Keeper Hunter

Frigga entered little wonder Marcella had hidden that book. Had she been caught with it, it would have put her in danger. I had a feeling the Valkyrie considered it a sacred relic.

“Gwen we’re having a meeting in the canteen. I’m here to show you the way.”

“Does that include Marcella?”

Frigga shook her head. “Crew only and you.”

“I hope I’m not in trouble?” That was a worry Phedra had been fairly angry that I’d ordered her to jump to hyperspace.

“Nah,” Frigga waved my words off. “Phedra is thinking with a clearer head,” she replied. “ Claudia vindicated you not that you needed it in the first place.”

I noted she was using our first names properly instead assigning a letter to it. I wondered if that was for Marcella’s benefit.

“Ok I’m coming.” I turned to Marcella. “Later,” I said to her.

“We can continue our conversation when you return,” Marcella said with a wave.

Outside in the corridor with the door to the quarters closed behind us Frigga spoke.

“What do you think of the Prof?” Frigga asked me.

“I’m not sure what you mean by that?” I really didn’t.

“I could be wrong. Something about her doesn’t ring true.”

“And I do?” I had to ask that.

“Yes,” I saw her glance at my bracelet.

“She seems very knowledgeable on Valkyrie history?”

“That’s just it,” Frigga said. “One of the arkivleder could have done that.” Frigga paused, her eyes on the door to the quarters. “She was there for another reason?”

“Have you got anything to back this up?” I went into Security mode although I had no idea of what an ‘arkivleder’ was? Another of those things the Valkyrie never explained.

“No I just have as the Human’s call it ‘a gut feeling’. You don’t invite outsiders to the Hall of the Elders just for historical research.” Frigga turned her attention to me. “Which reminds me I wanted to ask how you ended up on Alfheimir. You sound too Terran to have been born there.”

“I wasn’t, I got taken there and not by my own will.”

I could see Frigga considering my words. “Best get going we can talk more on this later. We’ve got plenty of time to do so while in hyperspace.”

I followed Frigga to the canteen as she called it. I seemed to be doing that a lot lately following people. I had a lot of questions but with a desert of answers no nearer to any goal. The canteen was a long narrow room with enough space for a table, which was bolted to the floor and at least eight chairs. The room itself was devoid of any ornament and at the far side was a door that led to the kitchen area. I noted a couple of unfamiliar faces although I had to admit one of them was the Fandaran navigator. I’d only seen the back of her head. Like all Fandaran she had brown green leathery skin over a lizard like face. There were a series of ridges on her head. The Ezaran was a typical Ezaran with sleek light coloured fur covered her body were it protruded from a utilitarian jumpsuit. She had a mane of long hair covering her head. Frankly I was surprised to see an all-female crew on a non-Valkyrie ship. It seemed that the whole crew was here along with Copper.

“Please be seated,” Phedra said to me indicating a seat next to Copper.

I sat next to Copper on the same side as Phedra and Claudia. Vesna, the Fandaran and the Ezaran sat opposite. Frigga instead of sitting next to the others took the unoccupied seat at the head of the table. When I thought about it I realised that it was a logical place for her to be. With a larger frame and longer legs she’d have difficult time sitting where the T’Arni sat. That is not without kicking the others in the shins accidentally it was that cramped in here.

“Ok I’m here now?” I wasn’t certain that this was some sort of censure of Phedra’s part. “What’s this about?” I felt a little nervous about being here.

“I want to apologise for my outburst earlier,” Phedra started. I saw Copper touch her hand when she did that.

“This is your ship and you are the captain,” I countered. I didn’t want to get off to a bad start it would be a very long journey otherwise.

“We work together,” Phedra said her hand reaching out and grasping Copper’s hand in hers.

The others nodded at that.

“What I’m trying to say,” Phedra continued her face reddening. “Is that I was too far gone on remaining on good terms with the Terrans to notice the danger incoming.”

She gave Copper a sideways glance and slight smile. “Copper’s put me straight on a few things. Things you’d told me, but me being me I totally ignored.”

“About time!” Frigga commented.

“Shut up Frigga!” Copper snarled coming to her girlfriend’s defence.

“Let’s all calm down,” Claudia said.

I decided it was time to change subjects before things got too rough. “What did your investigation find?” I addressed my words to Claudia.

“For one thing you were right it wasn’t a normal ship. The trouble is I don’t know what it was. Taking in its course and speed it would have rammed into the Independence. If anything I’d say it was acting like a missile and not a ship. I looked up the spec of a River Class frigate,” she nodded in my direction. “I know you told me all that before but I had to look for myself.” She grimaced and continued. “Why disguise yourself as ship? If it was a missile why disguise itself as such an obvious target. Our guns are on par with that class of ship.”

I thought about her words several theories forming in my mind. I picked the most obvious one. “It could be that if it had hit us it could be passed off as an accident rather than a direct attack.” A few things bothered me as I said that I was trying had to find the right answer.

“What!” Phedra remarked she leaned forward to look at me.

“The Silver is correct in someway,” the Ezaran spoke up.

I remembered that she was called Ultanassi I still didn’t know the name of the Fandaran. “Only in someway?”

“That is so Silver,” she replied and smiled. “”My sensor upgrades are very accurate. It would have detected fissionable materials, which there were none. The ‘object’ let’s say we call it that was acting more like a kinetic warhead.”

“Kinetic like in a rail gun round?” I queried.

“Exactly,” The Fandaran said before Ultanassi could say it.

“Rail gun rounds don’t travel at FTL speeds?” I told her.

“Nor do they act like starships changing course when we did?” Phedra said.

“So what was it?” Vesna said with a look at her sister.

“Whatever it was it isn’t here,” Copper said her expression tight. “Thanks to Gwen’s quick thinking.”

“We three,” Ultanassi said indicating her, the Fandaran whose name I still didn’t know and Claudia. “Are going to study the data we’ve got and determine what we’re up against?”

“Could I have a copy of that data?” I had an idea of who to send it to. Joyce Neilson owed me a favour for the data rod I’d given her.

“Sure we’ll make sure Lady Broaden gets a copy as well she did send us here in the first place,” Vesna added.

“So we have a plan then?” Phedra remarked with a glance to Copper. “Everyone about your business. ‘V’ you’re on first watch.”

Vesna merely looked resigned. It was clear Phedra going to make up time with Copper. I wished them the best even if it hadn’t got any action in that department for a while.

“And me?” I asked I wasn’t sure of my position on this ship.

“Oh ‘G’ get some rest I’ll have a task for you later.” Phedra smirked. “You’re not a paying customer like Goodwin. Might as well see what you are capable of?” Phedra took on last look around the table. “Dismissed!”

I headed back to my quarters on my own. I did wonder why Frigga had remained silent all through the meeting I did feel like she was judging me but not in a bad way. Marcella was waiting for me, which was a downside side of having to share with her.

“Hopefully we won’t be disturbed?” she said as she retrieved her book from the beneath her bed. “And we can continue from where we left off.”

I knew she wasn’t going to stop until she had all her answers. It was definitely going to be a long journey.