Alema was good, he wasn't fighting under water for the first time, but I had trained with Gustav Aikson the unrivaled Champion of my world as soon as I could swim. It was no real contest and after burying both heels into his stomach. I saw bubbles rush out of his mouth and the expression of pain on his face.
I suddenly realized I was about to kill him. If he tried to inhale, he would drown! His instinctive impulse would be just that! I rushed after him and pulled him to the surface and had to perform CPR. A gush of water came out of his lungs and he started coughing. I was rushing to the next COM unit to call for help.
Alema coughed and spat water. "Don't call for help. I will be fine!" He coughed once more and took a deep breath and sat up. "Why did you not press your advantage? You clearly had me and your style of fighting shows you do not fight for sport but to kill."
Neo Vikings don't do much for sport, expect perhaps bashing skulls, killing others and drinking. But I am not on Nilfleheim. I could not let you drown, Sir! That be murder."
"I caused you much pain and humiliation in my classes. You could have killed me out of revenge!"
"You did nothing to me that would deserve killing, Sir. I dislike your classes yes because I never get used to the pain that goes along with breaking bones and I do feel you are selecting me more than others but I would not seek revenge for that. I accept this as part of my training and rite of passage."
He pushed himself up and walked to a bench. Seeing him walk like that I couldn't believe he was a man. The black skintight bathing suit clung to a very female body and I became quite jealous.
Sitting on the bench, he held his stomach and coughed again. Then he said: You are honorable. But are you willing to kill?"
"Sir, if I am asked to kill an enemy in the course of battle, during war or conflict. I am prepared to kill. I will resort to lethal force if I have no other option or defending my friends, but I won't kill for sport and most certainly do not derive pleasure from it."
"You killed before!" Alema said this in a matter of fact, not as a question.
"Yes I have. It is against federal law, but such laws mean little on Nilfleheim and we are all raised in a very old fashioned way where honor and defending it means more than a life "
"Why did you leave your world?"
"To join the United Stars Navy and apply at the Academy."
"But you are the first born. Would you not inherit all and become patriarch of your tribe?"
"I would inherit the family's wealth, name and all holdings, yes but the position of chief can be challenged and one has to fight and most likely kill for it."
The man woman looked at me and she said." Tell me the truth! There is another reason, the real reason you had to leave!"
I blushed and looked away. "I can't!"
"This is nothing to be ashamed of.
It won't affect your career.
What you think is your deepest secret is well known to all of us who can access your personal file and was of course detected at your psychological examination on your first day. It is a private affair and because it is not considered harmful or counter affective to your career or duty no one ever mentioned it to you.
I am just curious. I sensed something a little earlier when I was in the water. Something we Saresii are used to because we are, but are very uncommon now among Terrans and Colonial humans these days."
I looked around to make sure we were alone. "I am not sure what is wrong with me, but sometimes I wish I would be a girl. Not a man at all.
"There is nothing really wrong with you. I am simply surprised to see this form of Gender disorder in a human. Nowadays it is as rare as homosexuality. The genetic predisposition has been eliminated in many families and if it does surface is usually adjusted via prenatal DNA surgery long before birth."
I sighed." No genetic manipulation is done on Nilfleheim. There are no pre-conception exams and kids come the natural way, no Arti-Wombs or anything like that."
The Saresii put a hand on my shoulder." Don't think of it as disease or handicap. You see in the old days before Earth became a galactic civilization it was perfectly alright to be that way. It changed in 2200 during the Fist and Iron period, when everything out of the norm was considered weak and undesirable. Then around 3000 Gender change became very popular and there were individuals changing their gender a dozen times. It caused severe psychological problems. In some cases and that practice became regulated but to this day it is nothing unusual."
"I know I researched this myself. I wanted to know what was wrong with me and what my options are."
"What are your options?"
"I heard about Psycho Surgery. They can take the desire out of me for good. They say it is perfectly safe and can be done in a few minutes, but somehow I am afraid of that option."
"Could it be that deep down you think this is not what you want, to get rid of it I mean."
I shrugged." I am not sure about myself when it comes to this. It feels right at one hand and I know it is wrong at the other hand. I am against psycho surgery in general. I don't like to have my very own personality changed to what some Psycho Surgeon thinks I should be."
"So you joined the Navy to proof you are a man?"
"No not at all. I proved that when I killed my first Tyranno. I joined the Navy to get away from my father, the further the better! And I joined because I really want to be a Starship Captain. Of course I know now that my chances are slim at best and that there are decades of service ahead of me, but the chance exist!"
"Neither your career nor your citizenship would be affected if you decide to try to live as a woman."
"It would not?"
"Don't be afraid of being what you want to be, but one day you must make a decision. Otherwise you will never find inner peace."
I sighed." Perhaps I try it after basic training is over."
"If you ever need to talk about this come to me, we Saresii have built a civilization around this subject."
"Thank you. I think I will!"
Chapter 9: R and R
Limbur came into the dorm right after lunch with a big smile on his broad face. We had learned to eat fast and use the remaining time to polish boots, do small repairs on uniforms or equipment or to catch up on some required reading." I have awesome news guys!"
