Chapter 6 – Lord of the Rings

We arrive outside the entry gate and we both set our repair assistance vehicle into encampment modes.
Ástríðr produces a container to house the tunics and then begins producing them as Fenris places them into the container.
“I really hope they’re friendly like the dwarves in Lord of the Rings even though they shouldn’t look like them.”
“Miss Ástríðr what is Lord of the Rings and what is a dwarves?”
“One dwarf is dwarf and many is dwarves, and Lord of the Rings was a book series which borrowed many things from here like elves, and the dark elves.”
“What’s so important about it?”
“Hmm, well I guess when it was written it was not like many other stories of the time. So, it had a lot of influence on other stories on Earth.”
“Was it interesting?”
“I think from what I can get from Michiru’s memories she enjoyed it even if it felt over-descriptive.”
“What do they have to do with the dark elves Miss Ástríðr?”
“Well, I never met any before. They never really left Svartalfheim except maybe the representatives for Odin’s Court. So, I hope they’re nice like the dwarves.”
“Were the dwarves nice in the story?”
“I think so except it seemed they didn’t get along with the light elves very well.”
“I hope they’re nice too.”
“Maybe I can read it to you before bedtime. I think it’s kind of long so it’ll take a while to read.”
“Will you be able to since it’s from Earth?”
“I am pretty sure computer has the story in the data banks I mean it had lots of other ones. Does computer have Lord of the Rings stored, Mr. Ninety?”
I continue working while I reply to Ástríðr.
“A vast majority of Terra’s literary works were backed up in order to preserve the many cultures there.”
“Really? Wow I wonder when that happened?”
“There is an Environmental Repair Cyborg assigned to provide observation and cataloging.”
“There’s what?!”
“Your surprise confuses me. What of my statement caused you puzzlement?”
“I mean there was someone on Earth or even still someone on Earth sending information to …Central Command…was it?”
“There is a fork of the Environmental Repair Cyborg Corp called Cultural Observation Cyborgs. There was one such Cultural Observation Cyborg stationed there for quite some time. It was Cultural Observation Cyborg Mark 67 I believe. I would say that they arrived two hundred and fifty-eight of the Terran year units ago.”
“And they just made copies of everything?”
“As per the Cultural Observation Cyborg designation fork, they were tasked with cataloging cultural documents and events.”
“Wow! How come no one ever noticed them?”
“They are equipped with personal camouflage much like I use when I interact with the other Midengardians. The Terrans with their current level of technology would be unable to detect their true form.”
“Wow really Earth is that far behind?”
“They are progressing at a proper pace for their planet in comparison to others at a similar time frame. However, they have intercepted the Cultural Observation Cyborg’s transmissions from time to time but were unable to decode them.”
“Oh, so that was those weird radio waves scientists have been hearing for years.”
“Those may or may not have been due to the Cultural Observation Cyborg’s transmissions.”
“Oh! I wonder if I could use the camouflage too.”
“That is highly unlikely. Even though you are a prototype, you lack the advancements that Central Command made to our designations.”
“Yeah, I guess so.”
I walk over to the matter converter and place my hand to it and three hardcover animal hide skinned books appear.
Picking them up I bring them to Ástríðr.
“These are those books you were discussing with Fenris I assume.”
Ástríðr begins flipping through the pages.
“Oh my god! Yes, it is! The Dwarves, Hobbits, Elves and Orcs! Legolas, Gimli, Frodo and Gollum, they’re all there. And these books are so high quality too.”
“Now, you may do with them what you will. I will finalize my preparations.”
“Sorry Mr. Ninety and Thank you so much!”
Upon the completion of her apology, I launch four reconstruction orbs into the caverns.
Following the orbs I launch the Vitrian Particle Transmission Line with its own orb into the cavern and connect my end to the encampment mode.
Once those items are complete, I open the collecting line on my encampment mode to establish transmission of the Vitran Particles from the ship in orbit.
