Transmigrant - Chapter 5
Copyright © 2024, 2025 Stephen B. Anthony
To stand at the crossroads of trust and survival is to find courage in the unknown.
—Emily Stewart, Lost Children of Eden
CHAPTER 5
Ray stopped abruptly at the sight of her. It was the girl Ichiro had shown him earlier. The image had hardly done her justice—the shining emerald eyes, the smattering of freckles across her nose, and her long, wavy dark hair with auburn highlights. Her easy smile and simple, comfortable outfit only added to what Ray perceived as natural charm.
Next to her sat a blonde woman, attractive in her own way, with an unusual ancestry that Ray struggled to place. He wondered if this was due to his lack of exposure to other cultures. The Perseus, with its limited population, had offered some diversity, but nothing compared to the broad spectrum of phenotypes here among the five million inhabitants of Eden Station.
Ray suspected the fleet might be unaware of the blonde woman’s name, as it wasn’t in the fleet report. But the green-eyed girl—Kaylie something—daughter of a senator, stuck in his mind. He watched as she gazed at the table in front of her, her fingers moving as if she were looking at a computer screen.
Ray entered the establishment, noting the smell of alcohol—something novel to him, though he wouldn’t get to try it now. He had no credits and wouldn’t know how to trade them, anyway. He sat at a table opposite the two women, observing them while trying not to blatantly stare. A waitress approached him soon after.
“What can I get ya, sweetheart?” she asked.
“Just water.”
“Just water? Someone joining you in a bit?”
“Um, no, I don’t think so.”
“Well, I’ll grab you some water then. You look at the menu yet?”
“I didn’t see one,” Ray admitted.
“It should have popped up when you walked in.”
“Popped up?”
“Your VRD, silly,” she said, then paused, eyeing him curiously. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re one of those?”
“One of what?”
“You neoprim?” she asked.
“I don’t know what that is,” Ray said, feeling foolish.
“You know, anti-tech. Neo-Primitive, Terra Pact, Simplicity Circle? Got no VRD, do you?”
“I don’t even know what one of those is,” he confessed.
The waitress sighed. “Parents deprived you then, huh? Did you grow up in a cult?”
“No,” Ray said, more defensively this time.
“How do you intend to pay if you ain’t got a VRD? Got credsticks?”
Ray shrugged. They used whatever this VRD was as payment—Virtual something, he guessed.
He looked over at Kaylie again and caught her eye. She’d been gazing at him. He looked away quickly.
“I’ll get you your water,” the waitress muttered sourly, knowing that no tip was coming.
She returned a few minutes later, by which point he had caught Kaylie’s eyes twice more. The waitress set the water down and then disappeared into the kitchen.
Ray took a sip, feeling refreshed, and then the green-eyed girl surprised him by sliding into the spare chair at his table, her face fixed with a look of skepticism. He tried to ease the tension with a smile, but she wasn’t buying it.
“So, who are you?” she asked sharply. “Agent or merc? And just so you know, station security is less than twenty meters away. Drawing a weapon here would be a bad move.”
“I’m Ray Decker,” he said, genuinely confused.
“Agent or mercenary?” she pressed.
“What? Neither.” Ray’s response held a note of genuine surprise.
“Don’t play dumb,” she said firmly. Then, in a quick motion, she dipped her hand into the waistband of her pants, extracting the pistol just far enough to reveal the grip to Ray. “Don’t try anything.”
“Why does everyone want to shoot me?” Ray exhaled slowly, a mix of frustration and confusion in his voice. “You’re the ones Niruku’s after, aren’t you?” he ventured, his tone shifting as he pieced the situation together.
“Well, there’s my answer, isn’t it?” she said, her eyes narrowing.
She stood abruptly and crossed to whisper something to the blonde. The two of them made a quick move to leave the bar, but Ray wasn’t ready to let this lead slip through his fingers. He followed them at a safe distance, catching up as Kaylie spun around, her expression fierce.
“Get away from us before I call security,” she warned.
