Part 22: ARSENAL IV

The Hyperion approached Arsenal IV just as Captain Zezz said with only eight hours to spare before I had to report for my third year posting. The extended time of my stay aboard the battle ship appeared to have gone by even faster.

The Klack XO touched my face with his antennae. “You have been outstanding at the OPS station. I have seen many others struggle with that position.”

“Thank you Sir. Your guidance and the tutor ship of the other bridge officers was the real reason I managed.”

To Zezz the Klack XO said. “Can we not request him to have his third year posting right here on the Hyperion? I hate to lose him. Lt. Dirksen respects him greatly and so does everyone aboard.”

“I hear you my friend. Believe me I tried to request him, but his third year posting has been pre-determined and I have clear orders to deliver him no later than today.”

The entire bridge crew shook my hand or padded my shoulder.

Zezz said. “Mr. Rider front and center. You do have the souvenir?”

“Yes Sir I sure do.”

The tactical officer told me to spread my arms and then the Captain himself helped me into a black Officers jacket. The kind full commissioned officers were allowed to have. On its sleeve it had the unit patch logo of the Hyperion.

Zezz squeezed my shoulder with his big claw hands. “Take care of yourself and keep your fangs clean and your honor true.”

I could not really explain why my throat felt constricted, and fighting tears. He was an ugly, frightening looking Shiss and yet I felt a deep affection for him like everyone aboard. “Yes Sir I will and thank you Sir, for giving me this chance and this experience to serve among the finest beings I ever had the honor to meet. To be here on the bridge, long before the time I should be here.”

Zezz squeezed a little harder, his tongue flickered and he said with a deeper tone in his voice.”You are born to be on the bridge of a ship.” He then changed his tone.”Midshipman, your shift only ends when we have landed. So take her down and land on FYBO Port, Mr. Olafson. Take the Conn.”

This was the third and final year of Academy training. Except for some specialist careers like legal or logistics it was traditionally served aboard a regular ship of the line. That I had the great fortune to serve my second year aboard a ship was an exception. My orders where precise, I had to be on Arsenal IV by January third and no later than 0900 hrs. Space Port Three, main building Standby Lobby 34 and wait there until further orders were given.

Zezz had accompanied me to that lobby himself. We shook hands once more and the big Shiss Captain actually gave me a hug.”One day we meet again and I take you to Milzaaar for Mud worm hunting or we will see Nilfeheim together and we hunt a Tyranno Fin.”

“I would like that very much, Sir.”

He straightened and said: “I better keep going. We have to take the Hyperion of the landing field. As you know we only got permission to land for an hour.”

He turned walked away waved at the door for it to open and left.

The lobby was deserted; there was a Non-Tox bar at one side with a robot tender. The same mustard yellow carpet, I had noticed in every Union installation I had been so far, covered the floor from wall to wall. I was certain there actually was a Union Fleet regulation that stipulated why it had to be this kind of carpet and that color.

There were comfortable looking Vari-form seat groups around low tables. The entire side of the lobby that faced the landing field was transparent with a great view over the immense Landing field.

Arsenal IV was a cold planet, and its climate was not to different from Nilfeheim, the two oceans were covered with a thick permanent layer of ice. Unlike Nilfeheim however the ice here never thawed. I didn’t know if Arsenal IV had a suitable atmosphere from the beginning or if it had been made, but Standard Nitrogen Oxygen breathers could go outside.

Arsenal IV also was one of the fleet’s major ship yard installations and here on the North Continent was the fleet’s largest Space port. No one called it by its official name, in the fleet it was known as FYBO Port. Lt. Rider explained to me that it stood for “Freeze your but off”.

Since there was no one but me, I walked over to the transparent wall. The Duro-crete landing field stretching beyond the horizon was hexagonal and stretched at least two thousand clicks in every direction.Not that I could hope to see that far from my current position, In had seen the field as we landed. There were six such landing fields, centered on the space port buildings.

