Page 15 of Vikingr
I realised my crew was staring at me. "What?"
They all turned back to their consoles, but Torsten snickered softly. If he wasn't so essential, I'd have thrown him off the bridge.
"We will reach the Islay in about two IG hours," Errik announced. "Unless they change course, either to flee or to attack."
Two hours. I could spend that time with Steff... but no, that female was inconsequential. I had to focus on finding my mate. And Steff hadn't exactly been helpful in that regard. She'd been reluctant to answer my questions and had endangered my potential to sire children. It was best if I stayed away from her.
But my gaze kept being drawn to the screen. Steff now held a drinking horn and was taking small sips.
"Valkyr, deliver a blanket and some cushions to the simdeck," I commanded. The temperature there was perfectly temperate, so it wasn't really necessary, but Steff looked in need of comfort. If I couldn't be there to wrap her into my arms, a blanket would have to suffice.
I clenched my fists. My mating instincts were all over the place. I shouldn't desire to touch a female that wasn't my mate. I had to focus. And so I turned off the screen, removing the temptation to stare at Steff for hours and drink in her beauty.
* * *
The Albyan shipwasn't fleeing. It was heading straight for us, shortening our journey time to just over an IG hour. Everyone was on high alert. My favourite axe was by my side, ready to taste blood if needed.
"Open a ship-wide broadcast," I commanded and waited for the little blue light to appear, signalling that everyone on the Valkyr could now hear me. "Vikingar, we are about to engage an Albyan ship. The aim is to stealth-port onto the ship and find two scientists. After they have been retrieved, you may gather whatever loot you want. Keep casualties to a minimum. We don't want the Intergalactic Authority to get involved, not while we're close to Peritus. You all know what's at stake. So we will keep this raid short and sweet. May the ancestors lend you strength!"
The five males on the bridge roared their approval. I knew the rest of my crew were doing the same, wherever they were on the Valkyr.
Rune hadn't managed to hack their shields in time, but I much preferred a proper raid over simply porting out the scientists. We were Vikingar. We were born hungry for battle.
"Five clicks," Errik announced. "Their shields are up and their weapons primed."
"Good. We've not had a good firefight in ages."
For a moment, I thought of Steff in the simdeck, alone and scared. But I resisted the temptation to pull up the surveillance feed again. I couldn't let myself be distracted. I had a raid to organise. Once we had the scientists, once they told us how we could find our own mates among the Peritans, I would be able to let her go. For now, she had to stay where she was. She'd be safe in the simdeck, away from my bloodthirsty crew.
Rune had retrieved his shield and gnashed the top with his teeth to release the adrenaline-inducing toxins trapped in the wood.Very few Vikingar still used wooden shields, but Rune was a traditional berserkr. It was an honour to have him on my crew and to fight by his side.
"Is everyone ready?" I asked and was once again rewarded with raucous roars. My warriors were pushing themselves into a battle frenzy. I grabbed my axe and nodded at Torsten.
"You have the bridge."
He didn't look happy about having drawn the short straw, but he inclined his head in response. "I have the bridge. Good luck, Captain."
I didn't need luck. I had my hamingja back. She was responsible for the good fortune that was finally smiling at us.
I led my warriors to the porting chamber, where the rest of the crew was already waiting. I did a quick headcount. Everyone was here. Torsten remained on the bridge, and Hjalmar stayed in engineering. It was rare that I only left two Vikingar behind, but we'd not had a raid in a while. Everyone was eager to spill some blood and crush some skulls.
"Remember, the scientists are our priority," I reminded them. "As soon as we locate them, we'll port them back to the Valkyr. The holding cells have been readied so the Albyans can be ported straight into them. Then show them what it means to mess with Vikingar - but no killing, if we can avoid it. I want everyone back on the Valkyr in an IG hour. Understood?"
"Yes, Captain!" they roared, their eyes blazing, their weapons held aloft. Half of my warriors had the ancient blades of their families, iron and steel, while the rest preferred tech-enhanced axes and swords. A few had a gun in their belt, but most Vikingar only resorted to using them in an emergency. We preferred to fight hand-to-hand combat where you could see the fear in your enemy's eyes. Guns were for weaklings.
With one last look at my crew, I pressed a button and everything turned white.
9
Steff
Ipaced around the room, the blanket thrown over my shoulders like a cloak. I wasn't cold, but it gave me a tiny bit of comfort. How long had it been since Njal had last spoken to me? An hour? Two? It was hard to tell.
I was bored out of my mind. I'd asked the ship to play some music, but she'd refused. The only thing the stupid ship freely offered was food and water. So I'd ordered an entire buffet, enough to feed a village. Plates and bowls were stacked along one wall, adding some colour to the otherwise bland room. I'd only eaten a tiny bit, my appetite non-existent, but had continued to order more simply to have something to do - and I was sure it would annoy Njal, once he found out.
"Vikingar, we are about to engage an Albyan ship. The aim is to stealth-port onto the ship and find two scientists."
The captain's voice came from an invisible speaker somewhere near the ceiling. I looked up, glaring at the blinking orange light that had appeared a while ago. What were they doing? They couldn't attack the Albyans. They stood no chance. Or did they? Njal had seemed very confident in his people's abilities. But I'd seen Albyans train when visiting their planet. Their warriors moved faster than the eye could see, all muscles and coiled strength. With their four arms, they had a definite advantage over anyone with just two. Like the Vikingar. And what was Njal talking about, finding two scientists?