“Look,” Ray said. “I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be a nuisance, but I just wanted to talk to you about Niruku. I think maybe I can help you.” He stepped closer but kept his hands visible and non-threatening.
Kaylie hesitated, her demeanor oscillating between suspicion and curiosity. “How?”
“The fleet’s aware of your situation,” Ray divulged. He hoped to strike a chord of trust.
“You’re with the fleet?” Her tone was laced with skepticism.
“Indirectly. I have a friend in the fleet,” Ray clarified. “And just so you know, we’re not exactly fans of Niruku, either.”
“Are you proposing something?” she asked.
“Yes,” Ray said decisively. “I imagine you’re probably trying to get home to your parents’ estate, but that would be a bad idea. Niruku is probably already there waiting for you to show up, and you’re exposed here in the station. I wasn’t even looking for you and I found you. It’s only a matter of time until Niruku does. I can get us to a fleet ship docked above. It’s out of sight, secure.”
“I never told them about my parents,” Kaylie said. “How would they know?”
“The fleet knows,” Ray said. “Why wouldn’t Niruku? On a fleet ship, you’ll have an opportunity to think, plan, and move without Niruku watching every step. It’s your best shot.”
“And I might also just be arrested,” Kaylie said.
“That’s not the impression I got,” Ray said. “They do want to ask you questions, but the fleet and Niruku have a strained relationship. We might have reasons to be on the same side.”
“What reasons?” Kaylie asked.
“I don’t want to talk about that in the open,” Ray said apologetically.
The weight of his words hung between them. Kaylie and Estia exchanged a glance, a silent conversation passing in their eyes. Ray waited, knowing he had played his hand as well as he could. Now, it was up to them to trust him.
“We could just get a hotel room. That will be safer than out in the open.”
“Sure, use your identification. Buy a room and announce to everyone where you are,” Ray said.
Kaylie weighed Ray’s words, her mind racing through the implications. Her eyes darted between Ray and her friend, seeking reassurance. Finally, she released a long breath, a decision firming up in her gaze.
“Okay,” she said slowly, the word heavy with both skepticism and the absence of better options. “We’ll follow you to this fleet ship. But understand this,” her tone sharpened, a hardened edge slicing through her earlier vulnerability, “if you’re leading us into a trap, it won’t end well for you.”
Ray nodded, accepting her terms with a serious, understanding look. “Fair enough. I’ll lead the way, and you can verify every step before we proceed.”
The blonde, having been silent, now spoke up, her voice steady. “We need a plan, something more concrete than just running. This fleet ship—can it really offer us what we need right now?”
Ray’s response was reassuring. “It’s not just about hiding. It’s about getting you to a place where you can make your next moves safely. The fleet has resources that could help you, legal and otherwise, especially with your situation involving Niruku.”
Kaylie nodded, absorbing this new information. “Then let’s not waste any more time here.” Her gaze was now focused, her decision clear. “Lead the way. But remember, we’re watching you closely.”
Ray led the way. He’d successfully established a mutual understanding, albeit a tentative one. Kaylie and the blonde woman walked behind him as he strode purposefully through Eden Station. He turned to look at them, catching glances between the two women.
“Are you okay?” Kaylie asked.
He turned to look at her. “I’m fine. Why do you ask?”
“It seemed like you were laboring a bit.”
“Just an injury. I’ll be okay.”
They reached level twelve without incident, stepping out into the central hub area. Ray led the way to concourse D, walking in a clockwise direction around the station.
“Where is this ship?” Kaylie asked.
“Just here,” Ray said, pointing to the sleek, dark ship beyond the airlock. It appeared shrouded in black, as if a mystery. Even the lights that shined on it did not reflect well, as if it were a wraith hiding in the shadows of the docks.
“I was beginning to think you were leading us in circles. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“It’s brand new,” Ray said. “I don’t think most people have seen anything like it. Probably why Ichiro docked it so far from the hub.”
“Ichiro?”
“He’s the captain of the ship,” Ray said.
He paused. There didn’t seem to be any mechanism for opening the ship, and he had not noticed this before. A digital panel was present, but virtual buttons were absent. No handle on the hatch, no retinal scanner, no thumbprint reader. The metal was smooth and black, except for the blank panel. Even the seam around the door was hard to make out.
