He whispered to nobody, “Our scanners didn't even register this vessel.”
I placed a hand on his shoulder and motioned my hand up. “Father, this is my good friend, Pegasus, of the Sky race of sentient ships of Asgard. Pegasus, this is Zeus and Hera.”
Pegasus transmitted a message to our heads up displays, even to the Olympians from the citadel. “It honor for Sky to meet man with black lightning and pretty lady. We fly sometime. Have fun.”
To his credit, father got his wits about him, and half asked half said, “Umm... yes. I would like that, umm... Pegasus?”
Then to me, he asked, “It's really alive?” While Hera slowly slid her rifle into its sheath on her back, her eyes on the wind rider.
I gave father the glare I had learned from mother so very long ago, “She, not it. Don't be rude father, she's right there.”
He did look slightly amused at the look I shot him, but then he looked up at Pegasus and inclined his head in apology. Then blinked when Kitty landed on top of her and they both faded from view as their chameleon cloaks engaged.
We loaded the transports, mother stopped the process when she apologetically took a bow from Eros. “Some of these men are armed. What were you thinking, daughter?”
I chuckled as I took the bow Eros had crafted back in Valhalla from her and handed it back to him. “They are immune to the effects of the Titan's charms now, mother.”
Introductions were quickly made all around as we took off before Inatra and Eros gave their reports. Hera nodded through their debriefing then offered, “You are all lucky the screechers didn't find you earlier, being out in the open for days like this. They must have traveled far upstream to find a shallow crossing of the River Styx to get to you. The screechers are geared toward targeting Titan and humanoid pheromone signatures.”
Zeus nodded. “Though it is easy to see why the Frost Giants abandoned the research and discarded them on Olympus. Like the Bolt, they are only good for one attack. Once it was determined how they hunted, it was an easy matter to cloak our own pheromones and devise a way to mute their paralyzing sound waves. They breed like wilder-foxes and travel in packs.”
Then he looked over the Asgard Expedition almost accusingly, “Though you weren't afforded this information until now. How is it they were ineffective against you?”
Arina shrugged and said as she kept fussing over Inatra, wiping the blood from her skin, “We are Valkyrie.” Inatra was being so patient, letting the Little One dote over her.
I closed my eyes and shook my head. “Stop fishing father. Once our people are reunited, Arina will likely discuss all with you once we come to an accord with Valhalla.”
The Three Embers all cocked their heads, looking at the Olympians who came with us to extract our party. They exchanged a look, and I almost chuckled at them before blurting out, “What? You're obviously nervous about something.”
Both Essa and Brunie nudged Sam with their shoulders, and the shy one said, “These four are infected with the Titan nano-phage.”
Zeus sat straighter in his seat, asking almost accusingly, “What?”
Essa supplied when Sam shrank back, “All Olympians who were present when Rhea first visited you, are. Most of your people here likely are. As was Artemis.” The three cocked their heads the other way, and she added, “Though you...” she indicated my parents, “Are immune to the effects.” Then she swung her finger between the pilot and Caeneus, “These two are not.”
I nodded, looking at the thirdborn at the controls whom I didn't know, so that means he was born recently. The phage was passed on to our progeny. But Caeneus was a surprise, as Caenis had been immune.
Then the three shrugged as one and Essa said as she looked at Caeneus, “Especially this one. He seems to have a pure Olympian male genetic structure with no impurities.”
I blinked and wondered, was it because of her... his genetic manipulation?
Caeneus looked about to protest when Brunie chuckled out to the others, “Yeah, he'd be Rhea's little bitch.” I had to cover my mouth to stop a snort as Caeneus' mouth worked like a fish out of water, not knowing how to respond to what they were saying. Brunie was the gentlest Ragnarok or half Ragnarok I knew, but sometimes her heritage peeked through at the most opportune times like this.
Hera insisted, “We are not infected with the witchery of Rhea, we...”
I stopped her. “Mother, what they say is true. All Olympians are carriers now, but most are immune to the effects except the men. We pass it on to our children. If the Titans ever found us again, I fear most of our men would fall sway to their charms without any additional exposure. It is not witchery, it is a biological nano-phage engineered by the Titans to enslave.”
Arina chirped out in earnest to Hera, “We have the antigen with us, we can make all of Olympus immune to the effects.” Then she glanced at the unarmed pilot as she added to mother, “Your men can again be trusted.”
How insightful was she? I hadn't shared that our men, except the Twelve Olympians, weren't allowed weapons. It struck me that they hadn't taken into account that by altering Caenis' physiology to male, that he would lose the immunity he had as female. He should not have been armed.
But that didn't matter anymore, once the cure was distributed, then our men could once again join us in our fight against the Jotunn.
Zeus, his eyes narrowed, asked in a tone carrying suspicion, “And what, pray tell, will this antigen cost us?”
Arina couldn't have looked more confused if she tried. Then she came to the wrong conclusion since the Asgard neither wanted nor expected anything in return for liberating our people from the influence of the Titans. She said in err as she nodded, “Ah, something for something. You have the tradition too? Then I ask in return that you keep an open mind while we talk of a peace and mutual defense accord between Olympus and the allied races of Valhalla.”
