David walked into the training area in the early evening. He had said his goodbyes to Freja earlier and had seen Eirik pull his brother aside. What everyone didn't see was the long think package Eirik had gotten from the shuttle that had returned after Mads left in it. He was almost certain he knew what it was and know he wanted to know. If he was right, this is where Eirik would be. He could hear the *TWANG* of the bowstring and the impact of the arrows as soon as he entered the gym and headed for the training room.

When he entered the room, he saw Eirik sending another arrow at the target that had been set up, already pockmarked with knicks and small holes from the arrows.

"Working hard as always I see," He said out loud, making Eirik turn his head and break out in a smile.

"Always!" Eirik said loudly before sending another arrow at the target, noting the shot landing much closer to where he was aiming. The loud *THUNK* as the arrow embedded itself in the wood was deeply satisfying to him. It brought with it a certain connection to the ancestors of his past, to the old hunters of ancient Terra, pitting their skills and knowledge against an environment that worked very hard to kill them off.

"Finally decided to catch up on all the combat training you have been neglecting?" Eirik continued with a smile, "Gods know you missed more than enough!"

"I came by to check up on you, Eirik," David said mildly as he sat down on the floor nearby to where Eirik was practicing.

"What for? I am just fine!" Eirik laughed and sent another arrow into the target dummy

"That's not what I mean Eirik. Freja has left. Can you handle the temptation?" David asked, relaxed but serious.

Eirik's next arrow sailed past its target and clattered against the wall behind it. "David, the less I think about it, the easier it is for me to handle. Please, I'm begging you!" Eirik's voice had become slightly pleading and he had not knocked a new arrow.

"Of course Eirik. Just looking out for you, is all" David hurriedly said as he rose again. "Now, how about some knife fighting? As you said, I have missed far too many scheduled practics sessions already."

"Knife fighting? Since when have we ever needed to get that close to our enemies in combat?" Eirik was genuinely surprised at the suggestion. They had not practiced knife fighting since... well before they joined the army.

"...Call it intuition. I just have a gut feeling it would not be wasted time." David said slowly. He wasn't lying. Something inside of him wanted to brush up on their knife skills.

"Might as well. It's a good way to keep your wit sharp in combat." Eirik agreed and unstrung the bow as David got the training knives out. Hard plastic with blunt edges made sure that they were not lethal to use, but would still sting like hell if you got hit

Soon after, the room was filled with grunts and the clashes of the knives.

___________________________

Dalle grinned to himself as he read over the replies from his captains. They were almost all of them closer to the Kloxna homeworld than he was, meaning he could field a sizeable fleet of mercenaries. He sent them all messages to get the word out that any mercenary captain willing to fly on this raid with him would have an equal share in the spoils. Credits, materials, and slaves would be theirs for the taking at the end of this. They had but to join him to enjoy this extremely profitable venture.

With a happy sigh, he leaned back, fished the snuff box out of his pocket, and started daydreaming of the moment he would be there, at the heart of the place Eirik thought of as safe, to greet his old enemy at the moment before he blasted his ship into debris. But why would he send a ship back from a hunt?? That was unlike Eirik unless something happened that warranted a complete change of plans. But what could it be...

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After their little sparring session, Eirik and David had separated, but David kept hearing from the crew that Eirik was busy burying himself in one project or another. He had started going down the repair list on the ship, which worried David. That was one of the things Eirik likes to leave to someone else...

"He must be desperate to keep himself occupied. And at the rate he moving, we will soon have a ship in such perfect order that even Eirik has to pass the inspection on the first try." David thought with bittersweet humor What was the man going to do when he ran out of projects?? Maybe some combat drills would do wonders for Eirik.

___________________________-

Eirik was taking a break to correspond with his brothers and Tina through messages. Tina was assembling a team of people to slowly bring the Glorpil people forward through time at a controlled speed. They would ship out in a few days and be there in 2 weeks. She also informed Eirik that an official symbol of his empire had been decided on. A full wolf standing in silhouette, with raised hackles, standing in front of a glowing cave entrance.

