The admiral sighed. “You know, I am so tempted to put on a load handler suit and join them. It looks like lots of fun.”
I raised my voice. “SHIP, get me two load handler suits. I think we have a steel container kick match to join.”
How the match ended, I could not say, as I was called by Elfi who said, “Captain, the Red Dragon is calling and wants to talk to you as soon as you can.”
As I stopped playing, the entire gang stopped. I said, “Captain’s business, you can go on.”
But then the spell was broken and they started to finish the cargo transfer. Stahl shook my hand. “I have to go back with the Minerva. But there is a big part of me that wants to actually come along with you and this crew. I think it would be like old times before I was an admiral.” He sighed. “Good luck with your mission. Be assured I trust your abilities and I can tell you have become a real starship captain, one I am very proud of.”
I felt elated, as his approval meant more to me than any medal. “Thank you, sir. I would not be here without your help.”
“Eric, I meant to say Erica. I actually doubt that. You would have become a starship captain regardless if you had met me or not.”
Chapter 16: Alvor’s Cove
“Elfi, call the Devi for rendezvous instructions.”
We had 48 hours of shore leave on the Devi. It was perhaps not the same as real R&R but the Devi had an entire deck filled with forests and lakes. There was the Village and every recreation facility imaginable.
With a sense of pride that could not be described, I gave Captain Harris a tour of the Tigershark. He was deeply impressed by our Pirate’s Den, and Stahl insisted we organize a steel container kick match against a team he had personally formed only a few days ago. The fact that the team of the Tigershark won had put a deep smile on my face as I noted this in my daily log entry.
Fenris, our mascot, was curled up on top of my dresser and had his tiny fierce yellow eyes closed. If you listened closely, you could hear the little monster snore.
The door chime announced a visitor.
It was Shea, wearing a beautiful midnight-blue evening dress. Her hair was all done up and she said, “Are you not coming?”
“Coming to what?”
“Captain Harris has invited us all to a formal dinner and ball.” She rushed past me and pointed at the paper square on my table. “There is your invitation.”
“Oh, right, Harris handed me that thing before the kick match. I forgot about it. Not that I know what it is.”
“It’s an envelope.”
To my surprise, she opened a flap on the thing and revealed a card.
On it, in fine writing, I could read, You are hereby invited to attend a grand affair of a formal dinner and ball. In lieu of the Union Week celebrations which you and your crew will miss, you and your crew are guests of honor. Formal attire required, no uniforms.
I looked sheepishly at the paper. “I have never seen an envelope before.”
“I’ll tell you later about stationery and the significance and function of envelopes. Now get dressed. We don’t have much time. I better get Elfi to do your hair.”
I finally decided on a black velvet dress, as a nod to the trademark name of my pirate alter ego.
Elfi, I had to admit, had great talent to tease hair in other directions than down.
I indulged a little in the female narcissism I felt, knowing I was looking drop-dead gorgeous. It was a realization that had no room in daily business but was perfectly all right for a night out.
We made it just a few moments late, but Elfi insisted that it would be okay. Officers had to be on time; a woman could be a little late for effect.
Obviously, I still had a lot to learn about my recent gender change.
I also had no idea the Devi had a ballroom complete with chandeliers, fancy-dressed tables, and even a full orchestra called the Devi Philharmonics. Of course, the musicians were also Fleet personnel and this was their hobby.
But then I doubted that midshipmen had much reason to see the ballroom.
Harris wore a black suit with a Kimo cut and a white shirt. Even now, there was no doubt he was the captain.
He greeted me and even bowed slightly as he took my hand. “What a lovely sight indeed. You look spectacular.”
I felt embarrassed. “Thank you, sir.”
“No need to call me sir; we are all out of uniform. I am John Jameson and friends call me JJ. Enjoy this evening, as the woman you have become, and forget the other aspects for a while.”
“I will try, sir.”
“Just so you know, I am as proud as the Eternal Warrior of what you have accomplished so far. You and your friends have served this ship as midshipmen like so many thousands before, but I doubt the Olafson will be forgotten anytime soon.”
I wanted to say something, but Admiral Stahl approached us, preventing me.
Even in civilian attire, a simple black suit, he radiated his unexplainable aura of authority.
He looked at me. “Whatever fate decided to put a Neo-Viking in such a lovely form, I cannot say but lord have mercy, you are looking spectacular. I think it would have been a crime if you kept suppressing your desire.”
He then raised his hands. “I am terribly sorry, everyone, but we have to cut this short. A large Dai fleet supported by Shiss are attacking worlds near the corridor. First Fleet has been ordered to make all haste. I promise to make it up to you another time.”
“I understand, sir.”
We quickly left the Devastator and returned to the Tigershark.
I had to give kudos to my crew. They were all back and accounted for within the hour after the ship-wide announcement was made on the Devi.
The mighty Devi and the admiral were already light years away and speeding toward the Union Klack Corridor almost 1,500 light years away from Sin 4. Half of the First Fleet had remained behind to complete their task in the Sin system.
I had not even had time to change yet and was standing next to my command seat as Stahl finished the orders he was just transmitting.
