Alliance Hunter

Over a week we waited in normal space while the Elders mulled over the events of Runa’s attempted murder. Denassi and Leadra had tracked down the Valkyrie responsible for the comms black out in the training room, the text I’d received and the vid showing I was the culprit when I wasn’t. Those involved were currently in the brig awaiting their fate. Only Captain Angrima remained free there was no link between those Valkyrie and her yet. These same Valkyrie weren’t talking but that could possibly change once we reached Melanos. I had been told a ship would be waiting for us one with a telepath on it. I shivered at the thought. I may have been exonerated over the attack but I didn’t want a stranger find out about the Keepers. That could ask more questions than I could answer. The only good thing to come out of this mess was that I had my team closer. We now shared the same corridor. What did spring to mind was that old saying about having all your eggs in the same basket. With that thought in my mind I headed to my destination a Yanik Valkyrie trailing behind me. Having a Valkyrie one of the clans friendly to me wasn’t something I could refuse. Kara wanted to make sure I wasn’t a target so I’d have to put up with it. I would have rather have had Jervic with me but this was a Valkyrie ship and we had to do things their way. I didn’t like it but I had to comply.

The door to the conference room slid open. It was a long narrow room with a long table down the centre and flanked by benches. Cold and hard to sit down on especially for me since I wasn’t a Valkyrie which these seats had been designed for. My legs didn’t touch the ground and the hardness made sitting on them for any length of time distinctly uncomfortable. At the far end of the room was a vid screen that covered the wall I nodded to my escort unfortunately my only option at the moment until this affair was wrapped up. She would wait outside the door until I was finished and escort me back. I felt like a prisoner but at least I wasn’t locked in the brig awaiting a murder charge. I halted and stared hard. Seated at the table was Runa looking all too pale to be here. Her face was a stark white as if she had been drained of blood. It reminded me of those ancient stories of vampires. At her side was Kara her expression hard her eyes on Runa. I was worried Runa should still be in the cell stitcher and not here. I did notice Kara’s two medics hovering close behind a silver coffin beside them. A portable cell stitcher it was obvious it would be needed at some point. I’d rather Runa be in the medbay than here.

“Should you be here?” I told her directly voicing my concerns. “That blade did a lot of damage and you did lose a lot of blood.”

“I’ll live initiate,” Runa replied her voice sounding that to be a lie.

“I doubt it?” I said to her harshly. “If you don’t get the medical attention you need.”

“Sit down and shut up initiate!” she snapped some colour returned to her cheeks but not enough to ease my fears.

“No!” I gave her my best glare. “You will listen and listen good. Get back to medbay and rest.”

“Mother!” Kara exclaimed giving us both a look. “The way you two argue anyone would think you are lovers?”

Kara’s medic’s chuckled as I said. “No!” The same time as Runa said it.

“Then be quiet the both of you,” Kara ordered.

I shut up and I was sure Runa muttered something under her breath that I couldn’t hear.

Kara must have heard. “And you will go in to the stitcher for several more cycles before I even think of letting you out.” Kara snorted as Runa muttered something else. “Yes and don’t take that attitude with me otherwise you never get out are we clear?”

I kept my mouth shut I wasn’t going to get involved in the argument between those two. Before it could get any further the door slid open and a Valkyrie entered. Lieutenant Wulfgara one of the most unusual Valkyrie I’d ever encountered. She had the normal pale skin, blue eyes, height and blonde hair the same all Valkyrie had. But that was where the similarities ended, her hair was short, way above her neckline. I had spoken to her a few times since the incident then they were always questions about Runa and who would want to do her harm and implicate me in the process. I saluted like the TCA officer I was pretending to be.

“Hunter, Doc, Commander,” she said as she walked past us to the end of the table and sat down next to the screen on the back wall. She gave Kara’s medics a nod.

“Nothing in this room goes beyond here.” Wulfgara said her eyes on the medics. Her next words were to Kara. “Sorry about this Doc the Elders insisted.”

