Arina spoke with alarm in her voice, “No! Your men and women do not need to die senselessly. There has to be a way we can utilize what we know.” She looked away from him then pulled up my battle with Ymir, which she had assigned the name, Ymir's Folly. She magnified the damage that I had done to his armor with my Odin Spear and took a measurement of the depth of the gash.
Father saw where she was going with this and was pulling up the scans of the Frost Giant vessel in orbit. I smiled. Those two always seem in sync when science is involved. He was taking depth measurements of the crack in the ship's armor at the engine pod.
He looked at me while the two of them started some calculations, then said, “Daughter can you get an estimate of the energy of a Ragnarok generational ship striking at fractional-c please? One third light speed.” I think I understood where they were going as I pulled up a third virtual console and input some numbers.
Intark reached over my shoulder. “May I?” He asked and I nodded, he tweaked the projected mass of the vessel and said, “You were extremely close, but this is the actual mass of a Vengeance Class Generational Transport. Asgard technology still astonishes me how close you were on the estimate.”
I smirked a little and ran my calculation then said, “One point two million terrabars father.” So in total, with two strikes, two point four million terrabars.”
Intark spoke under his breath, “Odin's beard! And their hull was only cracked? That is almost enough energy to destroy a small planet!”
Arina nodded at Odin with a sad smile, “That corresponds with the damage Kara did to the Frost Giant armor.”
Father nodded sadly, “She wouldn't have enough power to do it Little One. The hull on that ship is almost a quarter mile thick with that infernal alloy, and that crack is just over one thousand feet deep. There is still over three hundred feet of armor protecting it. Just what makes them require that much protection? Though Kara or Kat would be able to breach the battle armor that the Frost Giants wear.”
Inshak moved to beside Arina. “These numbers are accurate Ghost?” She nodded at him and he whistled. “By the grace of the war gods! A Valkyrie commands that much power?”
Arina smiled and looked over toward me and clarified, “Well not really, those are Kara's numbers. A normal Valkyrie is fed one terrabar of energy per hour in battle. Valkyrie with evolved nanites, like Kat, Inatra, and me are fed almost one and a half terrabar per hour.” Then she shot me a cute, loving smile. “But Kara is different. She defies our own science. She draws the same one and a half terrabar but when she is pushed beyond her limits to protect the innocents, a floodgate opens in her Verr and she can impossibly channel well over two terrabar of energy an hour. That should be beyond her nanite's ability.”
Inshak and Intark both turned to look at me with impressed looks on their faces. I just shrugged and that got both men laughing. Then we went back to planning.
An alert sounded and we all looked to the main holo screen. An incoming message from Kenatar. I smiled, it would be good to see her again. It was just minutes before her ship, the Shatra, arrived in orbit now. I knew she would be sure to keep on the other side of the planet from the Frost Giant's vessel like the Shamir was.
Her voice crackled to life. “Valhalla, this is Kenatar, we are inbound. Prepare to receive my crew. I trust that my Saelli is well. Tell her of my valor.”
That didn't make much sense to me. She would see her daughter soon. Aunt Freya had adopted her when Kenatar left Folkvangr on the long voyage to join the Outcasts in the Earth system. Then I thought of the Bifrost, Kena would be able to see the Outcasts in her lifetime now!
Intark was nodding solemnly, did he know something I did not?
I glanced at the star system's screen and saw that she was increasing speed instead of slowing. Was she going to do a flyby of the planet instead? She must have disengaged all of the safeties as the ship inched toward point eight of light speed. I looked at Intark and Inshak, who were both standing tall with pride on their faces.
I blurted out, “What is she doing?”
Intark said matter of fact, like it was obvious, “She is going to have at the beast with more power than the previous two strikes.”
I shook my head and almost yelled at him, “No, she can just photon tractor down to the surface with the rest of the crew!”
Intark laid a hand on my shoulder, “You do not know? Someone needs to be on the ship to run the photon tractors. There would be no time to get to an escape pod before impact. At that closing speed, the krothing Frost Giant's won't get more than a single shot off at her, they will have but a two milli-kalt firing window. That woman is glorious!”
