She almost skipped to the others in the camp to help prepare for the breaking of our fast. She was such an efficient woman. I grinned, and the rest of us joined in handing out the bland ration packs. Samantha moved to my side and whispered, “We had not planned on an expedition like this, and it is because of mother's need to always be prepared that we brought this case of rations. If we do not start...”
She paused, her face screwing up in humor as she continued, “...rationing them, and supplementing them with fresh game or local fruits, we will exhaust our supply in three days.”
I nodded, placing a hand on hers where it rested on my arm. “Thank you, Sam.”
She nodded, and it wasn't lost on me the other two Embers nodded with her from where they sat on a fallen tree with their mates. I pointed at the other two, and the three chuckled at my amusement of their synchronicity.
I told her as she went to join her... sisters, “I'll spread the word that this is to be our last full meal. We'll organize hunting parties to bolster our food supply. Make sure the others of the Asgard contingent know not to eat anything without first speaking with an Olympian, there are many poisonous or hallucinogenic plants and fruits out here. The last thing we need is for Intark to try to plant himself, thinking he is a sentient mushroom.”
She burst out into an explosive giggle. The big man had surprisingly good hearing. As he grunted and threw the bio-degradable spoon from his ration pack halfway across camp at me. I caught it inches from my forehead. I shot him a grin that matched the one on his face. Who'd have thought that a Ragnarok could be fun?
My brother ate his ration pack with enthusiasm beside me like it were actually a taurun steak while I ate something called Breakfast Surprise. The only surprising thing about it was that the syrup packet for the hard puck of a muffin in the meal was surprisingly sweet and tasty. I'd have to ask Kate about this maple syrup sometime, maybe the human palate wasn't as indiscriminate as I had believed.
When we were done and packed up the camp back into Pegasus, after she landed without her passenger to collect the gear, I grabbed the wind-spider and activated it when Sam, Intark, and Arina joined me. I absently wondered where Kitty had gotten off to. But Pegasus hadn't said anything and was unconcerned, so I assumed she dropped her off someplace high where she could get a look around. That girl and heights... they are never high enough for her I swear.
I dropped the disk as the little spider-like legs with hover disks, and a control column started to sprout from it. These ingenious technological marvels were an invention of Freya of Folkvanger. It allowed her and her people to traverse great distances quickly through the air. A wearable personal transport system.
I stepped onto the pad with practiced ease and grabbed the control column as I looked at the others. When we were all ready, I told Eros, “Back in a minute, I just want to see the Citadel with my own eyes.”
He saluted.
Well fine, he finger struck in good humor, I responded with the human one-fingered salute, then with an almost silent hum, went darting up into the jungle canopy.
Once we cleared the thick layer of vegetation, we were treated to the spectacular view of a living world grown from the discarded trash of the Frost Giants. The barren rock was now lush with life, the jungle canopy stretching out to the horizon in all directions, and thousands of birds who evolved on their own crowded the skies, along with avian species discarded by the Jotunn.
We watched the cycle of life taking place before our very eyes, even high above the lower jungle, as small colorful birds swooped and took some of the flying insects out of the sky. Larger birds of prey circling it all and watching for unsuspecting ring-necked clicker-tufts to dive down upon to sate their own hunger.
I forgot how glorious our adoptive home was as the rising sun cast a soft orange haze through the gathering rain clouds in the greenish-blue sky. I saw an unusually large tampus root tree dominating our view.
I grinned when I saw a lone figure standing on the huge leaves that form an almost solid surface high above the floor of the jungle. She saw us when I noticed her presence. I could imagine her cocky smile when she simply dove off the crest of the tree. In days long past, that would have had me gasping in a panic, but not anymore.
Kitty threw her arms and legs wide, and photonic webbing bloomed between her arms and legs, forming a wingsuit made of light. Though I noted how much dimmer it was than normal. I saw something similar when that charging dinosaur had impacted Inatra. Her nano-lattice had not flared as brightly as I was used to seeing.
