Keeper Hunter
Chapter 1

I sat on the floral couch in my parents’ apartment. It hadn’t changed much in the four years since I was last here. The couch was new. The view out of the picture window the same one grubby grey concrete apartment block looking out to another. The buildings at least two hundred years old. It wasn’t the ‘Warrens’ the city under the old city. Earth had decided to build down and not up since the AI war two hundred years ago. Sitting opposite over a wood effect coffee table on two matching floral covered armchairs sat my parents. Dad had a lot more grey in his hair and mom was mom never changing the only real constant in my life. I was sure she dyed her hair the colour darker than I remembered. Both my parents were looking anxiously at their wayward daughter. I wasn’t sure if they thought it was me? Then I wasn’t sure I was me anymore. I was much thinner more muscular my once brunette hair a couple of shades lighter thanks to the Valkyrie. Luckily they hadn’t decided to change my eye colour I was still the brown-eyed girl I was. That was the only part of me that was an indicator of what I once was.

Mom turned her coffee mug around in her hands her mind working furiously. Dad sat not moving not speaking but I knew he saw everything and heard everything.

“Gwen, so great grandfather Theo was actually one of these Valkyrie?” mom asked.

Dad said nothing his eyes never wavering. I had told them what I could but I’d omitted a lot. Too many knew about my links to the Keepers. I really didn’t want to confuse them about that. It sounded too incredible even with what I’d told them.

“A survivor of the Landottir Clan. His Clan had been wiped out by the Orsini and an Earth ship had rescued him.”

“If that is true why does your mother not have this Valkyrie blood. I know you didn’t otherwise Security would have refused your application?” my dad said.

“Because the Valkyrie Elders had it hidden on the request of a Martin Clan Old One.” Another thing I’d not told them. I doubted they’d sincerely believe dad had a living ancestor or though his line was through her brother. For some reason the Valkyrie didn’t differentiate between the two. “Mom does have the same blood but only the Valkyrie know how to reveal it.”

“I see,” he said.

He didn’t really understand. I still had difficulty understanding and I’d lived with them.

“Just as they believe you have a connection to the Martin Clan though Miranda Marsha Martin’s brother. You in their eyes have Martin blood. It’s the way they think. It’s the reason that they accepted me easily. Otherwise I’d have turned over Solstrid’s token and been sent on my way.” I paused. “Instead they decided I needed training before they let me pursue Vanessa.” I had been forthright in telling them about Solstrid’s death and Monica and Alicia’s torture by the Orsini.

Mom interrupted before dad could interrogate me further on the subject. “So we’re Valkyrie?”

“No we are vaihdokas.”

“That sounds like an insult,” dad said though narrowed eyes.

“To some it is. I’ve learned to live with it. I’ve done more for the Valkyrie than the purists have done,” I said with a bit of pride. I’d spent that last three months on the journey home speculating on things. Komana had sent me back to Earth a planet the Valkyrie would replace hard to reach. I guess she had a reason but she had left too much undone. I had to replace Vanessa; I had to see to Monica and Alicia I had pledged to see them safe. I had to stop the Black Stripes. Then I owed the Prophet a reckoning for Mother Sophronia Palkkasir’s death. Then to top it all I had to replace the Keepers. I was worried, well more than worried. I wasn’t able to contact them at all. On the liner I had spent every night trying to contact them and my days continuing training the Valkyrie way. I still sucked at staff fighting but then I’d had no training partner.

“I see, but you still want to go back?” dad said directly to me. It looked like he knew me too well. Then I was his daughter I doubted he would have let things lie like that.

“Yes, too many loose ends. I left a lot of friends behind, friends I wasn’t able to speak to.”

“Don’t make it an obsession,” he warned me.

“I have no intention of, I just want to see justice done.”

“Gwen you are going to stay?” mom asked overriding what dad was going to say. I could see the plea in her eyes.

I wasn’t so hardened that it fell on deaf ears. “I’ll can stay as long as I can,” I said to placate her. I needed a plan, it was ok planning in anger as I had done on the liner. I needed to plan a way back without running foul of Admiral Komana.

“I’ll make up your old room. I’ve kept it the way you like,” mom said.

I hadn’t the heart to say I’d make other arrangements. I’d had quite the shock when I checked my bank account. Xenai had paid me a consultant’s fee for work I’d done for her. Work I’d felt guilty about not completing. I hadn’t caught Vanessa and I nearly got Jervic killed. I shivered.

“Gwen?” mom asked anxiously. “You ok?”