Narth floated above the floor, his legs folded underneath him and his arms tugged into the sleeves of his robe. A book floated before him. Olia as always fussed with her hair (if it wasn't her nails) and used a sickly sweet smelling product she liberally sprayed on her blue dyed hair. Somehow she always managed to get her hands on some kind of hair or nail product, no matter how many Aurelius confiscated. Galmy and Wintsun played chess and Owar slept as usual. I had my boots on the table and tried to mend a tear with Stick-n-Bond. A razor branch sliced the tough material almost to my toes yesterday during an orientation exercise in the jungle. I wished for real All Terrain boots with those you could walk over a field of razor branches. Everyone, except Owar turned their attention to Limbur and Wintsun said:" They serving pizza and you managed to score extra pies from the KayPee?"
"Not that this would be a bad thing, but I got bigger news!"
Galmy rolled her huge and quite beautiful eyes to the ceiling:" Maybe it would be best you simply tell us the news. Otherwise we all keep guessing through the entire menu!"
Limbur seemed a bit annoyed:" It has nothing to do with food. Rumor has it we get the weekend off! They are going to fly us to Perryton for some R and R!"
Wintsun made a skeptical face:" Why would you know about such a rumor and no one else?"
"Because I happen to be friends with the Supply Sergeant and he told me there are no food services scheduled for Friday till Tuesday and he said that means we get a weekend off and Friday is tomorrow!"
Owar who still appeared to be in deep sleep said." Or it means they send us deep in the Jungle and we have to find our own food!"
Limbur frowned at Owar and said:" You going to owe me a drink an
d a Pizza when we're on Perryton for doubting my sources!"
"And you owe me your RICE bar when we stumble around in the swamps and can't find anything to eat."
"Deal!"
Narth waved his hand over the book and closed it." Eric has always found plenty of nourishment and items that could be consumed."
"Yes but do we have to remind you of the times we were send solo?" Limbur grunted
"No you do not."
"Besides to gnaw on something unidentifiable Eric killed and burnt over a smoking fire isn't exactly what I call nourishment!" Olia sneered.
This time Galmy rolled her big eyes to look at Olia from the side." If you ask me I was glad it was burned and unidentifiable last time. I don't want to know what he found to eat in that swamp!"
I spread my arms." Hey it wasn't all that easy to catch those slick things and I was glad I was able to start a fire in that perpetual damp swamp."
Wintsun agreed."Yes I tried five hours on my own the other day and couldn't one going and I had a lighter with me. If I ever need to survive out in the wild, I rather have Eric along than any of you and you know how much I wish Olia would finally see what a handsome man I become."
Galmy blinked at me and said." I'd have Eric along just about anywhere." The way she said it made me blush for some reason and Narth made the situation worse as he in his innocent direct art said." Was this a conversation with an innuendo and a hidden sexual signal?"
The rest of us said almost simultaneously." Yes Narth."
"One is pleased to begin to understand the finer nuances of interspecies verbal communication."
It turned out Limbur was right. Because just then the PA system came on and Commander Letsgo's holo bust established itself over the table and announced:" Listen up everyone. This is the last day of your seventh month and your basic training is officially over in four more weeks from now and all of the remaining Cadets have met the study and test requirements for this period. To show you that performance and diligence brings rewards, all of you will be flown to the neighbor system tonight and get some R and R at Planet Perryton until Sunday night."
We could hear the joyous cheers of the other cadets and Limbur smiled triumphantly at each of us." Told you so!"
I put the boot down and wondered what Perryton would be like. Narth heard my thoughts and answered. I had gotten so used to him knowing my thoughts that I actually expected him to say something and he sure did. Narth not only could read minds he seemed to have memorized the entire Encyclopedia Galactica.
"Perryton is a garden world colonized over 700 years ago, famous for its moderate climate and extensive sugar beet and potato export. Perryton is also located near eight major Navy bases and installations and the planet makes most of its income by providing recreation facilities to off duty navy personnel." Narth turned his head to me and added:" I have not memorized the entire Encyclopedia Galactica yet, that be quite impossible but I am making progress. Since that information data base is constantly growing and updated it is impossible to completely absorb all information until all possible information is contained, it does not contain all information."
Now it was my turn to roll my eyes and I muttered:" I had to ask!"
Interlude: Herald
Technically she was called Coach Operator and so it was noted on her Pay slip from Red Triangle Lines Corporation, and the ship she flew was only a D 180 Long Range Shuttle, but she called it ship and despite the fact that she was the entire crew of the ship, she considered herself a Starship Captain. Out here in the Fornax Satellite it was not necessary to operate full size Leyland or MB Space Buses. She never had more than ten passengers and her shuttle had room for 180 individuals. Today she had not a single passenger as she approached Annapurna. Well that was not entirely true; she had four cages of chicks and a transport crate with two goats. The Union Traffic Connection Act of 3200 said that every planet of the Union had the right to be connected to the rest of the Union via GalNet, Mail and Space Bus and so there was bus service to even the most remote planet. Annapurna most certainly counted as remote. Not that she minded she loved her job; she routinely flew to sixteen of the sixty five colonies here in the Fornax Four Cluster. After Annapurna she would head on to Five Hundred Lakes and from there to Greenandblue. There she would take on twelve passengers, heading back to Fornax Hub Station.