Then my eyes widened as she swooped down toward us. By the bolt of Zeus, I realized they were no longer fed energy from Valhalla. Until they set up the portable magnetic force harvester they brought with them, they were limited to what little magnetic energy their nanites themselves could harvest. Would Inatra be able to face another cybernetic beast like that?
I shook my head as the impulsive Kitty of the Sky swooped up to us and then arrested her swoop by bringing her body upright as she alighted in a high branch just behind me like she had done it a thousand times. Which was quite likely. With a smug look, she said, “Well met, Artemis of the Hunt. Splendid day.”
I inclined my head as Intark chuckled his deep, resonant laugh, telling me I wasn't the only one amused by the young one's antics. “Well met, Kitty.”
I looked at her expectantly, and she said, anticipating my unasked question, “Follow me.” Then she simply fell off the branch she had been standing on. I admit my breath did catch that time until the sleek plast-steel alloy form of Pegasus blurred past, catching the Valklopt and they corkscrewed into the sky, Kitty grasping a handhold at the top of the ship, and riding her in her three-point stance.
I huffed and shook my head at the two. Pegasus was just as bad as Kitty was as the tiny one shouted in exuberant glee, “Yeeeetaaaaahhh!”
Arina was nothing but smiles, seeing Kitty almost as her own child, as she made an ushering motion to me. “After you Artemis.”
I turned, and we darted after the impulsive girl up to that tremendous tree that seemed to stand sentinel above the jungle. As soon as we crested the top of it to join Pegasus and Kitty in a hover, I inhaled sharply as my heart threatened to beat out of my chest.
The young woman pointed. “It doesn't look like much, but Peggy and I are detecting your Olympian cloaking shroud and a ton of covert radio chatter coming from it. Mount Olympus I presume?”
I just nodded, not trusting my voice yet as I laid my eyes on the snow-capped mountain peak thrusting up two thousand feet above the jungle on the horizon. Doesn't look like much? True on this flat landscape, but when we fly our citadel to other planets to nestle it in the mountain peaks there, Olympus commanded all eyes to its majesty.
I – Artemis of Olympus – was home.
My eyes watered but I forced my emotions back under control and nodded. “The Citadel.” I saw lights in Arina's eyes as her nanites fed her a heads up display, probably scanning through the veil that had hidden our race from Jotunn eyes for almost as long as I can remember. The Asgard were a wonder.
I looked around and shared smiles as my cloak fed my own heads up ranging details. Forty-three miles. At the rate we were progressing through the thick jungle, it would still be four days before we reached it. It was just minutes away by wind-spider now. I looked back and down toward the camp I could not see, but my cloak's scanners and processors were providing information about.
I looked at the others. If I and a small contingent went now, this close, we could save days from our trek if we brought back a hover-transport. I felt my need to be home, overpower my desire to not abandon my group if even for a short time. This warred with my new knowledge that the Asgard may not have the power to fight off another attack at their low energy levels, especially if the hybrids came en masse.
Intark saw the indecision in my eyes, and he said in a tone of one who had been there. “The lure of home is a mighty thing.” The man had been the last generation on the s
ole surviving transport to travel to Folkvangr when the Frost Giants laid waste to Ragnarok. After so many generations on the journey, home was just a fairytale. Having the ground under their feet was something the survivors on his vessel had only dreamed of.
Not only had he been the final commander of his generational transport, the Shamir, but he was the commander who delivered his people to the ground of the planet. Then he led them to reclaim their homeworld of Ragnarok when Valhalla transitioned in their cycle between the planets in the ring of the cosmic engine the Jotunn had created at the dawn of time.
He had returned home.
Now I have.
Arina looked at me and prompted with her eyes, her smile telling me all I needed to know. She said, “Intark, Talia, Kitty, and Inatra will keep your brethren safe for the short time it would take to contact your people and bring transportation to shave days off our journey. That alone would be worth the risk.”
