Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series)

by Vanessa Ravencroft

  “He did not fix it, Eric; it was you who made your shield transparent to me.”

  Wetmouth, not knowing I was talking to Narth, said, “A week, I slaved a week in the lab, and your Narth friend comes and fixes you in an eye-blink.” She took my hand in a shy gesture and added, “Not that I mind, I am so glad you are alive.”

  I blinked and said, “A week? I was out an entire week?”

  The Eternal Soldier approached my bed, and he said, “Nine days to be exact, son. That amazing Sojonit friend of yours has not slept the entire time.”

  With him were the Fleet Admiral of the Fleet, McElligott, and a tall blonde with a truly angelic face, who I had not seen or met before.

  I suddenly realized I was still an ensign, and there were two admirals in the room. My Academy training kicked in, and I jumped out of the bed and wanted to salute, realizing half out that I wasn’t wearing anything and went right back. “Sorry, sir. It appears I misplaced my uniform somewhere.” I blushed as I noticed the snickering of my friends and the smiles of the admirals.

  Stahl looked over to McElligott and said, “I think we do not need to insist on formal greetings, not in a medical ward anyway.”

  Once more turned to me, he said. “Even if you are technically fine and fit for duty, stay in bed a little while longer so we can fill you in.”

  While I tugged the cover higher to make sure I was completely covered, I said, “Sir, that would be greatly appreciated. I had no time to check on the order chip Captain Harris had given me.”

  Stahl simply acknowledged with a nod, and said, “We were pretty sure Cardwell was one of Dent’s planted agents, but we wanted to catch whoever was in contact with him as well. If we would have arrived with a big team or the Devi, we might have gotten Cardwell, but none of his contacts. So my esteemed colleague Admiral McElligott decided to send you, as the proverbial monkey wrench, so to speak, to Richter Station. We hoped you and your friends would hopefully discover whatever went on and report to us so we could move in. That was pretty much what was on the order chip by the way, and the Devi was never far away.”

  I could not help being sarcastic, even in the presence of these two Immortals. “Great idea sending a bunch of expendable midshipmen, in a situation that cost ten officers their lives already. There are plenty more where they came from.”

  Stahl eyed his old friend from the side. “I told you he was going to say something cynical.”

  McElligott said to me, “You are officers, and you must realize that you will get orders that put you in dangerous situations, that is the path you have chosen. Now, I have not found it necessary to explain my reasons for an order in a very long time, but I will make an exception.”

  He pulled up a chair, sat down, and arranged the folds of his kilt over his sturdy-looking knees, and fished for his pipe. His old grumpy-looking face changed into a grin. “You know this is the second time I am sitting in a hospital room before your bed, trying to explain something to you.”

  He looked for something, and Har-Hi handed him his cigar lighter saying, “Sir, would you like to use mine?”

  McElligott looked up to Har-Hi, took the lighter, and said, “Ah you are the Dai. Never thought you lads smoked or would be carrying a real old Dunhill lighter.”

  Har-Hi raised one of his eyebrows and said, “Yes, sir, I am the Dai. It was an Ult who brought me to smoking cigars, and the lighter was a gift I received from Admiral Stahl, sir.”

  McElligott started puffing his pipe and handed the lighter back. “You are the Dai I heard so much about. There is a certain Commander Cotton who sent me about 2000 requests for your transfer, recommending you to Fighter school. Seeing your name pass that much across my desk makes you in my eyes that Dai.” To Stahl, he complained, “Where did you get this bunch? Now I am explaining myself to another ensign, and he made me do it by just raising an eyebrow.”

  Stahl crossed his arms behind his back. “If I knew the answer to that, I’d get me a bunch more.”

  McElligott puffed once more and then said to me, “You and your friends are not the average cadets and midshipmen. I can’t say if it is a particularly good or bad thing, but you are on my radar, so to speak. Since you were instrumental in exposing a Thauran connection to the Worm and later helped to shut down Newport, I thought about you when the Richter 4 thing came over my desk again. Now, there is another reason you are here, but I will come to that later. For now, you have a day of R&R and then you will graduate and be assigned to your new postings.”

