Second was beginning to suspect this was not the planet’s most choice real estate. Still, if there were sentient aborigines at a primitive enough level conquest, wealth, and godhood awaited him. Also, he pondered, ripping through the annoyingly fuzzy creature’s exterior shell, if they were bipedal humanoids with appropriate mating portals, well, that would be a nice bonus.
The wind first blew damp from the ocean, then with an icy blast off the Vatnajökull glacier. Amidst the howls of the storm Hallbjorn’s wife suddenly claimed to hear noises from the cod bin. All were quiet as they stared toward the door and listened. From the bin came a rustle. None dared move as the rustling with —some said — the sound of demon slavering continued for hours. Finally, after a long time of silence, Hallbjorn crept to the bin and peered in. Every bit of the winter’s supply of fish was gone, devoured by the hungry spirit, down to a few well-stripped bones.
I’m afraid we had to be firm on one point, and that was the pillaging of the dorms. The women students were threatening a major civil rights action after the first incident. The Vikings turned out to be remarkably deferential, once the women made their annoyance clear. It seems that females held a rather legally significant role in their society. The Viking-NOW treaty may be considered a historic landmark. In any case, a new outlet for the Vikings aggressions became a priority.
That would be Borealis, the northern continent, rising up to smash them. A vast glacier sparkled beneath the unsetting summer sun. At its base, the land showed vivid patches of green among the sharp rocks.