I looked from her to the hidden camp below and then whispered, “Your power is a fraction of what it is on the other worlds where you have magnetic force harvesters.”
Ok, the Little One can be funny. I was knocked aside in the air as one of her impenetrable shield bubbles blossomed around her and she just cocked an eyebrow at me in challenge. “You care to test the mettle of the Valkyrie and my silly nephew in law?”
Ok, she had a point. Even at their lower power levels, they were formidable. I knew I wouldn't be able to take Inatra even at this reduced power, and I'd be hard-pressed to take on Intark or Talia. Kitty was always a wildcard. She never sparred with the other Valkyrie or me, instead training on her own. But watching her dive from the sky to take down three charging hybrids with that confounding mag-lance spear of hers would give anyone pause.
My brother, Eros, was no slouch himself, always proving a good rival, but as good as he got even in his prime, I could always best him. And unfortunately, he and the other men had grown soft and slow in their captivity. Still, I would feel safe with him having my back, being the second best archer in Olympus.
I held a hand up in capitulation at the cute smug woman, knowing my brethren would be in good hands. “Fair point.” Then I bit my lower lip, looked toward the Citadel, then nodded once. Moments later we were dropping below the jungle canopy to the group below.
I stepped off the wind-spider and it reformed into a disk which I crouched to pick up as I looked at Eros. My smile must have been contagious as his grew to match as I nodded. Then he looked at an excited looking Arina and rolled his eyes, reading the situation. “I don't suppose...”
I shook my head, I outranked him as I was third, he fourth in order of birth. “I need you to keep our people safe, the Asgard will be with you. I shouldn't be gone more than an hour. I'll bring transport.”
This got him to look around. He had never known this jungle as home, and I could tell he was quite tired of it already, he hadn't been a fan of the jungle on Asphodel either. He said in good humor, “The faster you leave, the faster we can get out of this hellhole, sister.”
Then he added, “And besides, fair Samantha will be here to protect me,” with a wink toward her.
I almost snorted when Brunie slapped the back of his head, hissing gently, “In your dreams, loverboy,” as Essa moved slightly in front of Sam. I had to grin at how protective they were of Sam. Eros keeps trying to charm Samantha and Kitty to no avail. Which I find humorous as he is known as quite the ladies man among my people.
He held both hands over his chest. “Ladies, you cut me to the quick.”
I knew he teased, but still – I mimicked Brunie and slapped the back of his head. “Behave.”
Then we filled the camp in on our plan, and I cocked an eyebrow when I observed Brunie tossing Essa her coms when the girl had her back to her but held her hand back to catch it deftly. And Sam holding a hand up to catch the other tossed to her. I wondered, not for the first time, if their generation of Verr provided them with the three hundred and sixty degree senses that Kate, Kara, and Inatra had developed, or if they shared their senses between the three. If one could see something, did all three?
They were quite reticent to speak of their ties and abilities, and I respected that. It had been on Folkvangr when they joined their power to save Valhalla from annihilation that they revealed they were different than any Asgard who came before them. And with all that power they possessed, they would do no violence.
Arina was giving instructions to her expedition as I did my people. I felt a bit of pride for her and how much she had grown as a leader since I met her, enough so that Odin had entrusted her with forging an alliance between our peoples and setting up a Bifrost terminal so that we could have near real-time transportation between our citadels to share cultures and defenses. Yet she still managed to keep an innocence that would bring legions to her side to protect her.
I reiterated as our group gathered around. “We shouldn't be more than an hour or two.”
Inatra actually growled at my shoulder. I had to grin at her as I rephrased, “We will return within two hours.”
The Ragnarok smiled, and a chuckle went through the crowd as Arina chastised her, “Be nice Ina.”
Arina glanced over to Kitty who was moving toward Pegasus, and she said to the girl, “Stay!”
Kitty looked wounded that we were going out flying without her, but she nodded like a petulant teen. It was so much how I remembered her in our first meeting when she was but a tiny child carrying away my bow and quiver which weighed more than she did, at the gates of Valhalla.