“Get your ship back into pirate mode and into Freespace. Find the hideout of the Sinister Alliance, clip that dragon’s wings if you can and find the Seenian depot if at all possible. The Seenian depot takes priority.”
“Understood, sir. We’ll try our best.”
He disconnected, and I turned to my bridge crew. “You heard the man. Let us go to Alvor’s Cove and see if the Red Dragon is still there.”
I went to my ready room to change. I opted to undress manually as I wanted to keep the dress. The autodresser would break it down, as it was not one of the outfits that were stored in the system.
The door chime announced someone as I was trying to reach the closure on the back of the dress. I expected Shea but it was Har-Hi. He stepped behind me, opened the zipper, and then turned to look out the view port so I could wiggle out of the dress. We had seen each other naked, of course, countless times during our final year aboard the Devi, but now he felt the need to look away and I was actually glad about it.
“What is on your mind?” I asked.
Without turning, he said, “The Dai attack makes no sense. Even if Cam Elf-Na had united every remaining Dai Clan, an open attack on the Union, especially in that region, is simply madness, even with the Shiss assisting. Everyone knows the corridor is well defended.”
I had to sit down to take off the thin stockings I was wearing. “I have an odd feeling about this myself, but no matter what they’ve planned, we have Admiral Stahl and he has more experience in these matters than anyone. He doesn’t need our help, and we have direct orders. Besides, what could we do? The Tigershark is a formidable ship but it is not a ship meant for full-scale Fleet-level space battles.”
Now I was ready to get into the autodresser and dialed for my leather suit. I realized how much I actually liked this outfit. Once again wearing it, I felt ready to take on whatever challenge there was.
Har-Hi was sitting on the sofa n
ext to my visitors’ table with a thoughtful face, holding one of my heeled sandals and turning it in his hands. “I don’t think I there is anything more impractical than these shoes.” He put the shoe down and looked at me. “We should go to Thana Shoo and see if we can find out what the real reason for that attack is.”
I gathered the things I had dropped on the floor and also picked up the slingbacks. “I can’t argue that, but they do make a nice leg. Not a real substitute for Terran All Terrains, I know.” I put the things away and said, “What is Thana Shoo?”
“It is the Dai home system. Our home planet was destroyed many thousands of years ago. A particularly big chunk of our former home world carries the only remaining piece of Dai architecture remaining. It is an open stone amphitheater and all Dai clans meet there in regular intervals of about every 10 Union standard years.
“Right now, there won’t be any clans there, but the Pale Reds, the guardians of Thana Shoo, are still there and these men always know everything about the Dai.”
I put on the holster and checked my .45 before I sat down across from him. “Is it far?”
He nodded. “Yes, it is about 1,160 light years past the outermost reaches of the Togar Empire or about 2,600 light years from where we are now.”
He leaned forward and took an orange out of the bowl of fruits that my yeoman put there every day and, with a flick of his wrist, a small knife appeared between his fingers and he begun to cut the skin off the fruit. The strong fresh orange scent immediately filled the room. “I know we have a mission, and I know the Union will prevail. We can’t simply disobey direct orders and go where we could not possibly go because Thana Shoo is forbidden ground to Okthi Dai like me, to any renegade Dai, that is. Also, no outsiders are allowed there.”
I also leaned forward and put my hand on his arm. “If it is important to you, we’ll go there. I know what motivates you, the possibility that this will end the lives of so many Dai.”
He nodded and squeezed the orange ever so slightly and, like a blossoming flower, the skin of the fruit peeled away in perfectly equal petal-shaped segments. “I had a long talk with the Gray Nul. He told me how the Shiss betrayed them, using an elaborate alliance treaty to lure the Nul fleets in a terrible trap that cost the Nul dearly.
“The Nul are much more numerous than we Dai and were able to recuperate. The Dai are a space-born race of much fewer numbers and if this is something similar, then there won’t be any Dai Than outside of the Union.
“I know that the Dai Than who are not in the Union are our enemies. You know I would not hesitate to fight them, but so much of our species heritage and culture would forever vanish and our already small gene pool would be further diminished. Somehow, I was hoping—”
He paused and finished peeling the orange and then continued, “I mean, since I am with you, you always somehow manage to do something and I have a feeling this is an unfair situation. I am convinced Cam Elf-Na is blinded by hatred and drunk on new-found power, and leads what is left of the Dai to their certain doom. I just wish I could do something about that. Maybe if we can find out that this is a trap, a ruse, then we could convince more Dai clans to see the light and make the same decision the clans around my father made.”
He parted the fruit segments and offered me a slice. “I don’t want you to make that decision and disobey orders. Finding that depot is vital and slaying that Red Dragon is no less important.”
Har-Hi ate a slice. “What I really wanted is to talk to you and, now that I have, I feel better about it. You really have become a beautiful woman. It is obvious you are changing in more ways than outer appearance, and I must often remind myself, as I still see Eric in your eyes and features and I know my best friend is still there.”
I nibbled at the slice and said, “For now, we will continue to do what we are told to do, but if there is even a slight chance we can go to Thana Shoo, we will. I am glad you still think of me as your best friend. I realize that being what I am now is more than a costume or a disguise and my decision to appear female might be more complicated for you than expected, but I, too, need to talk to a friend other than another girl or Narth, who has a different way of understanding things.”
