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

by Vanessa Ravencroft

  Krabbel felt embarrassed." I am sorry Mao. The tower has an elevator. We just never use it to go down. Please follow me."

  "No need to feel sorry. I should have been better prepared I guess." He laughed." I am sure glad I am not too much afraid of heights."

  Krabbel went with the human to the elevators and asked completely surprised." Someone can be afraid of heights?"

  Mao stepped into the elevator and said." Yes there are humans that do not feel very comfortable high up and there are those who are very much afraid of it. It's called Vertigo and can be treated with Psycho Surgery I am sure . However most humans with a fear of heightssimply stay away from ledges and such and are fine."

  "I guess there are lots of things I have to learn about humans and other beings! Do you find me disgusting?"

  Mao looked surprised." No I don't, should I? Is this something you want me to feel or so?"

  Krabbel moved his left leg with the no gesture." My teacher said I should be prepared that the human student might find me disgusting."

  Mao moved the parts where his arms were attached to his body upwards." I guess there could be humans who might think so but there are equally as many I think who find spiders extremely beautiful then. I don't think there is a generalized human taste or perception on anything. What one guy finds pretty, the next one finds ugly." The Elevator had reached the bottom and Mao added."I am in the middle of that until a month ago, I didn't think about spiders one way or the other and we have a few big types on my world, well hand sized and small compared to you."

  They both left the tower lobby and went outside. Mao looked around and saw that the buildings and structures of the Archa City was built around and between the huge trees, Attached with cables and wires to the trees. Most of the buildings reminded him of insect cocoons in their organic round shape. Some looked thin and tall and there were sphere and bean shaped buildings between the trees on the ground. There were traditional windows, advertisement signs and light flyer traffic. The forest floor was not paved but a bed out of brownish leaves. He did see a group of Archa workers collect branches and fallen tree limbs and rake these fallen leaves to even path ways.

  The city had a tranquil, quiet character. Mao had seen several busy Union cities on his way to Archa when he had to change space busses. This was, according to his guide pamphlet, the capital city of a member species and yet it was very quiet, you could hear the wind and the crunching leaves under his feet. Krabbel raised four of his legs. "Welcome to Archa and Tab our biggest city!"

  Mao looked towards his host." Your capital is quieter than the jungle villages of my planet. There is not much traffic as it looks like."

  Krabbel pointed upward, most traffic is up there between the tree tops, we use bridges and swing threads and our normal acoustic range is in a much higher frequency than that of humans. I am using a speech box so you can hear me and I can better hear you."

  Mao had met the Sac Mother which was something like an elected queen and a group of officials who assured him that the entire planet and all Archa worlds would be open for him to explore and everything would be paid for by the Archa Tourism board. He then was shown to Krabbel's home, a cocoon, bean shaped house suspended by a network of silvery fine cables between three trees. The house had no stairs inside, but there was an elevator on the outside connecting the house with the ground. It was a round platform without hand railings shooting up a thin thread. Mao had to sit down and hold on to the edges of the disc. Archa Elevators were something he needed all his courage to use.

  Krabbel's parents were extremely friendly and tried to make him feel welcome. Krabbel's father was missing two legs and three of his eight eyes. He suspected it to be war wounds or an industrial accident but was informed by Krabbel that his mother almost killed his father after the mating, but loved him so much she was able to suppress her killing instinct and only cripple him a little bit. He would not think of having them regrown or replaced as he explained it was a great honor and visible proof of his wives love to him.

  Mao was on Archa almost a week now and like every morning he got up with the first sun light to go jogging and swimming. Archas turned out to be active till late at night and did not start their days until almost noon.

  This time however he was greeted by Krabbel." Good morning Mao!"

  "Good morning Krabbel! What woke you so early?"

  "I wanted to join you in your morning activities and see what a human does in the morning."

  "I don't think you can generalize that either, humans have different morning habits. I like to exercise and keep in shape. My brother is much like you, up late, sleeping long!"

