"No worries. It sure helped me to recognize you."
He pointed at a pair of Ride-bots. "Hop on Sir. This is the fastest and best way through this mad house! It's Monday after Union week and literally millions of workers return from vacation. These Space ports are always busy but nothing like now."
He wasn't kidding. The entire space port concourse was filled shoulder to shoulder with pushing and walking beings and swarms of messenger bots and small cargo drones filled the air above their heads.
The ride bot was basically an S-10 Robot with a seat bolted on its back, with leg rests where the bots hips were. The bots knelt down and I climbed on mine, while the Master Chief mounted his. The bots rose and extended rotating yellow lights from their chests and stalked into the pushing and shoving masses.
A man in a business suit waved his Credstick at me." 1000 Creds if you let me use your bot!"
Before I could even say something my bot found an open path and rushed forward. It was a mad ride, and I had to hold tight to the handles as the bot changed directions almost every second, and without running into anyone we made it through the concourse onto a six lane slide way . The master chief guided his bot next to mine." I was picked clean three times before I got smart and got me ride bots. There are gangs of pick pockets; they rob you blind before you even know it."
"I have never seen so many people in one spot! I bet there are more people in that lobby than there are on Nilfeheim."
"I was born here, but I think it gets busier every year." He pointed down the Slide Belt tunnel we were passing through." Four more kilometers and then we are at Gortha HQ. Traffic will thin out."
"Seeing all this, I am glad it will!"
"At least you leave. I have to get back in three hours and pick up another Officer."
"Does this happen a lot?"
"Three four times a day Sir, Gortha Docks got an Order for 25,000 Sturgeons and only half are picked up by freighter. The rest is transferred by pilots like you. They delivered 8,003 so far and I am with the Fleet Liaison Office so it's me who picks you pilots from the port."
"I guess you could ask for a transfer."
"Naa I love my job. I just like to complain once in a while. I can be home every evening with my family, as I said I was born here and I am used to it."
Gortha HQ was a Glass and Metal façade and a bright red Project-a-sign. The Master chief wished me a good trip, collected his robot and went back on the Slide belt going the other direction. I never even had time to ask his name.
A Garbini stood behind the reception desk wearing a dark red uniform and the word Gortha on his chest. He checked my order chip and waved his tentacles. I knew he was a he because of his fur color." Your ship is ready on Dock bay eight. There are complimentary accommodations in the Red Ross Hotel across the Slide tunnel if you want to rest before you take off and there is lunch for all Fleet Personnel and if you like you can watch the Gortha Dock Experience in our Corporate Virtu theatre."
"No Sir, I would rather get started, if that is okay."
"Of course, Sir."
He paged someone and moments later a dark gray skinned being appeared, and I recognized it as a Leedei. It was only the second time I came in contact with a being of that species. The first time when I was interviewed by the screening specialist on Arsenal Gate, this Leedei bowed slightly and just like the one at Arsenal Gate had its spidery fingers folded in a very complicated looking way. I said." Did your Sip Sap ever help you get your hands untangled?"
The dark shadowed area that appeared to be the mouth of the being did not move, but it made the same humming sound." It appears you are very familiar with Leedei, which is a pleasant surprise. Very few Non Leedei know about us."
I smiled." To say I am familiar would be stretching it, Sir. I met another Leedei only once."
"I am pleased never the less. Please be so kind and follow me. Your Sturgeon is ready and I am sure Traffic control will be able to give you a lift off window soon."
I followed the being into a People mover cabin and after a short ride exited onto a large Duro-Crete field with at least twelve brand new space ships. The being explained:" We are a contract outfitter for SII Small Craft Division, finishing the standard base Sturgeon Class Courier to Union Fleet specifications. There are eighteen different versions and all are named after types of Acipenser Fish. That is a Terran fish type also known as Sturgeon."
"I think Terrans like to name things after animals form their planet, without knowing that no one else ever seen one."
