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

by Vanessa Ravencroft

  I was hungry and used a spoon like utensil to scoop a piece of meat and some porridge into my mouth.

  It was horrible and it took all my will power not to show it. The meat had a very pungent, gamey, fatty taste that coated my teeth, tongue and throat with a greasy texture. The Porridge was somewhat eatable.

  Ninety laughed deeply. “Yes Captain that is Nuktur meat. Only Ithe and Oghrs can really eat it, even after nine years I can barely stomach it. Now I am not a very good judge of human facial expressions but it appears Terrans are not among those who would call it a delicacy.”

  I took a long sip of the sharp and slightly bitter tea someone had placed in a mug next to my plate and I said. “Perhaps not, but I am sure it nourishes and is prepared with care and served with the best intentions.”

  One of the Ithe men said. “Naroma told us, you are a Union Captain. Is it true that your fleet could really chase the Karthanians off Itheamh, despite all their technology?”

  Before I could answer the Togar said. ”I once was the Commander of a Queens Flight. That is a group of fifteen Togar battle ships and support units.”

  He pulled back his black chaps and revealed rows of formidable predator teeth and made a gnarling sound. “I always believed there was nothing more formidable and fearsome in the entire galaxy. Fifteen battle ships, ten frigates and 20 destroyers, a force strong enough to even take on a Dai Clan in an even fight, but then I have witnessed a Union battle group break to sub light speeds.”

  His yellow cat eyes focused on something he saw in his mind and his finger claws came out as he clenched his right hand into a fist.

  A small crowd had gathered around the table and they all looked at him.

  His voice vibrated as he said. “Our sensor department was overwhelmed, I could not believe what we saw. “

  He looked at me. “Tell them what a Union Battle group contains Captain, please.”

  I sat down the tea mug and said. “A standard Union Battle group consists of five Arsenal ships, five carriers, five Dreadnoughts, twenty Ultra Battle Ships , 100 Battle ships, 200 Super cruisers, 80 heavy destroyers, Marine troop ships and around 200 other support craft.”

  The Togar glared at the Ithe who had asked the question. “Tartur my friend, a Union fleet has four battle groups. Union battle ships are as big as mountains.

  The biggest Togar battle ship would fit in one of their hangars.

  They have weapons that no shield can stop. Not even if the Togar, the Karthanian and all Oghr combine their forces could they hope to stop such terrible might. They do not fear the Kermac and they have beaten the Y’All. As mighty as Karthania appears to you and me, it is nothing but a spark compared to a sun. We Togar fear little, but those who seen Union fleets go into battle are affraid very much!”

  I felt a little embarrassed at their stares and the Ithe warrior said. “Can you not tell your government to come and free us?”

  Another Ithe said. “At what price, all it would do is replacing one master with the other. If the Union is as strong as you say, what chance would we have fighting them if they take over?”

  I said. “This is not what we do. We are a society of many civilizations. The reason we cannot help is because Itheamh does not speak with one voice. Only if all Itheamh would want to become Union members and send a delegation to Pluribus would the Assembly consider membership. All the Union asks of its members is that they follow our basic laws that guarantee the freedoms and rights of individuals. The Union would give you as much or as little help as you want and not interfere with local matters.

  However if Itheamh would be a Union member, all that is Union would fight to the last ship and man to defend you.”

  The Togar got up. “It is time, we need to fly! We can dream and talk about these things later.” --

  Naroma caught up with me in the former Cargo hold where the flying animals were kept and gave me a fur lined cape and handed me a helmet like thing that looked like the head of a Gryther, complete with sharp beak and long feathers on the neck. She said. “I think you like to hide your face and I know you are on a secret mission. This is a very old war lord flight mask; Legend has it that it bestows extra warrior powers to whoever wears it. “

  I took both items and thanked her.

  Ten minutes later the black Gryther spread his wings and galloped behind the lead animal, gathered speed and took off.