She caught my gaze and must have seen the memory in them as she grinned cutely. I felt an almost maternal instinct toward her and absently wondered if I were allowed to know which of the secondborn were my children if I'd feel about them the same way. I see how the Valkyrie I call my sisters loved their children so fiercely.
Since our race was bred so carefully, and we were basically all related, Zeus and Hera kept secret the family lines as to not cause any animosity or favoritism among our people. We were bred in waves, and when groups of children were born to any of us, they were taken away to the nurseries. Then once they were toddlers, they were basically released into the care of the collective. We all raised the children until they hit maturity and their aging was stopped by a genetic trigger built into us by the Jotunn.
Whenever I interact with a secondborn, I admit that I often find that I try to see something of me in them, or if those from later generations are my descendants.
I took one last look at the group. With the genetic diversity, the other races can introduce into our gene pool, we could stop the selective breeding practices, and perhaps couples could be formed naturally instead of being assigned. And parents could raise their children as the other races do.
Exchanging a look with Arina, she nodded once. We dropped our wind-spiders and watched them unfold. Then without another word, we leaders stepped onto them and went gliding through the trees.
I had to smile at Arina as the trees blurred past. She was having fun, we should have just rose above the canopy and flew straight to the Citadel. I admit it was a rush weaving through the jungle so fast. We broke the cover of the trees as we emerged out over the River Styx. She whooped, and we rocketed skyward and then poured on the speed as she corrected our course to head directly for the false mountain on the horizon.
I pulled beside her and spoke over coms, “Since they have changed our coded stealth whisper frequency in my absence, they may have changed our friend/foe challenge codes. We should take caution approaching the Citadel in case the automated defenses see us as hostile.”
She looked over, her eyes wide. It was how we have survived so long on a planet where everything is hostile. If you were not Olympian, our foot patrols or auto cannons made certain you wouldn't be able to let anyone know of our location. We've made stealth and hiding an art form.
She nodded and slowed slightly to match my velocity. My smile kept growing as Mount Olympus got bigger and bigger as we fle
w toward it. Arina's eyes were narrowing, and she flicked a finger across the readout on her wrist, and an informational overlay bloomed on my heads-up display.
I saw a half a dozen readouts on target locks flying around the area. It was almost frightening to me that though we saw nothing visually, that Asgard tech was tracking our cloaked vessels. Normally, I would have cloaked too, and Arina's regenerative chameleon armor could have followed suit, but the whole point here was for my people to see us so that they could see that Hera's daughter had returned home.
She said as she cocked her head, “Your people are so good with holographic projections. The mountain looks so real, so pretty. If we didn't know exactly what to look for, even our tech would pass over it.”
I took pride in that, but also knew by that statement how lucky we actually were. Because regardless of the compliment, their sensors 'could' see through all of our deceptions, telling me that there was a vulnerability to it which we were just lucky the Frost Giants and Titans haven't stumbled upon it yet. I prayed that it couldn't be duplicated without the Asgard magnetic force systems.
Over the rushing wind, I told her, “We'll need to land a half grid from the citadel to avoid the defense cannons. The foot patrols should be able to meet us.”
She nodded once, and a three-dimensional map overlay appeared in my vision. I smirked and teased, “Ok, now you're just showing off, Little One.”
She bit her tongue, looking amused, and didn't look at me. I shook my head in my own amusement and then saw the break in the jungle at the approach to the mountain. That was why they chose this location, the rocky ground hadn't yet been swallowed by the jungle like the previous location had. This allowed an unobstructed view of the approach the citadel in a three quarter mile radius.
I indicated with my eyes on the map, and a red beacon appeared that I knew Arina was seeing on her own heads-up display. I understood why our men, who had been taken at the dawn of our race, believed the Titan technology to be magic. There were times I believed the Asgard technology to be so as well. But as they say, they are not Gods, just a very inquisitive race with creative technology.
Tales From Olympus: Gods Reunited Page 3
