Scanned

By James Ray Burns

Ne'er do well Jake, after a mediocre military service is just trying to get by in the galaxy. A string of odd jobs and bad luck have left him stranded and broke on the mining planet of Kerella V. A chance encounter with a beautiful woman named Shelain, an alien from a race called Meridian's, drags him into a plot by blood thirsty aliens known as the Basnigh, to overthrow the Consortium; a benevolent government created by the Aswari, an advanced alien race who have taken the role of protectors of the galaxy. Now Jake and Shelain must not only survive, but work to uncover their plot and stop the Basnigh.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Ray Burns
• Release date: Oct 2, 2019
• ISBN: 9781393951681

Book preview

Chapter Two

Interrogations, revelations and reservations.

Two hours later I was still in the custody of station security. The Aswari officer sat at his desk, both hands manipulating the console only he could see. The placard on his Desk read Chief Lorzen.

Look I told you everything I know, can I get my stuff and get out of here? I pleaded trying to look innocent, as I obviously was.

No. Lorzen responded looking not the least bit phased that I'd asked a third time.

I’d been over everything three or four times, he had reviewed the scans from the out bound office security at least as many times and still the unwavering Aswari dedication to being thorough was not satisfied. Jake, he stated flatly human, 4th generation decent from cloned parents rescued in the Basnigh war...

He droned on relisting my history from a file I'd like to throw in the nearest black hole. Humans often hated being reminded they were the vagabonds and welfare species of the galaxy. Thrust into occupational roles out of desperation and lack of options and largely considered the drek of the galaxy...expendable but necessary. He continued you enlisted in the consortium at age 21 scans for engineer, top 10% of your assignment group. Served 4 years aboard the service ship Gaol, Demerits for lack of discipline, dissent of authority, general unkempt nature and a penchant for gambling...a misdemeanor offense. Seems you always kept your losses right at the threshold for a major infraction. Arrived here, 5 years ago. Spotty work record but all above board, why were you in the out bound office today? 

I didn’t want to admit to being at chalks earlier. The 80 grand I'd lost put me well over the major infraction limit he’d mentioned, even though I wasn’t in service any more chalks was less than reputable with the constabulary. I also knew even the stations spotty scan coverage would eventually place me there for a solid 3 hours earlier. Drek.

Looking for work sir. I tried to emphasize the sir maybe a show of respect would help if I held to some of the training I'd found hard to swallow before. Like it shows bad decisions and worse luck have me by the balls.Never was good with those regulations damn my smart mouth.  Can't afford a shuttle so I figured it was time to move on.

Luck is an abstract notion, Jake. I show here you withdrew eighty thousand credits approximately from your consortium account earlier this evening, and you can’t afford a shuttle? Might I ask or should I just check stations scans to find out how you spent three years income in 5 hours? Or should I just guess? Lorzen’s eyes narrowed as he looked at me.

I fail to see the relevance sir. Less respect applied this time. My personal spending and activities have nothing to do with that woman. I am telling you she staggered into the office after I arrived and collapsed...this is what I get for helping her?

The ram rod straight uniform Chief Lorzen wore creased slightly as he turned looking me straight in the eyes. His hands stopped manipulating the console and came to rest on the desk. He relaxed slightly almost imperceptible to anyone who didn’t know the race well. We know you had nothing to do with the woman Jake. We also know you lost your money in illicit gambling. Chalks cesspool of petty crime has been under surveillance for some time...

That’s a breach of neutral protocol! I burst out, consortium law allows for neutral ground to be run without the concern for surveillance to conduct trade deals confidentially!

... Only so long as it is not complicit in the sale trade or export of illegal goods or services and gambling is hardly a ‘trade deal’. Mr. Jake you know the protocol obviously but no one cares that you waste your life savings on a ‘card game’; a wonder humanity isn’t extinct with instincts like yours. Chalks, is under investigation for smuggling as a result all contacts are tracked...even you.