Even the mighty Hyperion looked forlorn on the huge open area. I noticed Zezzh’s ship was the only ship on this landing field. Usually all ports in the Arsenal system kept busy traffic around the clock and ships left and came in at every given moment. But right now it appeared deserted. A lonely Octo-bot rolled away from the Hyperion.

Octo-bots where amazing machines, some of them as tall as Battle ships. The biggest versions models over 2000 meters tall and with dozens of Syntho muscle powered tentacle arms. They reminded me of waking upside down kitchen mobs. The original Octo-Bots so I was told had eight arms and that is where that designation originated. The big ones like the one outside were able to grab fully loaded, house sized Containers weighing many hundred tons and lift them with speed and machine precision into open cargo doors. There were also specialized Octo Bots designed to perform maintenance and repair jobs. This one out there was a SII Octo 2000. A two thousand meter unit and among the tallest planet bound autonomous robot-systems in service.

“Wow. There is a battle ship out there.” Said someone to my left and I turned.

A Midshipman with senior year stripe on his jacket sleeve had appeared next to me and like me was staring out the view port. He was a good head taller than me and had a bulky looking, massive appearance and a barrel chest. His hair was short and black and his skin had a suntanned brownish hue.

He immediately smiled as he noticed me looking at him. “Are you a senior too?”

I nodded.”Yes, I am.”

He turned back to the window and said with awe in his voice. “There she goes.”

Together we watched the Hyperion lift off.

It sure was a sight to see. The human mind or at least mine had a hard time to accept the fact than an object as big as a mountain took off and rose into the sky as gentle as a feather in the wind.

He pushed his big hands against the transparent wall. “I never was on a ship of that size. Have you?”

“Yes. This is the USS Hyperion. It is the ship I came in with.”

“You’re kidding me right? I mean you came on a battle ship?”

“No I am not kidding you.”

“I came here in a measly D12. He held out his hand.”I am Mao Mao Vouza.”

I took his hand and mine almost disappeared in his.”I am Eric Olafson.”

“Sure glad to meet you. Since you’re here, chances are good we serve together on whatever ship they are assigning us.”

“Glad to meet you too, Mao-Mao.”

Above his senior stripe he showed the crossed gun barrels of tactical. His ribbon display marked him to be a blaster marksman and hand to hand expert.

Now it was his turn to check me out. His eyes widened. “Is this what I think it is?”

“I am not sure I know what you are talking about.”

“That blue ribbon with stars on top of your readout. That is the Medal of Honor is it not?”

“It is.”

“Wow I say. That is something.”

Before he could ask me how I got it, the lobby doors parted and a huge spider crawled in. The thing had black hairy legs, eight of them and measured at least 5 meters from leg to leg.

Mao-Mao raised his massive arm. “Krabbel, I am over here.”

The monster came fast and surprisingly silent, it reared on four of its hind legs and spread out the upper four, a terrifying sight, if I ever seen one.

The spider embraced Mao-Mao with those legs and pulled him close to enormous mandibles and many eyes of various sizes that made up its face.

Mao didn’t struggle at all he put his massive arms around the spider’s body and said with great affection in his voice.”Krabbel.”

Mao untangled himself from the spider’s embrace and pointed his flat hand towards me.”Krabbel meet Eric Olafson. He’s got the Medal of Honor.”

To me he said. “This is Krabbel from Archa and the first of his kind to join the Navy. He is my best friend, by the way.”

“Nice to meet you Krabbel.”

The voice of the spider came out of a voice box that was attached to his uniform. The spider’s body was dressed in Navy black and he too wore senior stripes and the Navigator logo. I could barely hear the spider’s original voice and thought much of it must be in the ultrasound range. The voice from the box sounded deep and warm “Is it true, you got the MOH?”

“Yes it is.”

The spider managed to sound impressed. “They don’t give that one for perfect class attendance.”

Mao boxed the spider into the side. “So what ship have they assigned you?”

“I don’t know. All I was told to be here at this lobby. I sure hope we serve together. Do you know who else is here?”

“No,” Mao said.”I just met Eric there.”

