The Longboats
Chapter 21

It took another thirteen months to complete the three ships including the sea trials, then new ports had to be built to accommodate them because of their size. One port in Amsterdam and one at their home port of Skavateland. The Germans were given the technology as well as the Saxons and they began building their own fleet of ships, some larger in size that compared to battle ships more than destroyers.

Our aircraft had grown in quality in that they were made of aluminum instead of wood and fabric. Their design was more like World War Two types with an enclosed canopy, ham radio and heat for high altitudes. The sea planes on the destroyers had folding wings so two could be fitted to the aft of a ship with one crane in the center to lift them on and off the deck. The top of the planes were painted dark blue with the bottom light blue, as they were during World War Two. The shape of the sea planes resembled the old F6F Hell Cat of the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps of the nineteen-forties.

The economy had grown by leaps and bounds along with Ham radios that were now the normal type of long distance communication, thanks to Scott and his team on that one. The ships would be able to communicate no matter where they were in the world, unless there was atmospheric interference of course. And they even had commercial radio with news reports, music and talk shows for entertainment.

The Gunny and the Skipper had sent teams into Greece to rescue General Panagiotakis family and had successfully pulled them out and into Norse lands where they settled down to retired life. His children were adults and seemed to have fallen in love with our culture, thriving in business and agriculture. The rest of the Greeks and other prisoners settled down to a life of peace and prosperity among the Norse people. Most going into farming but some started businesses such as tailor shops, hat shops or even cobbler shops but all were employed at something.

Some of the Danish soldiers that were left started schools to teach the modern type of alphabet to replace the Runic alphabet, which was simpler to write with than the Runic. It was the same language just different letters, making it much simpler to communicate or even have signs over a store front. So schools were a must and the Gunny passed a law that every one, starting at age six years old, would be required to attend school until completed at a high school level. Collages were set up by Doc and he had been responsible for creating his medical school so he helped in creating standard schools from elementary through high school.

Everything seemed to be going well when the Gunny held his monthly meeting in the Great Hall, or the State House as it was now called. Representatives of each province were present, either the leaders or someone to represent the leaders were present and in this case, as important as it was, all the leaders showed and were seated at the large table. And Elvar from the Northern Provinces! He was sporting a new suit of clothes that looked more like Steam Punk than anything else.

“Gentlemen!” The Gunny stood in his Marine Corps green uniform, that was all he would wear now days because the new type of clothing was not to his taste, he told the Skipper.

“We are ready to venture out and cross the Atlantic with our new ship. I have the list of all your representatives that will accompany us. The ship has been stocked with enough provisions to last several months but the crossing should only be about a week or less.”

“Sir! Do we have enough weapons for the troops that we are taking?” One asked.

“Yes. The armory is fully stocked for anything we will encounter and with the new turret guns of such large caliber we can handle anything the Greeks may throw at us, just in case.” The Skipper added.

“This is an exploration mission, NOT an attack or conquer mission. Whoever we meet over there we will attempt to make peace with and add to our growing community.” The Gunny said, then looked at the Skipper, both thinking of the Native American people that inhabit that land.

“If I am correct, the people that live there are further back in technology than you when we first encountered you years ago. They live in, more or less, the Stone Age. We will bring them our technology and trade.”

“In any case, we will NOT attack them, even if they attack us. With our weapons against their bows it would be nothing but a slaughter.” The Gunny then gave the floor to questions and answers for the next few hours.

After the meeting the Gunny and Skipper met in the corner, away from hearing of the others.

“Skipper, you’re going to be the head man in charge when I am gone. You have the radio if anything at all goes wrong around here and we can be back in about a week and a half.” The Gunny glanced at his wife, Yngvildr, who wanted to go but also knew she had responsibilities here with the Skipper and keeping things running.

“Well, Gunny. You know I don’t trust Elvar one bit!” The Skipper glanced at Elvar who was laughing with a few others near the main door.

“Yes. I feel that too. He just seems a bit too, how can I put it?” The Gunny said with a frown.

“Over excited that you are leaving? And all the questions on our government and laws?” The Skipper said, looking into the Gunny’s eyes.

“Yes. That too.” The Gunny looked at the Skipper with a smile.