  It turned out I was still on Richter base and not aboard the Devastator, but the giant ship had landed and occupied an entire landing field. On one of the other fields was the USS Shetland and, especially on the ground, where the eye had clear reference points, the difference of size was mind boggling. Seeing a 3500-meter Arsenal ship, the pinnacle of Union technology against that gigantic ship of alien origin made the Shetland look small and insignificant.

  The base was now busy with shore leave personnel of the Devi and technicians still repairing the damage from our battle.

  Har-Hi said, “We thought we’d celebrate your return to the land of the living with a dinner. Mao found some Tyranno Fin in the stasis freezer of the Hilton Hotel.”

  Wetmouth said, “But until then, I am going to sleep. I am dead on my feet.”

  I held her back and, while it was not really regulations, I hugged her and said, “Thank you.”

  She returned the hug and once again, I could not help thinking how nice it felt to hold her.

  Krabbel, of course, could not hold himself back and hugged us both. “It’s the second time I thought we lost you. If it happens a third time, I am going to get white leg hairs like an old spider. There is only so much a poor arachnoid can take, you know.”

  Krabbel managed to convince Narth and Mao to go back to the amusement park for a few more rides. This time, I felt Narth and how much he enjoyed the company of my other friends and his growing affection for them.

  Elfi, Shaka, and Hans insisted on preparing the dinner this time. I saw Har-Hi in a deep conversation with the Admiral of the Fleet and from the gestures, I knew he was talking about fighter craft.

  The medical department of the base had the size of a major hospital. Exiting the Intensive Care Unit, I came out on a fourth tier walkway. Leaning against the railing, I had a great view of the main concourse below. Almost exactly across was the Fleet housing building, and I saw robots and technicians working on the damaged Ultronit security door.

  To the left was the spaceport passenger facilities and right below me on ground level the entrance to the Spaceport Mall and Arthur’s Swine and Dine.

  A group of officers and technicians stood by the tunnel entrance toward the technical area and the warehouses. Even from here, I could tell they discussed how the massive doors could have been cut open like this.

  I planned to ask Wetmouth about her sword as soon as I had a chance. The only thing tougher than molecule compacted Ultronit was Neutronium, as far as I knew, and there were rumors that R&D experimented with Neutronium-based materials. But a sword made of Neutronium would weigh thousands of tons and no being could possibly wield it.

  While I was leaning there and looking over the now busy concourse, I noticed men and women dispersed among the workers and fleet personnel, trying hard to look inconspicuous and natural. I was almost certain those were NAVINT spooks.

  The tall blonde with the angelic face I had seen with McElligott and Stahl leaned next to me on the railing and, like me, looked over the lively scenery below. She then turned her head and looked at me, her face halfway obscured by her hair. “I have heard quite a bit about you, and I think it is time I introduce myself. I am Cherubim.”

  She wore a black dress that ended a handwidth over her knees. It was belted at her hip with a broad shiny leather belt. It was a nice outfit, but not a uniform. At least none I recognized. I said to her, “Nice to meet you, ma’am. Since you heard lots about me and you have been present with the admiral
s you know who I am.”

  A fine smile curled her lips. “Do I detect a slight edge in your voice? You know who I am then?”

  I shrugged. “Since you were with the Immortals, I am sure you are a very important person, but I have not the slightest idea. There is no edge in my voice, ma’am. Just whenever someone tells me they know all about me, I end up in some kind of situation.”

  She said, “I can understand that, and I think given your past track record you will sooner or later be in another situation. I am one of the two hundred Immortals selected by the Guardian to protect and guide Earth on its way.”

  I turned to look at her fully and said, “Please don’t get this wrong, Ms. Cherubim, but somehow it seems I am attracting the attention of you Immortals more than anyone I know. This can’t be coincidence.”