I sat back mouth slightly agape, I knew Chalks was a no good grubby Pluge with a penchant for minor stuff but smuggling? That was major time on a prison colony or worse, for Pluge's front line space combat service. Not that we were friends but I'd been losing money in his club for years...felt like I owed it to him to warn him...Oh hell what was I thinking. Chalks was on his own...damn morals.  If he had consortium surveillance on him he was in way deeper than I thought. Consortium security didn’t screw around with small stuff outside the fleet. You were pretty much assured to be left to your own ends, which also meant it was on you to make your way in the galaxy.

If I'm of no use why can’t I go? I don’t know anything and you know it. Having been completely deflated I was now just confused.

The Chief sat back in his chair a show of relaxation rare for Aswari. The woman was this stations chief medical attendant and part of an ongoing investigation. The termination notice was faked to set off her tox glands and get her out of her office and vulnerable. The blaster wound shows she was targeted for assassination. The stations weapons alarm not registering an unauthorized use disturbs me and you Mr. Jake have a blaster matching the discharge capacity and wound pattern. Although I am sure you are not her assailant as your weapon is registered and has not been cycled outside a practice range, all of this only being confirmed in the last half hour.  The woman’s name is Shelain. Her surgery aboard the Calvert was successful in saving her life. You are being detained...Mr. Jake so your actions in saving her life can be reviewed based on Meridian customs.

Wait...I must have heard wrong. You mean you’re holding me, for a reward?

Reviewed. He stated with a frown seemingly annoyed at the prospect that some lowly human deserved a reward for doing what was sensibly the correct action. I am not sure if you are aware of Meridian Customs Mr. Jake but, they have some odd sense of loyalty in matters such as these. Shelain’s family was contacted and has offered to extend those customary accounts to you for your... quick action.

What kind of custom? Like Credits? I asked now hopeful of returning to the surface.

No Jake, he dropped the Mr. my gut sank like a burning wreck. Meridian custom is if you save a life they become loyal to their savior for life in exchange. She will be out of recovery soon I have had both sets of your belongings transferred to the station's medical facility. You may collect her and your belongings there. I suggest you follow through on your plans to leave the Kerella system...for her sake. You are dismissed Jake.

I was dumbstruck....what just happened. Did he just say she was mine? What?

I thought slavery was banned in consortium space? Isn’t this the same thing?

He dismissively replied no, customs are generally up held for races within the consortium. Meridians have been outstanding members for a considerable time. Willingly attaching one’s self through customary loyalty is not considered slavery....Abuse of that custom can have repercussions though so I suggest you maintain the distinction of morals you showed in saving her life...good day Mr. Jake.  Thankfully he didn’t include the fact that her loyalty was now to a human...

I stepped out of the office and in a hazy fog of a mental state was trying to understand what just happened. What was I going to do, I could barely keep myself alive and above the poverty line...well alive. How was I going to take care of this woman I knew nothing about? A consortium officer was standing by the door with one of the maglev cars used for internal station transport. He called my name and motioned me to get in. I did and he took the controls and guided the vehicle towards the medical facilities on station. He wasn’t Aswari, I wasn’t sure what race he was. Shorter with a light feathery like downy fur, he spoke English so I asked know anything about Meridians?

Just what they teach in basic sir, they can stretch their bodies up to 35% of normal and are no good in a fire fight because most get so drunk they run straight at the enemy screaming in that shrill voice. Most are kicked out of training for insubordination the ones that don’t, rarely advance.

That was more than I knew so I put that knowledge aside for later. The station was massive but the transport system was designed to traverse even the full width in minutes so my free ride was short lived.

Med Bay 9; your belongings are at the lockup counter, flash your cards and they’ll give you your stuff. Have a nice day. The last part was almost automatic verbalization from the officer as the maglev car pulled away. He’d handed me my ID card as well as the woman’s...Shelain. I walked in still very unsure if I would just get my stuff and skip orbit on the next thing flying or actually entertain this absurd custom of loyalty for life....who does that?

My thoughts of skipping out were quickly squashed by a shrill voice and an equally distressed Pluge officer responding to it. I looked and saw the woman standing holding a paper gown closed around her demanding the desk attendant return her belongings while probably the cleanest most well-dressed Pluge I'd ever seen tried to calmly assure the woman her items would be returned once they found her ID.

