Nebulon: Warrior Women of the League, #2

By Jo Carey

This Snapdragon Lady has claws.

While vacationing on Earth, Dr. Nebulon Blyst, the most well-known archaeologist in the League of Planetary Systems, is asked to consult on a case involving some mysterious artifacts. Following a trail that leads from California to Las Vegas, it seems they've closed the case, but the quest is just beginning. In an effort to help a friend whose son has gotten involved in a secret dig on an unknown planet, Nebulon puts herself, her husband, and their future at risk.

Nebulon is the second book in this highly entertaining science fiction adventure series featuring Warrior Women of the League. If you like fast-paced reads, strong female characters, and stories with a bit of romance and a touch of humor, you'll love Jo and Frank Carey's Warrior Women of the League series. 191 pages.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jo Carey
• Release date: Apr 26, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386168355

Jo Carey

Jo Carey grew up in the Midwest but her curiosity and gypsy-spirit has kept her on the move. She's lived in eight US states and spent three years living in Ireland. She has always loved creature movies, so creatures and bugs often show up in her books. Jo, a former information security compliance guru, writes fast-paced, character-driven stories in a variety of genres from medical thrillers to space operas and cozy mysteries. Her novels are filled with humor, romance, and sometimes creatures or aliens, or maybe even all of the above. She often builds her stories around a strong female lead character surrounded by plenty of hunky male heroes. Jo's been under fire on a golf course and climbed out the roof of an elevator in the Netherlands. Life hasn't been boring. Now residing in Texas, setting often plays a huge role in her stories. Jo was intrigued by the League of Planetary Systems, a world her husband, Frank, created for his science fiction books, and she now writes mysteries and other types of tales sets in that world. Jo was bitten by a cat, a fire ant, and a snake, before succumbing to the bite of the writing bug.

Book preview

CHAPTER ONE

Jason, I just read that Harvey Tilson died, I said, examining an ancient Erdexi text on the lab table while my husband, Jason, watched from his seat on a nearby stool.

Wasn't he the xenoarchaeologist you thought might be involved with those illegal artifacts from Halcyon's moon? he asked while craning his neck for a better view of the large book. Since their inclusion in the League, the Erdexi have had a resurgence of interest in their ancient past.

Yeah. He was only fifty-two,

Was it an accident on a dig?

No. I guess he was sick. The online post just says he died in the hospital. No details. It's weird. This is the third Tralaskan xeno who has died recently.

Are you free for lunch?

Sure. I could use a break before I get back to these translations.

We headed to the pub for a quick lunch. I wanted to finish my translation of an Erdexi ship's log before Jason and I headed to our ranch in Montana on Earth for a little R&R. Walking into the pub, we were approached by several Tralaskans who insisted on bowing while taking my hand and pressing it to their foreheads. For me, the most difficult part of being a Tyen was the veneration by many Tralaskans who felt I was some kind of deity. I quickly learned how to handle all the love.

Over lunch, we talked about the xenos that had died. I wasn't close friends with any of them. In fact, they were all xenos that Jason and I had become aware of during our investigations into the black market sale of artifacts. We never found any proof of their involvement, but they all functioned on the fringe of the legal xeno world, that I was sure of.

So do you think you'll be able to finish the translation today? he asked.

I hope so. I got distracted by the news, but I'll go back, make a cup of tea, and buckle down. I'm excited to have some time to spend with you on the ranch.

Once lunch was finished, I went back to the lab and settled in to finish my translation while Jason attended to his other duties. As one of the Cube’s senior shuttle pilots, he spent a great deal of time shuttling VIPs from one site to another. Luckily, he loves to fly.

Once the translation was done, I finished a pile of reports and sent them on to Ciara for approval. Working at the Cube was never boring, so I was able to keep busy in the lab all afternoon but couldn't stop thinking about the three Tralaskan xenos who had died. Before I left the lab, I did another search for details on all three deaths, but there was little to go on. One was female, the other two male. All were between the ages of thirty and eighty. I couldn't find any mention online of their most recent digs or any details on the cause of their deaths. The thought that maybe there was something going on in the xenoarchaeology world that I was missing flitted across my mind, but my priority was a short vacation on Earth with Jason, his cats, and their circus.

XXX

Are you guys looking forward to your time at the ranch? Ciara asked when Jason and I joined Clint and her for dinner.