He shook his head almost in disgust. “And if we don't, then you withhold the...”
I cut him off sharply. “Zeus, hold...”
His eyes snapped to mine, and I stopped any rebuke he had for me by quickly saying, “Arina misunderstands your question. She believes you expect some sort of trade. Regardless of the outcome of the talks, the Asgard offer the cure in friendship, no strings attached. Because that is who they are, not because they want something. It is simply the right thing to do. There is a custom in Valhalla, something for something, that is what she believed you were inferring.”
I looked at the two and Arina screwed up her face, looking at my waist, then poked me in the belly with a finger. I held my hands up in surrender and chuckled, “Sorry, Little One, I did not mean to speak for you.”
Arina gave me her winning smile.
She inclined her head to my parents and said, “My apologies, Artemis rarely spoke of your culture and customs. What she says is true. The Asgard expect nothing in return. The antigen is a gift from us to you. It is not meant to sway our talks. As soon as we land in your Citadel, we will hand the antigen over to your healers for dissemination to your people.”
Then she smirked at father wryly and said, “That way it cannot be held as a bargaining chip.”
Hera chuckled and said to me, “I think I like this one, Artemis, you chose your allies well.”
I nodded and looked at the Valkyriefrior, and informed her, “She is also my sister, mother. There is much to discuss. So much has happened in my absence.”
Chapter 6
Discussions
I believe the Woman at Arms almost had a conniption fit when Pegasus de-cloaked on the landing pad beside our transport when we landed. I didn't want to ask how my Sky friend had translated through the coherent photon shield without the access codes.
While not as impenetrable as the dome shields the Asgard protected their cities with, it was still a formidable physical barrier. We were not fooled enough to believe it could ever stand up to Titan weaponry and relied on its ability to mask our energy signatures instead.
I
t struck me how we were more akin to the Vanger from Folkvangr than the Asgard. Where Valhalla and Saellifor have always shown themselves in the open, Heildfine had relied upon trickery and misdirection, as they remained concealed by vetricite deposits and a holographic photon projection like ours.
Freya herself had developed the chameleon shrouds the Valkfela relied so heavily upon to stay hidden as they fought a guerrilla war against their enemies to keep the people of Folkvangr free until Valhalla once again transitioned to their world.
The only similarities we had to Asgard, was that the women are their protectors as well. But with the antigen to the nano-phage, our world is about to change in that respect.
People were already gathering, the word must have already spread once the transports had been sent out. And cheers went up when the men of Olympus were reunited with their kin.
The women of Citadel Guard, who were surrounding Pegasus with weapons drawn, were startled when Kitty's chameleon cloak dissolved, her standing next to the Asgard detachment as they exited our transport. Why did I find their surprise humorous? Had I been with the Asgard so long that it no longer surprises me? I could track all the Valkyrie, Valkfela, and Valklopt using the data fed to my systems by Valhalla or by my sister Valkyrie.
I smiled at the elation of our people as I discreetly held mother back from stepping out to join them. Father cocked an eyebrow when he saw my hand on her arm as he exited the craft, telling those of our party, “Please, follow me so we can get some privacy.”
As much as I was loathe to say it, it had to be said as I whispered, “Some men decided it would be too painful to return home. But some... some still pledge their allegiance to their 'goddess' Rhea even now after the nano-phage was purged from their system. It was all they have ever known, and they believe their captors had been love incarnate.”
I could see her processing what I said as first the sadness that some of our men felt they could not return home for the shame of it that should not be their burden, as they were not in control of themselves, then the realization of what I was saying about the others.
She exhaled, her eyes closed as she nodded in reluctant understanding. “Those returned to us will be watched carefully for the next few years before they are fully trusted to defend the Citadel.”
I saw the emotion in her eyes when she looked over at Eros, as our healers were leading him and all the other liberated men to quarantine. She needn't worry, my brother was no longer being held sway by Rhea, he could not hide it from me if it were otherwise. It was the thirdborns I worried more about as they would be more likely to resist giving up their allegiance to the Titan witch as they had not known true freedom for long before they were enslaved. It was the only life they had known.
On Earth, the humans called it Stockholm Syndrome, where captives started to have empathy and sometimes love for their captors. Just because some were vocal about it in Valhalla, doesn't mean that all the sympathizers were identified. I hated myself for even thinking of the possibility, but we haven't remained hidden and safe from the Jotunn by being stupid and letting our guard down. I could see the same thoughts were playing in Hera's eyes, making me wonder just how alike the two of us really were, even though both of us deny it.
Then she surprised me and pulled me into a tight hug, now that we were alone.
“Welcome home daughter. My heart has ached since the day we assumed you dead. I know I don't say it enough, as a mother should hold no child over another, but you are my favored daughter.”
Then she was gone, heading out to follow Zeus as he led the Asgard toward the intake building.
