The Arrival: The Evaran Chronicles, #0

By Adair Hart

Jake Melkins is a few months away from turning twenty-one. By the Seceltor Empire’s laws, he will have to go to a breeding camp, or directly into slavery. Neither choice appeals to him. All this changes with the arrival of a space-and-time-traveling being known as Evaran at the space station turned rest stop that Jake lives on.

To make things complicated, Greecho, the slaver who abducted Jake as a kid, has arrived at the station. He and his crew, along with his twenty-two-year-old human pet, Kathy, are about to go on a slave run to Earth.

Evaran has decided to interfere and free Jake and Kathy. That decision will lead him to Earth, where he will need to deal with the consequences.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Quantum Edge Publishing
• Release date: Apr 16, 2016
• ISBN: 9781386232711

Book preview

Contents

Title

Copyright

Prologue

01

02

03

04

05

06

Note from the Author

About the Author

Dedication

Acknowledgements

Books in the Series

Title

Copyright © 2016 Adair Hart

All rights are reserved to the author. No part of this ebook may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles or reviews.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Editing done by Laura Petrella

Cover done by Tom Edwards

Interior Design done by Colleen Sheehan

Proofread by Red Adept Publishing

Published by Quantum Edge Publishing

www.AdairHart.com

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Prologue

If I get out of here, you’re all dead, said Dolgus Kree.

Warden Borox shifted in his seat behind his desk as he eyed Dolgus. Dolgus was a Bilaxian, like him, and stood around seven feet tall with blue skin, a bald head, and a set of facial tattoos indicating the clan he came from.

Borox nodded at the two prison guards escorting Dolgus.

The guards tightened Dolgus’s restraints and stepped back.

Borox knew Dolgus was tough, and Dolgus’s clan, the Gillor, was known for its brutality. They occupied a planet on the outer edges of the Bilaxian Empire, a star-spanning civilization in the Andromeda galaxy, and were a consistent thorn in the empire’s side. How the heir to such a powerful clan came to be before him was not so much a puzzle as who brought him in.

Borox adjusted his shirt. Number three, Dolgus Kree. It has a certain ring to it.

I should be number one, said Dolgus.

I don’t think so. Borox smirked. You just don’t have … what it takes to be number one. He signaled to the guards.

We’ll see. Your little prison can’t hold me. And since when did you hire mercenaries?

Borox chuckled. I didn’t. Seems like you just had some bad luck being number three in the most-wanted list this month.

The guards spun Dolgus around toward the door.

As Dolgus was exiting, he turned his head. To Evaran, this prison, and especially you. Mark my words. You screwed with the wrong clan this time.

Borox shook his head. If I’m lucky, they might join you.

Dolgus snorted as the guards led him out into the hallway.

Another guard walked into the room. He raised his left arm at a ninety-degree angle and folded his thumb across his palm. Evaran is out front.

Borox gestured at the guard. Bring him in.

After a few moments, the guard escorted Evaran into the room.

Borox studied Evaran. Evaran was an enigma to him. He had thought Evaran was a Dalrun, due to his humanoid appearance, fair skin, and dirty-blond hair, but Evaran had insisted he was not a Dalrun.

Evaran had appeared on their doorstep out of the blue with the number one criminal on the most-wanted list. No questions were asked, and he provided evidence that identified the criminal.

Borox had granted Evaran a bounty license. Evaran then brought in number two. And now number three. The light-gray one-piece suit with highlights of orange, silver, white, and blue was unique to Evaran. Advanced technology, far superior to what the Bilaxians had, was used in the criminals’ capture from what Borox had read. He had also never seen anything like Evaran’s second layer of boots, forearms, neck guard, and utility belt. Maybe they possessed some of that advanced technology. He shook his head with a smile and gestured at the chair in front of his desk. Evaran. Good to see you again. You’ve been busy, I see.

I have. Dolgus Kree was a bit more difficult to obtain. Evaran laid a device on the desk as he took a seat. You will find incriminating evidence on Dolgus Kree on that device.

Borox picked up the device and scrutinized it. We’ve verified it’s Dolgus Kree and already have evidence against him in our system.

Yes, but there is more there.

Really?

Evaran nodded. He is also responsible for the deaths of several individuals. It took some effort, but the evidence for his involvement is there.

Borox stared at Evaran for a moment, then burst out laughing. You walked into the capital city, on the capital planet of the Gillor Clan, and extracted someone who they said they couldn’t find. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t just seen ’im. He exhaled through his nose. You never answered why you’re going after these guys.

I have not. Evaran narrowed his eyes. However, I will now give you my reason. They hurt my friends.

Borox jerked his head back. He had not expected an answer, but he would take it. Which friends would that be?

Any planet that is not evolved enough to be a member of your empire and that I have visited. These individuals have performed criminal activities on some of those planets.

Borox looked down at the screen on his desk. He slid his finger across the cool glass, bringing up the list of crimes attributed to the number one and two criminals. It listed out various rim worlds that had been attacked. Out of the seventy or so worlds, seven had major incidents. The number one and two criminals were responsible for four of them, the other three were by unknown assailants. Well, by that criteria, there are three worlds where we don’t know who was responsible, Neoparene, Haladintorin, and Fezzi. I’m willing to bet that criminals four through seven are involved with those.

The Bloodbores, correct?

Yeah. You going to go after them next? Heard the Rybox Clan is involved in some way.

Evaran shook his head. Their involvement has not been confirmed. However, that is not why I have given you my reason. I am leaving and wanted you to know why I did what I did before I left.

I appreciate that … but uhh … where you headed?

Evaran extended his left hand. A holographic projection showing the Andromeda galaxy shot up from his ring. A red dot appeared in the lower-left quadrant. We are here now. He tapped his ring with his thumb, and the projection changed to the Milky Way galaxy, or Wendago galaxy as it was known by the Bilaxians, with a red dot roughly twenty light-years from Earth. I am going here.

Borox studied the projection. The Wendago galaxy. May I ask why?

I would be surprised if you did not. Evaran tapped at his ring with his thumb, and a projection of a human shot up. I have searched for a long time across this galaxy for this species. I do not believe it is here.

Borox scrutinized the human. That’s a Dalrun.

I thought so too at first. However, this species’ home world has a specific configuration. Daltorus did not have it from what I have researched.

Borox tilted his head. Specific configuration like …

Anomalies in the genetic makeup of the species.

All advanced civilizations are genetically engineered to a certain degree.

This is a bit different. These are individuals that are hybrids of regular and exotic matter. Genetic engineering is irrelevant in that regard.

Borox drew his lips flat as he eased back into his chair and