Chapter 15: SIF

Two days later, the Elders placed Ragnarsson flags and a shield with the Falcon symbol in a ritualistic ceremony into the Caves of Extinct clans and had the alcove bricked shut. An Elder smashed my Grandfathers signet ring with a hammer on an anvil and tossed it into the ocean. The Ragnarsson clan was no more.

After the Ceremony Hogun took me downtown again, he explained that a lawyer had come to open my grandfather’s will.

The building where Hogun landed the floater had three floors and was made just like our burg out of big square hewn stone blocks and Duro-Crete, but the windows were much larger than in the traditional buildings and there was a round company Logo etched into the glass of the automatic door. A stylized version of the Ragnarsson Sigil. Next to it the words: ‘Ragnarsson Inc.’

Inside wall to wall carpet, a modern looking hover desk and behind it a pretty looking woman with her hair open and cut much shorter than any woman I ever saw. Her hair was shorter than mine. She wore a traditional dress, blue with a white apron but her skirt barley reached her knees instead of the floor length kind I knew. She smiled at us. Good Morning Mr. Olafson. The others are already waiting in Conference Room one.”

Hogun nodded.”I know where it is.”

We entered an elevator and it lifted us to the third floor and Uncle Hogan led me through a wooden double door into a room with a large polished steel and glass table that was shaped like a spear head and around it leather upholstered hover chairs. Two men were there, both quite obviously Off-Worlders, as they wore suits like Mr. Walters and their faces were beardless. My heard dropped as I saw father and his wife sitting there as well. I wondered what Gretel was doing here, whatever this was it was men’s business and not for women. Had my father changed that much and did she really have that much power over him?

She even spoke before anyone else. “Must this abomination be here? The very presence of this failed abortion makes me sick!” She looked towards Isegrim.

One of the Off-worlders sat directly opposite them at the narrow end of the elongated triangle shaped desk. The other was sitting to the side and Hogun made me sit across him. The man at the small end said. “Yes he must be here, Ms. Olafson. You on the other hand may leave as your presence is not required in these proceedings!”

“Oh yes it is! I want to know how much we get! As it seems that most of the old bastard’s riches are in bank accounts and not on Nilfeheim!”

The man ignored her now and turned to me.”You are Eric Olafson; please place your hand on the little device that is sitting before you.”

I did do as he said and put my hand on a glass plate that was there. After a second a beeping sound could be heard and a voice said:” Analysis complete DNA is one hundred percent identical to the sample provided and it can be concluded with an error margin of less than 0,001 percent that this is indeed the grandson of Erik Gustav Ragnarsson. Sufficient to open all Seals placed by deceased.”

The man smiled completely business like. “I am David Silverzweig your grandfather’s personal legal adviser and despite all rumors that lawyers can’t have friends. I was proud to be among those so designated by your Grandfather. I am here to open his last will that was drawn following all Union Laws and by witnesses. Your Grandfather was of sound mind and this is so attested by the Psych Examination attached to these documents.”

An Ultronit box in front of him snapped open all by itself and he took a PDD from it. Again he paid no attention to anyone but me. “If you have any questions at any point say so and I will try to explain everything to you. The gentleman next to me is John Cue and he is a Federal Police Detective, asked here by me to be a witness. He is also here to make sure the rights and laws are upheld and a few very serious questions are answered.” The last words he directed towards my father!

Father snorted and grinned.”This is only a fancy off world office. We are still on Nilfeheim!”

The lawyer sighed.” I am painfully aware of that. But now let us proceed.”

He put the PDD on the surface of the table and suddenly my grandfather appeared, the Lawyer got up and made room for the projection to sit down and it did. It was a disturbing experience to see a dead person come to life like that. Grandfather looked at us all as if he was still there and I constantly reminded myself that it was only a Holo. He spoke. “I am Erik Gustav Ragnarsson. clan eldest of the Ragnarsson clan, and the Owner of Ragnarsson Inc and all its subsidiaries listed under section B of the appendix. I recorded this last will in the presence of three witnesses and after the required Psych evaluation. While I am bound by my heritage and my origin to the traditions and laws of my home world Nilfeheim and must dispense my possessions, my name and home according to these laws. I am under no such constrains to my possessions I was able to gather away from that world. If you see this recording I am dead and I was not able to see my Grandson come to age and do this in person. I know you are all here now Eric my beloved Grandson who I failed in many ways. Isegrim the man who killed my lovely daughter guilty of murder by Union laws but protected by our sacred ancient rules and traditions and you Hogun Olafson who I know to be one of the fairest and humblest men I had ever the honor to get to know.”

“Can we not simply spool forward through that entire dribble? We all know Eric gets it all and since he is a child we will take good care of it.” Gretel interrupted!

The projection had stopped and Grandfather was sitting there like a statue. The Lawyer glared across the table. “This is a legal procedure and if you interrupt this once more I have to ask you to wait outside.”

“You can ask all you want little beardless excuse for a man. I do as I please and the only man I listen to is my husband!”

