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  Copyrighted Material

  Galactic Law Copyright © 2020 by Variant Publications

  Book design and layout copyright © 2020 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

  https://www.jamesaaron.net

  1st Edition

  Galactic Law

  Book 1 in the Galactic Law Series

  J.N. Chaney

  James S. Aaron

  Book Description

  Galactic Law

  Galactic Law #1

  Lethal force is authorized.

  In the wild space of the Deadlands, Taurus Station is where miners and tourists come to play, and the ravager gangs follow close behind. Out here, far from the civilized world, the Law has a name.

  Gage Walker is the son of hard-nosed asteroid miners. Brash, rough, and crude, he's one of the few deputies working the station.

  Still a rookie, Walker is tasked with the security of a mining magnate's daughter, an easy job that quickly takes a turn for the worst.

  The ravager gangs want her, and it falls to Walker to find out why.

  In a chase across Taurus Station, Deputy Walker must prove he's fit to wear the badge and issue his own form of justice...one body at a time.

  Experience this exciting beginning to a brand new series set in the Renegade Star universe. If you're a fan of Judge Dredd, Renegade Star, or Borderlands, you'll love this epic, scifi thriller.

  Books in the Renegade Star Universe

  Renegade Star Series:

  Renegade Star

  Renegade Atlas

  Renegade Moon

  Renegade Lost

  Renegade Fleet

  Renegade Earth

  Renegade Dawn

  Renegade Children

  Renegade Union

  Renegade Empire

  Renegade Descent

  Renegade Rising

  Renegade Alliance

  Renegade Evolution (Coming soon!)

  Standalones:

  Nameless

  The Constable

  The Constable Returns

  The Warrior Queen

  The Orion Colony Series with Jonathan Yanez:

  Orion Colony

  Orion Uncharted

  Orion Awakened

  Orion Protected

  The Last Reaper Series with Scott Moon:

  The Last Reaper

  Fear the Reaper

  Blade of the Reaper

  Wings of the Reaper

  Flight of the Reaper

  Wrath of the Reaper

  Will of the Reaper

  Descent of the Reaper

  Hunt of the Reaper (Coming Soon!)

  The Fifth Column Series with Molly Lerma:

  The Fifth Column

  The Solaras Initiative

  The Forlorn Hope

  Final Battlefield (Coming soon!)

  Resonant Son Series with Christopher Hopper:

  Resonant Son

  Resonant Abyss

  The Galactic Law Series with James S. Aaron:

  Galactic Law

  Galactic Judge (Coming soon!)

  Contents

  Join the Conversation

  Connect with J.N. Chaney

  Connect with James S. Aaron

  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

  Epilogue

  Renegade Star Universe

  Join the Conversation

  Connect with J.N. Chaney

  Connect with James S. Aaron

  About The Authors

  Join the conversation and get updates on new and upcoming releases in the Facebook group called “JN Chaney’s Renegade Readers.” This is a hotspot where readers come together and share their lives and interests, discuss the series, and speak directly to J.N. Chaney and his co-authors.

  Join the Facebook Group

  He also post updates, official art, and other awesome stuff on his website and you can also follow him on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter.

  For email updates about new releases, as well as exclusive promotions, visit the link and enter your email address.

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  Enjoying the series? Help others discover the Galactic Law series by leaving a review on Amazon.

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  I send out updates mostly weekly. I share science, space, futurism and science fiction-related things I’ve found, lots of SF art, deals on great reading, movies, etc, basically anything I might be tempted to pick up myself. I also share updates on my work.

  To stay connected, head to the link below and sign up for the newsletter.

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  1

  “Chance of success, forty percent,” LE-DB said.

  I stared at the gap between buildings as my perp hit the ground on the other side, stumbled, and then began to sprint. If I didn’t go now, I was going to lose him.

  “Success rates don’t matter if you don’t even try,” I told her. “Continuing pursuit.”

  My current objective was running down a criminal escaping through the many back alleyways of Taurus station.

  “Are you sure? You’re heavier in duty armor.”

  “I know, Ellie. Don’t distract me.”

  Ellie, or LE-DB, for Law Enforcement Database, was my onboard dispatcher, a mix of partner, legal assistant, and heads-up display. Each patrol deputy had a version of the AI. Most just called her Dispatch or some other nickname, but I’d settled on Ellie. She wasn’t my trainer—that was Sergeant Jack Keldon, whom I’d left on the street below. I could talk to Ellie even when I’d lost comms with other units or headquarters. That wasn’t always a good thing.

