I looked at my red and bubbled skin. “If you can call this working. If I had taken a full blast, I don't think I would have survived.”
Hestia interjected with disbelief, “Yet those Asgard women took dozens of blasts...”
I nodded and corrected with pride, “Most on the line were Vanger or Ragnarok, except Kitty. And their nano-lattice only attenuates ninety-nine percent of the blast, their nanites heal whatever gets through. – Ow!”
The pseudo-healer winced at my pain as she sliced off a ridge of skin that had healed before she got the armor off. The new 'corrective' wound would heal smooth. “Sorry.”
I shook my head and said as Dite's warm hand slipped into mine, her hair tinting pink. “No, you're not sorry.”
Hestia grinned. “No, I'm not sorry.”
I hissed in pain as she worked, squeaking, “Sorry.” Ok, that time I believed her.
I looked up to meet Dite's eyes, and her warm smile held no teasing. She was genuinely worried and didn't like seeing me injured. She closed her eyes, and I could see them moving under her lids, a little light flickering behind them. I knew she was pulling up data as she fussed over me. It felt sort of... nice, having someone fuss over me.
Then she said, “Eighteen Hornets down, one Asgard pilot dead, the rest accounted for. All thirty Titan craft destroyed or disabled.” She nodded in appreciation. “Almost a two to one kill ratio.”
I winced at that. In the days before the New Peace, it would have been more along the lines of nine or ten to one if the Hornets had faced off against the Ragnarok. But the Jotunn armor was far superior to anything any of the other races had.
She continued, “Two Olympians down, Terese, and Thalia fell before the Asgard pilots could get to them. The women of Valhalla protected our other people until you arrived.”
I shrugged and noted like it was obvious because it is what they did. “They are Valkyrie. It is what they do.” Then was not the time to describe the distinctions between a traditional Valkyrie and a Valkfela or Valklopt, as they were all under the umbrella of Valkyrie. The Cursed Protectors of the Asgard.
Valkfela were the free Vanger of Folkvangr, who were self-made by Freya before they were gifted Valkyrie nanites by Odin. They fight with the valor and honor of a Valkyrie with one important distinction, they do not wait for the enemy to strike first before taking action, and will go on the offensive where the Asgard will wait for that first strike before committing violence.
And of course, you know that the Valklopt are all Valkfela except for Kitty, who is something... else. As she is of the Sky where none of the others are. I had asked her once if she was more Valkyrie or Valkfela, and the cheeky young one just said like it were obvious, “I am Sky. Second to Pegasus.” The Sky race consists of Pegasus and her... daughters, the other sentient wind riders, and one plucky little Asgard woman who seemingly has no fear.
Dite continued, “It seems the Halflings have eighty sets of boots on the ground. Twelve confirmed kills on the ground, and we don't know how many in the air. We are assuming four men per vessel by the number of storm bridge transports we noted, so twenty-eight more dead in the air.”
I noted both Inatra and Kitty were standing at the opening of the curtain, listening, as their technicians voiced their concerns. The men didn't understand that their healing rate is almost ten times ours and they were likely fully healed, though Inatra's ribs may be a little tender. Even standard Asgard nanites heal faster than we do.
I was again intensely aware of my state of undress. Dite looked amused as her hair turned purple streaked blonde as she winked at me and gave my hand a little squeeze. I was glad my skin was so raw and red, or she would have seen my intense blush. I almost chuckled, she had finally got me naked in bed after all these eons of trying. Just not the way she wanted. My core warmed at the thought, betraying me.
I narrowed my eyes as I noted the bubbling of my skin was virtually gone now.
She continued to all of us, “The Halflings are approaching the Citadel on foot, and should be here in about two hours. One of the Asgard pilots believes at least one of the two enemy pilots may have survived the crash near the Citadel. So we are doing sensor sweeps of the area but haven't found anything. If they are in battle armor, we may not be able to detect or track them.”
Inatra growled out, “Have Arina supply Asgard telemetry to your scans, we can detect the alloy used in the Mithreal armor.”
