Arina smiled sweetly as Inatra held a chair for her to sit. “Water would be divine, we had rations in the camp because one of our Valkyrie at home says we should always 'be prepared.'”
Intark's deep voice boomed, “Meat would be appreciated.”
Arina pointed at him in reprimand, and he deflated while the Three Embers chuckled at the big man. Mother looked like she was going to explode into an estrogen shower as she looked at the young girls. They were pinging all of her maternal instincts. I understood the effect.
Then the Little One started as the others sat, “Hera?” But she hesitated and looked at Zeus and asked between them, “I'm sorry I do not know who to address, I'm not aware of your leadership structure. For us, Odin rules, but the Valkyrie protect us.”
Mother chuckled as Zeus looked about to answer but then obviously changed that answer as he said, “Both Hera and I are First. Speaking with one is the same as speaking with both.”
Very diplomatic of father, he obviously didn't want to sleep in a cold bed that night.
Arina smiled at this, seeing the humor in the situation herself, so she continued, “Before we go any farther, I know there are likely to be days of talks to come, as there always are in situations like this. But as a show of good faith with no expectations, I can send Intark out to retrieve the antigen for the Titan nano-phage from Pegasus.”
Zeus shifted in his seat, his eyes locking on the huge Ragnarok who was sitting protectively close to Essa. I would prefer if someone other than the Amphis retrieved...”
I spat out, “Father!” He had just called Intark a snake in the old tongue that I knew the Asgard nanites wouldn't translate since I never used the old tongue.
Intark knew an insult when he heard one, and I saw his muscles tense and bulge, but to his credit, he remained in his seat. I saw the Citadel guards at the door become more alert, their hands moving toward their weapons slightly. Kroth! Just what we needed was a fight at a peace accord. The guards would be able to eventually subdue my friend, but not after he unleashed a mountain-sized hurt on them all. I was proud he was restraining his natural Ragnarok temper.
Instead, he growled out, “It is ok, fair Artemis. My people were the aggressor to your people in another time.”
I sighed, not liking my friend being treated with bigotry. Arina just turned to Talia and dipped her chin ever so slightly, and Talia almost jumped out of her seat inclining her own head, “Cha.”
Then the Vanger woman looked expectantly at the healer, and they left the room together. I knew what Arina was doing, she was sending who she saw as the least threatening member of our party. Which was hilarious for multiple reasons.
She did it because the Vanger are the weakest of the races, Folkvangr being a relatively low gravity planet. But most Olympians did not know that and couldn't pick a Vanger out of a crowd by sight anyway. But Talia was anything but weak. Being one of the more dangerous ones in our group as the Vanger, unlike the Asgard, had no inhibitions about doling out violence or even striking first. Her armor didn't help either.
To my parents, the Three Embers would seem the least threatening though they were possibly the most powerful of the group, even if they would do no violence.
Water was brought in as the rest of us sat. I took a seat on the other side of Arina from Inatra. I don't think it was lost on my parents that I had naturally sat there instead of by their side. I felt some embarrassment about that. I started to rise, but a tiny motion of mother's hand had me sitting again.
I informed them of my surprise in finding the Asgard on Folkvangr when I was on my mission to witness the fall of another world to the might of the Frost Giants. Of the Uniting of the races, and even learning of the sentient mechanical races of the Verr and Sky. Then of the wonders I have seen since. Then finally bidding my leave of these amazing people who had taken me in as blood of their family as they helped the Ragnarok rebuild their devastated homeworld.
I was shaking my head and saying to Zeus and Hera, “There is so much to share, it would take days to even scratch the surface. The biggest thing is that we no longer need fear the Jotunn. The united races have shown that we can defy them and come out of hiding to stand out in the light.”
Hera started to respond when we all turned to a commotion in the hall. Two thirdborns slid into the room on their backs and slammed into a pillar as a woman growled, “You dare deny me entrance?”