Kara scowled. “They do know this, all this could be done without pulling the Commander out if the stitcher?”

“I was overruled,” Wulfgara replied.

I wondered why I was here I wasn’t a Valkyrie it was only a technicality of my blood but then a tenuous link at that. “And me, why am I here?”

“Something you will have to ask the Elders,” Wulfgara told me and turned on the screen on the back wall. “Direct link to the Hall of Elders,” she said to the screen.

It flickered for moment as the comms connected. A familiar face filled the screen. It was the same Elder I’d spoken to before I’d left Alfheimir.

“I’ll keep this brief for the Commander Hrutdottir’s sake.”

“Good,” Kara said sounding relieved.

The Elder continued without commenting on Kara’s outburst. “To be frank we have a problem the isolationists are becoming more vocal. They are still a small group less than a handful of clans but are becoming troublesome. The problems you have aboard ship are indicative of the way things are going on Alfheimir.”

I felt as if my presence had stirred things up especially with what happened to the two teenagers that had wanted me dead. “Sorry,” I apologised.

“No Gwen you are not the cause,” the Elder reassured me. “This has nothing to do with you. They should be grateful for what you did for them. We are digressing, what I was saying we’re getting to the point where we will have to do something drastic.”

I didn’t like the sound of that we were talking about Valkyrie here so I had to ask. “What do you mean by that?”

“We dissolve those clans.”

I winced at the bluntness of her statement but it was nothing to the sickly faces of the Valkyrie with me I didn’t think Runa could look any paler.

“That hasn’t been done for the last thousand years!” Kara exclaimed finally finding her voice.

“One thousand two hundred and seventy to be exact. We will not have a civil war.”

The Elder’s warning seemed dire enough to the Valkyrie but I wanted to know more. I took a risk and asked my question doubting that it would be answered. “What do you mean by dissolved?”

“Their clan names will be stricken from the records, their assets seized and all that resist will be killed.”

I suddenly felt ill I now understood the expression’s on the others faces. I could feel a heavy chill in the pit of my stomach. “Surely there’s another way?” I pleaded with her my mind shying away from the thought of slaughter.

“I’m sorry Gwen there isn’t, it is our last resort we do not do these things lightly.”

“There has to be another way?” The thought of all that death sickened me I clutched at straws as the ancient saying said. “Is it possible that an outside source is stirring up trouble?” I know it sounded desperate but thinking of all that bloodshed made want to do something, to save lives. “I don’t mean the Empire.” Despite everything I was still an Imperial at heart.”

“Be assured Gwen it is not the Terrans but we are looking into it. As I’ve said we’re not at that stage yet. We will use it only if all else fails.”

“And?” I asked her I seemed have to taken over this conference surprised that the others hadn’t tried to shut me up.

“That is not for me to say,” the Elder said to me.

“And our investigation?”

“Leave it to the Ezarans they are a neutral party.”

To my ears it made perfect sense.

The Elder continued. “What we are certain of was that attack and your implication in it was triggered by an outside source. We’ll find out more when you reach Melanos. There will be ship waiting for you.”

I didn’t like the thought of a ship waiting for me but an idea formed, dangerous I know but something I could try. I didn’t want to spend the rest of the journey looking over my shoulder. I needed answers and only one person could provide it and she owed me.

“I expect that will be for me?” I said to the Elder my statement rather blunt. I had no intention of going to Alfheimir.

The Elder ignored me and spoke to Runa. “Runa how are you feeling?”

“I’ve been better Moi,” Runa replied her voice sounding faint.

I worried about her my glance went to Kara and the tight expression on her face I think we were on the same wavelength here.

“I’ve seen you,” The Elder said. “It’s eased the ache in my heart. You must rest and regain strength. Leave the investigation to the Ezaran’s.”

“Yes Moi,” Runa said sounding like she tasted sounding bitter.

“Runa!” The Elder admonished Runa. Her next words were for Kara. “Doctor please take Runa back I wouldn’t want to cause her any more stress.”