He hummed again which was the way his species laughed." Indeed I often think so too. In any case you will take out a Type Nine or so called Atlantic Sturgeon. It has the longest range of any Sturgeon Type ship and is well armed for a small ship. Type Nines are outfitted for Border patrol duties."
I thanked him for his little lecture and could barley confine my excitement. All sturgeons lined up colored the standard Union Off white. They were about 60 meters long had two decks and I had to admit with a little phantasy they did look a little like a fast fish, almost shaped like a Rock shark, Without the fins and tail of course. This one had two stubby wings attached to the dual aft ISAH pods. The Leedei pointed at the stubby wings and said." I see you noticed the wings. They have been added to the design as Sturgeons often operate inside planet atmospheres and they do add tremendous flight stability to the ship in atmospheric environments and on the Type nine they are thicker and reinforced to act as weapon hard points. Your ship carries two A20 Havoc Ship to ship torpedoes on each side at the moment."
"No Loki torpedoes?"
"While the Loki's are famous, they are made by Enroe and this is a SII product and the HAVOC's are the SII answer to the Loki program. The fleet is currently testing them and this Sturgeon is part of that test program. In any case you won't need them, but they are part of the equipment package."
He pulled a PDD." So what will her name be?"
"Her name?"
"She isn't going to be part of a larger ships auxiliary fleet and since it is only a Sturgeon, Fleet lets the pilots picking them up, name them."
"Elena, I like her to be called Elena if that is okay."
He worked on his PDD and said." Yes USS Elena is registered and added to the Transponder code."
A towering Octo-Bot rolled up and one if its metal tentacles emitted a greenish glowing beam and he wrote USS Elena next to the Union Flag symbol on the side of the Hull.
The gray skinned Alien held his PDD under my nose and said."If you would like to sign here that you received the ship in good condition from Gortha Docks Inc. Then all formalities are done and you can take her out."
"Should you not want to come aboard with me and we run a preflight test first?"
"Sorry I am not allowed aboard anymore. The ship is sealed and for Union Fleet personnel only. It carries Military grade weaponry and Fleet Computronics." The being pointed at a bulbous extension underneath the nose cone." That is the main reason and Fleet is very nervous and very picky who is allowed around one of those."
"It has a Translocator cannon?"
"Dual Mini Load TL"
I signed the form with my thumb and the Gotha Employee said." She is all yours. If you find anything wrong with her during pre-flight you must first report it to your Command and they decide what is to be done. She is all yours, have a safe flight!"
The air lock opened and the boarding ramp lowered before me and as I stepped aboard the lights came on. "Welcome aboard SII Sturgeon – Version 9-Atlantic. USS Elena. Please complete Identification Process."
I transmitted the authorization codes that were part of my Order chip and the ship's AI responded." Authorization verified and accepted. Olafson, Eric. Command Authority verified. All Systems unlocked."
I dropped my Gear bag; jacket and axe right here in the little Air lock room and made my way to the Mini Bridge of the ship. It was barley bigger than a cockpit of a D12 Shuttle but since it had four duty stations and a real Command Chair it was tech
nically a bridge.
I might have been born a Neo Viking and I sometimes I was confused about my own Gender identity, but at that moment when I sat down in that Command chair, I felt as right as rain and I had neither doubts nor the slightest confusion. It was Courier ship, had no crew but it was a real space ship, with shields, weapons, long range engines, sensors."
I ran a detailed pre-flight check and carefully diagnosed all systems; part of my order chip was a long check list and instructions what to look for.
It took over two hours and included a walk through the ship. It did have a small galley, Crew room with 4 bunks, a tiny Command Officer cabin with fold out desk and bed. Small Galley and a cargo hold that had room for 60 tons or 3 standard containers.
Then it was all done. The ship checked all systems on stand by and all boards green and when I hailed traffic Control, I was connected to an automated system that assigned me Launch Cone and lift off Time."