I closed my eyes at the voice and exhaled as I shook my head. Knowing what was to come. Caeneus chuckled as Mother muttered, “Of course she's here.”
I motioned to Inatra, Intark, and Kitty, who were on guard and starting to stand, the women's nano-lattices flaring, casting the chamber in a blue glow. I shook my head at them as my cheeks burned, knowing who was coming.
They hesitantly sat as Acacia and Celena scrambled back to their feet as we heard footsteps approaching. I smirked at the unmistakable voice of Aphrodite as she chided our fellow firstborn, “You could have just asked them to stand aside. You can be so brash at times.”
I exhaled again in resignation as a beautiful brunette, followed by the blonde Aphrodite stepped into the chamber. The woman gave a half-hearted salute to mother and father, her fist on her chest as her eyes scanned the room until they locked on me. And a huge smile bloomed on her face.
She squealed, and half ran, half skipped to me and engulfed me in a hug before I could fully stand, my face mashed against her ample bosom as she gushed, “Artemis! It is true, you live!” She was stroking my hair in a mothering fashion as I tried to extricate myself from the awkward position I found myself in.
Arina was blushing and looking away as the rest of the Asgard group looked overly amused at my embarrassing predicament. I was half mortified and half amused at the woman's doting as I said through duck lips as my face was still mashed into her bosom, “Hello, Leto.”
The amusement I felt while I untangled myself as I pushed gently away from her was washed away at the look mother was giving us. It looked pained and almost jealous, making me wonder again if Leto were actually my true mother like the whispers in the halls suggested. Had father truly strayed? He and mother were the only monogamous couple of our race, and their love was legend.
I tried to see in Leto's eyes the truth of it, but just like every other time I did, I could see a little truth both ways. My gut has always leaned toward the truth in the rumors, though Hera raised me and I was her daughter whether she birthed me or not. The only other Olympian who knew the full truth of the matter was Apollo, and he hasn't spoken to me or any other firstborns since the uprising unless he absolutely had to. And before then he had always been evasive with his answers.
I turned from her to make introductions, just to find Aphrodite, as usual, way too far into my personal space, leaning back slightly as her pelvis almost touched mine. The woman was the most amorous person in Olympus, the self-proclaimed Goddess of Love. And the worst tease in all the planets of our galaxy. She could make reading a technical manual on a new piece of defense hardware into a sexual game laden heavily with suggestive looks and banter.
Besides mother and father, I may be the only Olympian who hasn't snuck out of her bedchambers early in the morning, stinking of sex. She sees me as a challenge, and I always feel like prey around her. Well, more like very aroused prey. She loved the game.
She said to me, her breath hot on my face as my body stirred, reminding me how long it had been since I was intimate with anyone. “Well hello, Artemis. I'm very... pleased... that the rumors of your demise were just that.”
Her lips were inches from mine, and she knew what she was doing to me as she smiled coyly as she opened her arms, forcing me to be the one to hug her hello. I gave her a quick hug, with her pressing her leg between mine for a moment then she stepped back, giving me a little wink. I said in a breaking tone, feeling more embarrassed and self-aware than when Leto had gushed over me, “Hi... ummm... Aphrodite.”
She turned like she hadn't just made a public spec
tacle of her seduction, pleased she made my voice squeaky and left me aroused. “And who, pray tell, are all these lovely people?”
Her eyes hesitated hungrily on Intark. The seven-foot-tall mountain of muscles was a sight to see, but he was Essa's and Essa's only. She saw that in their postures and then settled her gaze on both Sam and Kitty. How could she pick out the single people in a room with just a glance like that?
And Kitty standing there with her mouth hanging open wasn't helping any. She may as well have been a meadow fawn in the sights of an archer. Yes, Dite was sex on two legs, but come on Kitty, don't paint yourself a target.
I smirked and said to Kitty, “Hey, Tiny One, you're way too young for her.” I didn't know that an Asgard could turn as red as the young Valklopt did. She looked away, flustered, and shot me a death glare. I grinned at her.
