Viking Love Beyond Time (Time Travel Romance) (6 page)

             
“You have those languages in your memory banks?” asked Owen incredulously.

             
“In my monitoring of the surface I have naturally picked up the speech patterns used by these peoples” replied Mindbank, almost archly.

             
Owen held up his hands in a gesture of surrender “Apologies Mindbank”

             
The computer continued “If the worst comes to the worst and you have to destroy the ship and I think, Captain, you should be planning towards this, you will need to be as inconspicuous as possible - I will provide you with suitable clothing but I suggest strongly that you both go straight to the auto learner.”

***************

             
For the next few days Austen and Owen spent most of their time on the auto learner which was an invaluable tool, usually only used in an emergency, in order to cram as much information as possible about a specific subject into a human brain.   In the case of the death or incapacity of an on board specialist whose skills were important to the running of the ship, another crew member would go on the auto learner, learn what was needed and carry out the necessary actions.  Unfortunately, it meant sitting for hours on end in a plexi cylinder being bombarded with high speed gibberish, which the machine then transcribed into knowledge capable of being picked up and used by the brain, in effect, it fooled the brain into believing that the information had been picked up naturally.  The more intelligent the person, the quicker the information was assimilated and, within less than a week, Owen and Austen were  fluent in both Anglo Saxon and Ancient Norse.

             
Whilst they were occupied, Mindbank had been constantly scanning and monitoring the surface and informed them that the best place to land, if it became unavoidable, was a village called Bredond, in what would one day become Dorset in England, ruled over by a man called Oswy, who was ‘thegn’ or overlord of the area.

             
Mindbank informed them that Oswy was married to a woman called Godgyth and had a twenty nine year old stepdaughter, Emma, Godgyth’s daughter from a previous marriage.  The couple’s twin sons Cerdic and Aldred had been killed in 871 at the Battle of Ashdown, when the Vikings had been temporarily routed.

             
On monitoring conversations Mindbank had discovered that Oswy had had a younger brother named Edmund who had disappeared to seek his fortune thirty years before.  On investigating this further Mindbank unearthed the fact that he had died, unmarried and childless, in
Eastern Europe
ten years earlier, a fact that was completely unknown to Oswy or anyone else in the family.

Mindbank insisted that they would have to pass themselves off as people of quality as the peasants lived little better than animals, were prey to revolting diseases and had an average life span of thirty years.

             
The computer then replicated two gold coloured alloy bracelets set round with three different coloured stones, blue, green and red, each stone having a function.

             
The blue stone was a communicator/sensor, set to the co-ordinates of the shuttle’s onboard computer, together with a homing device which would become operative when they had to leave the cloaked shuttle and needed to find it on their return.

             
The psi gun was housed under the green stone.  Like a standard psi gun it had four settings, low, medium, high and stun.  The psi gun was an extremely powerful weapon, the high blast capable of taking out the side of a hill.  Mindbank reminded both of them of the First Rule of space exploration - never, unless life is threatened, to use modern technology against a less technologically advanced indigenous society.  If one of them used the psi gun for personal gain or to terrorise or gain power over a less technologically advanced species, the other one would be honour bound to execute him or her.  The First Rule had kept the peace in the galaxy for hundreds of years, and on the rare occasions it had been broken the wrongdoer had been summarily executed.

             
The autodoc function was housed under the red stone.  That was automatic and would protect them against any viruses or germs it sensed in their immediate surroundings.  It would also make sure they had all necessary vitamins and minerals missing in the food on Earth and, in case of an accident, it more or less guaranteed recovery.  If a bone was broken, for instance, provided it was more or less properly set, it would mend in a fraction of the normal time.  However, it was specifically programmed not to cure the body from self administered abuse, such as over indulgence in alcohol or drugs.

             
“Well, you seem to be as well equipped as possible should you have to go and live on the planet” stated Mindbank after testing them both on their knowledge of Anglo Saxon and Norse, “I repeat, I strongly advise you to make for the south coast of
England
, preferably Bredond.  The north is overrun by the Danes and Norwegians who are the most warlike race of people on the planet.  Unfortunately, I am no longer able to contact the other Mindbank computers and have no information in my stand alone memory on Anglo Saxon England so I cannot tell you what is about to happen.  King Alfred is, as I have said, the nearest thing to a benign ruler on the planet at the present time but you must remember that  the power of kings is absolute.    If you should happen to meet him you must defer to him - never on any account argue with him - and Captain Austen, I must mention this - women on Earth in 876 appear to be what amounts to subservient chattels, totally in the power of men.  From what I can gather they are thought to have no intellect whatsoever, and sadly, to keep your cover intact, you will have to take part in this charade”

             
Austen laughed “I’m not the ‘subservient chattel’ type, Mindbank”

             
“Captain, please, I repeat, you must not draw attention to yourself or stand out in any way.  It may be that you will have a bearing on the history of the Earth if you do go down to the planet but please, do not do or say anything suspicious or seem to be anything except two dispossessed nobles, live quietly if and until you are contacted”

             
Austen sighed “I’m hoping, Mindbank, that it won’t come to us going down there, I’m expecting rescue at any time - did that message get through the black hole?”