“Computer, Vitran Particle transmission is ready to proceed. Commence retrofit of dark elf dwellings to prepare for arrival of dark elf spectral forms.”
“Command confirmed, master. Commencing transmission of Vitran Particles and beginning retrofit.”
Ástríðr comes up to me and holds up a tunic.
“I think I have the size okay but, I’m not sure how tall they are.”
“The sizing is passable.”
“What do you mean passable?”
“The height of the average adult dark elf is just a little more than that of Fenris. The tops of the heads of the average dark elf would reach just above your waistline.”
“I guess these will work then.”
“As I said they are passable.”
“Okay, we’ll finish up then.”
“I am finalizing the last step here as well.”
I input the remainder of the designs for the tunnel spectral form capture barrier.
“I think we have enough and we have them loaded and ready to go.”
“I am finishing the last step here as well. I will get a progress check from computer.”
“Right. Waiting to go when you’re ready.”
“Computer, requesting the status on retrofit of dark elf village.”
“Master, the retrofit is nearly complete. Please wait briefly for my reply.”
“Understood.”
“So? How much longer should it take?”
“It is nearly complete. I am awaiting confirmation of completion and then we will depart.”
“Got it!”
“Master, completion of the retrofit to the dark elf village Smiðjudalr (Smithyoudahler).”
“I see. That is the name of the village we encountered.”
“Correct master. Documentation and internal markings confirm that this is the village Smiðjudalr which was primarily used as their technology and trading hub. I have adjusted the retrofit to accommodate that knowledge and have also backed up any logs that were available.”
“Understood. Provide an augmentation kit to this location by transport pod.”
“Command confirmed, master. Transport pod is enroute.”
“We will depart immediately after arrival of the augmentation kit.”
The transport pod arrives and I retrieve the augmentation kit from it.
I reconfigure the encampment mode into exosuit mode and enter it.
After entering the exosuit mode I attach the augmentation kit to complete preparations.
“So? Is it ready?”
“Indeed, it is, as am I. Let us depart to Smiðjudalr.”
“Oh, hey I vaguely remember that name. So that’s what that village was called? Valley of the Smiths, huh? I guess it fits.”
“That is what computer was able to ascertain from data banks and markings in the village.”
“Well, I guess we should go meet the dark elves, right Fenris?”
“Yeah, let’s go.”
“Please go ahead and enter the village and set up your base of operations. I will enter after you arrive and start the extraction of the spectral forms.”
“On our way!”
Ástríðr departs on her repair assistance vehicle with a container housing the clothing.
Fenris follows behind Ástríðr on the “scooter”.
I wait briefly, allowing sufficient time to get into place before I begin my phase of operations.
As my height is now taller than the entry way I enter with all of my appendages on the ground and crawl past the doorway to enter the entry tunnel which allows me to stand up as it has more vertical space than the doorway.
After I am past the doorway, I make my way to the tunnel closest to Smiðjudalr that is in the path of the Tornado of Souls and reconfigure my enhanced exosuit to the spectral form capture barrier.
Momentarily after getting into place the Tornado of Souls arrives.
It impacts the spectral form capture barrier with a great force but it withstands the might of the wind.
The spectral form capture barrier begins to extract the spectral forms, transmitting them through the still tethered transmission line to Smiðjudalr where they are further transferred to the reconstitution beds where the dark elves will be reconstituted.
The empty gusts of wind flow out of the rear where it begins its dissipation.
I keep the transmission going until they are extracted which takes a considerable amount of time.
Once extraction is complete, I reconfigure from the spectral form capture barrier back into enhanced exosuit and depart for Smiðjudalr.
I reach the center of Smiðjudalr, shed the augmentation kit from the exosuit mode along with the transmission line and reconfigure the augmentation kit into a containment unit for the remaining spectral forms and souls of black that will need to still be in stasis.
After completing the containment unit, I place the repair assistance vehicle into encampment mode and I see Ástríðr and Fenris exit one of the domiciles.
“How are your efforts proceeding?”
