"You keep mentioning a God. Who is he? Odin?"
"No Eric. It is a God that existed on this world long before men on Earth came up with the tales of the Norse Gods and you too will meet that God before you leave this island and learn the real secret of this world."
After he had uttered all this we reached a half-buried door and I had to help him force it open, a gain to reveal a flight of stairs leading down a narrow shaft. After a few windings, the sparse light coming through the open door above did not reflect all the way down here and it was almost completely dark. He grunted somewhere before me." It is silly to come down here without light! There should be a torch in a holder somewhere to your right. Do you have means to light it?"
"Yes I do." Ever since I struggled making light before the Gates of Hasvik, I carried a small pocket butane torch in my pocket. I fished my PDD out of my pocket." But we don't need a torch; I carry the means of lighting this place."
"As I said, you talk way too much. We are still standing in the dark turn on whatever light you got!"
I took my PDD and activated the Holo emitter. The PDD created an invisible and insubstantial spherical force field before me in which simulated, energy laser painted three dimensional images against the inside of the invisible sphere. One of the base images was that of a sun and the three-dimensional image of a star floating above my PDD, illuminated the surroundings with bright light, as I dialed the intensity up.
"A flash light would have done you know!" He said. "Conjuring up a sun! Show off!"
I wasn't sure what he meant by that, didn't say anything and followed him. The chamber we reached was filled with weapons, shields, statues, clan leader chains, vases and plates and it all had the distinctive luster of Gold.
He made a gesture including it all." In the old days, it was custom to give expensive gifts to the gods and to bribe Elders to vote for your issues. The fate to the gods is slowly fading, but Elders are still bribed. Not as much as during the days of the Clan wars but it still happens. Union Credits are used nowadays however."
"It seems you got quite a load of gold down here. It is still valuable you know. I say they wanted to buy your opinion a lot!"
He scowled at me." I never accepted a bribe in my long life! Why do you think I want to sell my flyer? I have no Credits. The practice is considered traditional and acceptable because it is done for such a long time. Why do you think old men want to be Elders? It's because of the riches they can amass for themselves and their clans. Do you think your Grandfather came to all that he owns just by working hard? He was the most revered and most influential Elder and so they came often to him!"
I snapped at him" Grandfather was wealthy before he became an Elder. The Ragnarsson clan was wealthy for many generations!"
"And this is the very first Generation; no Ragnarsson sits in the Circle of Elders, Eric! Your Grandfather's clan was there since the beginning."
"You say what grandfather left me is based on bribes?"
"Not all of it, no and I am sure there are other words to describe the payoffs of High Office. Enticements? Gifts?
"What you see here was left over a period of 350 years on the bottom of my rock. They did not even take no for an answer and hoped their gifts would perhaps persuade me anyway."
He then walked past the piled treasures and said." As you can see the stairs spiral down much further and when I think you are ready you will descent and meet the god. Don't be impatient and walk down there on your own impulse. Your mother's brother defied me and he never returned alive."
"I won't."
"Good lad, now load this junk and lug it wherever you want it if you think it gets me credits."
***
The Flyer brought almost 12,000 credits and with it I rented a large Cargo floater and a Cargo Handler. With the handler it took me only a day to load most of the Old man's treasure. He sat in his now clean and empty feeling Main hall before his new GalNet Terminal and paid little attention to anything else.
"I have loaded it all. We need to take it to the Exchange in Halstaad Fjord. Will you come?"
"You go ahead. You know the way, just come back with the money."
"You need to open a bank account and that I can't do for you!"
He handed me the Credit strip I gave him with the proceeds of the Flyer sale." I already did with this thing." He padded the GalNet Terminal." And the credits in that strip." I am learning a lot but I am not totally inept."
He then actually turned his eyes of the Terminal." Sell the gold and come right back! Do not stop anywhere else. Not at your Burg and not at your Uncle's!"
"I had no plans to do so!"
"Good, but remember it anyway! No other stops and come right back!"
***
The big cargo floater was a late model used to ferry supplies to Isen Landsby. It had a comfortable big crew department and enough room for a full sized Standard Freight container. Right now it two held two rows of crates made by the recycler unit. And each crate was filled with golden artifacts.
It didn't look as much as it had in the confined treasure chamber, Uncle Hogun's floater would have been enough to carry this load. However this big SII Transporter was the only one available for rental purposes. Not that I minded, the thing would find its way to Halstaad Fjord all by itself and in only a few hours as it was, even for its size capable of supersonic speed.
The Exchange turned out to be a simple very large rectangular warehouse. Most of the roofed over space was Empty as I landed. A crew of fisher men stood by a gutted carcass of a Tyranno, its head, the fins and tail already cut off, a large robotic machine rolled over and lifted the fish. As I walked by I heard the machine say." 18.8 tons, Fat meat ratio 70, trade quality 9.3. A screen lit up and twelve names of companies appeared. Tyson Galactic, SII Marine Agra, Enroe Fresh foods right on top followed by other names. Behind the names of the companies figures appeared. A company called Unilever jumped to the top of the list and the robotic machine said." Unilever purchasing registered with highest bid of 6,760.56 Union Currency Units, do you accept this offer?"
