Chapter 5: Alcohol
We watched him leave and as we left the training hall, Narth said." Lying can be polite sometimes, is that so?"
I was thinking for a moment what he meant and then said. "We humans always say we prefer the truth, but in certain cases we rather not want to hear or tell the truth. Especially when dealing with others. Why do you ask?"
"You said to La Lupe that you are a ruffian at best, and yet you are the best fencer and I am not certain our instructor is much ahead of your skill level, but I think I begin to understand."
"I had a lot of practice before I left Nilfeheim, but when it comes to style I am not very refined."
"When we have time I would like to learn how to throw the knife like you do"
"I am sure glad there are a few things I can show you, but why would you want to? You can throw knifes with those Telekinetics of yours, better than anyone."
"Like Aurelius said, there could be situations when I am unable to use this ability, besides I find it quite fascinating how you do it."
"I make a real Neo Viking out of you yet!"
While we walked down the hallway he said after a few moments." That would be an interesting goal indeed."
I elbowed him in the side." I am just not sure this Galaxy is ready for a Barbarian Neo Viking Narth!"
He looked at me from the side." The Galaxy is ready for a very long time, Eric. However I think we should postpone the goal for me to become a Narth Barbarian amalgam."
Then I remembered."I do not have anything civilian. All my effects were taken at Academy entry."
"I can give you one of my robes." Narth offered.
"Why did they let you keep your robes anyway?"
"My robe is more than just a garment to me Eric. It protects all Non Narth from our true form. Humans cannot look upon us without getting mentally injured, weaker minds often cease to function and die. I am the first Narth ever to join the Navy and nothing could be found that gives an equal amount of protection. The Navy however insisted that I would wear a Robe in Cadet Green, instead of my usual black"
"Is that why your eye slits glow and there are no real eyes behind them?"
"I would say they are real eyes, just quite different from yours, but yes the light my eyes emit is not visible light at all. It is seen by your mind not your eyes."
"So a robot would not see that glow?"
"No a machine without bio-neuro components would not register it."
"One of these days I still like to see how you really look."
"One of these days I shall take you with me to Narth. Narth Supreme is eager to meet you. They will find a way so you can see me as I am."
"I look forward to it. Meeting your folks and your planet and see how you live."
We had reached the showers and we disappeared moments later each in a shower stall. I thought how honored and touched I felt by Narths invitation and I promised myself to learn everything about the Narth so I would not make a fool of myself. While I showered I was trying to imagine how his Planet would look like. I was certain that whatever I was thinking was completely wrong and perhaps I would not even be able to understand what I was seeing. As I left the stall, he was already done wearing a black robe. The eerie glow behind his eye slits appeared more intense.
He handed me a dark red colored robe." Here, I choose this color so they can tell us apart."
"I doubt anyone would mistake me for a Narth."
"All you have to do is do the spooky thing and let your eyes glow!"
I laughed as I slipped into the robe."You know what Aurelius is right; you did develop a sense of humor! Do the spooky thing. That does not sound like you at all."
"No perhaps not but Olia is saying it all the time."
The robe material felt almost like liquid metal. It felt smooth and not at all like a fabric. It was also quite cool and that I thought was worth it, on a humid and hot world like this. A darker metal like belt appeared all by itself and girded the garment around the waist.
"Hey that isn't bad at all I could get used to it, even though it reminds me of a very dark episode of my life."
"One is pleased that you find Narth garments acceptable!"
I laughed at him."Now that's how you supposed to sound."
He handed me a pair of gloves and I put them on and I liked the feel of them quite a bit. You knew you were wearing gloves but, just barely. I thought how practical they would be in a fight, when you never get sweaty hands and always keep a good grip.
"You are welcome to keep them, of course!" Narth answered to my train of thought. I was so used to him answering to my unspoken thoughts that I didn't even bother to ask my next question out loud, because I wondered where he kept all those things. Since he, like everybody else had only a small locker. It was forbidden to store anything in them except issued standard items.