  After over an hour of flight, I saw Ninety stand up in his saddle and wave, then he pointed down and pulled a long lance with a wicked blade from a holder. His animal pulled its wings close to the body and dropped like a stone, the others around me did the same!

  I looked down and saw several large vehicles on a dirt road. The lead vehicle was burning, and I could hear the crackle of energy weapons. The convoy was attacked by a small army of wild looking mountain men. They had crude looking war machines with them.

  From what I could gather the Mountain tribe had not waited for us, and attacked the convoy before it reached the mountains. Their initial success was evident but the surprise element was gone and the soldiers fought back using their energy blasters. I cursed to myself and said. “So much for a planned and careful executed ambush.”

  I pulled at the reigns and my Gryther followed suit, following the others in a steep dive.

  The first energy blasts streaked into the sky, one missed me only by a few meters.

  I heard the painful screech of another Gryther behind me and saw it tumble with burning wings past me.

  I freed myself from the stirrups; my Gryther spread his wings, and flew at high speed over the ground, towards the armored vehicles and the soldiers manning it.

  I leaned as far out of the saddle as I dared and swung my axe against a battle suited soldier, who was aiming at the attacking mountain men, burning several of them.

  The marvelous blade of my axe split him armor suit and all down to the chest.

  Just as my Gryther was trying to gain altitude again, an energy blast went through its left wing. It screamed and struggled and landed managing to slow down enough, but cartwheeled as it had only one wing. I was lifted out of the saddle and thrown on the hard ground. It did not come unexpected and I had prepared myself to jump already, so I managed to lessen the impact by rolling over my shoulder, thanking my long martial arts training session for being able to do that. I was rattled, and had a few scrapes but was otherwise unhurt. Without a second thought I bolted right towards the armored vehicle that was closest to me. Like a silver flicker fish, I zigzagged left and right and evaded fiery blasts from a Drak soldier operating a mounted gun on the armored vehicle. This time I did not hold back my rage and fighting instincts. I let it all loose.

  With a leap I was on top of the vehicle and swung at the weapon and blast shield that the Drak soldier was hiding behind. The axe cut through armor, steel and weapon as if it was butter. I actually felt cold satisfaction as I saw the utter terror in the Aliens face before I beheaded him.

  In all this I suddenly heard a familiar voice. “Captain, duck!”

  I did and turned to see. There was Mao, holding a TKU and he fired. A Drak soldier that had appeared from a hatch in the vehicle already aimed at me, withered to atomic ashes as the TKU blast him and melted half the turret.

  A massive figure stalked through the smoke, it was Hans wearing a destroyer suit. He lifted one of the armored vehicles complete off the ground and threw with an ear shattering crash onto another.

  Our Nul prince tossing armoured soldiers like toys. TheOther, holding three TKU’s and a Y’All boarding sword walked through the Drak forces like a whirlwind of doom. It was over in moments. The Drak had no chance!

  I yelled. “There is an orbital weapon it will open fire on this place at any moment!”

  Krabbel de-cloaked wearing his version of an Atlas suit directly before me. “No Captain it won’t. Shea uploaded a nasty little virus into their orbital defense system. They are lucky if their life support systems come on in time.”

  The
only way I could relieve my tension was laughing. I hugged Krabbel and said. “It is good to see you. How in the world did you find me?”

  Shea de-cloaked and hugged me. “That wasn’t easy Captain.”

  Chapter 24: Among Rebells

  The Togar and his men came over and even the big Togar looked concerned at the huge Y’All towering behind me. His arm dangled from his left shoulder with a nasty burn wound and he said. “We need to leave fast. I am surprised the Sky punishers have not responded already.”

  I said. “It looks like my crew took care of those and they won’t bother you for a while.”

  He made big eyes. “You mean the Sky punishers are gone?”

  I turned to my friends and said. ”I am as much in the dark at the moment as you, Ninety. Let me catch up with the developments and then we need to roll and get Har-Hi and Narth.”