Eirik liked that. The wolf was a symbol of the defensive military focus of his empire and the glowing cave represented the peaceful life inside his borders. A simple but very fitting symbol to fly on your ships. Mads, Peter, Matthias, and Jonas all wrote that they were getting restless, hanging around this planet. They needed to move soon, so Eirik had to intensify his efforts to obtain useful information. They were aware of his struggles but didn't mention them. He had not told them, but they had friends amongst Eirik's command staff and as his brothers, they had no evil or malicious intentions

Eirik's brothers, for their part, did not like what they were hearing about the commander of the ground base, Sif. From the way others described it, it sounded like Eirik was more or less under her influence when in the same room. They would have to interfere, but when and how?

Eirik finished off the correspondence with a message to his parents about the state of things, and an invitation to come to visit once he returned. He also sent a message to his grandfather, painting the broadest and most vague picture he was able to. He still had not forgiven the old man. It would come through, in due time. Hopefully, the fire inside would start dying down once he finished this.

the last message he sent was an official message to Terra, inquiring about the price they would pay if he could solve the problem of mounting an FTL engine on a bomber-sized ship. If he told them he already had the tech, they would pester him constantly until they got it. But if he just asked what price they would pay to the one solving, well, that left room for some creativity on his part.

After that, it was time to get back to work. There were floors to order scrubbed, supply lists to go through and he had decided to update their repair schedule manual, the book that detailed which parts should be replaced at what time, to prevent breakdowns from wear and tear, a proud tradition dating back to the early industrial age of Terra and the mechanical sea-faring ships that came with it.

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It was getting late, too late for an interrogation. Eirik knew he could not postpone it much longer, but he also worried about how it would go. With a sigh, he rose from the table in the workshop. He had been drawing up new battle tactics for his troops, trying to maximize the use of the PESSA suits. He had plans to make it standard outfit for soldiers in his army, but the production chain had just been built and they were still running the final trials. Another year, at least, would be required before any meaningful productions could be done. Until then, it would mostly be replacement parts and the occasional new suit.

His young high ambassador, Andreas Jensen, the diplomat he had first ran afoul of and then later befriended, Had sent reports of trade deals being struck, mostly in exchange for light escort duties as payment. They had also received several petitions for a personal meeting with Eirik by high-ranking members amongst the various military branches of the different races, but it was not an urgent matter. An envoy from the Kloxna empire had arrived in the system and was currently being held on their ship in an isolated part of Eirik's empire, well out of the way. They were grumbling but were well supplied with food, so was fairly easy to keep passive.

"What in the fuck could they want?" Eirik thought as he read the message. They were at war. The only reason for an envoy would be a ceasefire, surrender, or...

The thought lingered in Eirik's head. That sounded very interesting, but it would have to wait.

__________________

The trouble came later, during the night. Eirik found himself restless, unable to sleep. He contemplated getting up from his bed and going to take a swim to use some of the energy, but he knew it would be futile. He understood that he was restless, not because he couldn't sleep, but because he didn't want to sleep. The bed felt weird when it was just him. It felt like sleeping in a stranger's bed...

Was he becoming civilized?? Had the news of him going to be a father driven the casual disregard for death from his heart?

...No. NO! He was still a warrior. Death on the battlefield was not just expected, it was sought after like one would seek the embrace of a long-lost lover. It was the ultimate test of worth to enter Valhalla. To die, with open eyes and standing on your feet, weapon in your hand and hate in your heart.

"What am I doing to myself? I know what I want. It is within my reach. All I have to do is reach out and ask. But... Am I willing to risk what I have just gained?" Eirik pondered. He had no idea how long he lay there, but he woke up to the sound of the alarm clock. "One night over with. Only the gods know how many remain..." He thought as he got up to brush his teeth.

_________________________

Sif was disappointed. Eirik had not come to her this night. She knew his woman had left. He would be missing the warm touch of someone that could understand the pressure a man of his position must surely be under. And such men needed the gentle touch of a good woman to strengthen their resolve.

She had thought him weak enough to crack the first chance he got, but it seemed she had underestimated her prey. She would not make that mistake again. He would come today. If nothing else, then for the answers he knew she held. She had to prepare herself.