"I utilize a subspace pocket inside my left sleeve. I can store any number of items there, only limited by the size that fits trough the subspace hole."
"Wow! That sounds quite practical. I doubt even Fleet has anything like it."
"I am certain they do not. It requires a different tech level as Humans say."
I somehow knew he didn't want me to tell anyone about it and he only told me because I was his friend."
He simply nodded and changed the subject. "Will you tell me about that dark episode of your life?"
"Yes of course, but this is a longer story, it might be better I simply think about it and you check out my memories."
"You will let me do that?"
"You know how I feel about you and that I trust you."
He fell silent for a little while I was recalling the hanging and being the Assistant executioner. Then he said. "This is a complicated matter and I must process the information, but I will have many questions about it."
"Ask anytime." I went to the door and Narth followed and then he said." The entire affair with Lt. De La Lupe makes me wonder though. It does not appear unusual to you?"
"It's another test. I am sure of it. Whenever something seemingly odd happens it ends up being a test. Besides I think the Lieutenant is trustworthy if he thinks we can do it, let's make him proud and do our best."
As we left the showers Narth said." I believe you are quite correct. It does sound logical."
I actually had no idea where the Officers Lounge was. We stopped at the next Inter Base Transport Unit and stepped into the transport cabin. "Officers Lounge, please." I said to the voice pick up.
"Identity scanned. Cadets are not allowed to access."
Narth said." I can sense La Lupe. Let's go the other way!"
The IBT cabin vanished and the world changed before my eyes as if someone switched a holo-program. I unexpectedly stood in a subdued lit room with low ceiling and comfortable looking seat groups around small tables. There was a bar on one side. Amuse-matics lined up against the facing wall along with a few GalNet booths. The most striking feature was the large transparent wall across the room, showing a greenish underwater landscape, submerged Tree roots and plants. We saw a scaled lizard swimming past, of the same huge kind that greeted us on our first night. The officer's lounge so it became apparent was under the nearby lake.
Letsgo and Lt. La Lupe jumped out of their seats, even more startled than I was, because of our sudden appearance.
"Holy mother of God!" The Lieutenants' hand darted to his sidearm, but stopped before pulling it."You need to warn others before teleporting like that, and dressed like that!"
I nudged Narth and grunted." That includes me!"
But Narth acted as if he didn't notice. Despite the fact that I just knew he was grinning behind his hood. He snapped in attention and I followed his example an eye blink later." Cadet Narth and Olafson report as ordered at 1900 hrs at the Officers Lounge wearing as requested civilian attire."
Several officers most of them Instructors we knew, but also beings I had not seen so far turned to us and a few of them looked as if they disapproved ou
r presence and then continued with whatever they were doing.
Letsgo pointed at the seats across the table. "Have a seat Cadets. As you can see most of the officers present are not in uniform and neither are you or we."
We sat down and so did the two officers.
The Commander leaned forward." This is no reprimand, just information for further reference. It is quite dangerous to teleport inside a Military Installation and appear out of thin air and unannounced. This could result in intruder alerts. Trigger automatic defense measures or be seen as attempted espionage. Teleporting into an area that is supposed to be Psi shielded and safe could get you shot!"
"I understand, Sir." Narth answered," The Psi shielding of this place however is quite inadequate. I was able to locate Lt De la Lupe without any difficulties, Sir."
"We are going to improve that." Letsgo said with a smirk on his face."Anyway you where not ordered here, you where invited. This is your first time in an officer's lounge but hopefully it won't be your last. You do not salute when you are out of uniform. You do not need to snap into attention even if the Admiral of the Fleet happens to be present. You know I am a Commander but I am wearing no uniform and no Rank insignia therefore I am simply Mister Letsgo. Of course we all are expected to act and behave like gentlemen."
"Yes Sir." Narth and I said almost simultaneously.