He nodded. “Yes, I have feelings for Elfi and I think she does have similar for me, but I also love you and Shea. I know you have secrets ever since you came back, and I don’t mean your desire to be a woman.”
I said, “SHIP, who has the Conn at the moment?”
“Shea does. We are back in Freespace and there is nothing unknown on the scanner horizon. We should arrive at Alvor’s Cove in 48 hours.”
“Thank you, SHIP. Please secure my quarters according to Blue-Blue-Red protocol.”
Neutronium shutters closed the view ports, and a heavy plate slid before the already strong door.
A TransDim field engulfed the entire room and isolated us. I knew outside marines and robots would guard the door and corridor.
“Security protocol initiated, facilities secure.”
I got up and paced a few steps up and down and said. “Har-Hi, I was told I am going to be one of the Immortals. I have some sort of purpose and mission that is beyond Fleet and Union.
“I don’t know what it is or when it will take place. I remember vaguely that I asked the Narth Supreme to make me forget until I need to know, but I can’t shake the feeling that it is something I don’t like, that I am becoming something else. You knew me first as Eric and now as Erica, but I don’t think that is the end of my transformation.”
He had followed me with his yellow eyes. “I know, Erica. I have seen a glimpse of what is inside you when we fought on the Devi before the Daoine delegation. It was as if I looked into a pit of dark flames and, for a moment, I was certain I was done for. It was as if I stared death in the face. I don’t mean danger or imminent mortal demise. I mean something personified, like as if Death was a person.”
What he said made me feel ashamed. I, too, remembered that event well and that I tried to cut off the head of my friend.
He got up and took my hand. “I told you that I will follow you to the gates of Hell and nothing has changed. If I really have to go to these gates, I will do it without hesitation. I will be right behind you and fight with and for you, no matter what you turn out to be in the end.”
I hesitated, as it was highly inappropriate, but I simply hugged him in a brotherly fashion, knowing that even this term was not really applicable anymore.
Having been able to talk to Har-Hi made me feel right as rain again, and we both stepped on the bridge.
Shea said, “Whatever you did in there, you should do more often. The captain is smiling for the first time in over a month.”
I said, “What I did in there I will do with you all as well. What I did made me realize that you all are more than friends to me, you are my family. I am on a strange journey and there is something profound and significant at its end. But I am not making this journey alone. I have you, and that makes it much easier.”
I told them more or less the same things I’d told Har-Hi. After I was done, it was very silent on the bridge, but then Krabbel said, “As long as you don’t decide to change into an Archa, I am fine with that.”
I felt an unstoppable deep grin creep onto my face. “Now why is that? Do you think I could not pull it off?”
“No, the opposite, captain. You could decide to become a female Archa, and I would have to share my ice cream all the time as I can’t really say no to a gorgeous Archa girl. They also do tend to rip out legs if they don’t get their wishes.”
As if a spell was broken, the bridge echoed with our laughter.
I had the same thoughts as we dropped out of Quasi Space at Alvor’s Cove as when we approached Sin 4. I hoped we would not be stuck on this depressing planet for long. As always, we had gone to sub-light speeds at the outermost orbit and would now slowly approach Alvor’s Cove, which was the second planet of this 12-planet system. The bridge was a hub of activities, and all depart
ments were busy doing their evaluations and tasks.
Narth said, “There is much activity on Alvor’s Cove in terms of energies and transmissions. The two long-range telepaths I can detect are sending messages to the limits of their abilities. Ensign Fichier thinks they are already sending erroneous messages, mostly about the takeover on Sin 4. There is nothing reflecting the Dai-Shiss crisis so far.”
Looking at the main screen, I said, “And they told me you could send coded messages via those long-range telepaths.”
Narth’s voice resonated in my mind. “You can, but it is actually illogical. You go to a telepath and tell him a coded message acoustically while your mind thinks about the real message. It seems quite foolish.”
“I think the problem is that most people are not telepathically gifted and, to them, it’s more or less unexplainable magic. I include myself in that group.”
“I believe this would be the moment a Human sighed. Your opposition and distrust to anything psionic is also quite illogical, especially since you carry great potential.”
“After our mission, I promise to look into that, but right now, I’d rather maintain my own illusion as it would add to all the distractions I already face about myself.”
After saying that, I paid attention to the bridge and the situation again.
Shea said, “I wish I could send this data to New Wurgus; they could make much more sense out of these readings than I.”
“Don’t tell me this sun is going to flare up or something?”
“No, captain, this one already has and that is why there are no oceans on Alvor’s Cove anymore. However, these readings suggest that the flare was caused deliberately and on purpose; meaning an intelligent life form with a considerably high level of technological abilities.”
Three-Four, who’d probably come on the bridge after being summoned by Shea, said, “I could go and dive to the core and check it out.”
I turned to my Non-Corp friend. “Maybe if we come back here one day, not that I see any way we can clean up this hellhole as we did on Sin 4. Frankly, I don’t want to spend too much time here while there is a war going on back home.”
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 7 Page 122
