“Computer, begin conversion of Continent Midheim.”
“Yes, master. While the density of materials is not on par of Continent Asgard, the process will take approximately the same duration due to the large size of the Continent Midheim.”
“Understood. I will be assisting efforts here on Continent Asgard. You may begin conversion.”
“Yes, master. Conversion commencing.”
I begin deciding on the assets to place on to Continent Midheim once the conversion is finished.
“Now that I’m not running around from house to house, I can relax.”
I turn to the voice directed at me to see the entity in a very loose-fitting blue one-piece dress that ends just above her knees.
“Indeed. However, we will be providing assistance to the Midengardians once they awaken.”
“What will I provide that you don’t?”
“You provide a similar perspective to what they have gone through. They will be awakening to a world they will barely recognize.”
“I guess I do have a unique perspective to share with them.”
“Sunrise will be soon and the Midengardians should start to awaken at that time. I will continue to oversee asset placement for when Continent Midheim is ready until the first of the Midengardians arrives to meet us.”
“I got it. I’ll stop bothering you.”
I continue my work and occasionally hear ice clanking off the glass drinking vessel the entity is using.
Adding to the background noises is what would appear to be that of paper moving.
The background noises continue while I continue my work until suddenly there is a thud like a book being closed sternly.
The entity says, “I just realized something. It’s always cloudy. Cloudy weather is always so gloomy and can make you feel sad.”
“There has been scientific evidence to support your statement.”
“So, can you have the clouds go away for a while at least?”
“I believe I can arrange that for a short time. I will need to have the rain fall not too long afterward and it will be necessary for the crops.”
“Thank you Mr. Ninety. It’ll be great to have some sunshine to celebrate these people’s return.”
“If you believe it is so.”
“I really do.”
“Understood.”
I have the encampment mode raise an antenna and emit a dispersal beam, creating a sizable hole in the cloud cover.
“Hey, I can see the sunrise. Ah, it’s so beautiful. It’s been a long time since I saw a sunrise like this.”
I return to the console and finish up the work I had started.
“Oh yeah. I better change before they show up.”
While I complete my current work I can hear the rustle of cloth behind me.
“Looks like I finished just in time.”
“I have completed the tasks I was performing as well.”
“Well, how do I look?”
The entity shows off her new attire to me. It is a cream-colored sleeveless dress. It ends just at her ankles and was also made to accentuate not only the curvature of her torso but also her chest.
“It appears rather elaborate for the situation.”
“Well, we’re the first people they’ve seen in, what, two thousand years. We can’t look like we’re threatening or we’ve been rolling around in the dirt for a few weeks.”
“Neither of those things describe our current or previous situations.”
“That’s not what I meant. We’ll be the first people they’ve seen in a long time. We should look nice and friendly.”
“Your analysis of the situation is sound.”
“Right? So, can you do something about your armor? Maybe something like when you met Michiru.”
“What I provided to the Terran spectral form was a psychic projection to link us and to calm her emotions.”
“So, you can’t do anything about your armor? It’s looks pretty…um…threatening.”
“I can not remove my armor but, I can alter its outward appearance to that similar of what I presented to Terran spectral form Michiru.”
“Well then, hurry up. They’ll start coming out here any minute now.”
I defuse the entity’s incessant verbal prodding and initiate my personal camouflage.
“I assume this form is more to your liking.”
“Yes! That’s so much better. Why can’t you look like that more often?”
“There has been no reason to utilize my personal camouflage. The personal camouflage is used to blend in with already established societies. That situation has not arisen since landing on Planet Midengard.”
“Even though there isn’t ‘already established societies’ here, there’s people here now so it’s better to look like normal people don’t you think?”
“Your postulation is sound.”
“Wait did you change your hair color?”
“My original hair color is not one that would appear normal to the Midengardians.”
“From Michiru’s memories your dark hair was pretty common where she came from on Earth.”
“There are two flaws in your assessment of Michiru’s memories.”
“Oh, what’s that?”
“I am neither Terran nor Midengardian.”