Then Kitty said, “Their mothership will be receiving any data bursts the original ships sent before we jammed their transmission in the next two hours as well. Then Peggy can tell us how they choose to respond.”
I turned at mother's voice as she stepped in, “And as much as I am loathe to admit, that... Titan is speeding along that delightful young woman's work. They are an hour out from testing a shield system they say can protect against anything but a Star Killer's main canons. I think poor Hep is about to have a tech-gasm.”
I nodded and then hissed as Hestia took advantage of my distraction to take a chunk of mis-healing skin from the back of my neck where the collar of my armor had been. I pattycaked her away a bit as she grinned.
We all stopped talking when she squinted her eyes at the fresh wound and said, “Huh...”
Dite looked concerned as she chastised, “Huh what, you trickster? Don't just keep it to yourself.”
Hes just shook her head and said absently as she looked at the small chunk of flesh on her forceps then my wound again, “Nothing, it just seems like she's healing faster than she should be.”
I tensed and looked up at her, then over to Inatra and Kitty. I had heard of something like that before... Inatra looked at her hands then up at me. Kitty said slowly, catching on, “Inatra was holding you on the return flight...” An injured and bleeding Inatra was holding me, my entire body basically an open wound at the time.
I whispered, “It can't be.” Something like this has happened only three times in Asgard history. To Kate, Arina, and Inatra.
I was looking at the speed my damaged skin was healing, and it did seem to be accelerating slowly. No... it was just a coincidence, just my body's natural healing ability speeding up as I got stronger, recovering from the Halfling weapon.
Zeus' balls.
I didn't have time to dwell on that. I looked over to see Wrath and her quiver leaning against the wall, and said, “I need new armor. We must prepare for battle at the gates and discuss evacuation again if the Star Killer moves in. We can fold in groups or use wind riders to get our people through to Valhalla.”
Mother shook her head. “We are handling the contingencies, you bull-headed woman. Let little Hestia finish with you. I believe Hephaestus has a little surprise for you, armor wise. He had stopped development on something – else – long ago when we believed you lost to the sands of time, but he finished it when you returned to us.”
Hestia whined, “I'm not little!”
We all chuckled at the little woman.
“And I just finished here, though I'd like to examine her healing rate a little more.”
I glanced nervously over at Inatra, who was just staring at her hands in horror.
Hera shook her head, laying a hand affectionately on Hestia's cheek like any proud grandmother. “You can satisfy your curiosity later, once the danger is past.” She looked over at Dite. “For now, she needs rest until Hep can bring her some proper armor and a cloak. Can you...” She stared at our clasped hands. Oh... she thought...
The almost silver-haired Aphrodite, with a solid lock of purple hanging down in front of her eyes, smiled widely and said, “I've got her. She can rest in my chambers.”
Oh no, no, no... that was never going to...
Hera nodded once. “Good. Stay on coms.” Then she turned on a heel and marched off.
For the love of Zeus. I have never been alone with her in her chambers. I was thinking all sorts of inappropriate thoughts as Hestia grumped, handing me a robe to hide my modesty. Not that I had any left with everyone
gawking at me as I sat there naked. Poor Arina would have fainted smiling, even with my damaged skin, which... didn't look too damaged anymore.
Kroth was I hungry.
I shrugged into the robe and then looked to Inatra who was making kissy faces at me, and Kitty, who was standing with her back to me with her arms wrapped around her own shoulders miming kissing someone. Children! They're all children! Why was it so hot in there?
I was dragged out toward my doom, I barely had a chance to snag Wrath.
Whining and hoping to distract the grinning woman pulling me along, “I feel like I haven't eaten in weeks. Maybe we can stop in the mess hall for – “
“I have food in my chambers.”
I glanced at her, and she was blushing. Did she think something was going to happen? I mean, yes, I was sexually frustrated, but I wasn't an animal. I could contain my urges while the Citadel was in danger. This was Dite after all. I was just prey for her to capture and release after... umm, things.