  She said, “Eric, there are centillions of beings in our Union and more in the galaxies around us. Some have lifespans of a few years, others live to see centuries. They all have a limited time, but there are those who do not age and have the potential to see the end of time. It is a very small society, if you will, and while we are not all friends, we tend to look out for each other.” She paused, looked away, and said, “Eric, you are most likely one of us.”

  I felt dizzy as she said that and protested, “Ma’am, I am going to turn twenty-one; I am not an Immortal. My parents are Neo-Vikings and we age and die. You must have the wrong guy.” Even as I said that I wasn’t so sure myself. Could she be right? Even in our small society on Nilfeheim, I met two and was distantly related to one of them.

  She left me time before she answered, “Narth Supreme calls you his Child, and the Narth have made you one of them. It might take centuries or millennia before you transform into a Narth, but you are on your way if you manage to stay alive, of course. None of the Immortals I know, not even the Narth, are truly invulnerable and can be killed, but time and age, I am certain, will have little meaning to you as it has to the rest of us.” She pointed toward the hospital. “You know why the pirates and even your friends paid no attention to you after you were jumped by the Wurlag?”

  I shook my head.

  She said, “Because they all thought you were dead. Not even a Perthanian would have lasted as long as you have. You are changing, slowly perhaps, but eventually you will be one of us.”

  I tried to ignore what she said, tell myself that it was all wrong, but I knew she was right. “Immortals always have some sort of task or destiny, right? What is mine?”

  Cherubim now smiled again. “Only the ones who were chosen by the Guardian received tasks and special gifts to perform them. Either you, the Narth, or your friends of the Coven have been chosen that way. Now we all have destinies, mortal or immortal, but I guess we all have a say in what way we go.”

  I returned to lean on the railing and said, “So, if McElligott is the administrator and Admiral Stahl is the warrior, who are you?”

  “I am the hunter.”

  “What does that mean? I see where McElligott is called the Administrator because that is what he does, and everyone knows why Stahl is the warrior.”

  “I find the trails of those who want to harm our Union, track them, and hunt them down. I don’t do it with fleets and soldiers, as the enemies I seek are often unreachable or too small and too slick to be fought with battleships and marines.”

  “Then you should hunt the Purple Worm and, while you are at it, that crook calling himself the Red Dragon.”

  “That is exactly why I am here on Richter Base, Eric.” She turned from the hand railing and slowly walked away. She waved her hand and said, “We will run into each other again, Eric.”

  I watched her enter an IBT and disappear.

  How long I remained standing there, I could not say, as too much went through my head. The worst part was that I knew there was something I should remember but I could not.

  I was pulled out of all this by a warm presence that came into my mind, and Narth said to me telepathically, “One should not dwell on such matters. Even the admiral lives day by day and doesn’t think all too much about how many years or millennia he has lived or is still going to experience.”

  Narth’s words of wisdom chased the gloomy thoughts away. I was just a Neo-Viking and all this talk about immortality, destinies, and tasks were for semi-gods and eternal admirals and not for an ensign at the beginning of his career.

  I decided to find Narth, Krabbel, and Mao after all and join them.

  We had our formal dinner at the same top floor restaurant as before, and this time there were no moving dishes, Instead, there were real, genuine Tyranno Fin steaks, and I had grilled them myself on a portable table grill.

  Tasting the first bite was pure bliss. I closed my eyes and let the taste of home melt on my tongue.

  After I was finally done, I actually had to loosen the snaps on my uniform blouse. I doubted I had ever eaten so much.

  Har-Hi also had a second portion and said, “I’ve never been much of a fish eater, but this is really good.”

  Cirruit sighed, “What would I give for a stomach and taste buds. It looks I am missing so much.”

  Narth said, “All that is Narth missed out for millennia, as eating and tasting can be such an experience. I wish I could share my experience with you, Cirruit, as I do share it with all that is Narth.”

  The X101 sighed again, “I am so going for that upgrade. I got the money and everything.”

  Wetmouth said, “I think I should be able to install it. I have studied much about X101 technology and physiology, thanks to the first aid and emergency procedures Mothermachine has sent me.”