As I finish my statement a man and a woman exit from the domicile nearest to us.
“Where are we? Are we still dreaming?”
“I assure you; this is reality.”
“Oh Mr. Ninety why do you have to be so stiff?”
“There is nothing wrong with my joint functions.”
“I’m sorry where are my manners. My name is Ívarr (Ivar) and this is my wife Þórrdis (Thordis).” The male introduces.
“I am Environmental Repair Cyborg Vitan Mark 90.”
“But you can call him Mr. Ninety because his name is too long.”
“If my designation is too cumbersome then I suppose the name the entity created will be sufficient.”
“Oh yeah, I don’t really have a name, do I?”
“The name provided to your project was Lucretta.”
“Ew, that’s not a very good name. Hmmm, how about…um…Ástríðr (Owstreethr), Ástríðr Gullidal.”
“That is a very pretty name.” The female Thordis says.
“I know right? It just sort of came to me all of a sudden.”
“I think it fits you just fine.” Replies Thordis.
“You think so. Aw thank you. You’re pretty also.”
“Why thank you. Your family name is a bit odd, though.”
I interject. “Have you experienced any bodily issues after your reconstitution?”
“I don’t quite understand. The last thing we saw was a blinding white light and then we woke up here. Where are we?” Questions Ivar.
“This is the continent you would have once called Asgard.”
“WHAT?!” The two Midengardians exclaim in unison.
“I know it’s really confusing but, Mr. Ninety here terraformed the continent here.”
“Where are the tall buildings?” Ivar responds.
“And Odin’s Court and the Rainbow Bridge?” Thordis adds.
“The Rainbow Bridge as you called it is repaired and will be repowered once Continent Midheim is finished being repaired. The buildings here on Continent Asgard were in a severe state of disrepair and represented a grave danger to you and your fellow Midengardians, as such they had to be razed. As for Odin’s Court as it was known, it also was razed but was replaced with a more modest version that resembled its earlier version.”
“I don’t understand what happened to everyone and everything?” Responds Thordis.
Ástríðr interjects, “I don’t know if you remember but the planet was attacked by a giant monster called Ragangog.”
“Yes, I vaguely remember The Allfather making an announcement about a large interstellar beast on its way toward our planet.” Ivar recalls.
“I also remember something about the monster landing on Helheim and all life around it crumbled to dust.” Thordis recalls.
“Those things happened as you remembered. Your memories and experiences will seem to be confusing but, will normalize over a short period of time.”
“That is good to know, thank you.” Says Thordis.
“I wondered why I felt so hazy. This is good to know.” Adds Ivar.
“Yeah, I’m still not all together myself.” Ástríðr interjects.
“Your situation is different then theirs. They should be fully stable within a very short time. Possibly before the last of the Midengardians awaken. Your stabilization may take further day-night cycles.”
“I know I get it, I’m different. I just hope I can have a normal life eventually.”
“That will be entirely for you to decide once we are done on Planet Midengard.”
While Ástríðr and I were discussing her future, Ivar and Thordis survey the village.
“This is still amazing even if the tall buildings are gone.” Exclaims Thordis.
“Yes, and the houses are like the ones used on Midheim in the pre-Allfather era.” Adds Ivar.
“Indeed, I used the historical data from the place called Hall of Urthr. It was a well thought out and good design for a village whose focus was on agriculture at the time.”
“Are you saying we will have to grow our food?!” Exclaims Thordis.
“Indeed, however you all will not be starting from nothing. There is a bounty ready to be obtained and stored for your living for the time being.”
“But we don’t know much about farming or harvesting crops and I’m sure just about everyone else will be the same as us.” Says Ivar.
“This was taken in to account I have extensive knowledge of the subject as well as I have filled the new Oden’s Court with the knowledge accumulated in the Hall of Urthr.”
“This is not the life we were used to before.” Pleads Thordis.
“I get it. This is going to be a brand-new world and you’re gonna the new people to help being this work back.” Ástríðr interjects.