The moment we stepped into her chambers, and the door slid closed, I was surprised by my own actions. It wasn't her that made the move. I turned her around and kissed her soundly. I blame the adrenaline and excitement of battle that was still coursing through my veins. The passion as she returned the kiss ignited an inferno inside me I didn't know was walled away, just waiting for release.
I forgot about food for the moment because all I was hungering for just then was the forbidden fruit the white-haired woman kissing me had dangled in front of me for so very long. I was a goner as I dove into that fire.
Chapter 14
Endgame
A while later we were interrupted... umm... in the middle of things, by her door chime. My skin was hot and red for other reasons than my injuries. Hera's tits, the woman insatiable. I giggled as she growled at the door from under the sheets, and I squeezed her head between my sweat covered legs to prompt her.
She sighed heavily in exasperation then grumped as she pulled back and tossed the covers to the side as she sat up in frustration. I reached out to run my hand through her silky hair as she called out, “What is it? The gates of Tartarus better be crashing down upon the Citadel, or you're going to regret ever being born!” She looked at me, and her bright silver hair actually looked like it blushed as it went a vibrant pink. The satisfied look on her face made me hungry.
No wait, that, and I was starving. I had never felt so hungry in all my years. I knotted my fist in her hair and pulled her to my lips for a quick peck before releasing her and rolling out of bed. I grabbed an orange-like citrus fruit and a meat stuffed bread roll from the table at the end of her bed, and started wolfing it down as she looked around for her clothes.
Hephaestus called out through the door. “Mother said I was to bring Artemis' new armor here.” Then there was a pause as she stomped out of her bedchamber and toward the door in a huff.
I crinkled my nose, the place reeked of sex now.
I paused and grabbed another roll. By the lords of chaos! I had just slept with Aphrodite! And... for the love of Hera, I still wanted the woman.
His muffled voice added from the other room, “I'm to inform you both that the Halflings will reach the Citadel in range of the auto canons in fifteen minutes.”
Fifteen minutes! I stuffed a meat-filled roll in my mouth as I looked around. I had no undergarments here, just that robe from the infirmary. I sighed and opened Dite's drawers and grinned at the feminine, frilly garments. I put on some of her undergarments and pulled the robe over myself. Grabbing another fruit on my way out to where the two were snipping at each other, I blushed over the fact I was a little wobbly-legged.
Hep looked over at me, and he got a cocky, knowing smile on his face as he said, “It's about tyching time you two. I think I won the pool. I had, 'before the sun burns itself out.'”
Oh, lords.
I said through a half-full mouth, “Shut up, I can still whoop your ass, man.”
He held up his hands in surrender, then cocked one wrist down and pointed at the boxes on the side table. “You're armor, milady.” He gave a silly centurion salute with his tongue hanging to the side. Then he winked at us. “I'll let Zeus and Hera know you are on your way.”
He narrowly avoided the punch which Dite had aimed at his nose, and he chuckled as he slipped out the door.
She turned to me, and I found us face to face. She said, bashfully, “Umm... hi?” She looked hopeful. Did she think what I had thought she believed? That this was just a meaningless romp? What exactly was going on? I couldn't believe I was about to do this, but... I wanted the woman. I have probably always wanted her, and that's why I was always afraid to voice it in case she didn't feel the same.
I said, “Hi.” Then kissed her gently. The fear on her face melted into a smile as she kissed back. Then I pulled back, stuffed the rest of the fruit in my mouth and said with my mouth full, “Let's get armored up and to the wall.” Then I added almost under my breath, “Love.”
Her hair was almost a neon pink at that, and she just nodded, speechless for the first time in... well in all of time.
I felt a bit smug and relieved. Maybe it was possible.
I licked my fingers and opened the boxes and exhaled quickly as my eyes bulged. Dite was blinking as she said only, “Oh my.”
