Valkyrie Hunter
Chapter 19

Hours passed and I began to grow weary. It was a long flight without a break. I wasn’t confidedent enough to set the shuttle to autopilot. I guess I was still enough of an Imperial to distrust a machine. Our course took us our several cities but we passed them too fast to gather any details. I’d never been to a Valkyrie city and I doubted I’d ever would. Our escort easily kept pace with us. In the distance a ridge of mountains appeared climbing high into the sky. I recognised some of those peaks. The sun was beginning to set behind us. We must be getting close to our destination and getting close to dark of the night. Tall Valkyrie pines thrust upwards to the sky more comforting to look at that the tangled forest we’d left behind. The comms came to life a surprise after silence for so long.

“Albatross, this is Airspace Control alter your course.”

They rattled off a list of co-ordinates. Not far off our present course I estimated at least ten kilometres short. Suspicious, it dawned on me we were going to land in the village of chalets. Their next words confirmed it.

“Land on the pad there.”

“Roger, Airspace Control,” I replied without thinking.

“Roger, who’s Roger?” Airspace Control asked confused.

I didn’t blame them. “Old Earth phrase it means understood.”

“Airspace Control out.”

I dropped down seeing familiar chalets in neat rows, the mag-lev station and the shuttle pad. I spent a year living in this village.

I called out to Ella and Miranda both of whom had remained silent all through my flight. They were just being cautious I didn’t blame them for that. The comms channel had remained open all through the flight.

“We about to land!”

“Roger that,” Ella called back sounding less tense than before. Obviously she had been listening on my conversation with Airspace Control.

I circled the pad before landing. I breathed heavily as we were landing. I felt a bump as the shuttle touched the ground we were down.

“We’re down!” I said.

Ella spoke from the door she had her coil assault gun in her hands. “Be ready for anything,” she said in a cryptically Valkyrie fashion.

“Ok,” I replied powering down the engines. I got out on my seat feeling an acute ache in my rear and back I ignored it and walked into the passenger compartment. Ella and Miranda where waiting for me. Whatever their argument they had resolved it without being at each other’s throats. I was glad of that it made my next words harder though.

“It will be better if you wait in here until I make sure it is safe,” I ordered.

Miranda gave me an annoyed look but she acquiesced. “Stay safe Gwen.”

I glanced at Ella. “Protect her.”

Ella just nodded and freed her coil assault gun from her chest. I drew my pistol and opened the shuttle door.

I walked out into the setting sun. It seemed like a scene from an old western vid. We were surrounded. Both shuttles had landed. The one with the heavy coil gun had it pointing directly at the shuttle. Flanking it were a dozen Valkyrie in full Confederacy combat armour forming a semi-circle around the shuttle like some cordon. Their coil assault guns pointed directly at me.

“Drop your weapon!” One of the armoured Valkyrie ordered.

“No!” I responded raising my pistol and pointing it at the closest. It was pathetic against what confronted me but I had to stand my ground. “You drop, yours!”

More armoured Valkyrie arrived they had nothing on their armour to indicate who they were. I felt scared but I had to show my resolve. I tightened my grip on my pistol my heart threatening to rip itself out of my chest.

“Lower your weapons,” I repeated.

There was a moment when I thought they were about to shoot me.

“Lower your weapon Gwen,” A familiar voice told me.

I holstered my weapon without thought. “Moi?” I said relieved.

One of the new comers pushed through the cordon surrounding the shuttle. She had her weapon strapped to her chest. With a deft movement she removed her helmet. I instantly recognised Thirika. I had a moment’s pang of regret at Yngvara’s fate I didn’t know what happened to her after I rescued her from the Director on Davenport.

“Moi,” I said again, my relief was tangible.

“Gwen don’t keep repeating things I’d thought I’d cured you of that habit.”

I noticed the other Valkyrie lower their weapons. I shuddered at how close I had been to getting shot. “Sorry Moi,” I apologised heartfelt.

Thirika turned to the armoured Valkyrie. “We’ll take things from here.”

With that the Valkyrie filed into their shuttles and took off leaving me with Thirika and her guards.

Thirika closed in seeming to take everything in about my appearance. She frowned and shook her head disapprovingly. “Phew Gwen you really stink. Go and wash you know the way.”