I had done this many time before in the simulator and with the training D Twenties we had at Basic Training, but this was my first solo un supervised lift off and it was terribly unspectacular as Control required Computronic assist lift off, due to the heavy traffic.
Only after I was over 6 light minutes away from the planet, Control released the ship to me.
I let the ship drift and opened the sealed course and destination instructions of my orders. I was to take the ship to Pauli Station almost 2500 Light years in the Upward Sector and would then receive final destination instructions. The Ship's Trans light speed was 32474 times light speed and I would make the trip in nine days, in other words at least nine days of the most perfect vacation I could imagine. Pauli Station was only 45 light years from Narth Prime and I promised myself to call Narth and see if he was able to talk or use GalNet by now.
Thinking about my friend I could almost feel his presence and I knew he was alright, and would soon be able to return to the Academy for his second year.
Interlude: Not Dead, after all
The remembered the last moments of his life quite vividly. They had led him up to the scaffold, after they had removed all his rank insignia. Commander Stone before him actually collapsed and the marines had to drag him to his spot on the scaffold. It took all his will power not to do the same and set one foot before the other. The solemn beat of the drums stopped and the Executioner asked him if he had any last words. He had none, the night before he had written a letter to his son Swybin and urged him to forget his father and to undergo psycho adjustment treatment so he could try to apply again. Seven generations of Swybar had served the Union Fleet with distinction.
He had stayed awake the last two nights thinking about his life. It was too late to change things now of course. He shame he brought onto his family was more painful to him than thinking about the execution. Had he been able too, he would have saved the Executioner the work and committed suicide. He should have paid more attention to his son's development instead of being blind to his faults. He had pressed his son to become an Officer without ever asking if he wanted to, or if he was indeed fit to be an officer. Wilson helped him to bend a few rules to get his son past the evaluation procedures. Just to find out he was caught by the Worm. Wilson revealed that he was working for the Worm and in return needed a few favors. It was a slippery road and he was sliding a little bit faster every day and it had led him right under the memory metal noose of the gallows.
They pulled a hood over his face, it was completely dark, he felt his own hot breath reflected by the fabric and only now he began to think about the afterlife. He had never believed in anything like that and believed that dying was the end and that there was nothing after it.
As they placed the noose tightly around his neck he started to panic. There had to be something he could do to postpone the looming end. He heard the voice of the Executioner whisper in his ear. "It will hurt a little, because it has to look real."
Then the he heard the sharp hiss of the Hydraulics yanking the cross bar into the air and him off his feet. There was stinging sensation and that was the last thing he remembered.
He suddenly realized he was remembering things in the past! He had been hanged and he was remembering things. Now he felt that he was lying on his back in a constricting box and that he was breathing! He could feel his body; hear his heart beat and terrible dryness in his mouth. He was alive and he was in a coffin! Had they failed to kill him and now he was doomed to suffocate?
What did they do with the body of the executed anyway?
Something was over his mouth and nose and he could breathe easily. A line of light penetrated the perfect darkness and then the lid was removed and he had to close his eyes with blinding pain. A voice said." To the world you are dead, but nevertheless welcome to the world of the living."
As his eyes got used to the light, he noticed three dark robed men standing around the Coffin. All three appeared human, the middle one was taller and he was bald and had large purple eyes, slightly pointed ears and had a strange male face with distinctive female features. "I am Theobar the First Son of Darkness, Supreme High priest of the Church of Darkness. I can see you try to place my origin. I am Saresii and as you can see I am the only one embracing my true gender."
Swybar coughed and sat up, a breathing mask was strapped on his face and he removed it, noticing that he was no longer shackled. He took off the respirator and touched his neck." Where am I?"
"That is not important right now."
One of the other men offered him a cup with water and it tasted like pure bliss. The male Saresii said." It took much effort and much money to get you, but getting an Admiral with all the knowledge was an opportunity my associates did not want wasted."
"The Worm?"