“What’s the problem?” Kaylie asked.
“I’m, uh. Honestly, not sure how to open it,” Ray said.
“It’s a handprint scanner,” she replied warily.
“Oh,” Ray said. And then he realized he might not get into the ship. As far as he knew, Ichiro had never taken his handprint and likely had never authorized him to enter the ship. On the other hand, Ichiro knew that he might go into the station and come back, so maybe he had authorized Ray somehow.
He tentatively reached for the handprint scanner, but before he could touch it, the hatch slid open silently. Just inside, Ichiro Hoshi stood waiting for them, a mild look of surprise on his face.
“Commander,” Ray said. “This is Kaylie Stewart, and her friend, whose name I did not get.”
Kaylie extended her hand, shaking the one Ichiro offered. She turned to her friend and said, “This is Estia.”
“You’re welcome to board if you come unarmed,” Ichiro said. “You will need to turn the weapon over.”
“How do you know that?” Kaylie asked, and then she stopped, contemplating the situation. Finally, she said, “If it’s all the same to you, we’ll keep it. Two men have recently attacked us, and now we’re boarding a ship with at least two others we don’t know.”
“Here’s the thing,” Ichiro said. “You’re going to be inside a pressurized ship in the vacuum of space. So, it’s not all the same to me.”
“It’s not even loaded,” Kaylie protested, her voice firm but wary.
“Then it won’t do you much good as a defensive weapon,” Ichiro said. “But you can always take your chances back inside the station. Take your pick. You can have it back when you get off my ship.”
“What guarantees do we have that you won’t just turn us over to Niruku?” Kaylie asked.
Ichiro chuckled. “Niruku isn’t a law enforcement organization. They are a corporation. I have no obligation to do anything on their behalf, and I won’t. As far as guarantees go, you’ll just have to take me at my word.”
Kaylie weighed her options and then removed the pistol from her waist, holding it by the grip. She cycled the action, visually inspected the chamber, and locked the slide back into position. “It’s unloaded,” she said. She rotated it in her hand, keeping the barrel pointed downwards, and offered it, grip first, to Ichiro.
“Thank you,” Ichiro said, accepting both the pistol from Kaylie and the magazine from Estia. “I see this is not the first time you’ve handled a firearm.”
Kaylie said nothing in response.
“Welcome aboard the Shinobi,” he replied.
Once they were on board, they all gathered in the lounge. Ray took charge of the galley, preparing drinks. Kaylie and Estia sat on two different couches. Ichiro stood in their midst, questioning the women.
“You’ve worked for Niruku since completing your degree?” Ichiro asked Kaylie.
She nodded, a little taken aback by Ichiro’s knowledge. “Yes. I’ve worked for them for the last four years, and I interned before that.”
He turned to Estia. “The fleet does not know much about you. How long did you work for Niruku?”
“I wasn’t an employee,” Estia said.
“But you worked for them?” Ichiro asked as he took a coffee from Ray.
“I did the things they asked me to do. But I was not their employee.”
“You weren’t on their payroll?”
“No.”
“Then why did you do what they asked you to do?” Ichiro asked.
“I don’t know. I just did. They were in charge. It’s hard for me to remember exactly how it all started or where I came from. My memory is not good.”
“I don’t understand,” Ichiro said.
“Estia is an orphan,” Kaylie said. “She was basically raised by Niruku.”
Ichiro nodded, but the answer created more questions in his mind. “They taught you things, like how to plant a roundhouse kick on someone’s jaw?” Ichiro asked.
“Yes, I learned those things,” she said. “And other things.”
“Like what?” Ichiro asked.
“I learned a lot about space flight operations. I learned about jump gates. I learned about molecular biology, mostly from Kaylie. I learned some about the transmigrant program.”
Ray handed a cup of tea to Kaylie and turned to Estia. “Were you involved with the program?” he asked.
“No,” Estia said. “I was involved with a project they called Mannheimer.”