He waved to a wait-bot and said."Order what you like, the tap goes to me. You are welcome order Tox as well"
To the Bot I said."Got any Aquavit or Absolut Vodka?"
"We carry a selection of Aquavits, currently no genuine Absolut Is available. However we have the Molecu-Scan on file and can replicate."
I scanned over the list of Aquavits scrolling over is belly and with happy anticipation ordered." I take a tankard of Halverson's Dark warmed up a bit and double shot of very cold Alborg Aquavit."
Narth shook his head first but then he said."I have the same!"
Commander Letsgo held up his hand. "I have to try this as well, so I can say I drank with a real Neo Viking." De La Lupe motioned the robot that this was his choice as well and said." No one is going to believe you drinking with a Narth!"
It was quite odd to see the instructors act that way. I still was convinced it was some sort of test but I could not figure out what the goal of it was.
The drinks came.
They looked at me obvious to show them how it was done. With a quick tilt of the hand and my head I downed the Aquavit and enjoyed the cold fire shooting down my throat, smacked my tongue to get the aftertaste. Then I lifted the mug. Its size would had made any Viking laugh, and took a long draft, leaving less than fingers width in the liter glass.
Narth did the same putting the glasses one after the other under the loose cloth of his hood, both glasses appeared empty.
Letsgo shook his head with a smile." Comets and Quasars you two can drink! If we had a drinking class you would be instructors for sure!"
They both repeated my example and Lupe praised the Aquavit. "This liquor is quite enjoyable and has a smooth character."
Narth didn't say anything but I saw him wave at the Bot ordering more. So I started the conversation."Would you be so kind and tell us what this is about. I can assure you it is indeed an unexpected turn of events, but so far I am unable to determine what the goal of this test is."
The dark haired instructor leaned forward." How you react in this situation is not part of your evaluation and this is no test. There will be no official record kept. The Edged Weapons Instructor of the Newport Elite Academy, Lieutenant Commander Milieu claimed in a recent article, published in the Squadron News Magazine that his students where the best fencers bar none, and that it would be foolish to ever challenge any of his students in a duel and it be best to claim satisfaction or to submit before it came to a fight." He took a sip and dabbed his lips with a napkin." The SNM is the most widely read magazine among Fleet Officers."
Letsgo put his glass down and interrupted." You know there are Naval Academies all over the United Stars. 164 branches to be exact, you for example came from Arsenal. Your friend Narth was accepted at Annapolis Academy Earth. I graduated from Quallstone in the Spin ward Sector."
I noticed Narth ordering a third time, but did not think much about it because I paid close attention to what the officers had to say.
Letsgo was not done and kept saying."One of these Academies is called Newport. Over the last 100 years or so Newport became the Elite Academy. Only the brightest and best prospects are to be sent there, for the last 20 years or so it became even more elitism oriented, due to Admiral Dent who commands the place since that time. Now the Squadron News is the oldest and most watched and read magazine in the Navy as Fernando said, and…" Lupe played with his empty shot glass and interrupted." I wrote a reply and published it under the readers comment section and stated that other Academies educated good fencers as well and that I would know his fighting style since I bested the Grandmaster under which he studied many times and saw him fight on several occasions.
Letsgo pushed a plastic film sheet across the table entitled Squadron News. "There you can have this copy."
Our Fencing instructor took a piece of real paper out of his pocket along with a single glove." I received this hand written cartel and this glove this morning. I am challenged to a duel because I offended Milieu's honor. I am to face him and two of my best students are to face two of his best pupils. We do have the choice of weapons but since it is about fencing it should be edged weapons, preferably in the sword or saber variety."
The Commander said." Now you cannot be ordered to participate and I assure you if you decline it will have no negative effects on your evaluation. It is truly a matter of private affairs."
"We don't even have to think about that one, Sir. Of course will we participate, right Narth?"
"Right Eric! We participate!" Narths voice sounded somehow different.