“As you command Moi.” Kara responded with her hand on her heart. Some kind of Valkyrie ritual I didn’t know about. “Commander if you please?”

I watched my heart sickening on seeing how weak Runa truly was. I felt bile rise.

“Was that necessary!” I gave the Elder a glare. “Runa is too ill for you to play with her life like that!”

Visions of Runa lying in a pool of her own blood flashed through my mind joining my last images of Solstrid. Tears stung my eyes I took a deep breath to calm myself. I shouldn’t have got emotional like that but I felt frustrated that this had happened I felt responsible somehow. I saw Kara give me a reassuring nod as she loaded Runa into the portable cell stitcher. I noted the Elder had said nothing about my outburst but I did see Wulfgara hide a smile behind her hand. I wasn’t sure whose side she was on but at the moment it seemed she was on mine. Kara gave me a slight smile and carried Runa out. I was on my own with Wulfgara and the Elder, only Wulfgara was here and the Elder light years away. I still wondered why I’d been called here so far none of this had involved me.

The Elder spoke again. “Good we can proceed. Wulfgara you are hereby promoted to captain.”

Wulfgara nodded she was a woman of few words even when she had spoken to me about what I’d seen in the training room.

“Angrima is to be confined to quarters.”

“Yes Moi,” Wulfgara replied with a nod.

“You can go now Captain Wulfgara I need to speak to Gwen Hunter on her own.”

“About what?” I demanded I didn’t want to be here or be subjected to an interrogation by the Elders.

The Elder waited until Wulfgara had gone before answering my question. “You hiding behind the TCA.”

“I’m not hiding!” I almost shouted at the screen. A pointless action since she only a screen but it made me feel better about myself nor did I want to admit she was right.

She sighed. “Gwen we both know that to be a lie.”

“I did what was necessary,” I responded hiding my guilt at involving Kelli and Jervic in this madness but it had been Xenai’s idea first I just went along with it. I knew it wouldn’t last and I guess I’d been found out.

“Yes you did. But with what has happened to you shows us you are not ready.”

“I am part of the TCA now I answer to them. This is my mission for the TCA.” I shook my bracelet at the screen. “Runa placed this on me. I didn’t want or need it. All I want is for Vanessa to face justice for what she has done.”

“I know Gwen you shall have that but know this you are Valkyrie.”

“I’m not I am human both my parents are human. The only thing that makes me not human is you. You did this to me and never asked if I wanted it you made me vaihdokas.” I know my rant would probably fall on deaf ears but I had to say it.

“Your soul is Valkyrie and that’s what counts. Height, skin, hair and eye colour does not define who we are. Yes there is a link by blood but it does not necessarily make you Valkyrie. It is what’s under you skin and in your soul that does.” The Elder passed her hands over her eyes wearily. “Gwen we are not the enemy here, we are trying to make your life better. Despite what some may have intended you ‘are’ one of us.”

My mind went back to the incident in the forest the two young Valkyrie had been determined to kill me and that hadn’t been an idle threat. I don’t know why I thought about that. It occurred to me that the attempt to frame me wasn’t something that Valkyrie did they relished direct action. “The two in the forest?” I had wanted to ask what happened to them but the Elder interpreted my question a different way.

“Exactly Gwen they are a small minority afraid of change.”

“Why are you so interested in me? I just a mere human one in billions?” I wasn’t human any longer both the Valkyrie and the Keepers had seen to that. “Ljufu and Solstrid are and were more Valkyrie than me and they were exiles?”

“Think whatever you think Gwen, no matter.” The Elder paused then continued. “We seem to be going off point. Actions define who we are and your actions state you are Valkyrie.”

“So my actions define me. I am human!” I knew that to be a lie a lie I was telling myself.

“Ok Gwen you are human. That make you feel better?”

“Yes,” I replied unsure if I was any longer.

“Good we can proceed.”

“Proceed with what?” I asked my suspicion growing.

“That will be for our next talk. Good night Gwen.”

The screen went blank I stared at it feeling confused and frustrated. I felt as if I’d just signed my life away and I didn’t know to what.