  "It honors me that you find me worthy to be compared with your brother!"

  "Krabbel, as you know I am only here for a week or so and I am certainly no expert on Archa, but you guys need to loosen up! You got a wonderful planet and the most amazing city and I am not so sure you want herds of tourists change all this. You keep advertising and they will come, you know!" Mao made a wide gesture as if to describe a planet with his hands." I am from a very secluded planet and we take great efforts to keep it that way and I am not exactly a traveling person but from what I seen so far, large talking spiders are not the most unusual life form out there."

  "But it seems humans and humanoids are the dominant species." Krabbel said.

  "We had that in school. It's called the Human mystery and most Scholars think that the Pree or the Uni seeded the human life forms somehow on many different planets, but we had an avatar lecture by an explorer ship captain returning from a 3 year mission in the Andromeda Galaxy and they encountered many sentient civilizations and none were humanoid. I bet if you had access to the entire Universe there might be just as many spider like species as humanoids."

  Krabbel made his surprise gesture. "There is truth in that!"

  The spider accompanied Mao on his five klick run and even took a swim with him and invited his new friend to their first Human style restaurant. It was an Arthur's Swine and Dine. Mao found the spider dressed up as a cartoon pig was the really frightening thing on this world and he expressed this to Krabbel." Could you imagine Archa having Halloween?"

  "Oh but we do! It is a very fun Terran Custom and it became the biggest event on Archa very fast! Everyone is participating and thinking about a new costume all year long!"

  "Now that is frightening!"

  "No not really, only a few chose horror costumes!"

  Mao was not really hungry but it was a warm day so he ordered some ice cream. Krabbel leaned over. "What is that?"

  "It's soft serve Ice cream. One of the few off world things we have on Guayas. I love this stuff."

  "I will try it too!"

  "Can you eat human foods?"

  "We are slowly adapting to solid foods even long before the Union came, most of us still prefer liquids, as we don't have teeth."

  "You don't need teeth for soft serve ice cream if you don't eat the waffle."

  The serving Archa brought the ice cream and remained there watching Mao first and then Krabbel." You are our first customer and it is our first ice cream order. I hope you don't mind me watching to see what you do with it!"

  Krabbel took the cone and extended his upper chelicerae and squeezed some of the waffles content into his throat and it was nothing he had ever tasted or experienced before. The stuff was cold, very cold and it refreshed him and felt wonderful but the taste was even more amazing. It was sweet and aromatic and creamy… He ate the rest very fast.

  Several spiders had joined the grotesque pig spider and they all watched Krabbel eat ice cream. Even Mao had forgotten to eat his and waited for a response of his eight legged friend. Krabbel finally found a word and almost yelled at the Pig." More!" He waved his legs." Bring more! This is better than young Nuflug! This is better than Hago wasp. It is the best ever!"

  Other spiders now ordered it too and within an hour there was a line of spiders far out the restaurant and those who left it carried big cones. The
restaurant ran out of ice cream two hours later, Mao who carried a special ear piece now, that allowed him to hear and understand the spiders heard someone yell." There is an Arthur's at the Space port!" And the crowd scurried away to the next shuttle tower.

  Krabbel was disappointed that there wasn't any more but he was promised they would have more as soon as the supply ship came in.

  Later Krabbel convinced his mother to order a robotic Ice cream maker via GalNet. Mao was surprised to learn that the Ice cream discovery made the head line news as they called him into the family room while they were watching a local channel even with footage showing him and Krabbel eating it. But the happy and excited news cast was interrupted by a GalNet News bulletin about a massive battle between Union, Dai Than and Nogoll. The images were frightening and fascinating at the same time and Mao wished he could be there; his eyes glowed with fascination as he watched Union Battle ships firing with all weapons! "One day Krabbel, one day I will be a tactical officer on one of those ships!"