Then I made the introductions as Leto sat beside mother, taking her hand. She always did that, like she was apologizing for something and letting her know she loved her. Dite, on the other hand, went to greet each of the Asgard party, shamelessly kissing the backs of each of their hands and flashing them each a seductive smile.
Arina was left swallowing as she was still old enough to have the Asgard taboos of touching still half ingrained into her. I think the reaction thrilled Dite as she looked quite pleased with herself when she sat beside father who was shaking his head at her as he reprimanded half in gruff seriousness and half amusement, “Behave Dite, or you will be asked to leave.”
She gave a head bob of demure acceptance before her eyes locked on mine again. This eons-old game of her attempted seduction of me resurfacing. I glanced at Caeneus. I would have found myself in Caenis chambers in the past if I were in such need, but now I wouldn't be able to bring myself to, no matter how pretty of a man he made. My old inhibitions were too strong.
Then father cleared his throat and prompted, “Arina, please let us discuss what brings the Asgard to Olympus at this time.”
It was a long discussion just to cover the basics of what would be weeks of talks to come to a peace accord between our people. When we left that first meeting that afternoon to assign quarters to the Asgard I feared that we Olympians had become too hidebound to accept the chance we were being offered to come out of our self-imposed seclusion. Were we truly that afraid to – live?
One thing I took pride in was that Arina proved to be quite the stateswoman. And a shrewd negotiator, showing the intelligence she possessed that was almost frightening. Odin chose well, I believe that only Kate or himself would have equaled her negotiation skills.
Even without an accord, Hera had granted the Asgard expedition permission to set up a magnetic harvesting power core and temporary Bifrost gateway to allow real-time communications for negotiation and trade between the various planets already part of the Bifrost network.
They believed it impossible to create quantum tunneling without the power of the stars as the Titans did. And they were upset when Arina declined to share the specifications with our people. Her using it as a low hanging fruit in the negotiations. “We share much of our technology with members of the united races. And there is much more we only share with those who choose to become Asgard.”
I myself was interested to see how Arina and Loki's newest innovation would work, a FTL communications terminal. They devised it specifically for my ultimate return to my people. Where it would normally take weeks or months to build a temporary Bifrost gateway, and years to build a fully functional terminal that would allow regular travel and trade to all the other planets in the Bifrost system, this new innovation could be set up in a matter of days.
From how I understand it, it accesses the Bifrost quantum tunnels on a microscopic level, with a tunnel filament of just one micron, which would allow near-realtime communications and data transfer between Olympus and the other worlds until the gateways could be built. Faster than light FTL intergalactic communication has already proved to be a deciding factor in defense of the planetary systems under the Valkyrie of Valhalla's protection.
They called it the Whisker Net. And we all had a good chuckle when Pegasus tried to make a joke of it saying, “Terran cats have whiskers. So only Kat and Kitty can use Whisker Net. Pegasus of the Sky make joke.” She is always trying to make us laugh, and we all see her as our mechanical little sister with her childlike mentality.
But never allow that perception to discount her, she is brave and selfless and has a writ of Valor mounted inside her doors to prove it.
Most vessels in the combined races now have a Whisker Net console, including Pegasus, but as it requires a tremendous amount of energy to create even such a small quantum tunnel, a magnetic force harvester is required to run one. As soon as we get the harvester online, and better yet, if Arina can reach the accord we seek, then an actual Asgard power core to power a bubble shield over our Citadel would be built. Then Pegasus will be able to make use of her uplink.
We had a feast to celebrate the reuniting of our lost Olympians with our people, and the beginning of talks with the Asgard. Quarters were assigned in one of our utilitarian housing units which resembled a barracks. My quarters had been given to one of the new firstborns, whom I had not met yet, when I was thought dead, and I declined ejecting young Nicos from my old rooms.
I had insisted that the entire Asgard expedition be on the same level as me in the housing unit. We were given the entire floor. And just then, I had to take a long cold shower, as Dite was pouring on the seductive tease on overdrive during the feast.