Letsgo smiled proudly." I will give you officially five days R&R so you do not have to participate in the routine classes. You are going to stay in the landing field buildings, the ones you know from your first time here. There you will have two days you can further train and rest and on the third you will travel to the planet and the actual duel. The duel is fought to first blood. Meaning even the smallest wound will be accepted as satisfaction."
De la Lupe saluted us with his glass." For these days you will not be Cadets and I will not be a Lieutenant. We will be comrades in arms. I thank you!"
He drank and Narth did too!
Narth placed the glass rather hard on the table surface." Eric?"
"Yes Narth?"
"Did you know that these beverages have a component that influences ones thoughts and behavior, even perception?"
"Yes it is alcohol."
"Ah yes, an organic compound in which a hy... I mean a hyd… excuse me a hydroxyl group is bound to a carbon atom.., Eric I feel quite strange!" I knew we were in trouble when he started to giggle! Several tables began to rise in the air! Aurelius our Chief Instructor sitting on another table was showered with beer out of his own glass floating over his head! Narth giggled even more!"Did you see that...he hehe...Eric I don't feel too well!"
Narth slumped over and his head banged on the table!
The floating things around the room fell as if invisible wires had been cut.
"Your friend had a tad too much alcohol." Lupe said."We better get him to Sickbay. Before he wakes up and teleports all of us halfway across the planet or something like that!"
Interlude: Commander Ebo Letsgo’s Office
The commander stood at the window of his spacious office overlooking the lake and jungle with his hands clasped behind his back watching a group of cadets struggling with a heavy wooden log. They had to carry it over an obstacle course and only by working together could this task be achieved. This ancient time tested exercise promoted team work, group coordination and leadership.
This exercise had been used by Navy trainers even before the
Galactic Ascent on good old Earth.
Of course it didn't work as well for some non humanoid life forms. But Humanoids and non humanoid life forms where part of the Navy and both had to learn to work together. Letsgo was humanoid himself. His base DNA was human Terran and deep down he considered himself to be Terran. Something no Stellaris would of course never openly admit. After Earth's Galactic Ascent, Terrans tried to colonize everything. Terran Corporations and government labs used genetic tailoring to manipulate Terran life forms so they could live in environments unfit for normal humans.
The Stellaris originally were a quite successful cyborg/DNA clone project of Honda-Benz-Quon Jan Corp and declared a sentient independent species, along with a host of other clone types, at the end of the Super Clone Wars.
HBQ-Corp. had tried to create human-slaves able to work as unburdened by cumbersome space suits as possible in deep space and still able to go planet side or inside space stations with normal gravitation and interact with their masters. The goal could not be achieved with biological DNA engineering alone and so cybernetic parts were added, for example the flexible chrome metallic skin, to protect the Stellaris from the massive radiation in stellar deep space. Commander Letsgo and every other Stellaris could work and survive in deep space without protection for many days and still had legs, the necessary muscle and skeletons to work and interact on planets. The Garbini were natures answer to a similar environment and they no longer had a skeleton and consisted only of arms and body.
Letsgo was dedicated to his work and was very proud of his posting but often missed deep space. He never felt really at home dirt-side. Spacers and Stellaris always referred to planets as Dirt Side. He preferred a space station or space ship over a planet anytime.
On his desk was a holo of Harman's Village, a small deep space colony halfway between the Milky Way galaxy and Andromeda. Harman's Village was part of the Bridge connecting the two spiral galaxies and about light year away from Midway Station. He had purchased a large condo there many years ago, but had been there only three times. One day he planned to move there for good as soon as he retired. His wife, who wasn't a Stellaris but a Saresii, had signed after renewing their partner contract twice in over twenty years, a perpetual marriage contract with him. She also loved that new home to be and wanted to retire there. However she was currently commanding an Explorer ship and on a five year survey mission deep into the completely uncharted core ward sector. Maybe when she came back he would put in his retirement request.
Eric Olafson Series Boxed Set: Books 1 - 6 (The Galactic Chronicles Series) Page 259
