Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 7

by Vanessa Ravencroft

  She used her PDD as a medical diagnostic scanner and waved it over me and checked the readout. "Other than a few contusions and ecchymosed tissue you seem all right."

  "Ecchy … what?" I repeated.

  Her voice returned to the usual unemotional quality. "Medical term for bruises or, in other terms, black and blue marks on your skin left by those tentacles."

  Cirruit and all the others had come too and the X101 said, "I just finished fixing the plumbing and it looks like just in time – you both need a shower."

  Elfi wrinkled her pretty nose. "Yes, you both stink!"

  Wetmouth took me by the arm. "Next time, please be more careful. We are on an unexplored and possibly dangerous world!"

  I agreed with her. "More dangerous than you realize. Check out that recording I just found!"

  Wetmouth was right; I did have red marks around my waist and legs but nothing serious. The shower felt great and I rinsed my gills and was amazed how much dark green stuff came out. It felt great to breathe fresh water.

  After I had cleaned up and put on a clean uniform, I called a meeting in the common room. After everyone was there, I looked around and said, "So how are we doing, so far?" I looked at Har-Hi first.

  "We recorded the crime scenes, Wetmouth secured any possible evidence for later. We stored one body in a specimen container and were just about to do the same to the second when Krabbel raised the alarm and you decided to examine a local life form close up!"

  That reminded me and I pulled the .45, put it on the table and took it apart as the Marine instructor had showed me and begun to clean the gun. It had come in handy and I promised myself to keep it in perfect working order.

  Wetmouth was next. "All crime scene evidence suggests that he was not murdered but committed suicide, but I am going to go over the forensic evidence I collected more closely, later. Not that there was much of anything useful left after all this time. I also checked the recording you gave me and I concluded with 95% probability that we should not be here, but Lt. Strasenburgh, his team and most of all the Marines. I further conclude that Lt. Clusen set us up."

  I nodded. "I am pretty sure about that as well, not that I am able to put any percentage of probability on anything I come up with.

  "We all can agree though, that there is some condition on this planet that is responsible for all those expeditions getting lost. While I am confident that we be able to survive whatever it is, I would feel better if we could leave this planet before we have to find out if my confidence is just wishful thinking."

  Hans leaned forward and said, "Unless, of course, they send us those Marines and perhaps Quasis for all of us. Then I would not mind staying."

  Har-Hi crossed his arms. "While I generally feel better in space and don't like to be dirtside for long. I have confidence in you and of us getting through anything this planet can throw at us."

  "This is bugging me more than our current situation," I said. "I mean, you are my friends, you really don't mind me telling everyone what to do?"

  Shaka put his hand on my shoulder. "You know I don't like talking much, but you should not even think that way. I used to be a social recluse with lots of issues, as you know, but I think I speak for everyone when I say, you are the leader and we follow you, to whatever end."

  The others simply nodded. I cleared my throat and pulled the recoil spring plug off, breaking down the gun in all its parts, and said, "Any chance that GalNet terminal could be repaired?" I looked at Cirruit.

  "I didn't have a chance to look at it, but I'll get right to it. As for the other equipment, the Zero Cube is about halfway drained so we should have enough power for at least 100 years. Water recycling works fine now; there was some nasty stuff in those filters, I tell you. Because of the bad quality of the water the self-clean cycle has to run all the time and no one thought of turning it on before. The lab equipment is in disarray but is pretty much intact. In addition, we have six old MD-type Marine TKU rifles, a full-sized F4 Paralysator on tri-pod mount, and several cases of explosives and detonators. We aren't exactly helpless."

  Har-Hi interrupted. "Old Style TKU'S, MD-type, are they intact?"

  "Oh yes, they are still in their shipping crate along with lots of fully-charged cells."

  Har-Hi's eyes glittered. "Whatever is down here, we have nothing to fear. Do you know why they don't have them anymore? "

  I shrugged. "No I don't."

  "Because they were too powerful! Ahhh, I always wanted one!"