“What was the project about?” Ichiro asked.
Kaylie answered on behalf of Estia, explaining, “It had to do with synthetic molecular biology. I don’t know all the details, but that is the gist of it.”
“What does that even mean?” Ichiro asked. “Like fake DNA? Genetic engineering?”
“Yes, engineering synthetic improvements to biological genetics,” Kaylie said. “Typically, to overcome disease markers or to improve physical functions.” She looked down into her coffee cup. “My association with the transmigrant program was only peripheral.”
“So, transmigrants could have some of these synthetic genetics?” Ichiro asked. “For instance, could it improve the ability to heal wounds?”
“Possibly. But that wasn’t my area. I worked on genetics that might improve cognitive functions.”
Ichiro nodded and then asked, “What did you steal?”
“Nothing,” Estia said. “Kaylie brought me with her. They think they own me. But they don’t own me.”
Ray interjected, “So, you stole Estia, a person?”
Kaylie nodded. “I didn’t steal her. She came with me.”
“Why does Niruku just seem to think it owns everyone?” Ray asked.
No one answered the question, but Kaylie raised an eyebrow in response.
Ray sat down beside Kaylie and said, “I was also part of the transmigrant program.”
“You also worked for Niruku?” she asked, her eyes radiating concern.
“No. I was born on a generation ship. I am a colonist. My claim to fame is that I am the first person to stand on the planet Tellarius.”
“That’s—That’s impossible,” Kaylie said, an astonished look on her face. “You can’t be from Tellarius.”
Ray shrugged, looking at her.
“I know it was one of the missions, and they would have arrived about ten years ago, I think, but there’s no jump gate, to my knowledge,” she said.
“I assure you we built a jump gate and that I am from Tellarius.”
“You’re really a colonist from there?” Kaylie asked, her eyes brightening. “How did you even get here? I’ve never met an original colonist before. It must have been quite exciting!”
“That’s not how I would put it,” Ray said. “You know we are an enslaved people, right? And that we are engineered to die at age forty? Did you know that we don’t have a working birthing lab, there’ve been no new children in almost twenty years, and that we’re dying off?”
“I did not know,” Kaylie said, displaying a look of shock intermingled with shame.
“When he tried to publish this information, Niruku hired someone to kill him,” Ichiro said. “I didn’t make it in time to warn him. Two days ago, I found him on the floor of his barn in terrible shape. An assassin shot him. But thankfully, the autodoc saved him from bleeding out.”
Kaylie looked horrified. “That’s what you meant about everyone trying to shoot you? That’s the injury? You were shot two days ago?”
Ray nodded. “I’m mostly better,” he said, though the painful memory of the incident still lingered.
“But they shot you,” she repeated, her voice rising in disbelief. “And you’re just up and walking around?” She sipped her tea, her mind racing.
Ray shrugged, wincing slightly as a dull ache reminded him that he wasn’t as healed as he pretended to be. “I’ve had worse.”
Kaylie just stared at him with wide eyes. Who is this guy?
“I’m so sorry,” said Estia, her voice softening. “Not just for that, but for what they did to your people.”
Ray turned to look at her, searching her face for any hint of false pity. But all he saw was sincerity. Slowly, he nodded, the weight of her words settling in his chest.
He turned to Ichiro. “They withheld information about the completion of the jump gate from us. Why? Why has it operated for the last three years without anyone knowing? Why wouldn’t they have told us about the jump gate? There are things we need. The youngest person in New Virginia is nineteen. We can’t have children until that gets fixed.”
Ichiro said, “I don’t think there will be any new birthing lab. As far as I can tell, the birthing lab stops functioning on every generation ship after the last generation of colonists is born just before they arrive on the planet.”
“Why?” Ray asked. Before Ichiro could speak, Ray answered his own question. “They don’t want us to reproduce, do they?”
“Because you only live forty years,” Ichiro said, leading the way to the conference room. “Transmigrants can’t be allowed to intermix with natural humans. The risk is too great. A transmigrant will fall in love with a natural human, and they’ll figure out a way to reproduce through artificial insemination. When they do, they’ll interject shortened life spans into the human gene pool.”
