Chapter 24: Sub Marines

I had returned to the Pillar burg after my fateful meeting with father and had bought me a used but decent Opel Blitz flier at the flier garage in Isen. The mechanic knew me well by now and made me good deal. I still didn’t know his name. Everyone in the small City at the southern Pole called him, “The Mechanic” and that’s what the sign read over his business. The Opel was red, but then he didn’t have many color choices for me to choose from. Very expensive models could change their color on demand pressing a button, but not the fliers on Nilfeheim. The flier was a medium sized four seater with enough cargo space for all of my needs and it was fast and I could make the trip in an hour. I could have gone to the school at Isen, but I wanted to end my school year in my school. Two month had passed since the Old man had left and I felt free and without real problems. We had a new teacher, a thin guy named Mr. Smithers and he was less stern then Walters but even more demanding.

Then Adolph Lindbergh invited me to come to Halstaad Fjord and he said all Submarines of Nilfeheim would be there.

It was like a fair. Up and down the wharf at Oslo Plaza the boats and submarines of the clans were tied up. The Inns and Restaurants had set up tables to sell snack food and the norse men strutted in their finest and decked out with weapons up and down the wharf. It all started with Adolph calling the Boat manufacturer on New Sweden. The boat company promised to send a team of technicians and then other manufacturers did.

Silver Falcon Boats, New Sweden Maritime and Greifswald Werft Corp, these three companies made most of the boats and subs found on Nilfeheim for the last 500 years and they brought their newest models along and put up show stands. Several banks had representatives here to discuss leasing and loan options. The Friesenheim clan did not waste the opportunity and had set up a big open sided tent showing their wares and harpoons. Sword smiths, Fabric weavers, Net makers and Tackle Shops, they all participated and of course Uncle Hogun had his grills out and did brisk business selling Finner roast, Blue Finner Steaks and Ale.

I had taken the Old Man’s boat to the event as I thought it would not hurt to have it checked out as well.

Even though it didn’t take me three weeks to get to Bifrost island as the boat could go much faster as the Old man had it go when we went to his rock.

It still was a long trip and when I arrived the event was well underway. Even though the my sub was the last and I found a spot way down the row, it did stand out as it was bigger and looked very different than the hunting boats with their Harpoon gun turrets on the bow. A bunch of kids gathered as the hydraulics lowered the gangway to the wharf. I smiled as I could hear them arguing what type it was, as I had the same problem not so long ago. Yet it felt as if it was a lifetime.

“What kind of boat is that?” One of the boys wanted to know as I stepped off.

“It is a Poseidon IX –Multi Mode Fast Attack.”

“I never seen or heard of any sub like that.” He said rippling his nose as he looked up to me.” It doesn’t have any clan colors and is all black.”

“It’s a very old boat.”

His face dropped a little and said to his friends.” It’s old! Let’s check out the new ones again!”

They ran off but two men, clearly Off-Worlders wearing blue coveralls came over. Both were clean shaven and had short hair. The taller one held a PDD in Clipboard mode and the shorter one carried an Image recorder in his left and he had a dreamy smile on his face as he stared at the sub. “What a beauty. A real Poseidon Multi Mode probably surplus of the Markan World Wars.”

The taller one said.” Is this your boat, Sir?”

“Not yet but I take care of it.”

“Can we take a look inside and check it out? I am Sid Winslow; Chief Engineer of the Greifswald Werft Corporation, Holstein Planet and this is Piotr my assistant.”

“That’s what I came here for. I thought it would not hurt to have it checked, considering its age.”

“It still is a SII military grade product and legendary!”

The two disappeared inside the boat and I was certain it would be a while, the smells coming over from the food stands were enticing and I wanted to say hello to Uncle Hogun and perhaps eat a Blue Finner Steak.

The boats and subs were tied and arranged by Alliances so the Olafson boats were next to the Lindbergh boats, the Oseberg and Peerson boats, to my surprise the Elhir boats as well. The three green and yellow Steiner boats had the Olafson flag tied over the bows.

Uncle Hogun was busy cutting portions of a Fangsnapper roast.

“Can you cut me a piece with as much crust as possible?” I asked and he looked up dropped the sword sized butcher knife and gave me a bear hug that squished the air out of my lungs.” Eric!”

He actually kissed me on the forehead and then said.” I haven’t slept right since that night we talked! I am so sorry.”

I returned the hug and said.” It all worked out so it seemed. I got my own burg and boat in the process and was able to meet father without one of us being dead.”

“Yes that is something. I hardly believed it when I heard it.”

“I am holding up the line Uncle Hogun. Business comes first we can talk later.”

He shoveled me such a big piece of roast on the plate, I needed booth hands to carry the weight and grinned. “We do that.”

It was nice sitting on a table without a care in the world with a nice piece of meat and fresh Nilfeheim bread and watch the milling and going about of the crowd at the wharf.

I saw father standing by Adolph, the Peerson clan Leader and the Elhir Chief. Three Off-Worlders talking to them. Father turned his head and saw me then raised his hand and motioned me to come. The crunchy crust of Fangsnapper roast was always my favorite and Uncle Hogun had given me plenty, but it suddenly tasted shale again.

All my life I feared him and I realized I still did, even after our last meeting. I left my food and walked over. Father had his arms crossed above his chest. Adolph and Gunnar Peerson (the Elder) nodded. The Elhir clan chief turned to face me and actually offered me his underarm.” Eric, Son of Isegrim stand and witness what the Engineers have to say!”

They wore dark blue Coveralls with a yellow cross on their chest pockets, representatives of New Sweden Maritime and one of them looked at his PDD and said. “As I said before the boats technically sound and surprisingly so as there was no maintenance done, at least none that makes any sense. We made a list of things that need to be done, like uncovering the escape hatch and fixing its handle. Making sure the blowout valve is marked, but we could find no reason why these men suffocated. However we found an advanced GalNet capable PDD. “He held it up. “This is a SII-Comm Mark 6; it should have worked even on the bottom of the ocean. I will contact SII and have it examined.”

Adolph shrugged.” What will that do?”

I said. “To have the one piece of equipment fail, in this case the boat is possible, but that two pieces of equipment that are independent of each other fail is very unlikely. Unlike the boat the PDD is very new and very advanced I am sure it has some sort of diagnostic tool and records failures and problems.”

“You are a very fortunate father, Isegrim!” to the Engineer he said.” Do what it takes I pay for it!”

“We will!”

“How much will it cost for you to overhaul my boats and make them safe again?”

“Hard to say but I estimate about 20,000 per boat plus parts.”

Adolph nodded.” Let it be done! I don’t trust my engineers anymore! They are useless!”

I said to the Off World Engineer. “What would it cost to have our engineers or young men who like to become engineers trained to do the right maintenance?”

“That I can answer. We offer training camps for that purpose. It’s 1600 per person but space bus ticket and 2 weeks lodging included. It’s of course free for anyone buying a new boat.”

Father spoke.” All Olafsons Engineers will be sent there!”

Adolph actually began discussing with them what a new boat would cost and what he would like it to do.