The Fishers nodded and one said." Yes it's a deal!"
A force field surrounded the fish and with a hiss all thermal energy contained inside was neutralized shock freezing the big fish in a few heartbeats. A plastic film was then dispensed and the robot dropped the now rock hard load into an opening trapdoor.
I had never seen this before so I had stopped and watched the process. I looked around to see where I would need to go and saw the blue painted box of an info bot attached to the opposite wall in the distance.
A man sitting on a flying chair buzzed by and hovered before me. He was a Neo Viking by hair and dress but wore no clan colors or association markers at all." Good afternoon!" He greeted me." Aren't you a little young to do business here or are you just interested to see how it all works?"
"I am Eric Olafson. I am not sure if I am old enough to do business here, and yes I am interested to see how it works."
"I am Borg Amundsen Exchange Manager since this is a quiet time I gladly show you around. As for your business. I was expecting you since you are Eric Olafson, you are here in behalf of the Elder Egill Skallagrímsson, right?"
"Yes that is so."
"He has called and verified that you are here in his behalf. Do you want to do the tour or business first?"
"I think I would like to complete the business part first."
"Wise decision. I knew your grandfather well and he always said." Business first!"
He floated in his chair next to me to the Cargo Flyer and I opened the cargo box." I got these gold items I like to sell for Credits."
The man floated in and looked at the crates. "Of course, we can sell it for the metal value, but I suggest you sell it as artifacts will get you far more!"
"I am sure the Elder wants the most he can get out of it."
He tapped his fingers over a series of sensors." Our robots will unload it and scan it all. So buyers can see the items
on XChange-Net and make a bid. It will take a little till this is done and there are enough interested buyers online. So let me show you around."
2 S-10 Service Bots marched in, stacked several cases on top of each other and demonstrated their machine strength as they lifted the stacked crates with ease.
As we stepped outside the Cargo Box a second empty Floater chair was hovering there. Amundsen said." This is a big place and you get nothing done if you have to walk everywhere. So hop on the Easy-Go and I show you a little around."
The Exchange so he told me was open around the clock and was connected via the GalNet and the XChange net to every other Exchange on Union Territory. He told me that the idea behind the Exchange System was to give every planet and society a chance to sell their local products to fair prices. There was an Exchange on almost every planet so he said. Freighters would then make the rounds connecting the Exchanges with what he called Logistics and Distribution Hubs. It was a federal institution but he was very important to him to point out that all business was done without federal interference.
During the day so Amundsen explained it was very quiet, fisher and farmers would come here late at night after a day's work.
Underneath the building was a labyrinth of shelf storage, deep freezers, conveyor belts and cargo handling equipment.
He wanted to show me something else but a melodic alarm interrupted his explanations and he said." We have offers; do you want to sell the items individually or all at once?"
"I be here for days if we do it individual"
He activated a field screen and it lowered before me and a dozen Antique and Artifact Dealers appeared and behind their names were numbers. "DeNoir Arts-Paris Earth currently has the highest offer of 1.5 Million Credits."
Amundsen nodded and said." That's almost double the metal value. "
So I agreed to the sale and the money was instantly transferred to the old man's new account.
"Do I have to do anything now?" I asked
"No, we take care of the packing and shipping and the fees for that are already deducted."
A little later we arrived back by my Cargo Floater, he wished me well and left with both chairs.
If I walked a little further I should actually be able to see Hogun's Inn and I wondered if he would be there at the moment and who of the regulars would already be there. I did not forget my promise, I wasn't going to visit. Just have a look from the distance. I was surprised to see a big crowd gathered on Oslo plaza and even from here I could see the shapes of several white dressed Elders. Something had happened and at first I thought it was at Uncle Hogun's but then I saw it was two houses down from the Inn and then I saw Uncle Hogun rubbernecking in the crowd. He was easy to spot. So, I decided to honor my promise and not stop anywhere. I closed the Cargo Box, climbed into the Flyers crew compartment and stared into the pointed tip of a Spear gun pointed directly at my nose! "Get in and fly!" Snarled a masked feminine shape.
I didn't even carry my sword, not that it would have done me any good if I did, but I did have my skinner knife and I carried it like Richard not on my belt but in a customized knife sheath over my left shoulder blade and underneath my jacket. The person was mostly obscured by the high backed comfy pilot seat. She was wearing the traditional blue dress and white apron of a Freeman's family and over it a dark blue hooded cape usually only worn when it was raining or cold. Her face was obscured and distorted by something and under the shadow of the hood. The Spear gun was a reliable Friesenheim Tri Shot and I noticed it had only one spear left, but it was an explosive tip with the red markings for the strongest charge available. I did what I was told and activated the engine and the AG lifters. I took the flyer into the air, brushed over the controls of the flight stabilization. The pilot could turn those of if he wanted to use the Cargo Flyer with an open cargo bed and dump a load of rocks or other bulk materials. And with a sudden move banked the flyer to the left. The spear gun holding person was thrown to the side. The auto restrains of the seat kept me in place. I pounded the emergency restrain release, pulled my knife and jumped as fast as I could over the seat that was now folding itself into the floor the emergency release not only opened the restrains ,it also removed all obstructions to facilitate a fast evacuation. I was over the mysterious female in a heartbeat, dropped my knee with force on her wrist that held the spear gun and raised the knife to plunge it home, all the dirty tricks Richard had shown me came to play. She groaned with pain and said." Please don't kill me Eric!"