             
“I directed two hundred and twenty two million high speed pulses at black hole
Margillion Trenes
Captain, as to whether any got through I have no data” replied the computer.

             
Austen removed her bracelet and handed it to Owen “You’d better put this in the shuttle please Lieutenant Commander, along with your own” she said then stretched and yawned.   This last week of feverish preparation had really told on her, now there was nothing to do but wait.  “Would you like a coffee Owen?” she asked.  He nodded.

             
“Yeah, why not, are you going to get into training to become subservient and get me one?”

             
Austen laughed and pushed a few loose tendrils back into her bun “Don’t be ridiculous, I take it black, no sugar” Owen got to his feet.

             
“You could at least keep me company as far as the galley” he replied, peevishly “this place is giving me the creeps” Austen smiled and they both walked into the lift “Seriously Captain” he continued “how much longer are we going to sit here on our asses waiting?  I mean its patently obvious that no one’s going to come to rescue us or they’d be here by now”

             
Austen walked out of the lift and through to the galley.  There was coffee in a jug, she poured cup for them both then turned “What else do you suggest we do Lieutenant Commander?” she asked, handing over his cup.

             
“Thanks” he took a sip “a little more sugar next time I think Alodie - go down to Earth, try to make a life for ourselves”

             
She lowered her cup “What, live as one of those savages?  I say we stay here until we have to leave”

             
Owen took another drink “Look, Mindbank’s laid it on the line for us, the orbit will start to decay soon, the food is running out and we have half a million tonnes of klerth crystals which, as you know, are damned useful for industry but as a sideline, augment the power of any detonation up to one hundred fold and  are definitely not indigenous to this solar system.  If mankind got hold of them and used them during the atomic age we could be wiped out before we were even born - God, I get a headache even thinking about it.  I vote we put the freezers on the ship and send her off into deep space.  If anyone comes for us they can reach us via the shuttle.”

             
Austen sipped her coffee thoughtfully “We’ll go down if and when it becomes necessary Lieutenant Commander and now, I’m for bed” she crumpled up her cup and threw it in the bin.

             
“I’d give anything for a drink” said Owen suddenly.

             
“There’s plenty of water or fresh fruit juices left” replied Austen.

             
“No angel, I said a drink”

             
The captain’s lips compressed into a thin line “Do I take it you mean alcohol Lieutenant Commander?”

             
“I do, Captain and I am not fussy in what form, whisky, gin, brandy, beer, white wine, red wine, Frustian ale, something to help me forget our predicament”

             
Austen pulled out a chair and sat down “Have you ever been drunk Lieutenant Commander?”

             
Owen put his face next to hers “Yes, I have, on several occasions and the morning after you feel lousy but at the time you feel incredibly relaxed and wonderful.  How about you Captain?” 

             
She shook her head, a tress of blonde hair fell free “No, never,  although I vaguely remember you tried to get me drunk once.  I like to be in control at all times”

             
He grinned “There’s bound to be a lot of drinking down there, I think we ought to be prepared, someone ought to get Mindbank to replicate us some
ale or
mead”

             
Austen laughed “Someone?  You mean me, the captain’s the only one who can order the replicator to dish up spirituous liquors!”

             
Owen wiped the back of his hand across his mouth “Shall we give it a try?”

             
Austen grinned “What the hell, Lieutenant Commander, what else is there to do?” Owen opened his mouth to tell her what else there was to do but for once in his life, thought better of it.

********************

             
Three hours later Captain Alodie Austen was gloriously drunk.   After dire warnings of what it would do to them Mindbank had reluctantly provided them with some mead and Saxon ale to ‘sample’.  At first Austen had not been keen on the taste of either but after the first few glassfuls it seemed to grow on her.

             
Owen had kept her glass filled and after an hour or so she seemed mellow and happy “Tell me Alodie” he said as they both relaxed on bean bags in the recreation room “do you ever dress like a woman?”

             
Austen wagged a cautionary finger at him and hiccup
p
ed “now now Lieutenant Commander” she slurred “don’t get personal”

             
He laughed “why the hell not?  I won’t remember your answer in the morning and the name’s Luke”

             
Austen held out her glass to be refilled “OK Luke, and you can call me Alodie”

             
“I’ve been doing that for weeks”

             
“Well, now I’m giving you official permission” she hiccu
p
ped gently.

             
He leered at her “You’ll be letting me kiss you next”.

             
“Try it mister and I’ll break your jaw, I’m not that drunk”

             
Owen laughed and took another drink “You’re evading the question Alodie, I asked if you ever dressed like a woman”

             
Alodie took another drink and shook her head “no, except in bed”

             
“Pardon me?”

             
She got to her feet then pulled her hair back, securing it more tightly into a knot on the top of her head “I wear very sexy nighties”

             
“I don’t believe you Captain” he said, refilling her tumbler again.

             
She stumbled slightly and held onto the wall “I damn well do!”

             
“Prove it!”

             
“How?” she asked, stifling a hiccup.

             
“Show me, naturally”

             
Smiling, Austen beckoned to him.  “Follow me big mouth” she slurred and, tottering slightly, she made her way up the corridor to her quarters.  “There!” she said, triumphantly, opening her closet.