  "Then take one and relieve Krabbel. Also, do me a favor and only fire it a few times and warn us before you test them!"

  Har-Hi laughed. "I promise!" Then he rushed out the door.

  I looked at the PDD I had attached to my left wrist. "Let's continue with what we started to do. I would like to have dinner at 20:00 hrs and I would like everyone to get dressed for it. I would like to have it as formal as possible. We are Navy officers and let's face these challenges with style."

  They all got up. Elfi went to Krabbel who had just come through the door and told him what had been discussed.

  I finished cleaning my old gun, reloaded the magazine and put it back in my holster, while doing it I was patting it, like an old friend.

  I went back to the box to see what else it contained. There was a rectangular multi-task console, one that could be carried with a strap around the waist.

  The unit had the manufacturer's designation written on the side: "Mk-124 Portable Construction Command Console."

  After I activated it a simple, easy-to-understand layout was displayed on its screen. The two large containers the shuttle had dropped were almost completely submerged in the muck. I pressed the robot activation key.

  I could see the slide door opening and water rushing in. 20 robots emerged, their shoulders and heads sticking out of the water. Engineering robots were designed to work in almost any environment and neither the mud nor the water mattered to them.

  A voice from the console asked: "Choose project."

  A bullet list appeared and I scrolled it down.

  Defense Bunker

  Landing Platform

  Space Port

  Landing Field

  Settlement

  Small Standard planetary base

  Medium Planetary base

  Large Planetary base

  I didn't bother to scroll any further and selected Medium Base.

  One of the robots launched a small device into the air and it disappeared into the sky. The voice spoke again. "Survey Satellite launched. Mapping in progress … Select site."

  An aerial view of our location appeared before me. It was jungle with mud bogs everywhere. I did not see anything artificial, except the swimming base platform I was standing on. So I simply drew a circle right next to the old base, designating the area as a construction site.

  The voice said, "Selection received. Parameters accepted. Construction phase indicated!"

  The robots approached the second container. A big chute extended on one end. Water rushed in the chute and the robots began gathering mud and debris and putting it down the chute as well.

  The output conveyor was under water but I saw the robots taking square blocks of about four meters' length and one meter wide and deep and carry them away.

  Long poles appeared next from the nanite factory and robots placed them in regular intervals all around the construction site.

  The robots worked tirelessly and with unerring precision. I watched a robot dragging a black mass of tentacles and scales towards the chute. It was the same kind of beast that had attacked me earlier on. While it almost killed me, this one had no chance against the tremendous power of the robot as the machine stuffed it down the intake chute of the nanite factory, a few moments later the last tentacle end disappeared. It too would be disassembled into its molecules and reassembled into something the construction project needed.

  Bushes and water plants, rocks and mud; everything the robots collected was devoured.

  It was
a fascinating process and I could have watched it all day long. However there was plenty to do and I wanted to check on the progress of my friends' chores. Just as I turned, I saw Har-Hi on top of the building aiming his blaster gun at me!

  At first, I thought he was aiming at something behind me and I turned to look into the same direction but there was nothing. I wanted to call my friend and ask him what he was aiming at. Har-Hi was trembling and the gun was shaking. With a sharp thunder-crack, a bolt of superheated plasma burned a 20cm-wide hole right before me through the Duro-Plast of the platform. The heat of the blast was so intense it burned me with a painful stinging sensation all over my face and hands!

  More than the heat and the blinding light from the blast hurt me; I was shocked with the realization that Har-Hi had almost killed me! My eyes were blinded from the bright bolt, I could see nothing, but I heard shouts from the others and Har-Hi's angry voice yelling something I could not understand, screaming in his native Dai language.

  Then I felt Wetmouth close to me and the characteristic sounds of her medical scanner. She said, "Second degree burns all over your face, thanks to the Goddess your eyes are not permanently damaged. She sprayed something cool in my eyes and then something else over my skin. My eyesight slowly returned and I saw Krabbel restraining Har-Hi and Hans aiming his immense fist at his face. Hans was angry and thundered at the Dai. "Have you lost your mind? Why in the world did you shoot at Eric?"