Can't wait, Jason said. Leroy and the other performers are putting the finishing touches on their new show for the fall season. I'm glad we'll be there for the dress rehearsal and send off. I haven't gotten to spend much time with the troupe lately.

Clint hadn't known us long, and he had a look on his face that said he had no idea what we were talking about.

Sorry, Clint. I forget that you're new to this crazy group of friends. Jason and I share a ranch on Earth with a troupe of Katalan circus performers. They live there and take care of the place when he's not around, I explained.

Clint looked only a little less confused. Leroy is the ringmaster and patriarch of the family. He's been living on the ranch for years, Ciara explained. We'll have to take in one of their shows sometime. It's quite an experience.

Maybe they can perform here at the Cube, I suggested.

That’s not a bad idea, Ciara said after thinking about it for a moment. Have the troupe’s booking agent give me a call, and we’ll arrange something. The Cube has several landing bays and empty spaces big enough to house a circus tent.

We talked about our latest work projects and enjoyed a pleasant evening before Jason and I headed for the LTV Ascendant to make the trip back to Earth.

CHAPTER TWO

It was good to have some time off. We'd been working for months without a break, and I was ready for some R&R ranch style. We rode horses and watched the circus rehearse in the big top set up on the back of Jason's property. We restricted ourselves to checking messages each morning and evening to limit our habit of talking about work to the exclusion of everything else. It was good, but relaxation isn't a trait Tralaskans embrace willingly. After a couple of days spent enjoying Jason's company and the beautiful mountain scenery, I was getting a little antsy for some action. Luckily, Ciara always seems to need us before my boredom turns ugly. And believe me, it can get pretty damn ugly.

I was in the kitchen, talking with Leroy about their upcoming tour schedule, when Jason walked in with his comm unit to his ear. Sure. Not a problem. I think Nebs was reaching the end of her tolerance for rest and relaxation anyway. We'll check it out, he said, ending the call.

What's up? I asked.

That was Ciara. It seems there's something going on here on Earth she'd like us to check out while we're in the neighborhood.

Great. What's the mission? I said, not able to hide my excitement.

I can see how broken up you are about having to interrupt our vacation, he teased, grabbing my hand and pulling me into the office for a detailed discussion.

Earth has never been a big player in the antiquities black market of the League. They have a well-documented local issue with the sale of artifacts from many of their ancient inhabitants, but it is mostly confined to the planet, and the League didn't get involved. Since joining OffSec, much of my work with Jason has been in trying to infiltrate the black market community of the League and stop the illegal sale of ancient artifacts. Sometimes we have to do that because the artifacts can be dangerous like the Erdexi orb generator, and sometimes it's just to preserve the history of the League for everyone to see and study.

According to Jason, an Earth-based OffSec agent named Cortez had asked for our help in validating the origin of some artifacts that had recently been confiscated from a black market antiquities dealer based in California. Ciara had arranged a conference call with Agent Cortez later that day to get us up to speed on the situation.

I was anxious to find out the details so I could do some research. I had never investigated Earth's history and was looking forward to learning more about it.

CHAPTER THREE

Hello, everyone, Ciara said. Agent Cortez, now that we've all been introduced, why don't you explain your request to Dr. Blyst?

Manny Cortez was a young OffSec agent working out of the Earth office in California. His Hispanic heritage was obvious in his shiny black hair, dark caramel skin, and sable brown eyes.

Dr. Blyst, it's an honor to speak with you. Your reputation is well known throughout OffSec and the League. I know that you and Mr. Thurgood have been involved in investigating the black market sale of antiquities. As I'm sure you'd expect, there is an ongoing trade in black market antiquities here on Earth, but it is small scale compared to what you're used to dealing with.

Just tell us how we can help you, Agent Cortez, I said, anxious to learn the meat of the assignment.

Over the past two months, three of the major players in the illegal North American antiquities trade have died under suspicious circumstances. Law enforcement agencies investigated but made little headway in solving the crimes, so OffSec was called in to assist. I've been trying to find a link between the three deaths. I have tied all three of the dead men to artifacts which are related according to our experts. Though they all agree the artifacts are likely from the same find, they have been unable to determine a source. I'm hoping that perhaps you can help us figure that out. I'm concerned that anyone involved with these artifacts could be in danger.