Inshak added, “The systems were not designed for transport at that speed, it is going to be rough for the crew upon landing. Have healers at the ready Valkyrie. She is in range now and transport has probably started.” Kate nodded and started sending the message.
Arina was transmitting to Kenatar, though it would reach her nanoseconds before it was all over, “Kena, you can't do this! Please abort!”
We saw a second sun bloom in the sky through the windows, as they automatically dimmed, marking the death of our friend. My breath hitched and a tear rolled down my cheek. Then I struck the chest plate of my Valkyrie armor with my fist in a salute to heroes as the brightness in the sky faded. Kat, Ina, Tyr, Mist, and sobbing Arina followed suit.
I looked at Arina and said hoarsely, “Please tell me it wasn't for naught Little One!”
She wiped her tears away and nodded frantically as she scanned the Jotunn ship. She ran her finger through the data and flicked it outward and it bloomed in the center of the room on the main holo-display. Readings were scrolling at various points. She brought her arms wide and the display zoomed in, she flicked her hand to the side and the display panned to the rear of the vessel. She twisted her hand and the ship rotated in our view until we could see a gaping crater in the hull of the Frost Giant vessel where the crack once was.
She spread her fingers as data was flowing below the display, and it zoomed in even closer. Then Arina's voice hitched and came out husky as she pointed almost violently at the very base of the cone shaped crater in the armor, “There! Kena did it!” I was looking at the dimensional data. At the very base of the quarter mile crater, there was a small, ragged void in the armor. Merely seventeen inches across at the widest point.
Power readings of that engine were down almost thirty percent. Some damage was done to the engine itself! That meant it was vulnerable now, the Frost Giants on orbit now had a weakness. My friend had saw to that. Songs shall be sung of her valor. But why had she sacrificed herself? But my own words were echoing in my head. I would die for Kat, die for my daughters, to keep them safe.
The Fall of Kenatar would not be for naught! I wanted blood. Kate was by my side, soothing the beast within me. I took a deep breath then said, “We must find a way to take advantage of the opportunity Kena has given us!”
I pulled up a secondary display beside the main and watched our sensor replay and visual record of the strike. It was true, that even at those speeds, the Frost Giants got off a single shot that almost cleaved the Shatra in half. There was no way we could get in close enough to strike without them destroying us in the process.
Intark was just smiling with a cruel sneer. I squinted at him in question and he said, “Our weapons can do nothing against their tech, but you Kara and your mate ARE a weapon that can. We can strike at the heart of their damage now!”
I shook my head and responded, “They would blow anyone out of space before we got in range. We would need to be at almost point blank range.”
He growled in a predatory manner as he looked at the vessel on the screen. “Leave that to me. If I can get you or Kate in range, would you send the krothing Frost Giants into the beyond?”
I shook my head again and said, “I would not allow Kat on such a suicidal mission, and besides, Valkyrie do not strike first!”
He chuckled. “O
h, for what I have in mind, believe me, you wouldn't be striking first... if at all.” Then he went on, laying out an almost insane plan. By the Tree of Ages! It actually stood a chance! We asked father to meet me in our quarters to discuss it.
Chapter 6 – Frost Giants
We were informed of the rough landing Kena's crew had, hitting the ground and being dragged across it at over sixty miles per hour until the photon tractors could disengage, even with tractor's computers assisting at light speed. Of the thousands of Ragnarok from the Shatra, thirty men and women were seriously injured, and two passed to the ages, but the rest survived the perilous ride.
A small girl that I recognized from the front gates... the girl that Intark had frightened, delivered a wooden box to me while we waited for Odin to arrive. I learned her name was Kate, just like her hero's. I grinned at that. Kate was my hero too. I enjoyed that Asgard were starting to give their children human and Vanger names. The tiny one made a point to inform me that she had no title. I almost chuckled as she sort of reminded me of Arina when I had first met her all those years ago. The note with the box said that Kena's crew was instructed to get the box to the Demon.