“Circuit and Hans are here too, I saw them both. Circuit is shopping at the main concourse.”

Mao laughed. “Wonderful news, I bet he borrowed money too.”

Krabbel spread his upper legs. “You know Circuit. He can’t let a bargain pass by.”

Mao put his hand on my shoulder as if he knew me for a long time. “You are going to like those two. We went to basic together and they are good friends.”

More and more Senior Midshipmen arrived and immediately formed groups. Everyone knew someone else and I hoped I would see Narth or one of the others from the first years as well, but so far none of the faces arriving were familiar.

Another monster came through the doors. This one was humanoid in appearance but barely fit through the door. I estimated him to be at least three and a half meters tall and over a meter wide. He had legs like tree trunks and arms bulging with muscles bigger around than probably my entire body. He had no apparent neck, his bald head was set deep between his shoulders but he had human face, with a broad nose big mouth and bulging brow line above his eyes. I was instantly reminded at the Y’All I fought but this guy did not look as alien, had only two arms and appeared even more massive. The floor vibrated slightly as he came over. Mao introduced the human giant. “This is Hans Neugruber, as you can see he is a Saturnian.

I had never seen a Saturnian before and only heard about them. Like the Stellaris, Saturnians where the result of a Genetic tailoring project long time ago. In their case the designing company wanted to design the perfect fighting soldier able to function even under gravitations that would crush other beings. A Saturnian, so I heard could lift around four tons under standard Grav and stand upright and walk under 45 times the standard gravitation. After being declared an independent species they choose planet Odin as their home. The planet was a giant among solid surface planets and with a gravitational pull of 9 gees above standard.

His thumb was as big as my hand and as I shook it I thought I exchanged formalities with a cargo handling robot.

I almost overlooked the chrome skinned being next to him but Mao introduced him. “That is Circuit; he is an X101 as you can see.”

“Circuit, Hans this is Eric Olafson a new friend.”

X101’s were an enigmatic race of Androids and once been members of the Galactic Council. He appeared to be exactly 200 centimeters tall, like all X101s supposed to be. His skin was like polished chrome metal and his face was as if an abstract artist sculpted a human face. He had a nose, eyes and mouth, even ears, but the nose had no nostrils, or holes. The ears had no loops and where seamlessly integrated into his head. The yes glowed deep red and his mouth had no teeth or tongue. He looked more artificial than most robots. His hand slick as water, however felt surprisingly warm.

He also was loaded with shopping bags. “Mao can I borrow 200 Creds? I saw an awesome real sword replica from Earth.”

“Sorry Circuit. I am almost broke.”

I reached for my Cred strip, authorized free transfer and handed it to him. “Why don’t you use mine? There should be enough on it to make all your purchases.”

Circuit, despite his expressionless face managed to show surprise as he gasped and his chin dropped. “Mother-machine and makers. Who are you, Rex Schwartz’s son?”

“No just a Neo Viking from Nilfeheim. I got an inheritance and didn’t find the time last year to spend any.”

“Leave that to Circuit.” Mao laughed.” He spends it before breakfast.”

The X101 held the credit strip like a fragile egg and looked at me.”You don’t even know me and you trust me with a fortune enough to buy the entire space port.”

“If we serve together I hope you will get to know me and if not, it is just money.”

“I won’t forget that and I pay you back too. I just need perhaps 200 or so.”

Circuit eyed his Multi-Comm. “I still have 20 minutes. I will be back.”

“You need to look at the time? I thought you’re an X101?”

Circuit groaned.” Yes I am and I heard all the X101 jokes too. I am a machine indeed, but I can’t calculate faster than you, I can’t tell the time without looking at a chronometer and I forget things.”

Mao said.” And how can a Replica Sword be real? I mean either it is a replica or it is real. Can’t be both.”

“Of course it can be both. You don’t understand and it is from Terra.” He went to the door. “I talk to you in a little while. I really need to go to the store for now.Someone else might see that bargain too, and buy it before me.”

