Welcome to Asgard

He heard voices through his confusion. He recognized the voice of the singer, voices of other women, and the deeper tones of men. Sounds of Horses. Horses?

He felt exhausted, numbed. He should be in pain, feel something. He knew he kept passing out because he woke up to glimpses. Finally, he felt himself wake up and come back to full awareness. Drowsy, eyes still closed, he listened for the familiar sounds of a medical bay. He heard nothing. No electronic hum of computer, no familiar beeps or chirps.

George opened his eyes. He was in a square room, walls painted white with an arched doorway. Other beds were empty; he was the only one in the room. This was not a starbase medical facility, but it had the look and feel of a hospital. Was he on a colony world? Someone's private home?

It was early morning. He felt a slight breeze on his skin. He was covered by a light blanket. He could smell flowers, some kind of perfume. It felt incredibly peaceful. Hologram? No, he had been in holograms. This was real.

He moved his head to the left and froze. There, perched on the bed railing, was a huge raven. Pure glossy black, with its wings tucked up, with a massive hooked bill. This was a beast of a bird. The creature tilted his head and watched him in total silence.

George stared back, now wide awake. Where did the bird come from? How long had it been there, watching him sleep? The creature had too much awareness, too much intensity for George to believe the bird just flew in. He was watching him, standing guard.

Then the bird suddenly spread his wings and flew out the curved entrance of the room. His wingspan was almost four feet, George noted.

A red haired woman appeared. "Good, you woke up."

George pointed at the doorway. "What was that, a raven? And where am I? Some colony world?"

She smiled. "Yes, that was Hunin. He is probably off to tell the All-Father you are awake."

"All-Father?"

"Yes, he is our king, are in Asgard." Drifting off, her words followed him.

Odin? Asgard? What the hell?

When George woke up again, the raven was back "."Hi, there."Actually, quite a striking animal .The red haired woman came in. She carefully helped him sit up with pillows and left.

George heard footsteps in the hall and a tall man appeared in the doorway. He was bearded with long hair and was dressed in tunic and trousers. Even so casually dressed, he had such an air of authority George almost saluted. The visitor had a military bearing to him. He also had only one eye. Lost it in a war?The visitor came in and sat down.

"You are well."

"Yes, sir, what is all this?"

"You are Captain George Kirk of the USS Kelvan. Your ship was attacked and your captain murdered. When the Romulans attacked, they caused a tremendous disruption of space and time. You fell through a transpocket of space. You survived long enough for one of our Valkyries to find you and she brought you to us"

The bearded visitor paused. "Are you ready for more information or do you need to rest now.?"

George considered this. He knew his mythology, thanks to his father. Winona also shared his love for the mythologies and legends of Earth. There were theories of advanced people going to other worlds, laying the basics of of gods in ancient cultures. Was this the basis for Norse mythology? Was this truly Odin?

"Let's say I'll keep an open mind. I have been to other worlds as well." George was silent for a moment then spoke up. "I thought Valkyries collected dead warriors."

"No, they rescued the badly injured and the almost dead. The warriors are taken to our healers. They are given a second life in our Asgard. Rarely do our Valkyries and warriors venture into the high tech worlds, but your condition was extreme. You died a hero's death and worthy of rescue."

"I am not a hero."

"You saved 800 people. That qualifies as heroic on every level of existence."

The All-Father was watching, judging if Kirk was absorbing this information.

"If you are Odin, and this is Asgard then there are records of you on Earth."

Odin smiled. "Midgard .Yes, we have been there and still watch keep. You have come so far. Only a few thousand years and branching out to the stars."

"Then you have done this before to other worlds."

The Norse king nodded. "Yes, we have gone to primitive worlds and still do. We protect them from harm,from other races and beings that would destroy them. Then when they can protect themselves, we withdraw. Sometimes we are invited openly to return, other worlds we stay hidden so we can still keep watch.

Do you believe what I am telling you?"

"Do you guys invade as well or do you have a Prime Directive? I have heard stories of ancient Vikings."

"Highly exaggerated, most tribes were hunters and traders. Of course,we are not the invaders .We sponsored their cause so they could fight trolls and orcs that overran their homes. We have no need or wish to leave Asgard. What we do need is purpose in our own lives for as soon as any society closes it boundaries, it gets stagnant .Inbred and decadent. Through our contact and protection of other worlds, our warriors have heroic purpose .Asgard stays strong. The addition of new ideas that we incorporate into our lives. And new blood, the warriors we rescue and bring back to Asgard.

The red haired woman appeared. "Please, my lord, he still needs to rest."

Odin stood up

. "My apologies, Lady Eir. I will come again."

"Wait." George took a deep breath and continued. "If you know about me, I have a wife and two young sons. Can't you put me back to them?"

The Norse man shook his head. "I am truly sorry. The rift has rehealed itself. To find the exact locationagain through all the realms of time and space, we cannot do. Even if we could, it would kill you to return."Odin gazed at the young captain, sympathy and compassion on his bearded face. "We have also lost family and loved ones. It will take time. I am not asking you to forget but you are young and strong. You have a second chance and have much still ahead of you."

George was able to leave the bed and take a few steps. Even leaving the bed made him feel so much better. He was gazing out the window at Asgard when he heard quick, light footsteps and turned around to face a girl standing in the doorway. Tall for a girl with silvery blonde hair wearing a gray tunic dress.

She smiled. "You are awake. I did not know you had such blue eyes.I have been checking on you but you were always asleep. It is so good to meet you, George Kirkson."

He gestured to a chair and she came in and sat down while George returned to the bed and sat down. He gazed back at her. She was a beautiful girl, very fair complexion with high cheekbones. Her eyes were not blue but a dark grey.

She laughed, amused at his attention and glanced at his tray. "You are eating, that is a good sign." She picked up a little bowl. "Eat the applesauce. Promise me. It is really good for you."

"Who are you?"

"I am Dagney.I am the Valkyrie that found you."

"So that was you singing?"

Her face lit up in a smile. "Yes, that was me. I was spell singing to get us all home. Do you remember anything else?"

George shook his head. "No, but thank you for saving me. How did you do it? I was in deep space."

The girl frowned. "I am really not sure myself. You were in some sort of pocket dimension. I can't explain it, maybe King Odin or Heimdall could. You broke almost every law of magic and physics there is. Actually Peri found you. I was not sure you were alive until I got back with you."

"Who is Peri?"

"Peri is my steed. My winged horse."

Oh yes, he remembered Valkyries rode on magical horses.

"So usually you go into battle fields and pick up almost dead warriors, and they think they are in Valhalla."

She lifted her chin proudly. "Yes, we do. The badly injured, those near death. If you came from a primitive world. and were brought here to be healed, would you not think you were reborn. And that you were in Valhalla. There is no realm more glorious than ours."

George did have to agree. Even the little he saw from the window, Asgard was a beautiful world.

"Odin and Eir said I was badly hurt."

She glanced at the doorway. "Yes, you were .You had broken arms, shattered ribs, internal injuries and blood loss. You also had hypothermia. You felt ice cold but Peri said you still lived. You were put in a magical sleep for several weeks."

Did she mean induced coma? His condition was severe indeed. If their healing was that good he would like to check out what they used for medicine.

Sensing he was going to ask questions, Dagney stood up. "It will be a few more days before you can leave here. I will come back. Rest and eat that applesauce. Goodbye for now."

She leaned over, kissed him quickly and was gone.