Part 48: ABOARD THE DEVASTATOR

Har-Hi wondered why Eric had been called to the Captain as he returned to the dorm on the 54th deck. That human Neo Viking had become his best friend and the man he would follow to whatever end.

Har-Hi had trained to fly from his earliest youth to become a Juth-Ni, an elite warrior among a race of warriors. He had no doubt Eric had what it took to become a Juth-Ni, too and rise among the ranks and earn the crimson Northor-Kar. Only maybe ten or twelve Non Dai were ever so honored in all known Dai history.

The first Dai Mother that had jumped into the Pluribus system for the parade was not just any Dai Mother. It was the Morhh-Hi, the mother ship of his clan and under the rule of his father. It was his home. The place he was born. He wished he could find a few days off and get the permission to take Eric there and introduce him to his father. He wanted Tar Kar-Hi to put his hand on Eric’s shoulder and with this gesture make him one of the Hi. Of course there could be one or the other Juth-Ni objecting and Har-Hi already felt sorry, and not for Eric but the warrior challenging him. Eric was a beast once he held an axe or a sword in his fists.

As he reached the dorm corridor he found all midshipmen standing before their dorms and there was the same hushed and confused atmosphere, just like a few days ago. He got a bad feeling and his stomach cramped. He realized how much he cared for all of them and he prayed to the spirits that none of his friends got hurt or worse. He ran the last meters. They made way for him and he almost ran into Hans who stood behind the door completely filling it out.

“What is going on?” He almost yelled.

Hans made way and said. “The Captain is about to come down and pick the ones that go with him to the Ball. They expect him to come here first.”

He saw everyone but Elfi and Eric. “No one got hurt?”

Mao said with a serious face. “No one of our dorm, but Lt. Merkus has been arrested just moments ago along with Bognar the Attikan from the Blue team. Nothing official has been said, but I heard rumours that it was him who planted the Bonglee and it is said that they found the Attikan DNA in a compromising spot in connection with the death of Ulther.”

“I don’t believe that for a minute.” Har-Hi said.”

That smells like a frame so obvious it stinks!” Wetmouth held up her PDD. “I am working on correlating all rumours, facts and events and I agree with you, the accusations, the arrests and the timing of it all. There is only a 21 percent chance that Lt. Merkus had anything to do with the Bonglee. Although I still have a high error percentage as I am still missing data. The Blue team was not even a contender as one of them was about to leave, the Devi anyway.”

“I wish Eric would be here,” Said Shaka.” He’d figure something out to help the Lieutenant and the Attikan too.”

Mao nodded. “Where is he anyway?”

Har-Hi said. “He was called to the Captain’s Office but I don’t know why.”

Hans still standing by the open door said. “The Captain is coming.”

Lt. Clusen called all Midshipmen into the Corridor and into attention. The Captain was accompanied by two high ranking officers and one of them handed the Captain a PDD. Harris looked at it and then said. “Whenever the Devastator participates at the big parade and is in the Pluribus System for Union Week, we established a little tradition. The best Midshipmen team is rewarded and allowed to pick two of their members to accompany the Captain’s Party to the Diamond Ball at the Crystal Hall.”

He paused and looked down the assembled Midshipmen. “You are all exceptional and if I could I actually would take you all, but that is sadly not possible. Since the Black, the Yellow and the Blue team are incomplete at the moment, I am forced to elect the Devastator Knights.”

He looked at Suppor. “Midshipman you are authorized to pick one other person to accompany you and be ready and in appropriate dress at 19:00 hrs. And be at Hangar Deck One to board the Captain’s Yacht.”

Suppor could have drilled a hole in the ceiling with his nose as he triumphantly grinned. “Yes, Sir Captain Sir.”

The Captain was not done, he added. “The Yellow, the Blue and the Black team are to wait in their dorms for further instructions. All others have four days of R&R and have permission to go dirt side to celebrate.”

The remaining teams cheered and left after the Captain dismissed them. Har Hi and the others went back to the dorm. Seeing the Captain and his officers following the Blue team into their dorm and he wondered what this was all about.

“Why are we incomplete again?” Wanted Circuit to know, “Did something happen to Eric and Elfi and we have not been told?”

“Would not surprise me one bit!” Grunted Hans.”Clusen and his pets made it. I was so sure the Captain was a fair and honest man. If it is obvious to us what is going on, he should know ever since the intruder exercise.”

Wetmouth looked somehow sad even with her mask. “I think they didn’t want a Sojonit whore at the big ball.”

Har-Hi sat down at the table. “No one ever promised us that things would be fair. We only expected it. I hoped what happened to Eric on Camp Idyllic was an exception.”

Krabbel balled himself up, as he always did when he didn’t like something. “It’s not you, Wetty. I bet the high and mighty folks at that ball did not want to see a disgusting big spider.”

“You all should give us a little more credit. You are one of the most amazing teams I have ever seen and things are not always as they appear.”

They all turned to the door. It must have opened completely without making the usual sound, because there stood Admiral Stahl. Not even Har-Hi’s fine ears had noticed, only now he detected the faint breathing and the difference in air current. He cursed himself for being so careless, no one should be able to sneak up on a Dai Warrior unnoticed, but then he realized who had just appeared.

“Admiral on Deck!”

“As you were, Kids, sit down.”

The Immortal filled the dorm with an almost touchable aura of authority. None of the present, except Hans had ever met the man in person. Stahl sat down in the chair usually occupied by Eric. He looked at each of them for a moment and while his face was stern, Har Hi was almost sure there was a benelovent smile that was only in his eyes. As the Immortal looked at Har-Hi, he felt the hair on his back standing up and he was getting goose bumps, something that did not happen to a Dai very often. The Admirals eyes were deep blue and apparently at first completley normal human eyes. Yet, for the briefest moment Har-Hi could swear he saw the reflection of the Galaxy as it appeared from far away. The gaze of this immortal man stripped away all his defences and peered down deep into his very being. He would have told this man any secret he would have asked for, knowing he was unable to lie or pretend. The gaze of the immortal had lasted no more than five or six heartbeats but to Har-Hi it felt like a small eternity. Admiral Stahl was much more than just an old being, more than a mere human.

Stahl went on to look at Krabbel and give each of the others a second or so a silent visual evaluation.

Then said. “I am sorry for eavesdropping and appearing so unexpected, but I wanted to meet you all anyway and tonight is a good reason.”

No one spoke they simply stared at the Admiral. He stapled his fingers and now openly smiled. “Don’t judge us so harshly. I had a similar conversation with your friend Eric not so long ago, when I made him acting Captain. You are a very diverse group to put it mildly, but you all seem to think alike. Your friend Eric has a very special task tonight and so does your friend the princess. Neither of them is in trouble and the Olafson Gang is not incomplete.”