The lawyer did not lose a beat and smiled. “I am the executor of this estate and have the full and legal rights to have you removed, but by all means stay as we must discuss the whereabouts of the funds in account 4535-84854.I might add that bank fraud and the illegal withdrawal of funds of an account form a Federal Bank are federal offenses.”

She blinked and raised her chin.”Isegrim tell him where he is and that he has no rights on Nilfeheim!”

Father glared at her.” Hold your peace or I shall remove you from this room!”

She snapped her mouth shut but her eyes glittered at him with unveiled fury and father seemed to shrink away from it!

The Lawyer tapped the PDD and Grandfather became animated again. “Eric my grandson. I have failed you. Failed to protect you and failed to avenge my daughter. I am ashamed of this. I have failed to act upon my own promise to get Isegrim arrested while he was on Tyson’s Planet because Tyson was and is our best customer and I could not even look in your eyes as you asked me that question. You told me of your desire to leave Nilfeheim and perhaps join the Fleet. Or you may stay on Nilfeheim and take your rightful place by challenging your father and defeating him. I saw your fight as a recording and I have sent an old friend and master to train you. He reports to me how well you progressed already. You carry Mördaren already and after you completed the Ancient Challenge you can do whatever you decide to do. I said I will be proud of you regardless what way you choose. Therefore all my companies and Holdings have been sold by now and by David Silverzweig my lawyer whom I trust as he is also a very dear friend. I had him sell that as it would have been a burden for you. Companies need constant tending and supervision and I did not want to force you to be a businessman. If you want to be one there will be enough funds to start a company of your own. I have willed that all the proceeds of these sales and all funds I have amassed to be yours when you are sixteen. You won’t be without means as you have Account 4535-84854 were you get your allowance from and it holds 4 Million Credits as this is the legal limit a minor can own. Again the money is yours and your father can not legally get to it unless you give it to him on your own free will.

“Now we come to the interesting part of my last will.” Grandfathers projection actually turned to Isegrim as the Computronic that guided the projection most likely knew where he was sitting. “My dear Son in law. You have lived on the big foot ever since I through my daughter provided you with wealth. I thought long and hard to limit your access without breaking any of our laws and customs and without sacrificing my will. You see my friend David here is a lawyer, a very special one I might add. He specializes in analyzing the legal system of alien cultures that join the Union and ever since I returned to Pluribus, he is actually studying our own ancient Book of Sacred traditions and he found a wonderful way to get my revenge on you after all and from beyond the grave so to speak. I know I am dead but if there is such a thing as ghosts I will be present there in spirit to see your face!”

Father’s face was one big question mark as he leaned forward.

Four Elders entered as if on cue and sat down as if rehearsed and only then did Grandfather speak again.”By your own admission in the presence of Elders did you reject Eric’s right to be recognized as warrior and of age after he had slain two Tyranno Fins.

“You can change your mind now. Accept him as a warrior and of age to our customs today or insist he shall remain until he takes the Ancient Challenge.”

“What is this?” Father asked looking to the Elders.

“You are a clan leader make your decision, but remember you grabbed the arm of the Arnske clan leader in front of many witnesses and recognized him to be your son, first born and heir.”

Gretel actually whacked his arm and screamed at him.”You did what? I let you out of my sight for a little while and you acknowledge that accident? It is Lothar! My ... our son that is heir to all!”

The Elders gasped.”What is this? Have you forsaken our traditions? Is a woman ruling the clan of Olafson?”

Father’s face became red with rage and perhaps shame? His hand dropped to his whip and it uncoiled. He back handed Gretel with his left, this time without restrain and she was swept of the hover chair.

The Elders now stood.” Answer the question and make up your mind.Do you recognize Eric as your firstborn and honor the pact you made only recently?”

Father also on his feet growled. “Yes he is my firstborn. I neither care for him nor do I want him alive after his sixteenth birthday but I shall hold my end of the pact with the Arnske clan. No mortal wound shall be inflicted on him from my hand or with my blessing until he comes of age. I do not however recognize him as a warrior. He is a snot nose runt and nothing more!”

“Are you certain and is this your will?”

“Odin be my witness it is!”

“None of Eric’s decisions have any value or meaning then?”

Father clearly sensed there was something afoot, but he could not back out. “Nothing my son ever uttered has any meaning. Not in the Olafson clan, not in the world. It is I who speaks alone. He is of no consequence.”

“I am glad it was you who put it that way and by Odin you evoked and by the Elders you will be held to this word. Should you break that pact or kill your son before he is sixteen and you challenge him as an adult. The Circle of Elders will declare you Ydrgedan and not fit to be seen among men. Ydrgedan have no rights and no status and can be killed on sight by anyone anywhere and not allowed to have possessions.”

Father was quite obviously distraught by all this. “Why is this brought up?”

The Elder rose also to his feet. “Since his words have no meaning, then his decision to grant you the control over the Steiner clan cannot stand. Then he is unable to speak as an adult and cannot accept or give what he has won in the challenge against the Steiner clan. The Steiner clan will remain as it was until Eric reaches his sixteenth birthday and only then can make the decision to give it to you or keep it. That he had given it to you is null and void. You are hereby instructed by the Circle of Elders to release all that was Steiner.