I understood she was sending me to the chalet I had been issued with the last time I was here. I had to have my say worried about Ella and Miranda. “I have a couple of friends aboard the shuttle what happens to them?” I wasn’t going to name Ella and Miranda.

“They are under the protection of the Elder Council. We’re here to escort them safely to the Hall of the Elders. After they have rested that is.” Thirika said the last part out loud.

“And me?”

“Go and take a bath.” She gave my dirty thermal suit a considering look. “And for the Mother’s sake put something on the fits!”

As much as I wanted to do that I was reluctant to leave Miranda and Ella behind.

“Well what are you waiting for?” Thirika demanded.

“To see that my friends are safe,” I replied. I knew Thirika would demand nothing less from me it was her way.

She nodded thoughtfully. “They will be my word on that.”

“I just…” I hesitated.

“Want to make sure,” Thirika, added for me. “They will be.” She glanced at the darkening sky. “It too late to take them to the Hall tonight. They’ll not be far we’ll escort them to the guest quarters they can rest up tonight. You go and wash we’ll speak again later.” When I didn’t move. “So you want me to drag you in there by you hair?”

I moved, I knew damn well she would do it to.

I found my way to the chalet I had been assigned over a year ago. It sort of felt like coming home or at least to a place I felt safe. The chalet was half stone, half timbered and consisted of five rooms. A bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, utility room and a living room which the other rooms lead of from. The living opened directly to the outside. It wasn’t large or roomy but it was a home of sorts. The door slid open to my touch. I walked in my eyes searching every nook and cranny. I’d expected thick dust but the whole place was clean and fresh smelling. The first thing I did once the door to the outside was closed was to strip out of my thermal suit and underwear. Naked I threw them into the washer-drier in the utility room and headed to the bathroom. As I had hoped they had topped up the little cabinet in there with bath salts and soaps. Filing the tub I stepped into luxuriating in the hot scented water. I felt myself relax. In the back of mind there was a niggle. This part of my ordeal may be over but there were still a heck of a lot of questions to be answered. I must of drifted off I woke with a jerk the water around me cool. I rinsed myself off and with a towel wrapped around my body I headed out of the bathroom and entered the bedroom. Same linen on the bed, same quilted comforter, same pillows as fresh smelling as if they’d be changed this morning. I certain I had taken everything with me when I’d left the last time I half expected the cabinet with four drawers in the bedroom to be empty.

I stared at the drawer I had opened surprise strong on my face. It was full of underwear. Panties and bra’s in a neutral peach colour and in my size. The next drawer down included bedclothes in more vibrant colours and my size. I reflected on the oddity of this situation. I gave myself time to think questions bloomed through my mind. Why would the chalet have clothes for me? Unless they knew I was coming suspicion flared in my mind. Immediately I crossed it out of my mind I trusted Thirika. I turned my attention back to the third drawer it contained jeans and tops more to my taste. The forth was more of the same and contained winter wear warmer versions of the tops and pants. I closed the drawer and selected sleepwear in deep blue that reached to my knees. I avoided the red one with silver banding on the arms, hem and collar it was too much like Martin colours. With that done I crawled into bed and fell asleep my dreams untroubled for the first time in a while.

I woke early the shutters on the windows hadn’t gone up yet. They would roll up automatically with the dawn. I rose and took an another hot bath with scented water. I felt really clean for the first time in a long while and all my aches and pains eased away. Drying myself off I selected my clothes choosing a long winter top in a neutral pink and blue jeans. I even found they’d given me boots in my size a fact I was relieved about. At least the nanobots were still working and had repaired the blisters on my feet. I did examine them carefully as I could. Valkyrie didn’t believe in mirrors saying only the vain looked into a mirror. Then Valkyrie never used makeup of things like that. Braiding their hair and things like that they’d do by touch. I wasn’t that vain but my hair was a mess. I did cheat using my reflection in the window to help me pull my hair into an acceptable braid that hung down my back. I was ready for anything. I ate a meal of a ration pack and coffee then spent the rest of my time cleaning. The Valkyrie would expect me to leave the chalet in a neat and tidy state.

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