“We have about four more houses left. It’s pretty quick since we’re a much better team that knows what to expect.”
“I will assist you on the remaining domiciles.”
“Thanks. We’ll go in to this one. The next one over and the next two after that are left.”
“Understood. I will accommodate the farthest one so that we can meet in the middle and finish the last one together.”
“Sounds like a plan!”
“It is just efficiency.”
“If you say so.”
“You’re too serious, Miss Ástríðr.”
“Why wouldn’t I be, Fenris? It’s always busy like this every time and I want to hurry. Besides I want to hurry so they can wake up sooner. So, let’s go!”
Ástríðr and Fenris go into the next domicile and I grab six tunics and six bedding covers and then proceed to go into the farthest domicile.
The three dark elves reconstituting here have nearly completed.
I quickly place the bedding covers on them and then place the tunic at the foot side of their bedding one at a time.
“Computer, was there any abnormalities in the reconstitution of the dark elves?”
“There was one individual that was lacking a part of his leg and had severe atrophy in the other leg so I corrected the abnormality, master.”
“Good, mark the domicile so that I can reconfirm the correction.”
“Command confirmed, master.”
I leave the domicile and enter the next one and repeat my steps like the last domicile.
With those two domiciles complete, I meet up with Ástríðr and Fenris in the last domicile.
“We just finished, Mr. Ninety.”
“Excellent work. Computer picked up an anomalous dark elf that I will check on.”
We exit the domicile and I survey the area looking for the place that computer had marked.
One domicile has a red light on the side of it marking the location.
“Will they be alright, leader?”
“Computer corrected the abnormality but I should insure there are no further abnormalities.”
“Right. I saw the village gathering hall so, I’ll start the setup for the re-birthday party.”
“I’ll help too, Miss Ástríðr.”
“I will provide assistance once I have completed my assessment of the abnormality.”
“Okay see you then, Mr. Ninety.”
Ástríðr and Fenris leave with repair assistance vehicle with the auxiliary transport vessel attached toward the village gathering hall.
The domicile with the abnormality is located near village gathering hall so I will be able to assist them once I am finished.
I enter the domicile and my initial observation shows two dark elves one older male and a younger female.
Their complexion is dark in a shade of dark purple.
Both have white hair and their physiology is muscular and compact much like the data stated.
The bed containing the older male has a red light illuminated indicating the dark elf with the abnormality.
I pull up the console from the bed and replay the reconstitution process.
As computer indicated, this male was reconstituted without his leg.
Presumably he was in some situation where he lost it and utilized a prosthetic to compensate.
I conjecture that it may have been one of his own design.
As I place the console back into the bed the male starts to awaken.
“Unnnnhh…”
“It appears you have awakened.”
“Yeah, I have. Where am I?”
“You are still in the village of Smiðjudalr within Svartalfheim. What do you remember last?”
“I was repairing some mining equipment when one of the villagers told me the news that we needed to evacuate because the world was in danger.”
His voice is gruff and a little loud but within reasonable level for the inside of the domicile.
“I see. And why was no one evacuated?”
“What?! I sent about eighty of our best and brightest.”
“Why were you left behind?”
“I was over three hundred and fifty ár (awr) old. I already had a full life so, I wanted the young ones to have a future.”
“I see so you accepted your fate.”
“I did but my stubborn daughter Steinfríðr (Staynfreether) kept fighting me the whole time. Saying we should both go but I wanted her to go without me. Then all of a sudden there was a large explosion and a flash of light and then here I am.”
“Your accounts align with the Polaris Project.”
“The Po…what?”
I grab the tunic from the foot of his bed and hand it to him.
“Here. It is a simple outfit for the time being until you can make better more appropriate clothing.”
“Much obliged. So, this Polar…whatchamacallit.”
“I can fill you in on the details of Project Polaris and all that have transpired while you were in spectral stasis. But for now, do you have any ill effects?”
“You use a bunch of strange words. You’re not from Midengard are you.”