The voice was more than familiar; I did not stab her but pointed the knife tip under her chin. "I think I know who you are, under that mask. First you treat me like dirt and now you want to kill me, with the spear gun I got you? I have a good mind and throw you out right now without landing, Sif!"
I noticed she wore a white stocking over her face, that distorted her facial features and I rolled it up so I could see her.
From the cargo Area I heard a scratching sound. There were more of them! I took the spear gun from her hand and aimed it at the now opening separation door, and three women with stocking masks with dressed like Sif, all armed with spear guns appeared. I was certain I recognized Astrid to be one of them. As one of them spoke I knew it was Elnna." Let her go you male pig! I hate you so much Eric! So much it hurts and I will kill you no matter what, so let her go and I do it fast and easy!"
"Not that I have any idea what is going on or why you hate me, Elnna. I hold a spear gun aimed at you as well and you know I won't miss!"
"I don't care if I die! I want you dead! "She started to cry and I could see that even through the fabric of her mask. The third woman lowered her spear gun and put her hand on the one Elnna was holding and pushed it down." You are Eric Olafson?" It was not a voice I recognized.
"Of course I am Eric. That's why you here is it not?"
"No Eric." Sif said who I was still kneeling on." We needed to get away and hid in this cargo flyer. We hand no idea it was yours!"
The call from the console was repeated and the masked woman said. "I think you need to answer but please do not tell them about us!"
"Eric Olafson here."
"We noticed you are stationary in the air above the crime scene and local authorities ask if you have seen a blue cloaked woman anywhere from up there hiding or leaving somewhere."
"What happened?"
"A blue cloaked woman shot and killed Elder Odvar Bendixen with a spear gun. They ask if you had seen anything from up there. I told them already that you were with me and probably did not, but if you have seen something let them know."
"I paid no attention to the ruckus below; I am on my way now."
I got up from Sif and activated the Auto Pilot.
The unknown woman sighed." You are right Sif, we could have trusted him! She took of her mask and revealed a woman I had not seen before." I am Snøfrid Bredenberg we are of the Freedom for Nilfeheim Sisterhood."
Chapter 32: Women
I did not let go of the Harpoon gun but pressed the button that recalled the seats." Is it true one of you has killed an Elder?"
Snøfrid undid the cloak and sat down and said to the others. "Take of your masks and lower the weapons." Then to me she said after crossing her legs and folding her gloved hands in her lap." Yes Eric one of us did and it won't be the last!"
She made a deliberate pause probably to see a reaction in my face then she said." We are an underground organization. We want equality for women and end the system of Low Men and Lords. We want Union law and Union rights on Nilfeheim, but as long as these Old men and the Clan Lords hold all the power, nothing will ever change."
"It is not my fault I was born into a Clan family and if you knew even the smallest thing about me, you'd know I give anything for not being my father's son!"
"I know much more about you than you think, Eric. Sif made contact with you on purpose the day your grandfather got his funeral. You are of a very important family."
Elena interrupted her." You are the same male scum
. I thought you be different as you became Freya, but you don't remember me. Servants are simply not registered in the eyes of you Lords. You saved my life but you failed to save the life of my mother!"
"I know I have seen you somewhere before, but you wear masks and wigs for the most time I knew you. I seem I do not remember who you are but you don't know me either. You would know that the lowest servant in my father's house has more rights and more freedom than me."
She threw the spear gun away and with a tearful face she lunged forward, but not to kill me or hurt me she threw her arms around me and cried bitterly." I do know everything! I have seen you get beaten so many times, I saw when he broke your fingers beneath the heels of his boots, and I saw when he poured boiling water down your back. Yes Eric I saw it! You killed the Fangsnapper in the kitchen! You saved my life and that of Aunt Midril but you came too late to save my mother! I hated you so much for not coming earlier and save her too, yet I knew you were but a child like me and did more than anyone could ever ask."
I was floored by her revelation." You are Elena. The daughter of Gudrun. No wonder you knew Harkun!"
She cried again. "Of course I know him. He raped my mother, he is my father!"
I had not realized that I had cried too." I am so sorry I failed you! I was not fast enough I am sorry!"
She caressed my face." No don't! I am sorry. I was so silly blaming you. I should have told you when Sif brought you in."
Sif lowered her head." I don't like boys' period. I was told to use you to get us weapons and free access to your Burg and as your future wife gain access to all the riches and the power your name and family holds. What your grandfather left you is enough to buy real weapons and you can buy armed help that would sweep this planet clean, but when you became Freya I fell in love with you! I am sorry as well for using you."
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 193