  Something that I thought I would never see, tears rolling down Har-Hi's face. He finally spoke in Standard-Lingu. "Yes, I lost my mind! I don't know why but I suddenly felt so angry and hateful against Eric. For a moment I was so angry that he killed all those Dai. I imagined him attacking my own tribe and the anger became stronger and stronger by the moment! I wanted to kill him! All the same I knew it was all wrong and what I wanted to do was not me! No matter what happened, Eric I could not kill you. I was able to aim the gun away the very last moment!"

  Elfi had a serious expression on her face. "As you know, I have some Psionic talents and I felt something alien. It was not Har-Hi but someone or something has influenced him."

  She looked to Wetmouth and added, "I was influenced too! For a moment I hated you Wetty! I wanted to kill you so bad it hurt! I hated you for being so beautiful and intelligent. At the same time I knew it was wrong. I never saw your face, how could I even know if you are beautiful or not! I was never jealous of your intellect, but proud you were my friend."

  I said, "Let him go Krabbel."

  Hans suddenly grabbed Har-Hi with his enormous left and drew his right arm back, tightening his hand to a fist and his face became red with anger. "You verfluchter Dai Pirat! You tried to kill Eric! I will rip you apart!"

  I said as loud as I could, trying to sound calm, "Hans, stand down, that is an order!" I repeated, "Stand down at once, this is an order!"

  Hans glared at me and his face was barely recognizable, it looked like a horrifying mask of a raving lunatic, he was shaking all over his body. I was afraid for Har-Hi. If Hans would squeeze his hand just a little, he would most certainly kill. Then his expression relaxed. His fists opened, he let Har-Hi go. The Dai dropped to his knees panting and struggling for air and Hans stepped back still trembling. "Oh mein Gott! I was ready to kill you! Please forgive me! What is happening to us?"

  Wetmouth said, "Someone out there has Psionic powers to hypno-suggest. Probably latching on to the smallest emotion and increasing it!"

  I looked instinctively towards the jungle. It was as if someone had tapped on my shoulder, but there was no one. A sudden painful headache made me groan. Something tried to enter my mind, the headache was intense and for some reason I could suddenly feel the ring I was wearing getting warm. Then as fast as the sensation had come over me, it disappeared and I shook my head. To my friends, I said, "Something just tried to get inside me, but it failed for some reason and I am all right."

  I glanced at the ring I had completely forgotten and said to my friends who had assembled around me, "So we are up against something Psionic. What can we do to protect ourselves?"

  Wetmouth said, "I am immune to Psionic attacks, all Sojonites are. Our wigs are not just for show. They are equipped with Saresii Psi-shields. I always have four extra wigs along in my luggage."

  That was good news and I said, "Give one to Hans; if he really goes wild no one can stop him, another one for Har-Hi of course. Having a Dai with murderous impulses among us and all those weapons and skills he has would be bad news." I grinned despite the serious situation. "It's going to look good on you!"

  Har-Hi said nothing and simply nodded.

  Cirruit raised his hands. "I am immune too, no biological components to my brain. Therefore Psionics don't work on me."

  That's another one safe. I turned to the Arachnoid. "All right then, Krabbel how about you?"

  "I am not sure. My Heidelberg score is less than five and Archas don't have Psionic talents as far as I know, but telepaths can read my mind," our eight-legged friend said.

  Better be safe than sorry and find oneself inside a cocoon ready to be eaten. "Krabbel you take a wig too."

  Elfi said. "I think I am able to detect the thing. Just a moment ago I felt a wave of pain coming from the jungle, something has injured it very badly and it retreated. Right now it is not around or within my range to sense it."

  I was thinking for a moment and then said, "Mao you take the last wig. Those without, stay at all times with a wig-wearer. At the slightest sign of trouble we must be restrained or paralyzed, that includes me!"