“You are correct. I have been sent from Central Command to reconstitute Planet Midengard from the devastation caused by the Raganrog. That is the creature that necessitated the planetary evacuation. I am Environmental Repair Cyborg Mark 90.”
“I see. So, was I dead?”
“You were not completely dead only placed in a state of spectral stasis. I had a new body created to make you complete once again.”
“You aren’t kidding. My leg is back too and they both feel like before the accident.”
“So, you were without one of your legs I assume.”
“Yeah, they tried to grow me a new one in a lab somewhere in Midheim but, I told them to forget about it and made my own prosthetic. I couldn’t quite get the other leg back to normal. Even with the implants and the prosthetic there, I had no problems getting around.”
“I see. That must have been the anomaly computer encountered.”
“What do you mean?”
“When you were reconstituted, you were done so missing one of your legs and computer compensated for the perceived error and recreated your leg.”
“HAHA! I can’t say I won’t miss the old thing but, what’s done is done I guess.”
“Papa you’re so loud.”
The female awakens, sitting up in her bed while rubbing one of her eyes.
“Ah! Forgive me. That is my daughter Steinfríðr and I am the elder of the dark elves, Völundr (Vurlunder).”
“How is the stability of your legs now?”
Völundr swings his legs down out of the bed and stands up.
“Yeah, they definitely feel better than before the accident.”
“What!? You got your leg back, papa?”
“I did and how are you feeling, little gem?”
“Papa, I’m not little anymore but I feel great! What are you wearing, papa. It’s so lame looking.”
“Oh, this? Don’t be rude. Mark 90 here made it for us.”
“Correction, my companions fabricated them and provided them to you for clothing. I was preoccupied elsewhere extracting you and the other dark elves from the Tornado of Souls during your reconstitution.”
“I guess, thanks for the clothes. I’ll try to figure out something else later.” Steinfríðr says graciously.
“You could perhaps discuss the issue of alternate clothing items with my companion Ástríðr. She is more fluent in those issues.”
“Really!? That’d be totally awesome!”
“I believe if there are no further issues we can depart for the village gathering hall where my companions and your fellow dark elves will await your reunion.”
“No way, like for real? It’s not just us?” Steinfríðr remarks in a strange manner of speaking.
“I was able to secure all that were trapped within the Tornado of Souls however I could not reconstitute all of the spectral forms. They are currently in storage pending reconstitution at your other village site.”
“I thank you very much for bringing us back.” Völundr and Steinfríðr say graciously.
“It is my mission to restore Planet Midengard for habitation but restoring its population was something that was unexpected. As such I merely adjusted the parameters of the ongoing mission.”
“Come little gem, let us rejoin out brethren! HAHA!”
“Papa, I’m sure they can hear you already.”
We exit the domicile and I survey the area to ascertain the status of the other dark elves.
I see Ástríðr and Fenris speaking with a group of them.
“It appears many of the other dark elves have already awoken and are discussing the situation with Ástríðr. Shall we join them so that you can allay their fears and address any issues.”
“Yeah, they’re probably pretty spooked right about now, HAHAHA!”
“Well hurry up papa. Sheesh.”
Steinfríðr goes behind Völundr’s back and starts pushing him towards Ástríðr and the crowd.
“AH! There you are Mr. Ninety!”
“I see you have already started to explain the current situation.”
“Well yeah but they’re asking so much.”
“Don’t you worry your tall self. I’ll beat some sense into them. HAHA!”
“Who’s that Mr. Ninety?”
“That would be the Dark Elves’ Elder, Völundr and behind him is his daughter, Steinfríðr.”
“Oh! That’ll help a ton.”
Völundr goes over to the crowd and starts talking to the dark elves.
“Oh my god, look at you! What are you? You’re totes adorbs! Those ears so cute! Your hair is an interesting color too!” Steinfríðr inquires intriguingly about Fenris.
“ギャル? Now that’s the kind of talk I haven’t heard in a long time.” Ástríðr reminisces.
