Valkyrie Hunter

A feeling of déjà vu came over me as I sat waiting to be called into the Elders. I had taken the decision to seek out Thirika first. I had to explain what had happened. Luckily for me she had listened and promised to make the Elders see. She hadn’t demanded I prove myself she had taken in what I’d said, grimaced hard and was gone. The corridor was less busy then I’d seen it recently. I wasn’t alone two of Komana’s guards were with me. A human Laura Cousins and a T’Arni who went by the name of Xenobi both in full combat armour and cradling looking at odds without their coil assault guns. Another half dozen Alliance Marines stood outside the entrance to the Halls. While there were less civilians there were a lot more Valkyrie guards. Several stood close their hands on their weapons. Tension ran thick through the air. I’d been so busy trying to stare down the Valkyrie to notice anything else.

“Gwen?”

I instantly recognised the voice. “Moi,” I said standing and looking directly at Thirika. “The Elders will see you now.” I heard annoyance in her voice. I would have known if it had been directed at me.

“Moi?”

“I’m afraid your guards will have to stay here,” she apologised. “Guards must wait outside the chambers, rules you know.”

I took her words for what they were. “Stay here and monitor the situation.” I ordered my guards.

“Ma’am,” Laura said. “Admiral Komana made it clear to us that we stick to you like glue.”

Xenobi nodded vigorously.

I frowned this could be difficult. “I really don’t want to spark a diplomatic incident. Admiral Komana needs the Elders co-operation?”

“Gwen Hunter will be safe with me,” Thirika said. “My honour on that.”

“I’ll be ok,” I told them.

“Aye, aye ma’am!” both guards saluted Confed style.

I followed Thirika into the chambers. To my relief it hadn’t been set for a combat trial. Tiers of benches surrounded three sides of the long rectangular room. There were two lecterns. One close to my end the other nestled close the tiers. The tiers were full of Elders. I could see it was packed there were no gaps in any of the benches. I marched up to the closest as a light lit it up. An Elder got up from one of the benches and walked over to the other lectern. I recognised her as the Elder I’d accused of poisoning me when I confronted her trying to protect Freyagrunn Yanik. I’d been worried about Freyagrunn getting killed because she had saved me from being stabbed in the back. She had broken the rules of the Hall by spilling blood. Just seeing her there didn’t bode well for me.

“Hello again Gwen Martin,” she said pleasantly. “I hope we are past our little misunderstanding?”

“Elder Solva,” I remembered her name Elder Freda had told me before we’d both actually been poisoned. My misunderstanding was because she had given me coffee with the foul black brew that Valkyrie drank on a regular basis. The same stuff that normally put me in hospital with alcohol poisoning and one hell of a hangover.

Solva nodded. “Thirika was most insistent we hear what you have to say?”

“That the so called Prophetess is a male in disguise and he has Rhosani DNA.”

One of the Elders yelled, “Liar!”

Solva swiftly turned anger radiating from her face. “We let Initiate Gwen Martin have her say before we throw baseless accusations around like that!” she snarled.

I was glad Solva was on my side.

“We’ll talk about this later,” Solva said to the Valkyrie Elder who’d raised her objection. She turned to me and nodded thoughtfully. “Now you’ve all had a copy of the data Thirika Yanik provided, the ones her Initiate nearly died for?” She gestured and a giant holo appeared above her head. “Speaking plainly it is extremely sobering.”

I stared at the holo it wasn’t the data I’d given Thirika. Someone had altered it. Where the data for me had been someone had replaced it with someone else’s DNA data. Human if my guess was correct.

“Initiate Martin?” Solva said to me. I heard her put the emphasis on ‘Martin’.

I’d been too busy staring at the data to notice her speaking to me. “Moi?”

“Please indicate the Prophetess’ DNA strands on this graph.”

I pointed to the correct one. “The Prophet or whatever he calls himself.”

At least they hadn’t altered that. It seemed obvious now someone didn’t want anyone to know about my DNA. I wondered what they were hiding? It seemed irrelevant at the present time. I pointed to the end of the graphic. “Rhosani DNA from your records.”

“Very good Initiate Martin.” She glanced at the tiers of assembled Elders. “I take it you have all read the Initiate’s report?” Solva nodded then continued. “I need to be honest here. Some of us weren’t paying attention.”

I couldn’t get the meaning there so I listened on.

“Be assured we are now!” She regarded the Elders on their benches. “It more than seems that the Rhosani are behind all this violence?”

“It’s a pathetic play to have outsiders interfere in our affairs,” a voice called out.

I felt my anger start to boil.

Solva flicked her eyes to me before speaking. “Does the data we’ve been provided with not show this?”

“It’s fake,” the voice demanded.

That was my trigger point I was really angry now. I knew it was stupid but I couldn’t stop myself. “Why don’t you come down and say that to my face you Motherless Coward!” I yelled.

“Language Initiate,” Solva said to me. “No one but her is in doubt over your integrity. Is there?” I distinctly heard a challenge in her voice. I saw her look over my shoulder.

“Thirika please take your Initiate. I really don’t want to have to punish her for breaking the rules.” I saw her glance around at the tiers of benches. “No matter if the one involved deserved it?”

I knew a dismissal when I heard it. The practical part of my mind informed me it was better this way. I allowed Thirika to guide me out. We halted outside the door to the chamber. She turned to me her face grinning.

“You showed remarkable restraint,” she praised me. I savoured it praise from Thirika was extremely rare. “I on the other hand would have pummelled the bitch to death.”

She gave me an uncharacteristic hug. I felt my cheeks go red aware of other eyes upon me.

“I proud to call you daughter!” Thirika declared.

I went redder. “Thanks,” I stuttered.

Then she went and spoiled the moment by adding. “Don’t thank me yet. There’s still much we need to do.”

Thoughts of Sophronia’s death filled my mind. “Moi is it possible for me to speak to a Palkkasir Elder?”

“Why is this about your Old One?”

I noted she hadn’t said ‘Miranda’ a fact I was relieved by. “Mother Sophronia Palkkasir.” I used her full title she didn’t deserve anything less.

“Of course I’ll arrange that as soon as I can.” She looked at the Valkyrie guarding the chambers. “This is my adopted daughter Gwen Hunter my blood is hers.”

Quite a solemn statement from her, the guard cracked a grin.

My guards joined us. I couldn’t see their faces but I certainly could hear them.

“Well I still don’t understand these Valkyrie?” Laura remarked.

“Yeah neither will I?” Xenobi added.

We waited in the corridor I don’t know how long. I wanted out but Thirika had promised me she’d speak to the Palkkasir Elder. I sat flanked by Laura and Xenobi the two women chattered to each other as if I wasn’t between them. Suddenly a side door opened and a black robed Acolyte approached hesitantly.

“Honoured One?” she said timidly.

I looked at her confused. “Honoured One.” I’d long ago given up trying not to repeat other’s words.

“Elder Thurida will see you now.” She gestured to my guards. “Elder Thurida says your guards are welcome as well.”

I stood. “Ok lead me to the Elder.” I had to be cautious after everything that happened to me in the Hall. I wasn’t sure if the Elder was the one I was seeking or someone else, someone out for my blood. Thirika had not yet returned and she had promised me that she would.