Jailed Read Free Page A

being arrested?”
    Nikada snorted. “You are no fun, but I think we can go on an aerial tour of Wyencar Prime. Let me show you what you are rejecting.”
    “I am not rejecting you, just a life without a job. With all of your automation and your lack of crime, you don’t need an archivist or a court reporter. Those are my only skills.”
    Her friend laughed. “I talked to Norod before he left. Those are not your only skills.”
    It took a bit to gain a blush from her now but that comment managed it.
    “Right. Well, tour?” She tried to redirect the conversation.
    “I will arrange it for the morning. You will love it.”
    Kori sighed. Three days left in paradise. She was quite sure that being in love with her surroundings was going to haunt her during her time at the space station right along with her memories of her night with Norod.
    Wyencar was going to mark her for the rest of her life. She just knew it.
     
    Three days later, she stood at the spaceport with a bag of items that Nikada considered essentials. With all of Kori’s possessions destroyed on Shiloss, she was literally wearing nothing that she had purchased on her own. Her friend had footed the bill for the entire ensemble.
    Kori promised herself that she would pay Nikada back at the earliest opportunity.
    The ship that landed surprised her. It was a Guardian vessel and exceedingly sleek.
    A cheerful woman with purple hair came out of the ship and looked at her. “Korianne Genner?”
    “Yes.”
    “I am Garden, this is my ship the Emerald Fairy and my mate Mercury is inside. Welcome aboard.”
    The woman’s eyes gleamed in welcome and when Kori got close, she could see the Terran features. She kept her mouth shut until they were inside and the ship was sealed. “You are from Earth.”
    “And you are as well. As is the bride of Yalki. Come on in and be seated. Emmy doesn’t like to lift off without me at the helm.”
    “Fair enough. How long until we get to Yalki?”
    “Twenty hours flying time. If you don’t mind staying awake, it has been a while since I talked with another Terran that wasn’t wired to one of these ships.” She waved her hand in the air and continued to lead the way through an entire green space before reaching the cockpit.
    “Emmy, a seat please.”
    A seat unfolded from an invisible panel on the wall.
    Kori took the hint and strapped in just as a man in a Guardian uniform came out, his skin had a silvery gleam, but his eyes only skimmed over her. He was fixated on Garden. “Are we ready for takeoff?”
    “Yup. Strap in. Wyencar Prime’s temperature makes for a wild rise.” Garden smiled and settled into a throne-like chair that definitely had a vine component.
    Mercury settled in a seat similar to Kori’s.
    As the ship shuddered upward, Kori was glad for the restraints.
    She clutched her bag to her and held onto it as they climbed higher in the sky until the bright colour faded to dark and they were in space, heading toward Yalki Station.
    A chime rang out and Mercury released his harness, coming over to greet her. “Hello, I am Mercury.”
    She extended her hand. “Kori.”
    “Pleased to meet you, Kori. Garden has mentioned that you are one of her species. I have not seen one of you unaltered before.”
    Garden hissed, “Mercury, that’s rude.”
    “Is it?”
    Kori smiled. “I understand, and I am not offended. There was nothing exceptional about me to boost and no damage to repair. I am as I was born, and I will die the same, I have no doubt.”
    Garden got up from her seat and grinned, “You never know. You could meet someone and have yourself altered to match his species. I see you have already changed your hair.”
    Kori pulled a hank of the blue hair forward. “Ah, right. This was a gift from a friend. She wanted me to look as alien as I could so no one would think I was a mutant Wyencar.”
    “Is that what she told you? There are trackers in those nanites. She wants to know where you are at all