There was battle damage everywhere on the scarred hull with patchwork, makeshift repairs along its entire length. They were probably mining materials from the asteroid for the repairs. The starboard side of the vessel had a quarter mile chunk torn out of it. We could see the temporary panels welded across corridors that had been exposed to space.
Only eight of the ten engines were powered, one was heavily damaged and where the tenth engine should have been, there was just jagged wreckage. On the plus side, the hydroponics domes looked intact. The crew harvests water from comets and asteroids as they travel for fuel, water, and some oxygen, but without the domes, they would have run out of oxygen and food long before they arrived.
It was a testament to the survival skills of the Ragnarok and to their engineers that the vessel was functional at all. They had survived against all odds to get the message out and to get to Folkvangr, to die with the dirt under their feet instead of in the cold vacuum of space. I stood tall with a look of pride for the men on that ship. I made an oath to myself that I would protect them as long as I had breath in my body.
An alert caused me to look back over to tactical, then I made a beckoning motion to it with my finger and the holo display of the Shamir was replaced with the scans we were receiving of the Frost Giant vessel. Their dampening fields and armor were quite formidable, but we were able to get satisfactory scans.
We looked at the ship and a Ragnarok generational ship was displayed below it for scale reference. It was mammoth! The power readings rivaled that of our dome shield. We could clearly see the damage on one of its engine pods. I shook my head, two, mile long vessels had rammed that location at fractional-c speeds. The energy of those strikes would destroy a small moon. Yet there was simply a fracture in the armor maybe thirteen hundred feet long and forty feet high.
Our particle based scans all came up negative, with only spatial gravitational distortions being detected. I nodded at that, it was expected since Ragnarok tech is all particle and photon based, and that was all they could detect. Most of our tech does not suffer those limitations though. Inshak chuckled at the precision of the detailed scans compared to what the Shamir had included in its distress beacon. “If I did not know the Asgard as I do now, I would deem this sorcery. It is no wonder you stood so long against us with technology like this.”
I smirked at him and said, “It is not the technology that stood against you.”
He laughed a heartfelt laugh that originated in his eyes. “Truly Valkyrie.”
We ceased our banter when another message finally came from the Shamir, the lag time was diminishing. This time, visual came through as well, as the ship was much closer. Intark was a ruggedly handsome Ragnarok with but one eye, and a deep scar on either side of the eye patch he wore.
He spoke while squinting his good eye in disbelief, “Asgard and Ragnarok standing shoulder to shoulder? I would have thought the Tree of Ages to wither and die before witnessing such. We do not have the power to activate the photon tractors, even if they were functional. We have but eight hundred souls remaining on board. We shall send them all down in the escape pods. Our hangar bay was destroyed and we only have what maintenance and mining vessels were off-ship when we were struck. Inshak, do you have drop ships to return me to my vessel after we meet so that I can face the oncoming specter?”
The transmission ended and huge amounts of data started streaming in. He was dumping his entire database to us!
Father and Inshak responded an affirmative as I looked at the chronometer. Less than fifty minutes until they hit orbit. I hit my coms and asked, “Mother? Are you with Talia? Yes? She needs to get to Heildfine to start receiving escape pods from the approaching Ragnarok vessel. You may want to get over to father's workshop. I will meet Talia outside, time is of the essence.”
I started toward the door when I noticed Father's shocked look. I shrugged apologetically, “Oh... ummm... surprise. Mother followed me through the Bifrost.”
He was rolling his eyes and sighing in defeat as I left the room with Kat, Inatra, and Arina on my heels. I hit coms again. “Tyr? I need you at the gate with healers and recovery crews, the airspace is about to get crowded with Ragnarok refugees.”
Arina was already whistling when we stepped out of the Central Spire. Our wrist consoles chirped and we looked down to see Pegasus' response to Arina, “Coming, fun fly.” I grinned.
Pegasus was landing already and opening her doors when we reached the pad. I turned back and a moment later, Talia was running out of the Central Spire with Brunie beside her.
The Valkfela, now Valkyrie, ran up to me and grasped my forearm, “Well met Kara. I hear we are about to have some excitement, cha?”
