Everything hurt. Eirik felt sick and wanted to throw up but he could feel his stomach was empty. As he gathered his senses he closed his eyes again. The lights were so damn bright. Trying to sit up only made him groan in pain as the wound on his back protested against the movement.

The groan attracted attention, however. "Finally awake. Here, water." Eirik opened his eyes slightly and saw Knud holding with a glass and a straw next to his face. He eagerly drank the cool water, not stopping until the glass was done.

"How long??" He asked Knud when he had finished the water. "20 or so hours. You slept deep, Eirik. I warned you about the mushrooms. Every time you use them it gets harder to pull you back to us. I fear, someday, I will not be able to save you anymore."

"Choice and consequence Knud." That was all Eirik said in response. "I need to get out of this bed." Knud immediately put a hand on his chest and gently pushed him back down. "No Captain, I need to keep you for a few days before I can let you go. That hit with the armored tail messed up your organs. Thank fuck you were wearing the quilted leather jerking underneath, otherwise, you would have been turned to mush. Go back to sleep Eirik. Someone will be here when you wake up again."

Eirik relented and leaned back in the bed, sleep quickly overtaking him again.

The following day a message was sent to Eirik by his grandfather confirming that the Kloxna had indeed made a formal declaration of war against the Terran government. Eirik also took the time to write a message to his mother. He was not ready for that call, but he knew he could not ignore her. A message would have to do for now and he hid behind the excuse that the doctor demanded he rests for an unspecified amount of time.

He also noticed on the news channels that his grandfather had distributed the fight between him and Tai'Tanu on every news outlet the Terran government had their fingers in. Which meant that over 80% of known news outlets were streaming it constantly. He could only hope that it would reach through the propaganda filter on Kloxna controlled worlds. During the afternoon of the first day, Jesper came to visit him. After 5 minutes of Smalltalk, he reached behind him and handed Eirik a black ring binder.

Without needing to open it, Eirik simply asked "Who?"

"One of the new hires. He was too eager. Do you want to call the family or should I?" Jesper answered sounding surprisingly somber. "You knew him better," Eirik said, "You call them. And set up the trust fund for the family."

"As you wish Captain," Jesper said as he left.

Las'Tai came to visit him on the second day. Eirik wasn't quite sure when she had arrived, she was just curled up on a chair when he woke up. At first, he thought she was sleeping, then, he noticed the barely open slit in her eyes. "Greetings Las'Tai.Come to gawk at the Captain when he is wounded?" Eirik's voice was light and jovial, and he slowly get to a sitting position as Las'Tai uncurled and sat up straight.

"Very funny Captain. No, I came to apologize for my mother's behavior. She broke the rules of the duel several times and have stained the honor of herself and her family. I ask your forgiveness and accept whatever consequence you deem necessary.." Las'Tai sounded resigned and sincere.

"Why would I judge you by her behavior?? You are your own being and your choices in life are your own Las'Tai. I see no dishonor in your actions so far. Your mother has dishonored herself greatly, of that there is no doubt. But how could that ever reflect on you?" Eirik asked, perplexed at Las'Tai's statement.

"But.. the head of my family..." Las'Tai started explaining before it hit her. By staying on Eirik's ship, she had effectively betrayed her people. She was no longer bound by obligations or expectations. She was, in every sense of the word, truly free.

"Now you are getting it," Eirik said with mirth in his voice, "Took you long enough to figure out that you are in the same situation as me. A rouge element, unwanted by your people, hunted by your enemies. There is still the option of sending you to live with my family for the duration of the war, but somehow I doubt you want that." Eirik had become serious as he spoke,

"You assume correctly, Captain" She quickly responded.

"I would have expected nothing less. If you want some advice for your current situation, set a life goal for yourself. Otherwise, the aimlessness of this life will wear you down in a matter of months. It does not matter what that goal is. As long as it is not easily achieved."

Las'Tai opened her mouth to speak but Eirik cut her off, "No, don't tell me if you already have one. Keep it to yourself for a little while, think it over, and make sure it is something you are willing to dedicate your life to complete."

She looked thoughtful for a moment, then nodded in silence.

"Now, I need to call my mother. I would greatly appreciate some privacy. Getting yelled at by my mother is not something I want any of the crew to see" He added with a half-smile,

She took the hint and scampered off. Maybe someone was playing poker. After she had been told about her tail giving her away, she had improved quite a lot at the game, some of the less skilled Terran's even refusing to play with her because it was a guaranteed loss for them.

______________________________

Eirik pressed the button to start the call. It didn't make it past the first ringtone before it was picked up and his mother's face appeared on the screen.

"Eirik!! Are you okay??" She was not panicking, which was a good sign. Cocking an eyebrow, he gestured to his body in the medical bed, bandages covering his many wounds, IV tubes hooked up to plasma and saltwater drips and the EKG monitor hooked up to his chest. "Never better mom, what do you think of my new look?? I think it's going to be the new craze amongst teenagers." He couldn't help but tease her, the question she asked being so redundant that his natural sassiness took over.

"Don't you mouth off to me young man!!" She snapped, " I hear that you went through with that insane duel thing and then your grandfather tells me you were going to be okay. How did he know before your mother!!"

This was news to Eirik. Last he had spoken to his grandfather had been right after the fight, before surgery. There was of course a large number of hours in between his surgery and him waking up. This would require careful pondering.

"Sorry mutti." His remorse was real enough and she was instantly mediated. "I'm okay mom. Doctor Knud is taking good care of me and I am staying in bed as he has advised me to do."

"That's a good boy" His mother was visibly relieved "When can I expect you home to heal up from that horrible business??"

"Mom, you know I cannot go home right now. I promise, I will come to visit soon, but life is about to change drastically and I need to prepare."

"I know Eirik, But a mother can hope, can't she??" She smiled at him, but even through the vidscreen, he could see the worry in her eyes. He knew why. He was the youngest, the runt. Always sick or hurt as a child and she had never gotten over that. maybe she never had gotten over it with any of her sons, but she seemed to focus most of it on him. "Just.. Don't join the war Eirik. I have lost enough son's to war."

"That is a promise I cannot give you mom and you know that. I will visit soon, but I got to go. I love you, mom. Tell dad and all the others that I love them as well and that I will see them soon."

"Take care son. I love you too" His mother ended the call and Eirik was left feeling relieved. It had been good to talk to his mom and put her mind at ease. '

He leaned back and started planning out what was gonna happen in the near future. He was going to be as busy as he was during the last war.

"Gods damn it all. War it is then!" He thought before getting busy with planning