“But, with Yngvildr, Rolf and Sigrun at your side you shouldn’t have too much of a problem.” The Gunny said as he began to turn.

“Now. I have to grab my bags and head to the port. We leave with the tide tonight.” The Gunny turned to Yngvildr, grabbing her arm then kissing her deeply. They looked at each other’s eyes as their arms tightened around one another.

“I’ll miss you, Gunny.” Yngvildr said with a slight smile. “And so will the children.”

“They are getting big, aren’t they?” The Gunny looked at them as they stood at his side. He bent over; hugging each one, then picked up his bag and was heading for the main door when he stopped, turned around taking Odin’s sword from the wall. He waved one last time as he walked through the double doors.

Rolf, Sigrun, the Skipper and many others were at the port as the sun went down and the tide came in. There seemed to be a large crowd that gathered to see them off on this historic voyage. As they went up the gangway, the Gunny noticed Mac and Greg coming down, wiping black grease off their hands as they saluted.

“Good luck, Gunny!” They both said with a smile.

It took only a few minutes to get the ship underway, heading towards the open sea of the North Atlantic. It was early in March and still cold so all hands were in heavy clothing as they went about their duties. The ship’s captain a tall strong woman, escorted the Gunny into the Bridge where he had the best view. The crew there was at their stations, the sound of the twin diesel engines made the ship’s deck vibrate as it went into high speed. The ship could do about thirty-five knots in fair weather so the crossing was going to be a quick one as long as they did not encounter any strong storms.

The Gunny spent most of his time during the voyage on the bridge with the captain, watching the sea and looking for anything out of the ordinary. After a week of sailing in fair weather the lookout reported he could see land as the sun rose.

The captain ran onto the cat walk near the bridge with his binoculars, scanning the distant horizon. The Gunny held another pair of binoculars to his eyes with a pounding heart, wanting to desperately see his home land as it would have looked before Columbus or even Leaf Erickson landed. What he saw made him take a step back and dropped the glasses with open mouth.

“Do you see that, Gunny?” The captain asked, still holding the binoculars to his eyes.

“Yes. I saw it and I don’t believe it!” The Gunny said, then took another look, scanning the coast.

He saw several pillars of smoke, some white, some black inland coming from large buildings and several large ships sailing near the coast that were an unfamiliar shape. There was also what appeared to be a very large city that stretched for several miles in both directions. Skyscrapers dotted near the center not far from the port but.....they were not shaped like any building of his time period.

“This can’t be happening!” The Gunny said as he dropped the glasses at the sound of the radio on the bridge.

“Norse ship, this is North American Naval Station one-one-seven, do you copy?”

“What the hell is going on?” The Gunny slowly walked to the radio operator who was looking up at him with wide eyes and open mouth.

“I thought you said they were in the Stone Age?” The captain asked as she entered the bridge.

“That’s what I thought but it seems they have advanced more than I anticipated.” The Gunny looked at the radio as it blared into life again, then back out the window of the bridge at the lighted city.

“Norse ship, Norse ship! This is North American Naval station one-one-seven. DO YOU COPY?”

“Well, answer the man!” The ship’s captain said as she inched closer to the radio.

“This is Norse ship Espen, we copy. Send traffic.” The operator looked at both the Gunny and the captain as he said it.

“You will proceed on a course of zero-nine-zero to port of call. Tug boats are awaiting your arrival. Welcome home, gentlemen!”

I scratched my head in thought, wondering if we had taken a wrong course heading while crossing the Atlantic. These buildings were not from my time, their shape was off and it all looked foreign.....or alien. ALIEN!! ODIN? He did say he thought I would replace his headquarters eventually.....is this it?

I grabbed the radio man by his shoulder.

"Tell them we will follow the tug in but I need to talk to the man in charge as soon as we dock."

"North American Naval Station one-one seven, this is Norse ship Espen. We have your traffic and will proceed to docks. Or King request he speak to your man in charge as soon as we dock."

"Roger Espen, our Commander is waiting at the dock."

The captain looked at me with a frown.

"This does NOT seem right." She said. "You think it's a trap?"

"No." I said with a smile. "I know exactly who it is and I have waited a very long time to see this place."