Star Keeper

Copyrighted Material Star Keeper Copyright © 2023 by Variant Publications Book design and layout copyright © 2023 by JN Chaney This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, or persons, living, dead, or undead, is entirely coincidental. All rights reserved. No part of this publication can be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing from JN Chaney. www.jnchaney.com http://www.scottmoonwriter.com 1st Edition CONTENTS Don’t Miss Out Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Chapter 30 Chapter 31 Chapter 32 Chapter 33 Chapter 34 Chapter 35 Chapter 36 Chapter 37 Chapter 38 Epilogue Glossary Join the Conversation Connect with J.N. Chaney Connect with Scott Moon About the Authors Don’t miss out on these exclusive perks: Instant access to free short stories from series like The Messenger, Starcaster, and more. Receive email updates for new releases and other news. Get notified when we run special deals on books and audiobooks. So, what are you waiting for? Enter your email address at the link below to stay in the loop. Click Here 1 Arriving on Razik-doom was a strange experience. Space elevators had been placed asymmetrically across the city, almost like they’d grown there by some natural process. Their style was unique but also borrowed elements from other cultures. Human influence from the first and second transit fleets was everywhere, especially ground vehicles that relied on combustion engines and neon billboards that ran night and day. One held a wanted poster for Myron Dea, a known associate of Minister Jonas Bayle—though there had been plenty of denials from the minister’s office. I wasn’t sure what to think about the man after our encounters in the Ultar sector. Myron Dea, on the other hand, was easy to judge. He was the most ruthless and notorious assassin in the entire AP and someone Glaynia had warned me about. Raziks didn’t seem to care for the man. I wondered what kind of justice he would face if apprehended in their jurisdiction. The word “Fotak” had been painted on the foundation of one such display and marked out with a red X. Nova spoke in my right ear. “Yolo should be there. She’s next on the case rotation. I should be with you. Hell, the entire team should be watching your back on this one.” I stopped in the lobby of the Bipek City Police Department precinct headquarters. The place reminded me of a poorly rendered cop drama set, the human version that only played late at night and was on a constant rerun loop because it was syndicated and cheap. The networks couldn’t have dead air and people needed at least a short break from the Galactic Shopping Network. The white faux marble floors, glass-encased front desk, and metal escalators to the second floor were bad enough, but Bipek City was also the main industrial hub of Razik-doom. Witnessing the brutish, dragon-faced monsters in crime noir wardrobes made me want to bust out laughing—or cry. Outside, marching down the streets like something out of a movie, were columns of workers in hard hats. All carried oversized lunch boxes. Well, to me they would be bigger than a suitcase. Maybe they were just right for Raziks. “We talked about this.” How could I stall my team from getting themselves into trouble? This wasn’t the planet to test limits. “Don’t give me that, Breaker. With APOP jurisdiction on this case, we can bring whoever we want. You just need to push. They’re Raziks. Don’t be nice. They’ll eat you alive the moment you show weakness. Not literally, but you know what I mean. Crap, what do they eat?” “Saint thinks they are vegetarians,” I said on the fly. “Really?” She sounded both surprised and skeptical. “While I still have you, Fathers and Woods came up empty on the parked freighter. Port authorities won’t tell us why it’s there and ignored our request to have it removed per the AP security treaty.” “Reserve the spot for the next APOP investigative squad if you can. Once the freighter leaves, we’ll keep the space and use it for training.” “Good plan. We’ll go crazy if we’re not allowed away from the spaceport.” She paused. “I just don’t like it. Who leaves a freighter parked for so long and keeps it powered up unless someone is on it?” “Space vagrancy isn’t our problem. Get the Razik port authority to handle the matter.” “Okay, Breaker. Will do.” “How is Ocantus?” Thinking of the Ultar passenger was a sure way to ruin my mood. Even from halfway across Bipek City, the dark sentient had her effect. She’d chosen to accompany my team as part of the new Inclusion Protocol. The Ultar had always been part of the AP, though we had never asked for their participation. Now their membership in the alliance was real, and we had to accede to some of their demands. We’d learned to talk for short periods. It was easier when she wasn’t driving her biomech. The sad machine squatted in a corner most of the time now. Borm and Fay lived in the cabin next to her and spent way more time than was healthy building a language that promised a new era in Ultar diplomacy. Someday, they said, anyone would be able to hold a conversation with the nightmare-inducing creatures. None of that mattered right now. In all honesty, it was nice to be away from the mind-bending effects of Ocantus. I headed for the front desk. There was a problem in Bipek City, and the APOP was