As it was, she had Kitty practically drooling the entire meal. And the woman was so bad when she saw how the other Embers seemed to foil her plans of getting Sam tongue-tied. I think she saw it as a challenge when the girls protected the shy one from her advances.
I have half a mind to shut Dite up by making her, as the humans say, put her money where her mouth is. I snorted at that, imagining the shocked look on her face if I ever did. It would certainly shut her up. Zeus' balls, I can't believe I had even thought that. It certainly has been too long since I've had any intimate contact. And my mental hangups didn't allow me to even entertain the thought of calling Caeneus. Tych!
Chapter 7
Contact
Though I truly did enjoy reuniting with the people I knew here in Olympus and being introduced to all the young first through thirdborns since I had left, the next few days seemed to drag by. Half the days were spent in endless discussions with Arina, making it clear to me that my hidebound parents were already convinced before the talks began, that Olympus was better off hiding in the shadows.
It wasn't until the harvesting core went online and we made our first contact with Valhalla using the Whisker Net that I started to see their resolve wavering a bit. Here was an Asgard Valkyrie demonstrating FTL intergalactic communications utilizing a tunnel burrowed through the very fabric of space. The impossibility of quantum tunneling without burning out a star to accomplish it was mind-boggling. That is why our jump packs took years to recharge, the power requirements for our brute force space folding was staggering. What they were witnessing made their doubt waver about the temporary gateway Arina, Intark, and Kitty were constructing.
This was the crack in their armor, seeing the capabilities of those we had once deemed Gods, performing godlike acts, but with technology that they were willing to share to an extent if we decided to write our own fate away from the shadows we dwelled in.
The moment the magnetic force harvester and power core went online, I could actually feel the power of the Asgard around me increase to levels I was used to. To that steady hum of power which made the hairs on the back of my arms stand on end. And for some reason I was relieved. I didn't like to see the people I saw as family, only having a fraction of their ability to protect themselves from some of the horrors of Olympus. Everything on our planet was designed for one thing, to kill.
So here I was, sitting with Arina, Hera, Zeus, and Hephaestus. In the planning room where the Whisker Net console was
set up as Arina prepared to send our first transmission through the void.
Hep looked like a child with a new toy as he gazed at the technological marvel. He had been present every day as the devices were set up, asking a thousand questions. Frustrated that Arina would answer only some of his questions. More low hanging fruit to sweeten the deal of an accord.
Just before Arina activated the unit, Hep was asking, “So how do you stabilize the...”
Mother was actually smirking and looking amused as she interrupted him, “Hep. Please, we're about to make contact with the legendary Valhalla. You can have Arina dash your hopes of talking about the tech later.”
Arina smiled and looked out the doors, she had that look on her face she got when she was silently communicating with her family through their nanite link. I felt oddly discordant about that, as I have never shared with my parents they had the ability. I felt it was not my place to share all their secrets until they did so themselves. This put me at odds, having split allegiances.
I could imagine the Three Embers were listening in through their mother and they likely laughed at my mother's comment. They seemed connected to the evolved nanites in the people around them at all times. It must be like another sense to them as they have always had it. Where it might drive us insane always perceiving all the scattered data, to them it was no different than seeing, or hearing.
Arina looked at Zeus and Hera. Father looked almost excited himself as he nodded once. The Little One smiled and then tapped the air above the console, and a virtual screen bloomed. She spread her fingers, and a directory of connections and their various states appeared after a second or so as data was requested and sent from the various planets in the network.
It may have seemed slow compared to our instantaneous computer terminals, but putting it into perspective, this was information coming in from a ring of planets countless light-years across. She grinned at the icon at the top, glowing red in the likeness of Odin, indicating a do not disturb. She quickly entered her ruling caste override, which coincidentally I have as well, and tapped the now green icon in the air.
Tales From Olympus: Gods Reunited Page 8