“This world is still mostly dead with the exception of Continent Asgard. It will be imperative that you and all the other Midengardians here on Continent Asgard can be self-sufficient before expanding to the other continents and reclaiming additional technological advances.”
“What he’s saying is that farming is a lost art and everyone here has to walk before we can speed run to the future that you had before.”
“I think I understand what you mean except for the speed run part.” Ivar responds acceptingly.
“That’s ok I don’t know where I pulled the term ‘speed run’ from either.” Ástríðr responds quizzically. “Anyway, the sun is shining and this the dawn of a new age, don’t you think?”
“Yes, we must be thankful that we are alive again.” Thordis acknowledges.
“Is it you that we have to thank for our revival uh..Mr. Ninety was it?” Inquires Ivar.
“Indeed, I was able extract your dormant spectral forms to combine them with…”
“Yes, Mr. Ninety did a lot of the work but I helped get you covered up and clothed.” Ástríðr abruptly interrupts.
“I see. Well, we thank you very much for giving us a new chance at life.” Ivar replies.
“Yes, I guess we owe you, our lives.” Adds Thordis.
“It is my mission to restore life to Planet Midengard.”
“He means, ‘you’re welcome, it was our pleasure.’” Ástríðr elaborates.
“If you will excuse me, I must discuss some things with Ástríðr.”
“O…ok.” Thordis responds for the two of them.
I pull Ástríðr off a short distance from the Midengardians.
“I understand that your emotions are high at this moment but do not keep trying to subvert my authority. I understand the situation and can adjust quickly to accommodate it. This is not the first planet I have had to interreact the local populace in a reconstituted state.”
“I…I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me.” Ástríðr apologizes as she bows to me.
“Your emotions are high because this is the only other interaction you have had with living beings. I understand your feelings but I need you to allow me to continue my mission unimpeded.”
“I understand. I’ll keep my mouth shut.”
“That will not be necessary. It will be good for your recovery to interact with the Midengardians. I only ask that you do not let your overzealousness run amok. As more and more Midengardians awaken I will require your assistance to inform those I will not be able to of the situation they have awoken to.”
“Right, I understand. I won’t let you down.”
“I have no reason to believe that you will. Now I see that there are more Midengardians exiting the domiciles. Let us go.”
“Right, I got this. I mean you got this and I’ll help where I can.”
With our discussion finished we go back to the awaiting Midengardians.
Stolen story; please report.
I continue to interact with the awakening Midengardians while occasionally Ástríðr will interact with those that do not come to my vicinity.
The majority of those being children or those that would be considered young adults.
Ástríðr is doing a very good job interacting with the young Midengardians.
The last of the Midengardians has awakened after the sun has passed its peak and begins its decent.
I take a contingent of Midengardians to the farm lands and the current reserves while providing them basic instructions for the coming future.
The Midengardians survival and future progress depends on them accepting the way things are now.
Once we make our way back to the remaining Midengardians, Ástríðr makes a suggestion to me.
“Mr. Ninety, I had an idea. I think we should hold a party or a feast to welcome these people back to the land of the living.”
“Hmmm, that is an interesting idea. The current food reserves would be able to accommodate such an endeavor. What brought you to this idea?”
“Well, I realized that very few of these people actually know each other. Some people are from Asgard while most are from Midheim. You know Midheim is really big and had so many different areas so the cities didn’t have to interact with each other except by holo-communications, commerce and the occasional vacation travel.”
“I see. That could be a reason for the slight standoffishness I noticed the Midengardians had while I was introducing them to their new environs.”
“Right? So, I thought if they can get together in a really relaxed setting like a party, they could get to know one another and make the life here a little easier.”
“Your theory is sound. We can do this social gathering you request.”
“The only thing is I don’t know where we can hold it.”
“I feel the place referred to as Odin’s Court would be sizeable enough to hold such a gathering.”
“Oh! That’s perfect! I’ll tell them all about it if you can bring the encampment mode over there. I have a few things I want to make for there.”
“Understood. I will move the spare encampment mode to that location and await your arrival.”