“Hey tall girl. You the one he said makes clothes?”
“I mean yeah, I usually make my own outfits. Like this one here.”
“The design isn’t really cool but what is that fabric? It’s super cray.”
“Uh…It’s a popular fabric from Earth called denim.”
“What town is that? I never heard of a town called Earth before?”
“It’s not a town. It’s another planet.”
“No way, really? You’re from another planet?”
“Well..a part of me is anyway.”
“What do you mean?”
“It’s kind of complicated.”
“You don’t think I can handle it?”
“I mean it’s really not much crazier than being brought back from the dead so, here goes. I’m a person with four spirits combined together to make me. Three of those spirits are from here on Midengard and one from a small island on a planet called Earth.”
“No way, really? That’s totes cray cray.”
“Oh, I know! I think have an idea on some clothes you might like.”
“For real? That’d be awesome! I’m so hyped!”
Ástríðr brings Steinfríðr over to the matter converter and makes various articles of clothing.
Völundr completes discussing the situation with the other dark elves and returns to me as Fenris pats my leg.
“Leader, I’m getting hungry.”
“I assume the preparations for the ceremony are complete.”
“Yeah, we finished everything just before we met the others.”
“Oh! What is this curious little girl?” Völundr inquires.
“Völundr could you please bring the other dark elves inside the village gathering hall and I will explain further.”
“Sounds great! Come on everyone get into the meeting hall!” Völundr yells loudly to the other dark elves.
Fenris and I assist Völundr in escorting the other dark elves to their seats inside the village gathering hall.
Ástríðr comes in with Steinfríðr who is wearing new clothing no doubt curated by Ástríðr.
Steinfríðr is wearing a long skirt made of the same material as Ástríðr’s blue overalls with a pink shirt that exposes her abdominal area and pink boots that provide extra height.
Steinfríðr’s hair is also styled in a high, voluminous ponytail gathered at the crown of her head.
Ástríðr shows Steinfríðr to a seat next to Völundr and then takes her place near the throne.
Once in place, Ástríðr gets the microphone that she appears to have prepositioned earlier during her preparations.
“Welcome everyone. Thank you for coming. As some of you may have heard this is a little party, I like to call a re-birthday party. I’m sure most of you already know each other to some degree since you all are dark elves. You were probably separated by your own lives and desires before now but other than all being dark elves you now share something more. You all now have the same birthday and so this meal is to celebrate your rebirth and a long and healthy life.”
Unlike on Continent Asgard and Continent Midheim, the dark elves begin to pound on the table and cheer.
“And so, I would like to propose a toast to your rebirth and to those who did not make it. In the clear pitcher is a fruit cocktail for the young ones. In the metallic pitcher is a drink for the adults. It is a drink that was popular with the Midheimian descendants of those that escaped the disaster and landed on a planet called Earth. The drink is called mjöð and I raise this glass to you all to welcome you back to start a new beginning.”
Ástríðr raises the hand with a glass in it toward the ceiling and yells, “Skál!”
The totality of the dark elves let out a cheer and then reciprocate by raising their glasses as well and yell, “Skál!”
“Now everyone please eat, drink and renew your friendship with your brothers and sisters!”
I go up to Ástríðr.
“Your public speaking skills seem to be improving and I see that your fashion consultation with Steinfríðr went well.”
“Yeah, Staynchi and I eventually hit it off once I started showing her all sorts of gyaru clothes from Japan.”
“Staynchi?”
“Yeah, it’s a nickname I came up with for her. She liked it.”
“I see. I am glad you were able to help her find what she was looking for.”
“I got her a bunch of clothes options for later. I’m gonna go talk to her some more.”
I follow Ástríðr and Fenris joins us as I begin discussing the issue of fabricating weapons for the Desuigons and the other Midengardians and what assets would need to be placed in the cavern system.
We all discuss the goings on that have been happening outside of Svartalfheim up to this point until the dark elves retire to their domiciles.