  Krabbel who hung from a string from the ceiling watching the news cast twirled around to face his friend." I am hoping they will accept me at the academy too! I will be the first Archa in the Union Fleet!"

  Interlude: Corri-Door

  I arrived at Corri-Door nine days after I had left Galveston. The System was on the very edge of Kermac/Galactic Council space. Two space corridors, marked only by marker buoys and defined by the Armistice treaty form the last big war originated from here. One of these corridors connected Magnitude, the home system of the machine beings called X101's with the rest of union space and the other ended at Arsenal a nine planet system. Corri-Door would have never been an important system would it not have been for its strategic position. It consisted of Corri an Orange K III star and three rock and ice planets and one gas giant with only one sizeable moon. Corri-Door was mostly methane ice with a rock core. It had, so I learned from a Info hand out, no minerals or metals worth mining, a very thin atmosphere and it was almost as cold outside as it was in deep space. Yet every rock and surface of the system was occupied or utilized. The Sixth and the seventh fleet had their permanent Head quarters here. Deep Space Border Control Network Command was stationed here responsible for Logistics, Intelligence and patrols for the 12,000 light years of border space shared with Kermac and Nul. Due to the recent events the system was busier than a Hornet's nest, at least which is what the Captain of the Swift Tornado had called it, as we arrived. The Space port and sub planetary city of Corri-Door was no exception, while there were a few civilians among the crowds the flair was completely different from Twilight, almost everyone was wearing some kind of military uniform and there were no Gal Drifters, or Bottoms anywhere. Even here was an Arthur's Swine and Dine, and it was a very large one and every table was occupied with Soldiers, Space crews and marines. I was told space bus traffic to Arsenal had not yet resumed but the Grey lines Info bot was certain, they would resume regular scheduled flights in 4 days.

  I went into a Recruiting Office and they confirmed by Pre Entry appointment and assured me that I would be on time to apply once the connection was re established.

  So I had 4 days to kill. With no particular hurry I went to the huge view ports allowing a view over the landing field. Six Ultra battle ships were currently serviced by towering robots with dozens of steel tentacle arms. Marines in precise columns marched to board a Marine Drop ship. Another Marine ship landed and at least 200 red skinned Dai Than Pirates wearing steel restraints, guarded by battle robots and more marines were herded into a waiting transport skimmer. I watched for at least two hours before I got tired standing and decided to sit somewhere and have something to eat. I also needed a hotel.

  A fur covered Attikan behind the counter of the Holiday Inn made an apologetic gesture."I am sorry Sir, we are booked solid and I am afraid all space port hotels are. You might find something in town but right now it looks like half the Union is here and you might have to take a Shuttle to Corri-Rock or Corrosion."

  I turned and considered the options, looking for an Info Bot when a tall red haired woman with a dark green velvet dress said to me." Excuse me, Sir, but I too needed a room and I heard you were as unsuccessful as I was. I just found out the Cloud Castle on Corri-Giant has rooms available. I just called an Inter System Cab. You are welcome to share the fare and the cab with me if you like!"

  "Yes that would be great. I don't really want to sleep three nights in the Space Bus lobby."

  "I was afraid I would have to do something similar." She said. I guessed she was between 40 and 90 years old. Her hair was long and curly in a dark coppery shade. Her eyes were as green as her dress and she had a nice feminine curved body under that velvet knee long dress over it a matching dark green coat. She held out her hand." I am Dawn Blythe by the way."

  "Eric Olafson."

  She wore thin leather gloves and a bunch of silvery bracelets tingled as I shook her hand.

  The Inter system Taxi arrived, it was a large D 4 Flyer capable of Intersystem space flight and piloted by a very tall humanoid being.

  Dawn said to him:"Cloud Castle on Corri-Giant pleases."

  The pilot waited till a robot put the ladies luggage in the cargo box and answered." It's my sixth trip today, to the Gas Planet, every room is booked solid. Not just military, there are going to be a lot of people coming to see the executions!" He queued his cab behind a row of other taxis and flyers heading for a force field membrane to get to the outside of the planet's surface. He switched to auto pilot and asked."So you are here for the executions as well?"