Twelve hours ago I was Running this medical Center...If you can’t confirm who I am it is a wonder I am still alive you yellow tooth excuse of a starship anchor...get out of my way and YOU! she addressed the desk clerk I hired you for that job you know who I am you get in that system and get me my...oooh.

Shelain felt the wave of dizziness that accompanied the release of the toxic hormones her species was known for when stressed. The only reason she was still standing was the Med cuff she still wore dispensing a steady stream of antitoxin into her blood to counter the effects, with practiced ease she pulled the dosage screen up and dialed up the amount. The wound on her right side barely noticeable after the surgery to remove the third kidney that was destroyed and the stim graph was holding up but she could tell it was a navy surgeon's work by the blue coding on the sutures.

Ma’am...please the clerk, a young male human, pleaded looking from Shelain to the Pluge officer and then somehow noticing me having just walked in, A testimony to his skills at being the main entry clerk. He continued to plead with Shelain.

... You know a bio scan is insufficient to access the lock up protocols; it requires both the bio scan reading from you and the imprint encoded on the ID card referencing consortium data. I can lose my position and be fined heavily for such a breach of security. 

Another nervous glance in my direction from the clerk as Shelain was about to launch into an operatic rendition of her tirade told me either help or please wait till this could be resolved. I sighed internally, my shoulders dropped and I glanced at the ID cards in my hand.

I think I can help. I said in as even a tone as possible stepping forward.

The Pluge officer craned his almost nonexistent neck to get a good look at me the clerk obviously awash with relief as more assistance was available. Shelain spun cutting her tirade off before it started saying just who the hell are you....oh Drek me.

I STOOD AWKWARDLY STARING at my feet shifting my kit bag from one shoulder to the other, the Pluge officer had taken one good look and dismissed my existence. Shelain had, as gracelessly as possible, accepted her ID and stormed off to a room with her things to change. The attendant was my only ally currently since I had rescued him from the Ire of his former boss. He checked my card and I noticed a new entry on the record...drek another file on me. I also noted a rider attached to my ID...it was Shelain’s...she was now listed as...Dependant? Uhg this was turning into a horrible day.

Shelain burst forth from the room dressed as I'd seen her before, mumbling about the burned shirt. Bill me for the Cuff I'm keeping it. May be the only way I survive the night...or him. She jabbed an accusing finger in my direction and headed for the door.

come on Earther...only way I get my life back is to return the loyalty bond by saving your miserable  life...maybe I'll get lucky and you’ll be mugged between here and....wherever.

She grumbled something about parents....and Pashnye and I saw her arm extend to get the door open that much sooner.

I hurried after her, only to find her stooped over on the door step to the medical facility holding her side. "You ok? I asked trying desperately to sound concerned and indifferent at the same time.

I lost my job, I got shot, and I'm stuck with your worthless hide and now I think I pulled a suture....what do you think earth man...

My names Jake... Basnigh survivors don’t have last names, and if you must know I'm not having much of a better day...although I haven’t been shot so you win on that account.

Days not over Earther. She replied grinding the words past perfect teeth as she held her side. She pulled the arm cuff around and switched screens making it stimulate her cortisol and dopamine levels reducing pain.

Look I'm not one for customs; you know what they say about humans. If you want we can call it quits right here and never see each other again. Although the security chief recommended you get off station and soon. I don’t know how it is for you but I'm not going to hold you to some silly custom saying you have to follow me till I die or you do or whatever.

She cut off my rambling, my mind was racing a thousand light years a second Pashnye...Eyn Yet O Tus-ya she spoke her native language; I had no idea what it meant. The bond of loyalty you fool isn’t just some silly custom...it's in our DNA. Our Brain Chemistry...When we are near death the toxicity creates a hormone; if someone touches us it is passed on to our savior Gahsnye why an Earther.... She exclaimed, straightened up as the med cuff did its job and she keyed the terminal for a maglev transport, which appeared almost instantly. She swiped her card and said get in.

I did, curiosity demanding I know more...had she messed with my DNA? She was a Doctor, and an alien...

The maglev ride was deathly quiet; in just a few moments it arrived at a housing module that had been added to the station in one of the early renovations, meaning it was old. I assumed this was her assigned quarters. I would have thought chief medic would have better but said nothing.

