Valkyrie Hunter

Thirika led me back downstairs to the room I’d changed my clothes in. The table was still there but the robes had gone.

As soon as the door was closed Thirika spoke. “The dead did have a mark.” She held up her hand to stop me from interrupting. “Not the three stripes you told me about.” She tapped her comms and a holo appeared floating above the comms. It showed the shoulder of a Valkyrie woman and what on first inspection to be a stylised symbol of an eye. The more I looked at it the odder it seemed to me. The symbol appeared to be two unfinished semi circular lines above and below a slit for an iris. I stared at it as an icy cold realisation dawned on me.

“Black Stripes!” I hissed.

“Gwen you are seeing them everywhere?” Thirika admonished me.

“No!” I snapped at her then apologised. “Sorry that was uncalled for. But you aren’t seeing it.”

“I’ll let it go,” Thirika said unconcerned about my outburst. “What are you seeing that I’m not?”

I pointed to the holo. “Straighten out the bottom and top curves and what do you get?”

“Three stripes but isn’t that a stretch of you imagination.”

I knew she hadn’t said that to doubt me she was waiting for my explanation. “Ask yourself what does this symbol represent? An eye, no it isn’t this?”

“This is the symbol of the Prophetess,” Thirika told me.

I stiffened. “Then it is the Black Stripes don’t you see? Director, Curator all titles of the leaders of Black Stripe divisions?” I paused and gave Thirika my full attention. “This is just another of those!”

“Not possible the Prophetess is far more ancient than the Black Stripes.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“Long before the coming of the humans she predicted the fate of our world. Just to let you know they all came true.”

I unintentionally snorted. “And I suppose this is her?” Once I would had disbelieved her but I had met Miranda I had no doubts Miranda was who she was.

“No but there are those that think she is.”

I heard what Thirika was saying.

“Your Elders’ believe that?” I had deliberately named them Thirika’s Elders.

“No,” Thirika replied not phased by the slur.

“You believe this Prophetess is?”

“No.” Thirika said with a grunt. “We can’t confirm anything either way. Everyone we’ve sent have not returned.”

That didn’t bode well. “Some think she is?” I hazarded.

“Hundreds of thousands from different clans have flocked to her banner. And we can’t get anyone near.”

“Did you ever considered she’s using telepaths.”

Thirika grimaced. “We didn’t even consider that?”

“Well you should,” I consoled her. “So what do you believe?”

“I believe in you,” Thirika stated bluntly but smiled at me. “The Elders do they may not say it out loud. They do have your best interests at heart.”

“So much so that they altered my DNA without my consent.”

“That was only to waken the Valkyrie blood you already had. It was also to allow you to remain here. Rules they brought in after the Martin Clan was formed.”

“Why did they threaten to keep me here if I refused to train with you?”

“Because they already knew about your great grandfather as you would call him. I didn’t, I knew you had Martin blood I just didn’t know how much.”

My thoughts went back to the Black Stripes. “We need to warn the Elders.”

“With what?” Thirika asked me.

“With whatever we can. They have to be warned that this Prophetess is just an arm of the Black Stripes? The symbol proves its. And that the Black Stripes are working for the Rhosani.” I called them the Rhosani and not the Rho’xan as the Keepers had called them. “Who benefits from this chaos? Not the Empire, we’ve enough problems holding the Orsini back.” I winced inside as I said that last part despite everything I was still an Imperial at heart. “And certainly not the Confeds.” I had to go on the way I started not matter how much it upset Thirika. “As for the Orsini this is far too complicated for them.”

Thirika said nothing I could see her jaw grinding and a dangerous flash in her eyes.

I forced myself to go on. “Tell me where the Rebels got their weapons from. You have examined them?”

“They are mostly Terran,” Thirika forced herself to say.

“Well the Curator had an underground warehouse full of Imperial weapons. Unfortunately we were unable to find where they originated from or where they were being sent. He’d throughly wiped the records for his database.” It was pure speculation on my part but I’d have to tell Thirika my theory. “I suspect he was supplying your Rebels.” Again I was pushing Thirika by dissociating myself with the Valkyrie. I wasn’t doing to be obstructive. I was trying to give her an outsider’s view. “Rebels who aren’t Rebels but Black Stripes in disguise. Davenport can’t be their only base of operations. If it was we’ve just cut off the supply of weapons.”

I watched Thirika carefully worried she was about to explode. After a minute or more of silence she gave a big sigh.

“Every one of your points are valid. We just weren’t seeing the bigger picture.”

“I know you are taking a lot of what I say as hearsay but just follow the chains?”

“Chains?” Thirika clicked her tongue.

“Sorry I should have said follow my chain of thought.” I regarded Thirika carefully. “Do you think I’m correct.”

“I know your are it just makes it hard for me with what is happening now makes it all the more alarming.”

“Hells if I can brought through the blockade then other things can?”

Thirika gave me an odd look. “What do you mean by that?” She paused, her eyes on me. “When?”

I found myself explaining about finding myself naked in the snow and what happened after. I hoped I hadn’t betrayed Miranda but I trusted Thirika.

“That was before the blockade. I’m sorry about what happened to you. The blockade was to stop things like that from happening. I does explain a lot I wasn’t told about.” I heard anger in her voice at least I wasn’t directed at me. “Elders told me just enough but not enough that is vital for the safety of Alfheimir. Had I known I could have acted sooner.”

“Can’t the Elders lift the blockade. At least I’d have my team with me?”

Thirika shook her head. “No exceptions?”

I’d been resigned earlier. I guess the shock of someone shooting at me and all the other problems I’d had on getting here decided to hit me now. I felt a flash of unanticipated anger. “They better damn well make exceptions we need the Confeds and the Alliance.”

“To do what?”

“Mediate for starters. You’ll need a neutral party to sort this out. We can’t let the Black Stripes rip this world apart.”

Thirika looked at me sadly. “I’m going to have to ask you to be patient on that. We need as much info on the current situation. It’s about time I got the whole story and not just parts. Mother! I’m in charge and only getting part of what I should know!”

She abruptly turned and marched out of the door. I followed in her wake.