“A bad memory, nothing more.” A lame excuse I know but I found it hard to explain what had happened at the ruins. Dad would understand better than mom, even so I’d replace it hard. I found myself staring at my hand opening and closing a reflex action. In the Empire I’d be a cripple but the Confed’s healed me.

“Want to talk about it?” dad asked.

I looked at him directly. “I know what you think about machines.” I held up my hand. “The Cell Stitcher healed this which is why I don’t have half a hand after it was blown off and why Jervic isn’t dead.”

“Jervic?” mom asked. “A friend?”

“Yes we were close.” I noted mom had avoided my statement about Cell Stitchers.

“Not now?” dad asked.

“It’s complicated. We were getting back on track but I ended up on Alfheimir.”

Another thing I’d neglected to tell my parents. My kidnapping by the Palkkasir, another of those loose ends I needed to solve. At least Elder Thurida had put a stop on that, that was my hope at least. Miranda and Cinders could go home safely. But still I couldn’t help but worry about them. We’re getting onto dangerous territory speaking about things my parents wouldn’t understand. Heck even I wouldn’t have believed any of it if I hadn’t been there to experience it. I stood. “I’m going out,” I announced like I was some teen again, days when life was much simpler.

“Honey?” mom started to say.

“Leave her be Liz, can’t you see she needs to stretch her legs. It’s been a long journey?”

“But it’s not safe, the Warrens?”

“I’ll be ok mom whatever comes out of the Warrens will be no match for me. I trained with the Valkyrie.” I had to tell them that part although I hadn’t told them the alternative.

“Just be careful and for God’s sake get back before it gets dark?”

It was summer so the days were longer.

I’ll be careful,” I promised mom not wanting her to worry.

“Don’t be too long,” dad added. “Liz is correct it has got more dangerous of late. We haven’t been able to track down the source.”

I had a few ideas and that was all they were. I lacked the proof as much as I wanted to replace out, my priority was getting back to the Confederacy without Komana noticing. Without the Valkyrie noticing, whatever plans they had for me I was grateful Komana interrupted them. What I didn’t like was her exiling me to Earth. I had done a lot of thinking about that in the last three months. This was the last place the Valkyrie would be able to snatch me from. I just wasn’t worth the effort. With that in mind I walked out of the apartment.

The heat of the sidewalk heightened the smells of the city. To my nose it smelt old and stale. There wasn’t a crisp clarity in the air like on Alfheimir. Even Saros hadn’t that quality and it was more industrial than anywhere I been in the Confederacy. I glanced around the city of New York had changed drastically in the last two hundred years since the AI war. Gone were the brownstones in their place were towers of concrete, glass and steel. They had built up and dug down changing the place. I doubted even Miranda would have recognised what this place had become. I began to walk my awareness on alert Central Park wasn’t far and was only piece of the pre AI War city that had remained unchanged. There were more than a few people on the sidewalks and on the roads in vehicles they drove themselves. I did feel a little vulnerable without a weapon on my hip. I had to get out of that habit I was home and I wasn’t going into a dangerous situation. I’d spent the last fours years on the edge. I really had to relax more. I walked on ignoring the folks around me or trying to. I’d forgotten they didn’t have the mix of races that inhabited the Confederacy. I was missing seeing T’Arni, Fandarens and Ezarans. I had to admit after a while I started to feel uncomfortable. In my sleeveless vest, jeans and boots, I looked like I was a local. Which was technically true. I suppose I been living and training with the Valkyrie too long. Perhaps it was my stance or the fact that I was wearing a Valkyrie token on my wrist. The silver of my bracelet glinting in the summer sun I sincerely doubted that anyone outside the Confederacy knew what it was.

“Excuse me miss?” a voice called out.

I saw an elderly man gesturing to me.

“Yes?” I answered preparing for a fight.

“I’m terribly sorry for calling out but I was worried. Are you going into the park?”

“I am,” I replied. He wasn’t that much of a danger and my body relaxed.

“Be careful you might get mugged for your bracelet.”

“Bracelet?” I looked at him confused finally realising what he was getting at. “Oh this it isn’t silver.”

“I see I’m sorry to have bothered you I just wanted no one to go through what my daughter had to?”

“Thank you,” I said politely. “I will watch out for that.” I had a thought. “Have they cut back on the Security patrols?”

“Not that I know of, those Warrens scum are quick. The ‘bastard’ had my daughter’s jewellery off her before she even had time to scream. Just I don’t want you to suffer the same.”

“I’ll be ok.”

“Be sure that you do young lady.” He nodded to me and hurried off.

No one else had noticed our chat people seemed to be in an enclosed world of their own.