  Shea took the lead. “We knew something was wrong when you did not respond to our hails and were overdue. We located the tank all right and saw the aftermath of a big fight not far away, complete with a huge monster hacked to death and a levelled mountain village with dead soldiers. All clear indications to us you’d been there. Finally we found your PDD and pieces of your suit, but no body.”

  TheOther rumbled with his deep voice. “You had us really worried Captain.”

  Shea said. “We intercepted communications of the local police that they had captured two aliens and from the description it was clear it was Har-Hi and Narth, but not mention of you.”

  She was near tears as she said that, I could tell by her trembling chin. I, not giving a hoot about regulations, took her in my arms.

  After a moment she said. “I refused to believe you were dead. Then an Ithe Commander called us on Har-Hi’s PDD and told us you were with the rebels and planned an ambush on a water convoy. She wanted to warn you that there was a much bigger force out here than 40 soldiers and a few water trucks. She also told us about the truly ancient network of sentinel satellites. We came here as fast as we could.”

  Mao said. “Not that you really needed our help. I will never forget seeing you riding on that winged beast swinging an axe. You looked like a real warrior goddess.”

  Krabbel chirped. “Maybe Sobody can make another action figure…”

  I glared at him. “We can reminiscence about all that later, let’s go now and free Narth and Har-Hi; they are held in a military compound about 400 clicks from here.”

  A sudden feeling of warmth flooded my mind and Narth appeared from thin air. “No need Captain, after the Commandant deactivated the Stasis field that held us, Har-Hi showed the Ithe authorities how unhealthy it is to make a Dai angry and I also expressed my displeasure in perhaps a more emotionally fueled fashion than usual.”

  “Where is Har-Hi?”

  “Our first officer is currently in sickbay under the care of Cateria. The rock projectiles that we both unfortunately intercepted with our craniums injured us both, but he should make a complete recovery.”

  He was next receiving a hug from me and I asked. “And how about you?”

  “I found the experience of being rendered unconscious by a rock quite fascinating, but an experience I would not want to repeat. I was able to meditate while in Cryo Stasis and mend my injury. Even without the Commandants aid I was almost at a point where I would have been able to affect our release. I also took precautions not to be influenced by modulated Theta-waves again.” He cocked his hooded head. “How curious to think that a primitive acoustic wave form would be so effective against Narth.”

  The Togar was still holding his arm and said. “It appears you have all you came for. Your friends are safe.”

  I said to him. “Not quite, Ninety, there is still some unfinished business and we need to take care of your wounded.”

  To Shea I said. “How long do you think those Sky things are going to be out of order?”

  She shrugged. “If the locals work fast and replace the Computronic hardware, they could be up and running in a month or so.”

  That was good news indeed, and then I asked. ”Who holds the Conn at the moment?”

  “Elfi has the Conn.”

  She handed me my wrist com and I said. “Captain to Elfi.”

  My Saran Communications officer responded. “Captain, we were so worried!”

  “It is good to hear your voice too. I’ll fill you all in later about the details. Right now I need a med team down here.”

  “I sent a landing tank with a field med mission module; Cateria and her team are on their way to the hangar as we speak.”

  “Thank you Elfi. I fill you in a.s.a.p.” Then I cut the transmission and said to the Togar. “How long do you think we have until this convoy is going to be missed?”

  He looked over the carnage and said. “It is hard to say, but with their Sky eyes down they might send out flyer patrols and it also depends if the soldiers here had time to use their radios. I am sure we have several hours, but who knows what they’ll do if they find the prisoners missing along with whatever your men did to the regional outpost.”

  A rugged and strong looking Ithe mountain man said. “I am of the Oote tribe and I want to thank you for killing the Drak soldiers.”

  The Togar growled at him. “Why did you attack out here, especially if you saw the convoy was much bigger than usual and had tanks with them?”