I nodded with a grin and chuckled out, “Indeed Talia.” Then I reached over and placed the back of my hand on Brunhilde's cheek and said, “Well met niece.”
She smiled at me with that exotic half Ragnarok, half Asgard face, and replied, “Well met Auntie Kara.”
Then she turned to Talia, her mate, and hugged her in human and Vanger style. “Hurry back love.” I blushed at the public display of affection. Everyone else present just grinned.
Talia winked at her and replied, “Cha!”
Then we were all piling into Pegasus. Both Talia and Arina stopped to lay their hands lovingly on the wind rider.
We were barely inside as Pegasus took to the air as she closed the gull wing doors. She knew where we were going without being told. We were already half way to the main gates when Arina finally made her way to the pilot's chair. I smiled, Pegasus was like her daughter, I knew she communed with her from that seat. It had been years since anyone actually “flew” Pegasus.
We disembarked when we reached the main gates and Talia brought two fingers up to her lips and whistled shrilly. Moments later, Winger came swooping down through the shields at the main gate and landed beside Pegasus. I noted the countdown for the arrival of the Shamir on the display above the main gate.
I handed Talia a holo-pad with all the information Freya would need for the recovery of the pods and information about the ships on approach, though I knew my aunt most likely had all the information already.
Talia lovingly patted Winger then boarded, calling back to us, “Tell Brunie I shall see her tonight, cha?”
I rolled my eyes as Inatra hissed lovingly while Kat and Arina chuckled. I prayed to the Tree of Ages that Kat and I weren't that sugary sweet in our relationship. I waved her off, saying, “Yeah, yeah, yeah. Now off with you woman.”
I watched as she flew through the gates. Then I noticed that old, battered, Ragnarok troop transport hovering by the peaks. It was that Ragnarok captain that has followed Pegasus around for the better part of the year. When we asked Pegasus about it before, she told us not to worry that he is “A friend I caught.” She will say no more on the subject.
Then we women of the House of Odin went in search of Tyr, Captain of the Einherjer. It was an organized chaos at the gates. Tyr was reminding the healers and the Einherjer at the gate, “These are Ragnarok that know nothing of our alliance. Do not react to any provocations. Do not approach them unless they agree. Every group try to have a Ragnarok volunteer with you. Above all, make them feel at ease, they have had a long journey against impossible odds. They have shown great valor and heroism to even get to Folkvangr and we will accord them the proper respect!”
There was a resounding “Raugh!” from the assembled Einherjer, that startled the healers. I was so proud of my men. Volunteers were arriving in streams to help welcome the refugees. Ragnarok, Vanger, Asgard, and the rest of the Valkyrie... all working together.
I looked at the constant inflow of Ragnarok refugees that have been streaming in through the gates from all parts of Folkvangr for the better part of two weeks now. The Einherjer allowing all Ragnarok inside, contrary to eons of training. The sheer volume of the weapons they had to check and leave at the gates was almost comical, as no weapons are allowed in the citadel.
The countd
own hit zero and I heard father's voice over coms, “Two hundred and three escape pods inbound. Splitting into alpha and beta groupings. Valhalla prepare to receive beta grouping.”
I looked around and said, “Let us be about it then!” And all the Valkyrie, by habit, vaulted the men at the line at the gates and lead the procession out to the clearings close to the citadel as we watched dozens of capsules streaking down from the sky. I could feel the chill in my spine from my nanites, I had to remind them they were not the enemy anymore, that we were there to aid them.
The first pod landed fifty feet from us, the backlash from the thrusters whipped up the dust and the heat washed over us. The thrusters shut down and the door fell forward creating a ramp. A large man seemed to fold himself out of the opening and walked down the ramp and stepped onto the ground. He looked at his feet with his one good eye, like he couldn't believe he stood in dirt. His aura was as bright as an Einherjer. It was in constant motion as if the blue and seething blackish red were in a constant battle to be in the forefront. This told me that this Ragnarok was a complex man.