"The Worm has rescued you, yes, but we paid them to get you. Don't worry we will take good care of you and you will find the rewards of your new career quite satisfactory, all we want is pretty much everything you know. Access codes, Fleet and Union Secrets, that sort of thing. You are not even a traitor, to them you are dead!"
Swybar got up. "I don't care who or what I have to betray or to do. I owe you my life and I give you whatever you want. I have only one goal left in life."
"Oh do tell me what sort of goal does a man have rising from the grave?"
"I am going to kill Eric Olafson! Without him I wouldn't be in this situation!"
"Splendid coincidences then, we have similar goals!"
***
The thrill of piloting my own ship was still there but not as intense anymore. There was really nothing to do. The course was across Union Space and the only contacts that occasionally appeared on the long range scanners were Civilian ships. I listened to GalCom chatter on both the civilian and fleet channels, but there was nothing else but some chatter between freighter pilots, space bus operators and the like. The biggest thing discussed was some event with aliens that looked like Y'All in a far distant Satellite Cluster.
After the third day I actually left the bridge and slept in the small Command officer cabin. I had a long chat with Elena, called Limbur and Wintsun and left a message for Olia and Galmy.
I learned that Limbur and Wintsun were already back on Arsenal II and I was technically late. Olia was on her way to the Brownstone Branch of the Academy in the Belarom System. She decided to specialize in Communications and on Brownstone was the Communication school of the Fleet. Limbur knew that Galmy was going to specialize as a Ship Computronic Specialist and went to the appropriate specialty school.
Wintsun surprised me with his choice of becoming a Logistics officer. While it was perhaps the most important part of fleet operations, I still wondered why Wintsun has chosen this path, but then maybe he had a talent for it and they suggested it.
After I had talked to Limbur for a while I called Narth Prime, as I had no specific GalNet Code for Narth. I was surprised to get a Human Communications Officer instead of a Narth, and he identified himself as a Simulation." Thank you for calling Narth Prime, currently ther
e are no civilian GalNet Terminals on Narth prime. If you are interested in Narth and the recent development please follow the links displayed below. If you have questions or suggestions or direct communication requests, please record your message at any time and it will be forwarded. Please note that Narth is still in a phase of adjustment and a response might not be imminent. "
I transmitted my ID Code and said."I am Midshipman Eric Olafson; I have a personal friend on Narth Prime. Please relay this message that am thinking of him and hope he is alright."
The Screen changed and Narth appeared." It is the one that shared the Hughavh with Narth! Narth is sorry for not providing you with a direct call code. I am Narth Supreme, Eric and your friend is almost complete now. He will return to the Academy to complete his second year at the PSI Academy and hopes he will be able to rejoin you in the third year."
I automatically bowed before the transmission and said." It is a great honor to meet and talk to you, Sir."
The hooded being had an amused tone in his voice." You have a long way to go Eric, but you are Narth and wherever your path will lead you, you can end it here whenever you want. The one Narth that is your friend has received his new corporal body and his Hughavh is currently bonding with it, Narth has shared a new emotion with all Narth. He is missing your companionship and through him we all know what this means now. For showing Narth true treasures we have long lost or never known you have our gratitude."
"Can you tell him miss him too?"
"Don't you know that he is missing you? Can you not feel it? Narth your friend knows all you feel and think. Perhaps you need more time to develop your Hughavh but all you do is to consciously think and Narth will know whatever you want him to know."
"I will try."
"Then farewell Eric who is Narth. We will need to meet and I need to explain you many things, but the time is not now."
"I look forward meeting you, Sir."
Interlude: Not dead after all
Swybar was led into a darkened room. A single spotlight shone on a raised seat and a single white skinned being was sitting on that raised chair. It had a black thing attached to his chin, was bald and had snow white skin, a Kermac! He believed to know now who was behind the Worm and the Church of Darkness and now he know just how deep his betrayal would go. He would not only betray the Fleet but the Union and even his home world, but then he was dead to them. They killed him without mercy so he would have none.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 289