school there. It's not a very sophisticated planet but it is quiet and boring for the most time."

"I can't simply travel, Mister even if I wanted to. Mother Moore is my legal guardian and one of them needs to sign my travel permission and release forms and all that."

"Is there more than one mother?"

"It is a company they operate these orphanages on many planets and locations in the Union, and they get paid per orphan they house, school and educate.

The more complicated a kid seems to be, the more money they get.

Therefore they make sure every second child is complicated. The real bad cases are sent to a moon not far from here called the Slammer.

No one escaped ever as far as I know and the kids only leave when they are legal adults and after extensive Psycho Surgery. After that they never complain, or tell about the real conditions and always praise Mother Moore's as the next best thing to paradise.

There are no controls, no authorities checking on it unless someone complains. Who complains for an orphan? We are by definition alone."

The more she told about this unfair situation the more I felt angry and while a voice in me warned me to let it go and make my way to Arsenal as planned. I leaned forward and said to her.

"You are not alone no more. Let us find a way to get the authorities involved. This is the Union and you have rights."

--""--

She finally gave up eating and pushed the plate away.

"That feels so good, to be full and all. I got enough food in the bag so they will be nice to me at the nest, even though Benjamin has been arrested and most likely will be sent to Dust Camp."

"What is the nest?"

She looked around as to make sure no one listened in. "No outsider is allowed to know where it is."

"I didn't ask where it is but what it is."

"It's our hideout, us the Port Roaches that is. The Roaches found a neat spot at sub level nine, behind the Space ports Enviro tanks. The tunneling robots digging the shaft for the water and supply pipes brushed a natural cave.

It's not big but it is all ours. Much better place than the Short Rats or the Filth Flies have. It is dry and warm. Outside nothing is ever dry."

I didn't tell her that she told me where her hideout was after all and said. "It rains a lot?"

"It hasn't stopped raining in this area for the last 100,000 years or more. This spaceport is located on the East wall of the Twilight River canyon. The river is about 3000 meters below us. The town Dusk is on the West wall, connected via the famous transparent vertigo bridge. I can show you if you like I know my way around."

"Alright, I think I stay a day or two on Twilight and take a different bus. I want to see if we can't do something about your situation."

Her suspicious facial expression came back. "Not that there is anything you can do, I am a Bottom no one wants to deal with us, but I sure like to know why you would want to get involved?"