He took two deep lung fulls of fresh air. Then he looked up, at my group. Myself, a Ragnarok woman, two Vanger, and two healers. His face hardened and I could hear a guttural growl like a Terran wolf as he took long strides up to me. He stepped into my personal space and glared down at me. Then he asked in a gruff voice in disbelief, “The Demon?”
I nodded once, not breaking our gaze. I raised an arm toward him and we grasped forearms in greeting. He kept applying more and more pressure without a word, so I followed suit. I could hear his radius starting to crack and then he released my arm with a huge smile and he boomed, “Well met Demon!”
I gave him an equally large smile and inclined my head slightly as I replied, “Well met Commander Intark, and welcome to Folkvangr. And please, call me Kara.”
He chuckled and looked at the recovery crews all around the clearing. Then he said, “Odin's beard. I never would have believed it.” Then he added with a dangerous tone, filled with bloodlust, “Maybe now we can give back the Frost Giants a little of their own!”
He motioned to the pod and the others inside came out and the healers started checking them.
Chapter 3 – Debriefing
The planetfall recovery took the rest of the day. The Shamir refugees refused to surrender their weapons at the gates. The Einherjer closed their ranks and formed their impenetrable line. Tyr and Intark had a stare-down that radiated the promise of shared pain and violence. I held the Valkyrie back from interceding, I knew Intark needed his honor. I also knew without a doubt that Tyr understood this too.
The wordless confrontation seemed to last ten minutes at the very least. Finally, Intark unholstered his energy weapon and pulled his carbon blade from its sheath on his back and placed them in Tyr's hands then slapped him on the shoulder, with a huge smile on his face, and an amused twinkle in his eye. His gravelly voice was full of amusement as he said, “I see your reputation is well earned Granite Fist.”
Tyr simply tilted his head in acknowledgment with a slight smile of his own as he passed the weapons back then opened a hole in the line for Intark to step through. I saw the other refugees handing their weapons to men at the line now.
Intark paused and looked at the citadel beyond. I understood what was going through his head. Until hours ago, all he knew was that the Asgard and his people were fighting a war that has lasted all of their recorded histories. This line of men, the Einherjer, who they called the Wall of Blood, has defied them and stopped entry into the citadel for eons. But now here he was, about to step across that line, not as an enemy or conqueror, but as an ally, an equal, a guest of the Asgard.
He raised his foot. I could see he had stopped breathing. Then he set his foot down through the shield and inside of Valhalla. He paused and looked around in wonder then smiled back at his people. Then he strode into the city and waited for his crew to join him. A young Asgard girl, possibly nine or ten years old, ran up to him and handed a chip up to him, squeaking as she said, “Use this to claim your weapons whenever you exit the citadel, sir.”
He grabbed the chip and growled menacingly at her then stopped himself at the look of terror on her face, then he softened and smiled more compassionately than I would have thought him capable of. He kneeled on the ground, trying to get down to her level but still dwarfing her and hissed softly, like Inatra did with small children, and he said, “Thank you tiny one. I did not intend to frighten you.”
The little girl replied with a shaky voice, “I... I wasn't scared.”
He nodded once at her and said, “Good. You would make a fine Ragnarok then.”
Leaving a chuckling Intark, her eyes went wide as she smiled and ran off. My level of respect for the man had just gone up. His face hardened and he stood when he saw me watching him. I fought back a snort. Heaven forbid he get caught showing compassion.
He and I helped organize everyone. Then families that had volunteered to share their homes until the threat was over started leading the crew members away after they were cleared by the healers. I sighed. We were adding yet another four hundred people to our already overcrowded city, with all the Folkvangr Ragnarok refugees under our protection.
Our population just went up an additional one hundred ten men, seventy-one women, and nineteen Ragnarok children.
I looked at Intark and said, “After we meet with Odin and the delegation of the races, I can have quarters assigned to you in the Central Spire. We have a couple rooms reserved for high ranking officials.”
He tilted his head in confusion. “An entire room assigned to me alone? That is unheard of. At least put some of my officers in there with me. To unburden some of your citizens.”
I chuckled and replied, “If you wish, but it is the Asgard way for the citizens to open their arms to those in need.”