Hera rarely ever admitted she had favorites, and I never felt good enough for her and father as I came behind Eros and my brothers Apollo and Aries, until my two siblings tried to stage a rebellion. They believed we should not be hiding that we should take our fate into our own hands and face the Jotunn. They were no match for father. Apollo had lost his favor with our parents, making Leto first and me second in rank below our parents. Aries was left under Hep's supervision at the forge.
I had agreed with my brothers on principle, but it had not been time for Olympus to show ourselves in the light of day. But now that the other races have risen up to stand united, I believed that now it was time. And I hoped that we could come to an accord with the Asgard, as they were the voice of the united races.
After the misguided rebellion was quashed, I felt I rose in favor, being second only to Eros. Though Hep curried much of mother's favor, but there wasn't much not to like about the huge smartass.
I looked at the utilitarian intake building, then the small city beyond. Again I felt it was time for us to actually live instead of hide as I looked at all the other buildings which were just as utilitarian. No beautiful spires nor greenery like the cities of all the other races, including the cities being rebuilt on the Ragnarok homeworld after their culling.
We merely existed. Not building structures of beauty, just ones of utility with the only decoration being the gaudy fluted columns that mother preferred for some reason. The entire Citadel rested on the base of a large fold engine. It took centuries to build up enough energy to space fold to move the Citadel.
Until we settled on the planet of Olympus, we used to visit other worlds in search of a place the Jotunn could not track us. After finally finding a location the tyching Frost Giants could not find us, the Citadel has never left the planet. Only scouts like me ever left with our personal jump packs, or parties searching out the Gods of Asgard that were rumored on Earth.
It saddened me to know that we had been on Earth while Kara had been there in her five thousand year exile as she waited for her people to return again. I know now that we had just missed Valhalla when it transitioned away to the next planet in the cosmic engine the Jotunn had constructed.
We had spent fifty years searching for the Asgard but found no evidence of them except the stories which were told in whispers in Western Europe. We left to continue our search. And from what Kara has shared with me, she had heard of the Olympians on Earth and had traveled halfway across the known world to find us, thinking the stories she heard of our abilities made us Asgard.
She had just missed us. A cruel joke of cosmic proportions perpetrated against her. But if she had found us and we took her with us, she would never have eventually met up with Kate, the love of her life.
Hera was looking over at me, her brow furrowed. I smiled at her and reassured, “Sorry, mother. Just lost in memory.” Then I prodded with a wicked smirk. “You think we could paint some of these buildings something other than white?”
She rolled her eyes and smiled at the ages-old barb.
I guess it wasn't as bad as her toga phase. How embarrassing it was dealing with the primitive people in Greece wearing bedsheets. The humans adopted our, umm... fashion. For that, I apologize to the people of Earth.
She whispered, “Can the Asgard truly stand against the Jotunn?”
I just nodded with a hopeful smile. Then my smile wavered when I saw her hope waver into something like worry as she looked over my adopted family as we approached. I sighed, knowing eons of mistrust had poisoned my people, I could tell she was already running scenarios through her head about the possibility the Asgard would just replace the Jotunn as our oppressors.
If she understood the Asgard, she'd know it was less than an impossibility, given their beliefs and the fact that they were genetically designed to be passive nonaggressors. Their protectors were born out of necessity, and they hated themselves for it. I saw it in Kara's eyes every time she had to commit violence.
Zeus led us all into a conference room as Inatra grinned at a healer who was running a diagnostic scanner over her. Father must have ordered the medical contingent to check out the Asgard as well as our own men. Our medical science was not even as advanced as Earth's as we had no immune system since our genetic structures were so dense and self-repairing. We did not contract diseases nor suffer the maladies other races did like can
cer. Virtually any injury could be healed within a day.
So it was easy to see why we had never found the nano-phage that infected us, as we had simply never looked for it, thinking it an impossibility. I covered my mouth to hide my smile when Inatra wiggled her eyebrows when the scanner exploded into sparks.
Arina gave her a reprimanding look as the poor healer scurried back, dropping the sparking device. I told Zeus as he turned with an accusing glare at Inatra. “Father, it is not her fault. It is their technology, is it based on energy we cannot fathom, and it is not compatible with our electron transfer tech.”
It was plain to see he didn't trust the Ragnarok. It is hard to drop the mistrust and suspicion born of an attack against us by her people. We all needed to grow up. I added, “You will have the same problem with all of the Asgard expedition. I can guarantee they are not carrying any contagions, the nanites in their blood prevent it.”
Father looked to be thinking.
I blurted, “Zeus' balls, father. Stop being so suspicious of everything and listen to what they have to say.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. Yeah I know it amused him me using that curse... on him. He exhaled and tilted his head to me, a twinkle of amusement in his eyes which I countered by turning my head slightly and crinkling my nose.
He inclined his head in acquiescence and said as he spread his arms wide toward the tables. “Please, sit.” Then he added, “Can we bring you anything to drink, to eat? It must have been exhausting out in the jungle, not being prepared for it.”
Mother was politely not mentioning how ripe we all smelled now that we were in a contained room. I saw her nose twitching and shook my head in amusement at her.
Tales From Olympus: Gods Reunited Page 7
