Valkyrie Hunter
Chapter 34

It was cramped inside the MRECV it definitely wasn’t designed for Valkyrie I doubted it had been designed for humans either. The passenger compartment had enough seats for ten but with Valkyrie only six, seven if you counted me and that felt full. I strapped my weapon into a holder by my seat and placed my helmet on a rack with barely enough room above it. There was barely enough room under the seat for the duffel bag of clothing changes I’d stuffed in it. The seat was hard metal devoid of any comfort. It would be hell for anyone not in armour but then again it would be hell for those in it. I settled in my seat and strapped myself in. The other Valkyrie crowded around me with their miss-matched armour. The Valkyrie I’d spoken to sat opposite seemly more relaxed than her last appearance. There was a hatch that led to the driver’s compartment. Currently the door was open.

“Driver. Get moving!” she shouted.

I heard the engine thrum and the MRECV moved off with a jerk.

The Valkyrie spoke again. “We haven’t been formally introduced Silver.”

“Call me Gwen,” I interrupted her. “Or failing that Hunter.”

“I’m Sylgard Bondedottir.” She indicated her companions. “And this sorry lot are my team. Relax Gwen Hunter we have a long way to go.”

It was an uncomfortable ride. We drove for a while in complete silence. After Sylgard’s initial speech she to had lapsed into silence sending furtive looks my way. Finally I broke it I had to find out what she was up to but I couldn’t say it directly.

“What can I expect when I reach your Clan Mother,” I said to Sylgard directly.

“She will speak to you and show you our evidence and hope you can present it to the Elders.”

None of her team even acknowledged our words. They may have been dummies for the amount of conversation there was in this MRECV. We continued on I was deeply regretting coming with them. Then I couldn’t have left them on the border between the Clans. One mistake, one itchy trigger finger and we’d have a war we couldn’t stop on the doorstep. I didn’t want it, the Elders didn’t want it. Frustrated I spoke to Sylgard again hoping she at least respond to my questions.

“Do you who supplies these as you call them ‘traitors’ Imperial weapons?”

“The Terrans,” she half accused me. I expect she was reacting to my accent. “What do you think?”

That sounded more than idle speculation. “You have proof?”

Sylgard winced at my direct tone. “I…?”

“No you don’t. The Empire isn’t responsible for this. Did you interrogate any of the rebels you found?”

“We execute any we find.” She looked at me sharply.

“Isn’t that a little harsh. The Elders turned those they found into common criminals and treated them as such. By executing everyone you will find that plays into their hands?”

“We don’t talk to traitors!” Sylgard declared hotly.

I heard muttered comments from her team. I silenced them with a glare. I saw them look at the bracelet on my arm and shiver. Well I assumed they were looking at my bracelet hidden by the sleeve of my combat armour.

I spoke again my attention on Sylgard in front of me. “And don’t tell me you haven’t examined the bodies?” A long shot I know I was gambling on these rebels had the ‘eye’ symbol tattooed onto their bodies. “If you have you would have noticed the eye symbol tattooed onto their bodies?”

For the first time Sylgard looked at me without hostility. “Is that significant?”

“It will prove that they are working for the Black Stripes.”

“Black Stripes why have we not heard of them before?” Sylgard demanded.

“Because they are the ones responsible for trying to destroy the Hall of the Elders and dragging the Valkyrie into a war with the Confederacy. They are working for the Rhosani.”

Sylgard swallowed hard her team looked panicked. “Rhosani are you serious?”

“Deadly,” I replied looking directly into her eyes.

“We can’t fight the Rhosani!” Sylgard sounded defeatist. The rest of her team looked it. “No one can.”

“That’s why we have the TCA. They’ve fought the Rhosani and won!”

“But they can come back?” Sylgard insisted.

“That is true but it is not those we should be worrying about. It is the ones they left behind buried deep within the Orsini Commonwealth.” I added after some thought. “These are the ones using trickster tactics to sow chaos. Their aim is to weaken the Empire and Confederacy to the extent that they can walk in and take over. Why do you think the Black Stripes are targeting the TCA.” I had to get these Valkyrie back on the same page. They seemed too ready to blame the Empire. Which made me wonder why they had let me come with them? I gave Sylgard my hardest look. “Who are the best fighters anywhere? The Valkyrie, weaken the Valkyrie with a civil war who are our best defence against the Rhosani?” I took a deep breath that last bit had been a morale booster. I continued staring at Sylgard. “The Rhosani profit the best for a broken Alfheimir. I am doing my best to stop that!”

I was the centre of attention in the shocked silence that followed my speech. I looked calm but inside I was a bundle of nerves doubting whether my words actually made any sense.

“I apologise Gwen of Clan Hunter. Forgive me I had the wrong impression of you.”

Sylgard glared at the others with her. “I let myself be guided by others’ words. I was convinced the stories about you were made up. I was given the impression the story about the Hall of Elders was to enrich you. I was wrong.” Her anger grew. “Badly wrong.”

I leaned back glad that I wasn’t the subject of her anger. It seemed what I said had actually made the point. “So what happens now?” I asked Sylgard directly.

“We do as you tell us. I apologise profusely for any ill will we had towards you.”

Sylgard hid her anger by looking at a holo map on her comms. When she looked up again her anger had gone like she had wiped out of her mind. She looked more professional. “We’re a couple of hours from Vasarakaupunki. Then we can make up for our mistake.”

“What do you mean by that?” I wasn’t sure what they were up to only a few minutes earlier Sylgard was giving me hostile vibes.

“By showing you proper Bondedottir hospitality.” Sylgard glanced at her team.

They nodded back a number actually seemed to be relieved by that. Those that didn’t looked ashamed.

“I am on your side,” I stated. “If you let me. I’m not your enemy, the Svertingdottir are not your enemies despite what happened in your past.” I made a cutting gesture with my hand. “The Black Stripes are. And you should vent you anger against them. They are responsible for this mess.”

“And the traitors that follow the Prophetess?” Sylgard regarded my face.

“Fools who are ignorant of the real enemy.”

“But…” one of the Valkyrie interrupted. “The Prophetess is ancient.” She swallowed hard at Sylgard’s glare.

I raised my hand stopping Sylgard from berating the Valkyrie that had spoken up. “This isn’t her.” I regarded the Valkyrie carefully. “This one is a product of the Black Stripes. I stopped them on Davenport and I’ll stop them now!” I doubted I would but I was going to raise those doubts here. “I ask you, would the Prophetess of old do this?”

The Valkyrie eyed me. “The Prophetess would do what is right for Alfheimir?”

“Exactly.”

“This destruction is not her,” Sylgard said for me seeming to echo my thoughts. “Think back to her words and deeds.” Sylgard shook her head. “Why didn’t I see it before. The Prophetess would not tear Alfheimir part with war!”

“Now you see,” I said to her.

“I do Gwen of Clan Hunter.” She sat back her eyes half closed.

In silence we continued our journey.

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