He paused. “You Asgard are... not what I had expected... you are too... congenial.”
I laughed and reached up to slap him roughly on the shoulder in camaraderie and said, “There is much you have been misinformed on. Inatra and Arina can fill you in later. But for now...” I paused as Kate, Arina, and Inatra joined us.
Inatra stepped directly into his personal space and looked up at him and tilted her head as she hissed violently, barring her teeth. He growled back and they grabbed each others forearms in greeting. I watched as they kept increasing the pressure. He tried to yank her off balance and was no doubt surprised when she didn't budge since he dwarfed her. Inatra was small for a Ragnarok but still larger than me.
Then they relaxed their grip and she said, “Well met Commander Intark. I am Inatra the Singing Rain, daughter of Inhaktar, daughter of Odin, First Valkyrie of Ragnarok. But please address me as Inatra or Valkyrie.”
He nodded in appreciation and asked wistfully, “A Ragnarok Valkyrie? Well met Inatra, you are of my line. Address me as Commander or Intark.” I realized they shared the same ancestors when he said that. The “In” prefix of their names designated that. There were twenty original families in Ragnarok society, all descendants bear their prefixes, like humans use surnames.
Then Kat addressed him as she grasped his forearm, “Well met Commander Intark. I am Kate the Raging Storm, daughter of Odin, Mate to Kara, the Wild One, and First Valkyrie of Earth. Please, call me Kat.”
He didn't tighten his grip, but he attempted to pull her closer as he examined her. To my delight, she didn't budge either. Then he asked as he released her, “Earth? I do not recognize your race.”
She inclined her head with a bit of a smirk and said simply, “Point Gamma Four.”
His eyes shot wide then he composed himself and chuckled and said, “Indeed.”
Then Arina approached the man with her sweet smile, she grasped his forearm and winced at the pressure. He saw this and immediately relaxed his grip. She looked up at him and said, “I am Arina the Whispering Breeze. Second to Kate the Raging Storm, daughter of Odin, and mate of Inatra. Please call me Arina.�
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He seemed taken by her and bowed his head slightly. “Please, by all means, call me Intark, Arina.” He smiled at her as he released her arm. Arina stepped beside Inatra with a blush on her face.
I chuckled. “Now that introductions have been made. Let us meet with father and the delegation of the races to determine how to deal with the Frost Giant threat.”
As we walked toward an empty landing pad, Pegasus swooped down and landed. I called over my shoulder, “Tyr, you lazy Einherjer, will you join us?”
He shot me his patented 'Tyr glare' then broke into a smile and joined us in Pegasus. Intark looked at the empty pilot's chair and cocked an eyebrow as we lifted off and started flying toward the Central Spire. He asked to nobody in particular, “Remote?”
Arina giggled. “No. Pegasus here is sentient. She knows where we want to go, don't you girl?” The lights dimmed and brightened rapidly on all the consoles. And we looked at our wrist consoles. “Yes. I fly One Eye with family.” The words displayed on the wall consoles too. Arina gasped in embarrassment for Pegasus' lack of tact. The boisterous laughter from Intark surprised us all.
He said toward the cockpit, “A very straightforward beast. I can respect that.” The lights fluctuated as Pegasus acknowledged his praise.
We landed at the Central Spire and made our way to father's workshop. Instantly Intark was on a knee with his head lowered when he recognized father. “War God Odin, I submit myself for your wrath. I ask only that you avenge my race in my stead.”
Father was getting tired of this reaction from every Ragnarok he met. He just shook his head and said, “I am no war god, Intark. Get up, you look silly down there man. Call me Odin.”
Intark looked shocked and looked around then stood and straightened his armor. He said almost as a question, “Well met, Odin.”
Then the long process of introductions began anew. Odin's beard this can get tedious at times. Intark showered Latalia with extra attentions like he did Arina, I almost snorted. He had a weakness for pretty women. Oh lord... he reminded me of Tyr! I suppressed a chuckle at the realization.
Valkyrie Chronicles 4 & 5 Bundle Page 3