Come on earth man and don’t touch anything and if you get any ideas ill strangle you Pashnye be damned.

I followed her graceful near free floating form through the low gravity corridors until she came to a hatch I guessed was her quarters. It opened with her ID scan and she entered. I hesitated briefly then followed thankful no one else was in the corridor.

Once inside and the hatch sealed I saw a scene of utter carnage, it looked as if there had been a station breach and her compartment was trashed. Uh...is this Normal? I asked concerned who ever had attacked her had tossed the place looking for something.

I said don’t touch anything mud sucker, you try running an entire medical facility aboard a station with 9 thousand residents and another 30 thousand transients and see how tidy your quarters are after 30 hour shifts. Shelain’s shrill voice cracked slightly as she answered.

Gravity returned to normal a few seconds later, I heard the unmistakable sounds of items crashing to the floor...no wonder it was messy, her occupant grav plating was set for detection mode and only worked when the space was occupied.

I relaxed slightly knowing there was no immediate danger that someone had been there. And decided it was time I got some answers....for my own sake.

Shelain had made her way to the sleeping area and had pulled an unused partition out to change. I raised my voice and began.

What is Pashney and...

Pashnye! she responded irritably the shrill in her voice betraying a bit of vulnerability, I shut up.

... Is the custom of loyalty for Life, you worthless meat sack...ooof she grunted in pain I assumed from her wound.

It was thought in my species history that to save a life is the greatest show of loyalty and MUST... she exaggerated the word ... be returned or the victim would die of disloyalty. As our science expanded, we learned it wasn’t just a moral obligation but a genetic one. The Pashnye is a hormone created by excessive toxic overload when we are near death. The first person to render aid is covered in the hormone secretion from our skin, blood, hair....etc. she came around the partition wearing a skin tight garment that left little to the imagination. I averted my gaze to a pile of medical journals lying on the floor as she continued.

You...you worthless piece of space garbage are that person...normally it doesn’t work on aliens but WHOA I’m just lucky your human...our DNA is close enough. The bond is weaker at first but over time builds to full strength, It means that now until I save your life and you produce basically the anti-hormone, if that is even possible, were stuck together... were you go I go...if were separated for an extended period of time I’ll Die.

She gently sat on a chair by a cluttered table shoving things away until she found a medical kit. She pulled it open and set a scanner against her side then looked at it. Seeming satisfied she chucked if back in the kit and sat there head in her hands doing nothing.

I was still standing by the hatch caught in the digestion of her words unaware I was staring at her. The garment she wore look like some kind of sleeping attire or weird space suit. It was dull grey, skin tight and hugged every curve of her body like a second skin; it also stretched with her movements. I didn’t realize she said something else until she looked up noticed me staring and realized what she was wearing and ran back to her partition.

Did you hear me? she asked while once again changing I guess.

Uh no...no I’m sorry this is a lot to take in please what was it. I said my attention snapping back to the here and now.

We have to get off this station. That’s why I was in the out bound office. Some drekfaced goons tried to kill me, work for a Pluge named Chalks. I found evidence they were involved with smuggling and the Consortium is after them now. They said it would be discreet surveillance but that’s obviously failed. So now I have to run and considering where we met I assume you're carrying your life in that nasty sack on your shoulder.

I glanced at my kit bag...I didn’t think it was nasty...could probably do with a sonic wash but... hey...that’s a low blow! I’m used to the Earther and earth man and mud sucker stuff but lay off the kit bag it’s all I have.

Something in my voice must have signaled a level of distress I was feeling. I heard her sigh and she stepped back out from behind the partition now properly clothed. Sorry she said shaking her head with a small smile that instantly made her cluttered compartment seem less gloomy and our circumstances less dire.

You said you found evidence on Chalks? Why hasn’t the consortium arrested him then?

She replied the fatigue now evident in her voice. They want his contacts too. If he’s smuggling contraband Chalks is small time but his buyers and suppliers could bring down the ring and expose the whole thing...why are you so interested? Not like their gunning for you.