The D 180 dropped out of Quasi Space and Terri pulled the Communications Sensor head from the ceiling, then she straightened out in her seat and established Contact with Annapurna Port." This is Captain Terri "The Redhead" Finley calling Lazy Al of Annapurna Port. I am coming in with mail, 2000 chicken chicks and two special passengers for Carl. Got anything or anyone going out?"
Lazy Al was usually right away to respond as she knew the man had a crush on her and she loved to tease him about it, this time it took a few moments and Al responded without activating visuals." You are permitted to land. You are to unload your freight and everything is perfectly in order here!"
Terri's neck hair stood up straight, something was not right here. "Why don't you come on visual? I am wearing the Uniform blouse that is a little too tight, the one you like."
"Yes there is delight in myself to see you in a garment that does not fit. The visual sensor is damaged. I will have to order new equipment."
"Now she was certain there was something fishy going on. Did he smoke to much of the herbs Carl collected and maybe something else more potent?
"Hey Al, what is Gloria thinking about the fact you are flirting with me all the time?"
There was a pause and then the response came." Gloria does concern herself with matters of pre mating rituals I am engaging in."
"I believe that!" Gloria was on the old advertisement poster for Dunmark Nuc Gas, that hung on the wall behind Al. Gloria was a cartoonish space ship! "Whoever talked to her it wasn't Al."
She changed channels and called the Ranger station on Fornax Hub and told them that there was something strange going on and she forwarded them the recorded transmission and her explanations. Then she opened the channel to whoever it was and said." I know you are not Al, and I have alerted the Rangers. Whoever you are you are in trouble Mister."
"How unfortunate for you then, I must kill you then before your message reaches whoever you called."
Whoever it was did not know about the Instant communication and therefore was not Union. So there was alien unknown sentient life out here after all. It did not sound very friendly but the Rangers would know how to deal with that. If not there was a Destroyer stationed at Fornax Hub. Thinking about that she called Fornax again and told them about the latest development and maybe it was better to send the Destroyer and the Navy right away.
A small ship appeared coming up from the planet. It was nothing her Computronic could identify. It was however armed, the purpose of the four barrel like extensions on the potato shaped craft were clearly weapons. She reversed course and shifted her engine past Red Line in the hope to reach Quasi Space and Tran slight speeds before the Alien could make true on his threat. Her shuttle was not armed and had only standard civilian shields, good enough to deflect micro meteoroids and atmosphere but not to deflect weapon energies
***
Jones Port on Perryton was a big city with over 6,000,000 inhabitants. The town was picturesque located at the bottom of a massive mountain range and the buildings and constructs hugged the C shaped bay of a turquoise ocean. The dominant architecture style was Retro Fundamentalism with buildings made of most likely local materials, stone facades of reddish granite and old fashioned square windows. Retro fundamentalism was void of frills, statues or integrated art. The buildings had straight lines and angles. The tallest building was only about 20 stories tall. No slide way bridges cluttered the skyline like they did in many other cities. A few buildings where clearly not of human design, like the spherical pinkish gleaming Saresii Meditation Temple or the lemon shaped Wurgus Tech Center.
The streets between the buildings had tree lined slid
e ways with various speed lanes.
The planets star port was located on the other side of the mountains and connected via tunnels and not visible from the town.
Before we left Commander Letsgo had ordered us to stay together in small groups and not to get in fights with Marines or United Stars Army personnel. The Quarter master transferred our first pay since we joined. Narth was pleasantly surprised to see $12000 credits on his newly issued Credit strip. I knew a cadet was making 1500 a month. This was quite some money. To me thousand Credits was still a lot of money, the amount of credits on my credit strip was actually beyond my comprehension.
Narth held up his Credit strip and glanced at the number." I have monetary means!"
"You never had any money before?"
He shook his head."No Narth had ever any monetary units. Our society does not trade and had prior to me virtually no contact with other Union members. The Narth representative on Pluribus does not earn any money with his posting. So yes I am the richest Narth there is."
"Narth I have more money than I understand and it is all yours if you need it. I have very little needs for it."
"I observed that humans and also many non humanoids value the amassing of wealth a great deal and they pursue much way to gain more. Why is it you do not?"
"I got food, clothing, friends and it looks like I do have a career in the Navy so what do I really need more? The one thing I want I can't buy with money."
"Seeing the amount of Credits available to you, I think you could purchase a private space ship."
I simply looked at him. "That would not be the same."
Olia was quite displeased and complained that this was barely enough for a few decent shoes and a new outfit and she wanted to go to a bank terminal to get more money.
We all wore our Dress uniforms. Navy black with large green bands on the sleeves, indicating to everyone we were just green first year cadets and not real officers. Except Narth who was exempt from regular Navy Dress code. He wore a black robe with a green stripe on his long sleeves. I knew him well enough now to notice even he was in better mood than usual despite the mask.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 266