  I shook my head." I don't know anything about any executions. I am going to Arsenal but the buses have not resumed flying."

  The woman however said." I am here for the executions, yes."

  I was not really interested but said." Someone famous getting hanged or something?"

  "Seventeen Dai Than Clan chiefs are getting executed. They have been identified as slave traders and responsible for many deadly attacks and raids. Most of the captured Dai are processed and released but these seventeen were identified as especially cruel and selling Union Citizens into slavery."

  The Taxi passed through three energy curtains and we were outside. The pilot pulled the shuttle into a steep climb and accelerated fast. I was distracted for a moment as I saw a Union Battle ship take off not too far from us and the immense ship climbed faster than we did, and a feeling of great pride filled my heart as I saw the Lettering and read the ships name, USS Ragnarsson.

  The Shuttle pilot changed course and kicked in the Isah drive and I could not see the ship anymore. The pilot and the lady were talking and I paid a little more attention. He leaned back. "Andoria my home world is clear on the other side of Union Space and we never had any Dai raids, but my nephew was killed in a Dai Attack and I think we should hang them all, no mercy for pirates!"

  The Woman simply nodded but didn't say anything. I figured she too was here to see those hanged because she might have lost someone. Then she said." Watching a hanging is not something that should be done for entertainment."

  He shrugged." It was a citizen decision to have executions shown to the public. Over 80% voted for it, if I remember correctly. If only one person thinks twice about murder and slavery after seeing an execution then it was worth it. We Andorian have a long history of slavery both as slavers and as slaves and I tell you lady, I am the proudest Union citizen there is because we are doing this no more. Being sold and used against your will is worse than death! I am going to watch it for sure and send my aunt and uncle a recording of it."

  She sighed but said nothing.

  The Cab went superluminal and we reached the huge gas planet after about 20 minutes. He turned to us again." The floating cities on Corri Giant are as pretty as the ones on Saturn I have been told. "

  I suspected the Hotel to be on a moon and said surprised." The hotel is on the Gas giant itself?"

  "Oh yes. There are many gas planets with floating cities. It all started with the Terrans
, who simply settle and occupy everything, building Nuc-Gas refineries on Saturn and Jupiter. Those are gas planets of the Sol system by the way." He made a few control adjustments and continued." You know gas planets are the best source for Nuc Gas, the stuff we use to power Isah Pods. The refineries grew, permanent crews brought their families and they wanted to shop and have schools and before you knew it floating cities came into wide spread use. Corri System is an important Fleet depot and all, so they have Refineries on the Gas planet. The Cities down there float on a thin layer of liquid water vapor actually and below is metallic helium and hydrogen and all the good stuff. No worries the Floating cities are quite safe and nothing ever happened to them. Cloud Castle is a Five Star Hotel!"

  The gas planet was enormous and reminded me of Big Ball the planet I had seen in the sky of Twilight. The Taxi switched on shields and dove into the swirling atmosphere of the giant. Even though the Shuttle was gravi- stabilized it was tossed around by violent winds and some of the motion came through. He laughed," I always love this part. Makes you feel you actually fly.

  Then a city appeared and it looked as if it was sitting on a huge dinner plate, floating on an purple and grayish chasm of fog like nothingness. There were lightning bolts crackling over a sky in every shade of red and blue , the clouds whirled like milk stirred into black coffee and I wondered if someone stared long enough at this swilling madness could turn insane.

  With a last shudder the taxi slipped inside a protective force field and dropped us of before the doors to a big Hotel. Only a mostly invisible force field separated this drop off area from an environment that was absolutely deadly in so many ways, but then I was almost certain I saw life forms outside, looking very similar to Nilfeheim jelly fish but without the filament strings below the body and I saw humans in suits with wings soaring outside the city!