Grandfathers projection laughed! “I am no arguer but I just know what you have decided!”

Father howled in rage and lashed out against the projection with no effect and then was about to go against the Elders! The Police man however pulled a dangerous looking blaster weapon blinding fast and aimed it at father, the shimmer of the focus field before the barrel was clearly visible and a sign the gun was armed and charged.” Sir I must insist to restrain yourself from any further act of violence or I am forced to take action!”

Father shivered with rage.” Hide behind your weapon coward. This is Nilfeheim!”

The Elders were calm.”Do you wish to challenge one of us Isegrim?”

Hogun also stood.” Raise that whip or a hand against an Elder and I will break your neck!”

I was certain Father was backing down because of Hogun and not because of the blaster.” No! “He shouted and lowered the whip.” I will not Challenge an Elder!”

Challenging an Elder was considered the most dishonorable thing a man could do. The Elders would be able to choose a champion for each of them as old men were not expected to stand against a younger man and the Challenger would lose all rights to be a member of Nilfeheim’s society, lower than a Low Man should he survive the fight.

The lawyer and I were the only ones that remained seated. Gretel had not moved from the floor since Hogun hit her. Silverzweig had never lost his smile and simply activated the projection again.” Grandfather stopped laughing and said. “Go back to my Burg and enjoy and squander what I willed to Eric on this world as I know you will, but all that is not of this world is out of your reach. The final part of this recording is to be played to my Grandson when he turns sixteen. I wish I could have been there in person my grandson and if you can forgive me it will make me rest in peace. He slammed his hand on his chest raised his hand towards me. “Receive my blessings. If there is a beyond and Halls of Valhalla, Eric I will tell your mother how proud she can be of you and maybe we will see each other again.”

The projection vanished and I had to fight hard not to cry.

Gretel silently appeared from under the table with a split lip and sat in her chair. The lawyer took the PDD and replaced it in the box. “The combined proceeds of the sale of all possessions and interests of your grandfather amounted to 2 billion Credits. The money was placed in a secure savings account that can be accessed with your Bio metrics and signatures the day you become a Union citizen.”

Gretel blinked and despite her bleeding lip she smiled.” Did he just say 2 Billion Credits?”

The lawyer nodded.” Yes this is what I said.” He then nodded to the police man.”I am done. You can take over now.”

The police man looked straight at Gretel. “An investigation was opened after Hogun Olafson and Mr. Silverzeig noticed the allowance account given to Eric showed some unusual activities.” He then turned to me.

“Eric as you know your grandfather has given you an allowance account and the maximum withdrawal for a minor is 20,000 credits a month. In my investigation I noticed you made those withdrawals in regular intervals since you are five years old. Now lately you withdrew the sum of 2 million credits all at once. Can I ask why?”

I was totally surprised.” I have no account. I never had any money at all.”

Hogun nodded.”He doesn’t even have money to buy himself a piece of gum or an extra lunch at school. He did not know about the allowance account.”

Gretel spat.”Liar! I gave you your money every week! What do I know what you have done with it”

The Policeman turned. “I doubt Eric purchased dresses and cosmetics from GalNet sources, placed bets on adult only gambling sites or purchased furniture or a hunting submarine. I further doubt he wrote that permission document you produced to withdraw that money. The bank accepted the document as it was validated by its father and mother. However the mother of the boy was already dead at that point, so it is a forgery. An employee of your a certain Mr. Harkun was on Pluribus and was encountered by police in the Shadow district, engaging in very questionable activities. The credit strip he lost and that was recovered was registered to the account of Eric Olafson.”

“You cannot arrest me! I am his stepmother and I can do whatever I please with my stepson’s money.”

The Lawman sighed. “You are correct that I am not able to arrest you right now, as the last representative of this world managed to have Nilfeheim exempt from direct Law enforcement activity on Nilfeheim ground 40 years ago.”

Mr. Silverzweig, the lawyer added.” In order to protect these planets traditions, Erik Gustav was able to get Nilfeheim a special status. While this is a Union World, no Union Law can be enforced on its surface, except at the Xchange, the school and the Space Port as these are considered Union ground. However since no one speaks for this world now, I will make it a point to have this status revoked, it is a foregone conclusion that this is only a matter of time and Union Police can enforce Union law. We will then have you arrested, Mr. Isegrim Olafson for murder and you for bank fraud, but there is an ongoing investigation into a much more sinister crime.”

The Elders said.”It was said yesterday. We only know begin to understand what Erik Gustav really did for us. There is no one who could replace him!”

The police man looked to Gretel.”However a standing arrest warrant is issued for both of you and you are barred from opening or owning a bank account. All your current bank accounts and credit assets have been seized and frozen until that day this case will be heard by a Union Court. Should you fail to appear your Union citizenship will also be anulled.”

Isegrim pounded his fist on the desk.”How am I supposed to do business if I cannot sell my products?”