  I turned and looked once more towards the jungle. It was getting dark now. The poles the robots had erected earlier were equipped with floodlights and the construction area was still as bright as daylight. "We cannot assume there is only one being out there with this capability, but I have a feeling their range is limited, perhaps they have to see us for their powers to have effect on us."

  I took the construction command console and activated voice command input. "Robots, interrupt construction process and clear any vegetation for 500m in all directions, centering on my location."

  The robots dropped what they were doing and marched towards the edge of the lake and the jungle.

  I couldn't help but smile when I saw Hans, Mao, Har-Hi and Krabbel wearing the pink wigs.

  Har-Hi gave me a sinister look. "What I am thinking now is all my own! Only because I almost killed you, I won't ask for an honor fight!"

  I put my hand on his shoulder. "Har-Hi, you never missed in your life. The very fact that I am still here is evidence that your friendship is stronger than whatever is out there. That, my friend, makes me prouder than I can put into words."

  He looked at me for a long moment. "You are my brother!"

  He then turned to Hans. "And so are you! What Eric said holds true for you. I know you could have killed me like an insect with those fists."

  Wetmouth hugged Elfi. "Thanks for not killing me either! You are the closest thing I ever had to a sister."

  I looked around and paled. "Where is Shaka?"

  Cirruit answered. "He was helping me taking the GalNet console apart and he went to the lab to find a microscope to repair a modulator component."

  We all rushed to the lab and saw Shaka, his eyes glued to the micro scanner eyepiece while his hands manipulated micro tools.

  He looked up with an annoyed expression on his face as I called his name, but then he smiled. "I am almost done. I think this modulator is working now!"

  We told him what happened and he shrugged. "I am a Virtu Helmsman. All Helmsmen are implanted with Saresii Psi shields. So no one can manipulate us while we steer a ship."

  "Well, that leaves only Elfi and me then. How long till dinner?"

  "You still want to do the dinner?" Hans asked.

  "Absolutely!"

  "It will be ready at 20:00 hrs, or in about 40 minutes!" he answered.

  They had done a great job. The common room was now clean and tidy. Where they got the second tabl
e from I didn't know, but it was now long enough to seat us all. It had a tablecloth from clean bed blankets. We all wore dress uniform and I took my mug filled with water and raised it. "To the best friends anyone could have. I don't know what the future holds for us or if we will survive this mission, but I know we will face it together and that makes it a good future!"

  We all ate and the mood improved. There were jokes about the wigs and Krabbel uncovered a tray and said, "Guess what? I found ice cream! Not the best kind, just Navy standard, but it is still ice-cream!"

  Har-Hi leaned back and pulled a flat container from a leg pocket and handed me a cigar. Much to the surprise of the others, we lit the cigars and puffed happily.

  We had to explain what we were doing and then Wetmouth gave us a small lecture on the history of smoking and the health risks that once had been associated with it. Har-Hi had enough cigars for everyone. Mao stubbed his out after only one puff and coughed. "That is the nastiest thing I ever tasted!"

  Wetmouth followed his example and said, "I tend to agree with this assessment."

  Elfi, however, seemed to enjoy hers. Shaka refused the offered cigar and produced something he called a cigarette and said that this was also an ancient Terran custom, just like the cigars, just more civilized, at least that was his opinion.

  Krabbel tried it and gave up. "I simply don't have the lips to get a seal and therefore can't produce the necessary suction. It seems spiders are not meant to smoke. So I’ll stick with eating more ice-cream."

  Cirruit said, "I could rig you some sort of mouthpiece if you want, I can't smoke either. There is no connection from my mouth to anything like a windpipe or lungs so I can't produce any suction either."

  Before Krabbel could respond, Elfi started shaking. "The thing is back! It feels that there are more of them this time …" She didn't finish her sentence but reached for her dinner knife and pointed it at Wetmouth. She shook violently and from pressed lips she groaned. "Stop me! Please!"