Chapter 40
Erik
I spend several days making plans before we get word from President Haggard.
It’s not the good news we hoped for. The senate wants to meet with us. Not just Ivar; they want to see all of us, including our mate. As much as we hate to leave our babies behind, we agree to let Val send someone to watch them. We don’t need them screaming in the middle of a senate hearing.
When we walk in, it looks similar to a courtroom. There is an elevated platform with ten senators seated, a tiny flag for the country they represent in front of them. President Haggard is seated in the middle with the presidential seal behind his head.
The walls are gray and the floor is black onyx, not very different from other buildings we’ve seen.
There are a few brown-leafed plants along the walls, and I’ve learned from my research that they’re healthy instead of dead, like they would be where we’re from.
Something about how their sun interacts with the cellulose.
“Thank you for attending this special session of the Midgard Senate,” President Haggard rumbles. “Please be seated and we’ll begin. This shouldn’t take long.”
I hope that means it won’t take long because they’ve made their decision and this is a formality.
And it’s a decision in our favor. It seems pointless to call a special session with all their elected officials if they’re just going to tell us the rest of the people from Midgard 21 won’t be welcomed with open arms like we have been.
There’s a table in front of the senators.
Four seats and four microphones, but it looks like it was set up that way intentionally for us.
There are extra chairs along the wall by the plants.
I help Avery into her seat before sitting down beside her.
Ivar sits on the other side. Sigurd sits next to him.
There’s water provided so I pour a glass for our mate.
“The special session has begun,” President Haggard announces, banging a gavel. “Senator Marshall, would you like to begin?”
Senator Marshall is a well-groomed Viking with dark brown, slicked-back hair.
He’s wearing a black suit, like the rest of the men.
There are five women as well, dressed like the other women we’ve seen.
Diversity doesn’t seem to apply to their wardrobe choices, outside of the color, and those are fairly bland by our standards.
“Good morning, everyone,” Senator Marshall says, leaning to speak into his microphone. “The proposal in front of us is regarding the Vikings on Midgard 21, and whether we will offer them refuge on our world. You four have been chosen to speak on their behalf. Do you have any objections to this?”
I can sense that Senator Marshall is a wolf. All of the men are. I can’t tell if the women are she-wolves because I can’t sense their wolves.
The four of us exchange glances. Ivar leans forward to speak. “No, we have no objections.”
“Good, then we can proceed and the decision of this senate will be final,” Senator Marshall says. “First question, and please answer this honestly. Do you believe the people of Midgard 21 will integrate well with our society, based on what you’ve seen so far?”
We exchange glances again, and I defer to Ivar. He is one of our kings. He’s spoken with the people at home about this. His insight will be best.
“I’m not going to say it’ll be flawless.
There will be lots of things here that are strange to them.
Ways they don’t understand. Ways that are still strange to us, but we’re learning to adapt to them,” Ivar answers.
“However, my people are resilient. They’ve suffered a long time. They deserve the opportunity.”
“I appreciate the honest answer,” Senator Marshall says, making some kind of note on his Viking Touch.
A woman leans forward to speak. Her nametag identifies her as Senator Nelly. “My question is of a personal nature. Your kind still seeks out mates. Here, that is not something we believe in. Do you believe that will be a problem?”
Ivar looks at Sigurd then me. We both gesture for him to answer.
“I’m sure President Haggard has filled you in on our journey.
We were seeking viable mates. We did not expect to meet this incredible woman.
” He glances at Avery. “I wish everyone from my world could find what we have found, but they understand that will not be the case here. I would like for them to have the freedom to pursue it, even if they call this world home.”
Another senator leans forward. The card in front of him says his name is Senator Randolph. “Pillaging and plundering? Dragging mates back to our planet, whether they wish to live here or not?”
“Could I say something?” Avery asks.
“Of course, any of you can answer,” Senator Randolph says. “This matter concerns you as much as it concerns them.”
“I’m from Earth. I’m not a Viking. I’m not a wolf,” Avery says.