I put the spare encampment mode into repair assistance vehicle mode and bring it over near the entrance of Odin’s Court and then place it back into encampment mode.
Once I finish, Ástríðr arrives on her “scooter”.
“They should be here once the sunset starts. I mean I don’t have a clock so that was the best I could do.”
“You could have used the matter converter to make one.”
“Oh yeah. Well, my mind was focused on more important things.
“What did you need the encampment mode for?”
“Well, I needed to reduce the time for cooking the food so I figured I could cheat a little bit by using the matter converter to recall the food and then have it remade into the various dishes I think of.”
“That is a decent idea for the lack of time we have on hand. I see you are also thinking of the not wasting the Vitran Particles that are currently in reserve on the ship.”
“Yeah, I didn’t want to be wasteful and I know the ship’s AI is really busy working on Midheim.”
“You made very wise decisions. Come let me show you to the food reserves.”
We make our way to the food reserve storage.
“There is a all manner of vegetable and fruit produce as well as animal products.”
“Brr, it’s really cold in here. Is this one of the modern amenities you mentioned?”
“Indeed, it is essential that even if the yield of the up coming harvests is low there will still be a way to retain what they have for as long as they can until the Midengardians will be able to increase their reserves.”
“That makes sense. Well, looks like I’ll need some of this, and this and definitely some of this.”
Ástríðr selects a variety of vegetable and fruit produce and a humble amount of animal products.
“I’m gonna need a bigger scooter to bring it all there.”
“Hold.” I tell Ástríðr as I return to her auxiliary transport vessel.
I change its form to that similar of the one that was previously attached to my repair assistance vehicle but with more open space, no canopy and thinner walls with a protrusion made to attach to her waist allowing it to follow her movements.
“I feel this form will suffice for what you need to transport the food items.”
“Yes! That’s great! Just what I needed! A wagon! Thank you Mr. Ninety.!”
Ástríðr places the many food items into the “wagon” as she called it.
“Okay, so how do I move this?” Ástríðr says as she tries to pull the “wagon”.
“You need to walk backward to this point here and a belt will extend and disengage the breaking mechanism.”
“Oh, so like this?”
Ástríðr walks backwards and the belt extends and buckles around the front of her waist.
“Wow. That’s cool!”
“The temperature, in the “wagon” as you call it, is unchanged.”
“That’s great too. Come on, let’s get back.”
The breaking mechanism disengages and we walk back to Odin’s Court with the “wagon” hovering behind Ástríðr.
We arrive back at Odin’s Court and Ástríðr presses the button to disconnect the belt from her waist and reengage the braking system.
“You know, I completely forgot. Is there tables and chairs inside?”
“There are. Follow me.”
We enter the main area where it is essentially empty except the throne at the far end.
“Wow! This is a beautiful reception area. And that throne so elegant and regal.”
“It is the throne from the dilapidated remnants of the Odin’s Court I entered when I arrived.”
“Nice touch! Great thinking.”
“Come, follow me.”
I guide her towards the throne and show her a panel inlaid in the back.
“Here are the controls for the reception area. These are controls for official functions but these controls are for seating arrangements.”
“Wow you really thought of everything.”
“As I mentioned before, this not my first time reestablishing a settlement.”
“I know but this is all so amazing. Okay, so looking at the different layouts here, I think this galley style is the best one.”
“That would seem to an optimal choice to allow for equal amounts of seating and foot traffic.”
“Yeah, I don’t want everyone just sitting around, I want them to be able to mingle with everyone. You know interact and get to know one another.”
Ástríðr presses the button on the panel and the tables and seat benches arise from the beneath the flooring in the arrangement that Ástríðr selected.
“Mr. Ninety can you help me a little more?”
“What is it you require?”
“Well, while I cook, I just need you to set the finished food out on the tables. Oh, and I’ll need some plates and some center pieces. Nah, that’ll be too cluttered. The tables should be for food and drinks.”
Ástríðr collects her thoughts and then begins with the plates which I place in a few stacks on the tables and once I return, Ástríðr’s first batch of food is ready to be placed. I make several trips to and from placing the food items on the tables until the last is about to be placed.