  Cirruit took her hand and said, “Maybe I can’t taste the food yet, but if there is a better way to spend an evening than with your best friends then I sure do not know it. I am a blessed machine.”

  It warmed my heart to hear him say that, as I felt the same way and it pleased me to see that Narth fit right in. The others accepted him like he was there from the start.

  As the dinner was near the end, it was Narth who, against his usual reserved ways, stood to give a toast. “In human terms, Eric is something like a brother to me, only much closer.

  “Through his eyes, I knew of you before we met, but in recent weeks, I was fortunate to get to know you all in person.

  “We Narth are unlike any other species, and we have lost and forgotten so much about what corporal beings know and do, but through Eric, and now through you, our eyes are opened to values we had lost. We were so much poorer without them. Here in this circle, the value and meaning of true friendship becomes apparent, and I am now able to say the meaning of pride is no longer alien to me. I take pride in knowing you all!”

  There was silence, then Elfi got up and simply hugged Narth. “That was so beautiful!”

  Hans put his hand on Narth’s shoulder. “You’re all right, Narth, and not just because you saved my life.”

  Only Wetmouth appeared sad; despite her mask, I could tell.

  I asked her, “Is something wrong?”

  She nodded. “I just realized this might be our last evening together!”

  Everyone became quiet and looked at her. It was Shaka who said, “Now that she mentions it, the admiral said we graduate today, and after that happens, we will all be sent to various postings.”

  Mao sighed, “I wish it wasn’t so, but I know from Lt. Merkus that there are at least sixty posting requests for Shaka, as he is not only a Virtu Helmsman but one of the best.”

  Krabbel, who just had hugged Narth, balled himself together on his chair instead of hanging from the ceiling, as usual, and said, “I don’t want to go somewhere else. They call me the monster and the Arachnid again and it always sounds like they fear me or find me disgusting. Here, I am Krabbel, I can be myself, and no one finds me repulsive.”

  Har-Hi played with his wine glass. “It is a commission, you know. We could reject the commission and go private. I’d rather ship iron ore in an old scow from planet A to B and be with you th
an be the commandant of a battle cruiser!”

  Elfi looked up. “I am sure my mom would let us have a nice ship. We simply could go exploring or something!”

  I, too, recalled the words of the admiral, and I wondered what would be more important to me, becoming a starship captain or going private with my friends, and I knew the answer. I would not go private. I’d made a commitment, and I wanted to do my part so little Holdians, Commander or not, could be safe and hunt scum like the Red Dragon to the gates of hell. I wanted to help to clean this Navy from the curse that was the Worm. I wanted to be a starship captain; even serving apart, we could be friends. I knew I was arguing with myself; these friends were more than family to me.

  The elevator hummed, and the three Immortals appeared. All three were dressed for the occasion, the admirals in their uniforms and the woman in a daring black dress.

  Before anyone could jump up, Stahl said, “As you were.”

  McElligott said, “I was told about your fine little tradition and we wanted to join your festivities, but all I see are sad and long faces, and it is deadly quiet!”

  Stahl also looked surprised. “I would say it is us, but somehow I think there is another reason for the gloom.”

  I stood, and my friends did the same. I said, “Please join us and forgive our manners.”

  We offered chairs for the high-ranking guests, and after everyone sat and the Waitbot took their drink orders, Elfi simply said, “It is, of course, not you, sirs and ma’am. We just realized that we are going to graduate.”

  McElligott thanked Krabbel as he served the guests a plate of fish each and then said, “I was always under the impression graduation was an occasion to celebrate and all the midshipmen and cadets I knew always looked forward to this day.”

  Wetmouth said, “We realized we will be separated, as you said we will receive our new postings and that could be all across three galaxies and a few star clusters. So this might be our last night all being together. This is a big Navy and the possibility for us all to have time and the opportunity to meet again is zero-point-eight percent, taking into account the number of beings, the possible number of postings, the various times for leave of absence and the possible dangerous nature of our business.”