Mother had left to return back to Earth, to discuss the happenings with Thor, Loki, and the people of Earth. Inatra, Arina, Tyr, and Mist all went to see to the crew of the Shatra and to find quarters to squeeze them into.
That left Father, Intark, Kat and me to discuss the plan. After Intark and I explained it to father. He was already booming out. “Certainly not! I will not allow it.” Much to Kat's relief.
Intark took a calming breath, “This is the best way to capitalize on the opening Kenatar gave us with her sacrifice. Let me show you the details Odin. If this works then the Frost Giant's would have no choice but to face us on the ground with no ship to return to.”
Father grudgingly agreed and Intark pulled up the central holo-display in the seating area and began again, showing the details. We all looked at the time. Just over an hour before Ymir's deadline.
Intark said, “We will need a drop ship from Inshak to get Kara or Kate, and myself up to the Shamir. We will have the Shamir sling the asteroid that we have in tow into an orbit that will intersect with the enemy vessel and their damaged flank.”
He looked around then continued. “We will ride in the drop ship, with all systems down, in the wake of the space rock. This will just resemble orbital debris to them and their scanners, then we expect them to open fire on the asteroid since it would be heading to their only weak spot. Then using reaction thrusters only, we will ride the debris cloud in. By the time we are detected we will be in too close for their main cannons and we will start taking fire from their proximity turrets which are much less powerful.”
He squinted his one eye, knowing this was the most insane part of the plan. “Once I maneuver a Valkyrie with the power of Thor into the crater of the damaged section, we will be shielded from their fire. The Valkyrie will then harden her skin and lungs against the vacuum of space since her power would destroy an EVA suit... and we will depressurize the cargo bay and open the doors. Then the Valkyrie can release the wrath of the war gods upon those krothing Frost Giants!”
Then he switched the display off as he finished. “When the Valkyrie has used all the oxygen in her lungs she will stop and we will close the doors and re-pressurize. Then we will fly like the hounds of the war gods are on our heels, in the shadow of their own engines and slingshot around the beta moon to re-enter Folkvangr's atmosphere.”
Father shook his head. “It is suicide. I will not risk Kara or Kate on this. There has to be another solution.”
I could see that both father and Kate knew, we had no other choice, the Frost Giants were too powerful, even for us, if they had a place to retreat to. We all also knew it was not going to be Kate to do this. I loved her too much to allow it. But this plan did stand a chance.
Before father could protest more, I stood up. “It is best we prepare for Ymir. Kat, Freya, will need you in Heildfine as you and I are the only ones that can damage the enemy armor at range.” Then I had a thought. “Father, why do you think they do not come enforce? They are always alone and no more than ten were on Ragnarok during The Culling across the planet.”
I thought for a second before he could reply and said, “There must be hundreds of thousands on a ship that big.”
He nodded., “I have the same questions daughter, I do not know if it is their arrogance and confidence in their superiority... if it is a pride thing... a ruse to project greater strength than they have, or simply their procedures.”
Intark squinted his eye. “Do you never stop analyzing the enemy Kara? I had never thought about those facts. But it is all the better as we have but two Valkyrie that can give them pause.”
I chuckled. “Do not discount the other Valkyrie, Ragnarok. They do not possess the power of Thor nor Odin's Spear, but they can harden a Ragnarok carbon blade with their lattice and do damage as well. It is the magnetic force that the Jotunn armor cannot deal with, and that is what nano-lattice is comprised of.”
He tilted his head in apology with a grin. “Truly. I did not mean to imply any weakness of the Valkyrie.” Then he looked at father and asked, “Why not unleash Thor's Hammer on them?”
Father almost hissed back, “I would not if I could! The design for Thor's Hammer was lost with Thor himself when he detonated it all those eons ago.”
I took a calming breath and changed the topic, “The first thing that needs to be dealt with is that the new sidearm they have, I will allow no Ragnarok on the field of battle while a Frost Giant possesses one. That is senseless suicide.” Sidarms? I looked at Kate's hip, at her energy weapon. At her... magnetic force... energy weapon. Then smiled to myself as a plan started to form.