Hans laughed deeply. “As soon as he leaves the store, the merchant will place a new original replica in the empty display and he is taking it from a box labeled 200 Original Replica Swords of Terra, made on Klackt Nine.”

Krabbel raised his legs.”It does make him happy.”

I estimated at least a hundred Senior Midshipmen had assembled in the lobby by now. Everyone was of the same rank.”

Mao scratched his skin. “I bet we are going on an academy school ship. No regular ship of the line takes that many Midshipmen.”

I agreed with him. “I bet you are right.”

Circuit returned with even more packages and he handed me the credit strip. “I used a little more than I intended”

I glanced at the readout and he had spent about 3000 credits, it didn’t make a dent in what I had. “No problem at all.”

“I pay you back.”

“No need. I don’t really need it.”

Krabbel returned from the bar holding a tray with drinks. “We might as well sit down and relax. Who knows how long we have to wait and I found they serve ice cream too.”

Mao explained. “If you want to be a millionaire all you have to do is open an ice cream parlor on Archa. Krabbel and every Archa I met so far go nuts over ice cream.”

Krabbel held a big cone and said. “It is amazing that we never invented this stuff, but then we never heard of milk before we joined the Union.”

We found a free table and sat down.

A stunningly beautiful girl with long black hair cut in page style approached us and said. “Is there room on this table for one more?”

“Of course.” Mao and I said almost simultaneously and getting up, offering her a chair.

“I am Elfiatra Petetis and I noticed everyone knows someone and started to group together. I found no one I know so far.”

I put the glass of soda down. “Same here I have yet to see anyone I recognize.”

She sighed. “I am sorry I usually don’t just budge in, but I always wanted to talk to an Archa.”

Krabbel took a glass of soda and handed it to her. “I would be especially glad if you talk to me. It happens to be that I am an Archa.”

She took the glass and giggled. “You are, right?”

Krabbel waved one of his legs. “No of course not. I am not really Archa. In reality I am just a Nuflug Bug dressed up like a Spider so I can scare little egglings at Halloween.”

“You have Halloween on Archa?” She said and her pretty dark eyes widened.

“We sure do. It’s a fun Terran holiday tradition and every Archa is already in a scary costume all the time. The only problem is. Everyone gets first prize at the Costume contest.”

We all laughed. Krabbel had the best sense of humor and I totally forgot that he really was a scary looking alien spider.

Elfiatra pouted mockingly. “Now do you have Halloween for real?”

“Yes we do. Only last year I dressed up as a fly and boy it was the scariest costume ... not for the others but for me ... everyone wanted to catch me.”

I had tears in my eyes and my belly hurt from laughing. The girl laughed too.

Mao wiped a tear from his eye. “Actually they do have Halloween on Archa and they do really dress up and do all the other things. What’s funny is I am of a Human colony and had no idea what Halloween is and found out about it on Archa.”

He leaned forward.” The scariest thing you ever see is an Archa spider dressed up as a Terran Clown. I tell you that image won’t leave you for month.”

Krabbel managed to mimic a shrug by raising his front legs. “I love Clowns. They’re funny.”

Hans carefully and with obvious concentration tried to put the pitcher down, Mao had brought for him and it still looked tiny and fragile beteen his fingers. “I never understood this ancient Terran tradition. I was scared of clowns when I was a little.”

Circuit did not partake drinking, looked up from the kitschy golden sword he kept admiring. “I would have never guessed anything could scare a Saturnian.”

Hans smiled. “We look big, but we got all the emotions humans have. I did some dumb things when I was a teenager and I was scared a lot.”

The girl padded his huge underarm. “It’s perfectly normal to be scared of things” She lowered her long lashes. “Until now I was terrified of spiders, but meeting Krabbel cured me instantly.”

“I had no idea I could cure phobias instantly.” The Spider said,” but it is probably because I am the most beautiful Archa of them all.”

Mao smirked and then said. “If you really want to be scared, try to use one of the Archa elevators. Tiny platforms zipping up and down thin lines at great speeds up to the tallest trees and houses and nothing to grab on to.”