I returned to my quarters frustrated. I thanked the Valkyrie escorting me and entered. Kelli and Miri were waiting for me. I still felt angry with the Elder dragging Runa into the meeting and it had accomplished nothing. I had to do something positive although I doubted Kelli would see it that way.

“Tough day?” Kelli asked.

“Waste of my damn time,” I snapped at her then apologised. “Sorry Kelli. I didn’t mean to snap at you. It was a total waste of time. We never discussed anything significant except that Wulfgara is captain and Angrima had been confined to quarters. All the Elder did was take Runa out of the cell stitcher for that and have her hang around when she should be healing. All she said was leave it to the Ezarans!” I smashed my fist into the palm of my hand. “We should be doing something?”

Miri cut in reminding me that she was here long before us and she had suffered worse. “I’d rather have Wulfgara as captain. Whenever I saw Angrima she showed nothing but contempt. She made my life a living hell. Do you know I had to clean everyone’s heads.”

I saw she used the naval term for a toilet and not literal heads. I glanced at her feeling sorry and there we were keeping things from her. She was one of us and if I was going to do what I was thinking of doing we needed her on our side.

“I’m going to contact the Keepers,” I stated bluntly.

I saw Kelli blanch. “You sure that’s wise considering what happened to you last time?” I saw her eyes flick to Miri clearly it wasn’t something Kelli wanted her to know.

“Keepers?” Miri asked.

“Please go outside Miri,” Kelli ordered.

“Let her stay,” I countered. “It’s past time she knows. She is part of our team.” I turned to Miri my face grim. “You will tell no one else about this and that includes Al are we clear?”

“Crystal ma’am.” She saluted Imperial style not out of sarcasm because she was an Imperial as was I despite everything else.

Taking a deep breath I told her about the Keepers. I didn’t tell her everything but enough for her to understand what I had to deal with.

“Shit! You are going to talk to them despite what happened. You certainly are a glutton for punishment,” Miri said sounding alarmed.

“Yes!” I replied and gave Kelli a look. “”No arguments Kelli?”

“I’ll get my kit ready just in case. Don’t blame me if you wake up in a cell stitcher next to the Commander.”

“I won’t.”

I settled down on the bed aware of the annoyed look that Kelli was giving me. As I closed my eyes and reached out with my mind I sensed a presence not one of the Keepers but an alien watching waiting. I had to be careful the presence I sensed although wasn’t hostile I got the distinct feeling it wasn’t all that friendly.

“Mouse!” I called out not really expecting an answer.

“Not like this Little One,” she answered. “You need to go deeper into sleep.”

I opened my eyes and glanced at Kelli her lips a tight line. Miri sat on her bed watching the both of us.

“Well?” she said sounding concerned.

“I need something to help me sleep. A deep sleep.”

“You sure Gwen?” Kelli shifted uncomfortably.

“Yes otherwise I won’t be able to contact Mouse properly.” I tapped my forehead.

“I’m sure someone’s watching us. Mouse told me to go into a deep sleep.”

“You sure?”

“I’m not I just had this sense and before you ask it wasn’t the Keepers I know their touch.”

Kelli rummaged in her bag and pulled a white plastic rectangle half the size of her hand it reminded of those old style playing cards. “Tell me what is on this?”

“How am I going to do that. I can’t read your mind?”

“Please Gwen just indulge me.”

“Ok Kelli if you want to.” I was sure what she was angling for so I gave my best guess and stared at the card. “Nine of diamonds, Ace of spades?”

Kelli flipped the card around to show a set of blue wavy lines. “That confirms you aren’t a tepe.”

“So now you’ve established that can we get on with it?”

“All right Gwen if this goes sideways I’m pulling out ok even if I have to shove you in a stitcher!”

“Please Kelli just do it?”

She placed a hypo against my neck. “Remember Gwen the first sign of something going wrong I’m getting you out.”

“Just do it already.”

I felt a sharp pain in my neck and fell into a dreamless sleep.