Page 1 of Jorax
Chapter One
On Planet Hallion
Sometime in the Future When Humans Can Fly to the Stars…
Syrryn
The spaceport on Hallion looks like any on Earth, except for the diversity of alien species bustling around. There are tall, spindly insectoids, short furry creatures that don’t even look sentient, and everything in between.
I breathe in the crisp autumn air as I take in the vibrant decorations adorning the cavernous building: jack-o’-lanterns, skeletons, cobwebs, and bats. Hallion loves holidays, especially from other planets. It certainly appears they’ve embraced Halloween.
A hover-shuttle transports me directly to the town of Arixxia Fields. Although I’m excited about working on a project I’m passionate about, the location was another reason I selected this job over others I was offered. I loved the small-town atmosphere juxtaposed with it being a hub for advanced medical technology.
As we hover from the spaceport, I’m amazed to see how much it reminds me of Earth with its blue sky and single sun. In the center of town is a quaint square park bordered by old-timey buildings. After we pass over it, the hover driver points out a sprawling gothic mansion on the edge of town.
“A human woman created the haunted house over there. It’s rumored to be the most terrifying haunted house in the galaxy. Is that why you’re here? I went last year, and it performed as promised, did a great job of scaring me and my mate.”
“No. I’m here for a job, but perhaps I’ll get a chance to tour it if I’m not too busy settling in.”
The driver is kind enough to wait after dropping me at the tiny house I rented sight unseen. After seeing that the place is as advertised and actually has a roof, floor, and walls, I settle my few bags in the living room, and give the driver the address of my next destination.
I arrive at a gleaming, modern medical research facility far from the center of town. Icaron, my new supervisor, asked me to text ahead so he could give me a personal tour. How nice of him to greet me when I arrive.
If I didn’t know better, he’d look like a vampire from Earth horror vids. Not one of those wrinkly old, ugly vampires, but one of the gorgeous ones who isn’t the villain, but the hero. He’s tall and pale, with sharp fangs peeking from between his generous blush-colored lips.
My heart flutters as he smiles, his icy blue eyes meeting mine, perhaps lingering a moment too long.
“Welcome, Dr. Anilore.”
“Call me Syrryn.”
“Certainly, as I said over comms, we’re thrilled to have you on our team.” His voice is melodic and soothing. He has a calming presence that soothes the butterflies in my stomach caused by uprooting my life to fly across the galaxy for this job. Upon seeing his encouraging smile, the back of my mind whispers that everything is going to work out fine.
We walk at a brisk pace as Icaron points out various labs and offices. I’m curious and excited as I wonder what amazing medical research is going on behind every door of this galaxy-renowned medical research facility.
The handsome male at my side smells of fine leather and pine, a strange but alluring combination. I leave my first-day jitters behind because there’s something about his steady stream of witty comments that calms my nerves.
“Here’s where you’ll be working,” Icaron says smoothly as we arrive at the lab at the far end of the hall.
The only person in the lab is a hulking figure in a white lab coat, hunched over a microscope. When he looks up, he seems startled, as though he wasn’t expecting me.
I try to hide my own surprise, because this poor male looks like Frankenstein’s monster: greenish skin, rectangular head with a too-flat top, and eyes that slant slightly down at the outer edges. This male looks as though he was ripped apart and sewn back together—by someone who had never used a needle before.
“This is Jorax, one of our researchers,” Icaron says. “You’ll be working with him in this lab. He’ll get you up to speed.”
The creature straightens, looking at me with sad yellow eyes and a mouth that struggles in an attempt to smile. I feel pity, imagining the isolation he must experience because of his monstrous looks.
“Nice to meet you. Syrryn, did you say?” he asks in a raspy voice. He tries again to force a smile, but it comes out as more of a grimace. “Icaron forgot to mention he’d hired someone for the position. I didn’t prepare, but I’ll organize a workspace for you right away.”
“Thanks.”
“She’ll report for work tomorrow. Today, I’ll continue her orientation.” With that, Icaron guides me out, his hand grazing the small of my back, as I take one last look at the tragic Jorax.
Chapter Two
Jorax
I look up from the microscope to see Icaron leading a petite human female into the lab. She has chestnut hair and fair skin with a sprinkling of freckles across her nose. Icaron introduced her as the new researcher who will work with me.