Inside the boxes were the most amazing armor I had ever laid eyes upon. I had to touch it to verify it was actually metal and not the supple green and brown leather it appeared to be. To call it simply a work of art would be a disservice to the craftsmanship. I dropped the robe, causing Dite to first gasp in want, then grin as she teased, “You look good in my panties.”
Oh, I wanted in her panties alright.
I focused on task and looked at the back side of the articulated chest and abdomen plate made of smaller plates that gave the appearance of layered leather. I blinked at the pearlescent sheen behind it. Was it really what it looked like? By all that was divine, had Hephaestus carved this from pieces of Jotunn Mitheral? It would have taken centuries to carve with vibro blades, basically shaving off a molecule at a time.
Once I had the entire set on, there was what looked like a visor left in the bottom of the box. I held it up and looked around. No cloak? How was I supposed to go stealth and interface with our network and Wrath's targeting data? I squinted at Dite, she had a blue haze about her. I swallowed knowing what it likely meant.
Then I looked at the gold tinted visor and put it on. Systems and diagnostics sprang up in my vision in intuitive pulldowns. I blinked, it was even monitoring the health of the armor itself. And what was this icon, I selected it with my eyes and with a ping, a hooded cloak seemed to bleed out of the visor, constructed of coherent photons. I smiled, it was a coppery brown that just seemed to accentuate the green and tan armor.
Dite gasped, and I looked over to see the hungry look in her eyes as she looked me up and down. I turned to one of her various mirrored walls. My girl was a little vain, and I froze too. I looked like I had just stepped out of one of the old Earth legends. The Goddess of the Hunt.
I swallowed and looked away from myself and noted two icons next to the cloak, one labeled battle mode, and one the familiar stealth. I tried battle mode, and the semblance of a hunter green scarf wrapped my face under the hood, and green leather-like gloves wrapped my hands, I saw stability and density readings... it was some sort of ablative shield like the cloak.
Absently, I wondered why I'd need that if the armor was indeed Mithreal. We knew the Jotunn energy weapons didn't work against it by design. But I realized my face and hands weren't covered in the armor, thus this new ablative technology. I nodded with a smile hidden behind the scarf and then watched myself shimmer out of sight in the mirror as I engaged the stealth mode of the cloak. This was possibly Hephaestus' greatest work, besides my bows of course.
The entire setup drew power infinitesimally from the jump pack that was positioned under the armor between my shoulders.
I deactivated the cloak but left the v
isor on and smiled at the woman who was appreciating my form. I picked up Wrath and slid her into the sheath built into the armor on my back and slung the quiver over my other shoulder. I felt as if I were in a body glove, the armor fit so well.
I squinted at the blue haze around the woman who was so fascinating to me now, as she donned her armor. The woman I had known my whole life, but never like this. I held a hand out. “Shall we meet the others at the wall? Then maybe get something to eat, I'm ravenous.”
She stared at my hand then smiled, straightening up and donning her cloak then taking my hand in a proprietary manner that just felt right to me, and we marched out to face the Titan's endgame together.
It was ominously quiet as we achieved the courtyard. Arina and Thea were standing by the shield control column they had erected next to the temporary Bifrost gateway, Zeus and Hera studied the controls while keeping a wary eye on the eight-foot woman with the Asgard. I could see the flurry of activity in Valhalla beyond the shimmering event horizon of the quantum tunnel.
Hera was asking, “It is ready?”
Arina nodded as her attention was split between them and the Three Embers standing near the main gates, maintaining their own impressive shield bubble in front of all the warriors assembled. I shook my head in wonder. It had been so long since I had seen Olympus ready for battle, and it was an awe-inspiring sight. I even noted that quite a few men were armed as well. We'd need every available person if Arina's temporary shield didn't work.
As we arrived at the console Arina smiled at us, then her eyes fell on our hands clasped together, and her smile split her face. I rolled my eyes at her but couldn't stop my own smile as I prompted while shielding my eyes from the bright blue glows around everyone, “Well met Little One. Shall we?”
Tales From Olympus: Gods Reunited Page 15