Eric Flint - Pyramid Power

By the early afternoon, as he watched from the audience, Melvin Steinmetz knew that Helen Garnett was in deep trouble.

And it only got worse after she took her seat at the witness table. Not more than two minutes after Helen finished her opening remarks, Senator Larsen picked up a piece of paper an aide had just slid in front of him. The fact that the senator didn't give it more than a glance made clear to Melvin that Larsen already knew what it contained. In fact, he was pretty sure having the aide hand it to him in front of the whole room was simply the senator's clever stage management.

Rustling the paper in front of the microphone, the senator from Montana said, "I was wondering if you could shed some light on this subject, as well, Director. I've just received a report from Director O'Hare of the Fish and Wildlife Service, who'll be testifying tomorrow or the day after. But he felt this item of information was important enough to ask me to bring it up immediately. Fish and Wildlife did blood tests on the Greek sphinx Throttler and discovered that your PSA agents had injected her with a tranquilizer after they got her on board the cargo plane." He glanced back and forth along the long hearing table, making eye contact with as many other senators as he could. "I hope I don't need to point out to the senators here that any such action is a gross violation of the law. I was wondering if you could explain to us how that criminal action came about."

Garnett stared at him, for a moment, seeming to be frozen. Like a rabbit in front of a snake. Watching her closely, Steinmetz was quite sure the information came as a complete surprise to her.

Marvelous. The captain of the ship had just found out that she had loose cannons rolling all over the deck. Melvin lifted his eyes and exchanged a glance with Senator Martinez, sitting at the long table with the other senators. After a couple of seconds, she looked away. Fortunately, she had an excellent poker face.

"Well… I certainly don't know anything about it, Senator," insisted Garnett. "I can assure you-"

Larsen cut her off abruptly. "Assure me of what? That you've lost control of your own subordinates? That much is obvious. Even leaving aside this latest escapade involving the sphinx, your PSA agents ran roughshod over officers and enlisted men of one of our nation's most decorated military units, even going so far as kidnapping-yes, that's what it amounts to, for all practical purposes-the families of two of its soldiers." He let that sit for a moment. Then he added grimly, "This is a nation of laws, Ms. Garnett. Even the Alien Pyramid Security Act-which I opposed at the time, and now intend to see repealed if I can-is a law. It is not a blank check."

Quietly, Melvin Steinmetz rose from his seat and made his way toward the exit at the rear of the big chamber.

Time to bail out. Miggy was partial to Italian food, if he remembered correctly. Maybe he'd be free for lunch in a day or two.

Eric Flint Dave Freer

Pyramid Power

"I don't see why we have to go," said Fenrir sulkily. Liz's rule against his just gobbling huge volumes of soft meat, and insisting on him getting some bonemeal had definitely eased his aches and pains, and thereby his temper. It hadn't done a lot for his teenage demeanor, though.

"Because Lizzy asked us to," said Jormungand. "And Papa-Loki and Step-Mama Sigyn."

"But you know what she's going to be like," Fenrir complained. "Holier-than-thou. 'Why don't you do something useful with your lives,'?" he mimicked. "Makes me sick."

Jormungand nodded her enormous head. "Our little sister makes me want to do something really shocking instead, but let's face it, she does mean well."

"She's a sanctimonious little cow. Not my fault Odin sent her to Niflheim, and she found it suited her. If she starts lecturing, I'm leaving. What does she expect me to do? I'm a wolf. Minister to people with my paws?"

"Probably something equally unreasonable," said Liz who had come up behind them. "Something silly like 'stop eating them.' A ridiculous idea, I know."

"Well, if they will run away, it's hard not to chase them down," said Fenrir, tongue lolling.

"So what do I need for this place?" asked Liz.

"Warm clothes. It's dark and full of freezing mists," said Jormungand.

It was. And their reception was not a lot warmer, once the queen of Hel got the message about why they'd come. Well, Loki and Sigyn's reception was an enthusiastic hug from the piebald woman. She was literally half jet-black and half snow-white. She had obviously decided to make everything fit in with her theme colors. Liz could only be grateful that she would never have heard of zebras.

"So soon!" she said eagerly. "I knew as soon as Fimbulwinter began, but I was expecting it to be another few centuries before you broke free. We're still ready, and by the time Fimbulwinter hits the third year my troops will have swelled greatly." Then she saw Fenrir and Jormungand. She took a deep, disapproving breath. "Family solidarity," she said. "It's a bit late for that, isn't it? I haven't forgotten last time."

"Oh shut up," said Fenrir crossly.

"You shut up! I see that you've brought your useless drinking partner with you."

"I've given it up," said Thor, affronted. "I'm an alcoholic, but I'm currently in remission. I haven't had a drink for five days. Except for rose-hip and mint tea, which has a delicate acidity to balance the cool clear flavor of the mint. It helps me to get in touch with my inner self."

Hel stared at him as if he'd just spouted a line of Japanese. "What?"

Thor looked down his nose at her. "I thought you had some sensibilities and would understand that the great warrior is also an artist, and to find his edge needs to get in touch with his creative side, which means he needs to learn to use all his senses."

"I think I understand why you brought him here," said Hel faintly. "Anyway, preparations are well afoot. We should be ready in three years."

"Uh… Hel, dear, we're hoping not to wait three years," said Loki.

She blinked at him. "Asgard will never fall without my full muster. And it will take Naglfar months to ferry them all across to Asaheim. And Surt's hosts are going to take a long time to march all that way to set the worlds aflame."

"Well," said Loki, "I have been thinking about it. And I have decided not to do that this time around."

"This time around?" Hel looked puzzled. "The end of Time comes, Papa-Loki."

"Actually, it's more like the wheel of time," said Loki. "If we just let it keep going, it never ends. It just keeps endlessly repeating the same old stuff. I had enough of it the first time around. And the more I think about it the more I remember. So I plan to break the pattern."

Hel shook her head. "You can't do that. Asgard must fall."

"Odin must fall. But Asgard I'll live with. I quite enjoy having a bunch of dimwits to play practical jokes on, and I've gotten used to the crowd in Asgard."

"Asgard must fall," repeated Hel, a little rosy flush appearing on her white cheek.

"But why, dear?" asked Sigyn. "Our fight really is with Odin. I know how you feel about your lodgers here. Fimbulwinter will bring thousands more."

"Millions," said Hel. "But if those already here are to escape, then that's the way it must be. That is the deal I made with Baldr. And he is going to rule in the new Gladheim. It is foretold."

Loki scowled. "If I ever needed a reason not to destroy Asgard, it would be to avoid having that pretty-boy on the throne."

Hel looked pained. "But he has promised that my subjects can have some of the privileges of Asgard's Einherjar and Freyja's warriors, and will not have to dwell in the cold and dark any more. I will not bend on that, Papa-Loki. It's not right as it is." There was a steely determination in her voice.