Agent Cortez agreed to send us the case files. I asked for two days to do some research before we met with OffSec. After we signed off, Jason came around the desk and put his arm around my shoulders.

I'm glad we had a couple of days to ourselves, but I can tell that you're excited to have a mystery to solve, he said, kissing me on the cheek. I'm going to help Leroy with some repairs on the barn, while you sink your teeth into the research. I'll be back in a few hours.

Thanks. I love having time together, but too much downtime just makes me nervous, I admitted. After dinner, I'll get you up-to-speed on what I've found, and we'll layout a plan for the investigation.

Agent Cortez provided the crime scene reports from each of the murders along with several photographs of the artifacts they'd been unable to trace to a source. He'd also given me the reports from the archeologists he'd consulted and their contact information.

After reading through all the material, I kicked off my shoes and perched on the back of a wooden chair to think about what I'd learned.

Oh my god. How do you do that? Straffie asked. Leroy's teenage daughter had walked in and found me perched as I often do. I climbed down and slipped my shoes back on.

Years of gymnastics training and great balance. It's how I sit when I'm trying to puzzle out the solution to something, I explained.

That's cool. I've had lots of gymnastics training for the circus, can you teach me how to do that.

I don’t know, but we’ll soon find out.

I spent the next thirty minutes teaching Straffie how to balance comfortably on the rungs of a chair back. I kept a close watch to make sure she didn't get injured, but she quickly mastered the skill. Straffie provided the distraction I needed to put together a plan for our current assignment. All three of the archaeologists OffSec consulted agreed that the pottery had similarities to the work of several indigenous groups from the southwestern US down into Central America. I began my research learning more about the ancient inhabitants of that area. By the time Jason came in for dinner, I had learned a lot about the ancient history of the area around the Grand Canyon and artifacts that have been found of the earliest in habitants of the Americas.

After sharing my newfound knowledge with Jason over dinner, we took our tea into the office to lay out a plan for the investigation.

From what I've been able to see in the photographs, I agree with the other experts Agent Cortez has worked with, all of these artifacts are from the same historical time period and likely from the same cache.

Any idea where they came from? he asked.

Not yet. I want to examine all the related artifacts in detail. All of them feature similar images of what I would call a human-avian hybrid of some type. They aren't identical, but they are amazingly similar. Bird symbology is part of all of the ancient central and South American cultures, but there are other elements present that seem to be more representative of the native peoples of the American southwest. All of Cortez's experts have commented on the fact that the mixture of symbology is at the heart of the mystery.

We put together a plan for further research we could do on the InterWeb or through our Cube assets before making the trip to California to meet Agent Cortez. Jason and I work well together and enjoy it. Even though he's a great pilot, he's picked up a lot of archeology knowledge during our exploits for the Cube, and I value his opinion and the unique view he takes on things that I don't think any typical academic xenoarchaeologist could match.

We gathered a lot of information, but I knew we couldn't really figure anything out until I got a look at the artifacts involved.

CHAPTER FOUR

Agent Cortez met us at the spaceport in California and drove us to the local OffSec office. We were introduced to several agents as we passed through the halls on our way to a conference room. After some small talk, we got right down to discussing the case at hand.

I had some preliminary questions I wanted to clarify about the data I'd reviewed, and Agent Cortez was happy to answer what he could.

We took a break to refill our teas and coffees while the agent made a call to the evidence storage area. He arranged to have the artifacts from the three cases delivered to the conference room.

When the containers arrived, I pulled white cloth gloves and a magnifier out of my satchel and examined each one closely. All of the items were small and simple in design, but each was decorated with an array of symbols and glyphs.

Agent, I'd like to be able to examine these in a laboratory where I can do more extensive testing and photography, I explained. I've taken the liberty of contacting an old colleague of mine who works at your university. He has agreed to allow me the use of his lab. What is required to transport the artifacts there?

After we signed the necessary paperwork to maintain the chain of custody, Agent Cortez dropped us off at a local car rental office. We rented a vehicle that Jason said he knew how to drive and headed to a hotel. We checked in and unloaded our luggage before heading to the university with the artifacts.

We were prepared for a long night in the lab. Jason knows I can sometimes get lost in the work when I'm chasing a mystery in the lab, so he made sure I