Ray stared at Ichiro in disbelief. “They literally just want us to die off,” he said.
Ichiro looked at Ray, a serious expression on his face. He said, “Transmigrants will never be allowed through the jump gate. They’ll conceive no additional children. Every one of them will die on Tellarius. And when that is done–when every last one of you has reached forty years of age and died–when you no longer pose a risk to humanity, only then will the people of the four worlds arrive on Tellarius and claim the planet.”
Ray stood and paced. “So, it was all a lie?” he asked. “Those colonists who joined up over two centuries ago, who thought their progeny would inherit a new planet based on the promise. That was a lie?”
“Yes, it was a lie,” Ichiro said. “I’m sorry.”
“Sorry? Sorry isn’t enough! How can you people let this happen to us?” Ray asked, seething with anger. “It’s bad enough that we didn’t get a say in the matter. We’re just slaves for you. And then you’re just going to let us die off? We do all the hard work, take all the risks, die at age forty, build the jump gate, wait there, hoping to reunite with humanity, and then we all die off so that you and the rest of humanity can come to take over the world we won for you? How can you let that happen? How can people live with this?”
The silence was deafening.
“Why does the government allow Niruku to continue?” Ray demanded.
“It’s all about money and power,” Ichiro said, his tone darkening. “They control so much of the technology we rely on. They command a huge portion of the budget of the four worlds. Congress has tried to restrain Niruku, but bills never make it to a vote, and those who sponsor them often find their careers in jeopardy—or worse.”
Ray’s eyes narrowed. “Worse?”
“It might surprise you how often a politician opposed to Niruku meets with a freak accident,” Ichiro replied.
“There’s got to be a way to stop them,” Kaylie said, her voice firm.
Ichiro’s gaze softened as he nodded. “That’s what I’m working on. It’s why I went to Tellarius.”
Ray’s stomach churned as he thought about it. Anger and bitterness welled up inside him. Someone was always pulling the strings—whether it was a corporation or those in power. And now they were after Kaylie and Estia, too.
Ichiro broke the uncomfortable silence. “Let me show you around.”
He led them aft to the cargo bays, stopping by the ATV. “This planetary rover has all the bells and whistles,” Ichiro said with a grin. “It handles variations in gravity and atmosphere well, so it’s useful on any habitable planet. It’s quite fun to drive.”
He pointed out his stateroom on the half-level at the rear of the ship. Below it, they explored the engineering subdeck, where Estia’s eyes sparkled with fascination. She peppered Ichiro with questions about the technologies, which he answered patiently, explaining the nuances of the ship’s power systems.
Finally, they moved to the bridge. As they entered, the quiet hum of the ship’s systems filled the air, a stark contrast to the engineering subdeck’s more mechanical symphony. Ichiro ushered them to seats at three consoles aligned with the forward viewports, giving them a clear view of the stars outside.
“Welcome to the nerve center of the Shinobi,” Ichiro said, settling into the captain’s chair with an air of practiced ease. He began explaining the ship’s operations, pointing out the controls for the ship’s weapons systems, stealth, and navigation. His voice was calm and reassuring as he walked them through the basics, from plotting a course to initiating evasive maneuvers. Estia leaned forward, her fingers hovering over the controls, soaking in every detail.
“The Shinobi is advanced enough to deal with most threats we might encounter,” Ichiro said with a small smile. “The ship is well-equipped to defend itself. Railguns, particle beams, and a few surprises in the tactical array. But it’s not a warship, so bear that in mind.”
Kaylie nodded, trying to absorb the information. The ship felt both foreign and familiar, a strange blend of cutting-edge technology and the old-fashioned camaraderie that came with being part of a crew.
After a few more minutes of explanations, Ichiro glanced at the chronometer. “It’s late,” he finally said, sounding fatigued. “Tomorrow is going to be a busy day outfitting the ship. Let’s turn in. Grab a berth, and we’ll talk more in the morning. For now, you’re all safe here.”
Transmigrant is available at Amazon & Audible.