“That should be all the food. I’ll bring the drinks in.”
I bring the last of the food in with Ástríðr following behind me using the “wagon” to carry several pitchers of the drinks she created.
We arrive inside and Ástríðr distributes the pitchers on the table in sets of two. One metallic and one glass.
“What is the purpose of the two differing pitchers?”
“Yeah those. The glass pitchers are full of fruit juice. I couldn’t pick just one so it’s just a medley of three different ones. Those will be for the young ones. The metal pitchers are filled with a drink called mjöð (myuth). It’s a fermented honey drink that is for the adults. It was a drink in Michiru’s memories that was popular with the Midengardians’ successors on Earth. I don’t recall it being a drink here but I thought it would be a nice touch.”
“I see. You thought this event through very well.”
“If you mean I did a good job then thank you. Also, you helped a lot, thank you.”
“The sun has begun to set so the Midengardians should be on their way here.”
“Right, let me make sure everything is okay. Oh, and please don’t let the young one’s drink any of the mjöð. They’re too young for it.”
“Understood. It appears the Midengardians are approaching.”
“So soon? Oh, I hope everything is ready?”
“Why would it not?”
“Yeah, you’re right.”
“Oh my! This is beautiful. I never saw Odin’s Court look like this before.” A female exclaims as she enters with a small group of Midengardians.
“Are there more Midengardians arriving with you?” I query the female.
“Y…yes. They’re right behind me.” The female responds.
“Oh, Mr. Ninety, please let them in.”
“I had no intention of impeding their progress.”
“Please come inside everyone.” Ástríðr announces to the Midengardians as she pushes me aside slightly.
The Midengardians stream into Odin’s Court and wander around in amazement at the state of Odin’s Court, the throne and the tables filled with food.
“Mr. Ninety, I think they like it.”
“Your assertion appears correct. However, is it not customary for the host to greet everyone and open the festivities?”
“Oh, yeah, you’re right…um…I guess I gotta make a speech.”
“It would appear so.”
I go behind the throne and press a button on the console.
From a compartment a microphone appears and I walk over to Ástríðr.
“I believe you will require one of these.”
“Oh! Thank you.”
Ástríðr taps the microphone and the resulting sound emanates from the embedded sound amplifiers in the overhead lighting fixtures.
“Uh…h…hello everyone. Thank you for coming. I…uh…thought we should have a little party to get to know one another. Although, with the exception of Mr. Ninety, we are all Midengardians, we don’t really know each other. But even though you may not know each other you have a chance to now. You see, you all now have something else in common other than being Midengardians. You now have the same birthday and so this meal is to celebrate your birth and a long and healthy life.”
The Midengardians look at one another and say some indistinguishable things to those near them.
“A…and so I would like to propose a toast. 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 later generations 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! (Skawl!)”
The totality of the Midengardians reciprocate by raising their glasses as well and yell, “Skál!”
“Now everyone please eat, drink and get to know your new brothers and sisters!”
I take the microphone from Ástríðr’s strong grip.
“H…how did I do?”
“It would appear your address to them was able to stir some strong positive emotions and allow them to converse unimpeded.”
“So, did YOU think it was good?”
“I was not the primary audience for your address, so my previous statement stands.”
“I guess that’s the best answer I can get out of you, then.”
Ástríðr steps toward the mass of Midengardians and begins conversing with them.
Over the course of the event, I am approached and asked questions to which I reply.
The event eventually progresses to its conclusion and the Midengardians begin expressing their nightly pleasantries on their way back to their domiciles.
Once the final Midengardian exits Odin’s Court, Ástríðr turns to me and states, “I think that went well.”
“I will agree if that is your assessment.”
“I think I can handle the cleanup here by myself. I know you have lots to do.”
“Indeed. I will take my leave if I am not required here.”
“No, you’re busy so, go.”
I exit Odin’s Court and notice Ástríðr sits down on one of the bench seats, pours herself another cup of the mjöð and lets out a large sigh of relief.