I felt heat rise in my cheeks and was sure she noticed, the look on her face told me she did and I started babbling like an idiot hopefully to forestall confusion...fail.

I was playing cards with Chalks probably the same time his goons were attacking you. I had no idea he was into smuggling and if I had I'd never been there but his is the only place in system I had a shot at a prize big enough for my own ship...barely a ship... a shuttle sort of...doesn't matter....no no no I'm not with him! I swear! I sat in that Aswari officers chair for hours while you were in surgery....wait what are you doing....

I barely saw it coming, her left arm snapped back in the most unnatural motion I'd ever seen next thing I knew I awoke on the floor of her compartment. Hands and feet tied in a grav harness set for five g’s. It felt like a Pluge was sitting on my back.

SHELAIN WHIPPED THE medical pad as hard as she could and hit Jake square in the fore head, he crashed to the deck like a rock. A small gash on his head leaked blood. The grav harness she used for station field work barely fit his bulkier human frame but she wasn’t interested in his comfort. She strapped it on and cranked it to five G’s. Spinning around the room she snatched up her med bag and began packing only what she needed. Her wound screamed at all the stretching and motion, she cranked the pain management system to maximum and kept moving...feeling slightly giddy as she did...Drek this drunkenness she thought pushing through the haze of blood chemistry that had plagued her species...if she survived this she was certainly looking into those black market tox inhibitors she’d heard of.

The bag was beyond full when she threw on her travel gear. She stepped lightly over Jakes limp form and keyed the hatch; stepped into the low gravity corridor and pulled it closed using her personal pass code to lock it. She was halfway down the corridor to the maglev platform when the first waves of nausea hit.

No! she cried her voice cracking under the gut wrenching nausea. It shouldn’t be this strong yet....not with a human...this level takes weeks to develop. All this said to no one in particular. The corridor was empty she staggered and drifted to the floor griping her stomach in pain.

The wound...the stress, that’s it get up Shelain...move! She giggled as her vision got wobbly Drek it.... She said and floated to the floor of the corridor, quickly falling unconscious again."

JAKE TRIED TO MOVE, and couldn’t the sustained five-G load on his body was crushing his spine and ribs. He reached but couldn’t lift his arm to his back for the controller. Drek...she’s done this before...he thought. Small black irises started forming at the edges of his vision, telling him he needed to relax and concentrate on breathing. He fumbled for his pocket, his ID card fell out on to the floor. Just as the blackness clouded his vision he pushed the emergency indicator and slipped away.

OFFICER LORZEN, KERELLA Station’s chief security officer looked at the scene in front on him. One passed out, bleeding, and somehow giggling Meridian, the station's former chief medical technician and the most unlucky human if he believed in luck, Officer Lorzen had ever met.

Sedate them, get that grav harness off of him before he’s crushed to death. Is she safe to move, med sergeant?

The medical officer finished his scan of the meridian woman who had trained him. Shelain was suffering from stage 2 Pashnye.  He quickly ascertained she had dialed the medical cuff up to maximum which was pushing the Pashnye hormone throughout her system causing advanced symptoms.

She’s fine...doctors make the worst patients. She’s already imprinted so were safe to touch her. I’ve adjusted the med cuff to sedate.

Lorzen was done with these two he had an investigation to run. Get them up keep them sedated I want them on the next out bound ship. Get their bags. He turned stepping into the berth assigned to Shelain. Disgusting...make a note on her record and get a crew in here. Be respectful but I want all of this packed and stored. When she logs a new location marker have it shipped priority. Sanitize the compartment too. I’ll be in my office if I’m needed. Oh and sergeant...I do mean the very next thing leaving this station.

Yes sir. Replied the medical sergeant.

FOUR ORDERLIES AND two gurneys passed by the out bound docking attendant with a look of complete confusion.  A consortium officer stepped up to his window and asked what’s Leaving right now corporal.

The attendant startled snapped a sharp three fingered salute immediately regretting it when he saw the sergeant's stripes. Hoping not to get dressed down at the end of his shift the corporals hands flew across the console accessing immediate departures. "Vessel 62495-21A Sergeant, Independent, Salvage frigate...Torques class. It’s in