We deliberated on the subject of disarming the Jotunn for a time, the most logical solution was not the one I would prefer as it would put Kate in danger without me by her side in Heildfine, but it was the best strategy. Kate took half the Einherjergeir and Valkyrie with her when she left. She gave me a soft kiss on my lips... in public... when she left in Pegasus. I paused as I watched through the dome shield as that rickety old Ragnarok troop transport, hovering by the ridges, followed Pegasus north.
I turned to Tyr and Mist, organizing the Einherjer, Einherjergeir, and armored Ragnarok volunteers at the gates. I saw a handful of Vanger, and an Asgard woman as well, in makeshift armor that resembled Freya's old, cobbled together armor. They were positively dwarfed by the Ragnarok men and women around them. I pulled Mist aside. “What are those innocents doing here?”
She looked at them with pride, “They refuse to leave. They say that if others will fight for the existence of the races then they too shall stand.”
I looked back at them. “But... they are no warriors.”
Mist sighed and said, “Yet here they stand. I will not be the one to deny their honor, foolhardy as it is. Unless you order me to.”
I rolled my eyes at her. “Kroth woman. You know I would not order such. It is their right, and I will deny no person their honor. It just doesn't make any sense, we are to burden the shame of violence for them.”
Mist, my oldest friend, looked at me and her eyes softened and said softly, “Kara... sister. Look around you. What do you see? The galaxy is changing, we have old enemies standing as comrades, our race is blending with others. The old ways must adapt. As the Asgard, always have. Adapt and persevere. It is not for us to impede that progress. It is the Valkyrie that should lead the way.”
I smiled and laid the back of my hand on her cheek and said with my voice tinged with humor, “When did you get to be so wise Mist?”
She grinned with her usual self-confidence. “I've had centuries to perfect it.”
I rolled my eyes and playfully shoved her toward the gates. She chuckled back at me. “So violent!”
I stared at the brave innocents. I marveled at their courage and at the fact that the Ragnarok around them were checking their armor as t
hey did theirs as if they were warrior equals. Then I paused as my eyes swept along the ranks. My eyes settled on an exceptionally huge Ragnarok that had no business being there.
I walked up to the man and looked up and said, “Rotark, what are you doing here? They need you at the school.” This man was commander of one of the Ragnarok agricultural outposts on Folkvangr. He had saved some children from a runaway crop harvester but was almost crushed by the machine. He suffered massive internal injuries and incurred severe brain damage before his men could get him to our healers.
He had miraculously survived, but the brain damage was irreparable, most of his long term memory center was lost. He has the mental acuity of a child now and has been re-educated over the years. Though slow now, one part of his personality has not changed. He still loved children and has stayed on at the school as an aid to the teachers. The children love him. He was no more than an innocent now himself, but his brethren treat him as a joke.
He smiled down at me, “I protect children. Rotark strong. I can fight, pretty Valkyrie.”
I reached up and laid the back of my hand on his horribly scarred face. “No Rotark, the children need you at the school.”
He shook his head. “No! I fight for them.”
I sighed in resignation and said softly, “Then please, support the men at the back of the lines and pull any wounded to safety.”
He smiled and nodded and then I moved to the line of Einherjer at the gate. They made a hole, and I and half the Valkyrie walked out of the shield, all of the Einherjergeir that did not go to Heildfine with Kat followed us out and formed a line with the Valkyrie at the center. Inatra, on my right and Mist on my left. Mist and the other Valkyrie, who only possessed standard Valkyrie nanites held two long Ragnarok carbon blades they would harden with their lattice.
I looked back as the Gate Guardians filled the hole, forming their unbreakable line again. Then I hit coms and spoke over the intercom in the courtyard beyond. “Remember, hold until the order is given. Then have at the enemy!” There was a deafening “Raugh!” from not only the Einherjer, but the Ragnarok who were adapting to our culture.
Valkyrie Chronicles 4 & 5 Bundle Page 6