  The Oote man lowered his stalk eyes and said. “The Drak convoy was larger this time because were joined by those soldiers coming back from punishing our village for hiding a water source from the government. He made a gesture behind him and over perhaps 200 men. “This is what’s left of 1200. They shot everyone else and the sky punisher destroyed our homes. What else was there for us to do than fight and die?”

  Shea swallowed hard and said. “They killed your wives and children, for water?”

  “Water is precious and a water source like a mountain spring means wealth, power and control.”

  Ninety put his good hand on the Tribe leader’s shoulder. “Forgive me.”

  The Dai warrior also joined us and said to me. “Your Thaa Gryther is badly wounded. Do you want to shoot it yourself as Gryther warriors do or should I do it?”

  I walked a distance and found the creature on the ground, both its large wings in broken disarray. I noticed not only the burned wing but a second blaster wound to his muscular hind legs. Shea knelt next to it and put an Auto Doc Unit against the beast’s neck, while I patted it and said to Shea. I rode it only twice and don’t really know it, but I sort of like it. I think it saved my life, by trying to land even after it was wounded.”

  She checked the Auto doc read out and said. “No worry, the Auto Doc is stabilizing it and Cateria will have that thing fixed in no time.”

  It took us no time with my Friends and the marines they had brought along as well to clear the road, bury the bodies and the scrap.

  The Togar said the water trucks were valuable and would be taken back to the compound, especially since there were no sky eyes watching. The ones that came on flyers returned as they came. The now homeless men of the Oote tribe sat on top of the water trucks and some sat on top of our landing tank. TheOther, Hans and three marines carried wounded Grythers flying ahead.

  Cateria had arrived and with her came several Med Techs and five med bots. Ha-Hi had piloted the tank down. Har-Hi came over to where I was standing and smirked. “The next time I am going with you on an away mission, I wear a helmet. That rock hammered me real good, you know.”

  I squeezed his hand and put my other hand on his shoulder. “I am sorry, it was my fault. I should have listened to you.”

  He chuckled. “No it wasn’t your fault. We all picked a dangerous profession and getting out of bed is dangerous.”

  I sighed and frowned at him. “I guess you will lecture me now that we should not get involved in local affairs, right?”

  “No Captain, I won’t. I am your XO and must be the devil’s advocate, but once you make a decision, I support it to my last b
reath. He crossed his arms and said. “I am just glad it isn’t me who has to write the log book entry or explain what we are doing to the Admiral.”

  We all arrived at the rebel hide out with the first rays of light of a new day, I had remained with the Togar and several marines to guard the trucks and make sure they arrived safe and unobserved.

  There in the cavernous belly of the freighter wreck industrious and well organized was Cateria, med bots and med techs. They had triaged the wounded, set up treatment tents and processed what looked like endless line of beings.

  To the Togar I said. “I was under the impression there were only a few wounded, where do they all come from?”

  An Ithe woman came over and shook my hand with both of hers. ”I can see again! I can see again! Dugos the benevolent Spirit has heard my chants. Thank you!”

  The Togar answered my question. “No one here has seen a doctor or got any medical aid in ages. The news of your miraculous med crew spread like a wildfire through this community of ours.” He looked to the floor and I sensed the big cat felt embarrassed. ”I am sorry for us taking so shameless advantage of you.”

  I said. “I don’t think you need to be ashamed or embarrassed. I am glad we can help.” Pointing at his bandaged arm, I added. “You should have that checked out by my CMO as well.”

  “I will be last, if there any supplies left.”

  “Ninety, I see you are a good leader with the wellbeing of your people foremost on your mind, but as a leader you are needed and you can do that best by being well. I am sure we can manage supply wise.” I walked with him over to Cateria, who just came out of a treatment tent. I said to her, “Sorry for putting all this on you, but I have one more.”

  She actually smiled and said: “Captain, I know I am not always the most emotional person and I am well aware of my reputation, but I became a Medic because I wanted to help. It was my idea to have those people checked and I tell you some of them really needed our help badly, lots of infected Taser and whip burns, gouged eyes and other wounds from torture.”