“When I met these three, I felt a connection that was bigger than me. It felt bigger than the entire universe. Yes, it was scary at first. I didn’t want to go with them.
I fought… paid for it. But once that bond was formed, truly formed, I would have followed them anywhere, and I did.
I’m no victim. I’m very happy to be here with my mates. ”
“We haven’t had to contend with mating bonds in a very long time,” Senator Randolph growls. “But if we agree to allow your people to live here, and women are brought to Midgard, they must be willing. We’ll have to confirm it before they’re allowed to stay.”
“Understood,” Ivar says. “That’s fair.”
Another senator starts to say something, pauses, then leans forward. His name is Senator Bradford. “I’d like to hear your opinions on the Intergalactic Alliance.”
I glance at Ivar, meeting Avery’s gaze for a moment. Before we can decide who will answer, Sigurd starts talking.
“We fucking hate them,” Sigurd snaps. “They left us to die. They wouldn’t even take the children.
I had five nieces and nephews and while they weren’t my own children, they were still family, just like my brothers.
I had to watch them all die to a plague while the Intergalactic Alliance warship kept our planet under quarantine. You want the truth, there it is.”
“Crude, but… understandable,” Senator Bradford says, leaning back.
Another woman, Senator Weston, speaks. “Why weren’t you honest with President Haggard?”
My mouth falls open slightly. Ivar’s does the same. Avery looks at us, obviously confused. Sigurd seems perplexed as well. Ivar finally leans forward so he can speak into the microphone.
“Could you clarify what you mean by that?” he asks.
“I can,” President Haggard growls. “I showed you something absolutely incredible, Ivar. The bones of deities you worship. I’ve shown those bones to other refugees.
Some break down in tears. Some question everything.
Some… well, it’s just too much for them to handle.
But you barely even blinked. There’s something you didn’t share with me, and that makes me believe you weren’t entirely honest. I’ll give you an opportunity to explain yourself. ”
Ivar puts his hand on the microphone and leans toward me. “Should I just tell them? I mean, what do we have to lose?”
“Nothing.” I shrug my shoulders. “No harm at this point.”
Ivar confers with Avery and Sigurd. They seem to agree. Ivar takes a sip of water, clears his throat, and pulls the microphone a little closer.
“You’re right, President Haggard. I wasn’t entirely honest with you, but I didn’t lie. I simply left something out regarding the journey that brought us here,” Ivar says.
“Now is the time to clear the air,” Senator Weston says.
“I didn’t react to them like most people would because I already know the truth,” Ivar continues. “They’re not gods. They were never gods. They’re just men. That’s not something we learned until very recently.”
“Okay, but how do you know that? They are from our world, obviously, which means this should practically be Valhalla for you, and I don’t mean that because it’s what we call our capitol,” President Haggard says.
“This is their world. Not just where they walked amongst us, but where they drew their final breath.”
“Here and everywhere else,” Ivar clarifies. “But that doesn’t mean this is their world. It’s just one of many. Those bones you have don’t belong to the real Fenrir… the real Thor. They’re just clones.”
There are rumbles from the elevated platform. All of the senators exchange confused glances, whispering amongst themselves before President Haggard speaks again.
“And how do you know this?” he asks, narrowing his eyes. “We’ve experimented with cloning. It doesn’t work.”
“Because we met one of the people who made them,” Ivar answers.
“A Gali’gorath’krian named Morlock. He lives on Mallow, and the people there worship him.
According to him, his civilization was the first to travel the stars.
They were more advanced than the Intergalactic Alliance.
They felt it was their obligation to help other civilizations develop.
They did that by sending clones that had been genetically engineered with technology coded into their DNA. ”
“It’s what you call Cosmic Influence,” Avery adds. “What my mates used to call the will of the gods. Turns out it’s neither.”
There are more rumbles from the elevated platforms. Several senators turn off their microphones and argue. We can make out some of it, but not all. President Haggard leans back, listening to the others before silencing them with a wave of his hand.
“How do you know this Gali’gorath’krian was telling you the truth? He could have been lying,” President Haggard asks, his voice slightly shaken.