  “Trainee Walker, be aware that if you miss this jump, there is a high probability that you will fail training for the day, damage department equipment, or sustain mortal injury. Perhaps all three.”

  “Thanks for keeping our priorities straight.”

  Of course she had to mention my trainee status, reminding me I’m not an actual Sheriff’s Deputy.

  “My priority protocols are clear.”

  “You sure about that? That guy bombed a party barge. I’m catching him or you can scrape me off the street.”

  “Suit yourself, Trainee Walker. I will provide a record of your decision when you are promoted to civilian in a body bag.”

  Was that a joke? Ellie wasn’t capable of jokes, which meant she had probably copied the line from my trainer, Sergeant Keldon. It sounded like h
im.

  My perp was looking over his shoulder, probably waiting to see if I was going to try the jump or not. I backed up a couple meters, checked that my pistol was secure as I eyed the edge of the roof, then sprinted for the gap.

  An hour earlier…

  Foot patrol in Taurus Station’s retail district always had me yawning after thirty minutes. The station’s party sections might have been going strong, but this area was closed for the night. Cleaning drones trundled along the wide corridors, collecting discarded drink containers, party fliers, beaded necklaces, and abandoned bits of clothing.

  “You’re falling asleep, Trainee Walker,” Ellie warned. “You’ll get a low rating. Another low rating and you’ll fail out of training.”

  The AI seemed to enjoy hounding me in an ever-haughty tone from her speaker in my helmet. There was no getting away from her, and she was right. I picked up my step.

  “Checking windows and rattling locks,” my trainer, Sergeant Jack Keldon, said with a satisfied smile beneath his brush-like brown moustache. “Security ain’t sexy, but it’s important. You understand me?” He tapped the door to a clothing shop and updated the log on its security panel.

  “I understand,” I said. “And I sure do enjoy it.”

  “Sarcasm detected,” Ellie warned.

  Keldon lifted his helmet’s face shield then hocked and spit in the street. He slammed the shield back down and adjusted his pants. “When we drop these stats on the Sheriff’s desk tomorrow, you’ll like it. He’s up for reelection. Community policing. And it’s good for your review.”

  “Beats writing reports, anyway,” I said.

  “The only thing better would be out talking to a citizen. That time’s never wasted.”

  I rolled my eyes, which Keldon couldn’t see through my face shield. That didn’t stop Ellie from chiding me with an electric prick at the back of my neck.

  I wanted to kick down doors and slam drug dealers on the pavement, not do my best as a glorified security guard off the party strip.

  Deputy Keldon had been on the force at Taurus for fifteen years. He was halfway to his pension and had long since given up any desire to run toward hot calls. Having settled into training duty for the regular hours, he seemed to genuinely enjoy his long speeches about ethics, working hard, community policing, and weapons maintenance. I certainly valued all those things, but walking down empty streets wasn’t keeping me bright-eyed and bushy-tailed.

  I joined the Taurus Station Sheriff’s Deputies because I wanted to make a difference in the ongoing ravager wars that wracked every station on the edge of the Deadlands, from the mining rigs to the residential orbitals and industrial sites, most connected by only a single slip tunnel. I’d grown up on a mining rig and understood firsthand what it was like to tremble in fear as a ravager gang blasted their way into a neighboring ship because someone hadn’t paid protection fees.

  “Speaking of time talking to citizens,” Keldon said. “Come on.” He led the way across the promenade to one of the few shops that appeared to still be open, although it was hard to tell if any lights were on inside from all the items jammed in the display windows.

  The sign above the window read “Trinidad’s Trinkets.”

  Keldon pulled the door open and motioned for me to step inside. I found myself in a small shop lined with shelves full of souvenirs. The various flowers, spaceships, and replicas of Taurus Station looked pretty good until you got up close.

  “Are these made from trash?” I asked Keldon. “This dancer has a candy wrapper for a skirt.”

  “Trash or treasure,” came a gruff voice from the other side of the shop. “You decide for yourself, Deputy.”

  “He’s my trainee,” Keldon corrected. “Thought I would bring him by to meet you, Ollie. How are you doing?”

  I pushed up my face shield as Keldon walked over to give the short man a hearty handshake.

  “Well, enough,” the shopkeeper said. “My endeavors keep me busy. You still serving justice to the depraved and ill-mannered?”

  “I’m wearing the uniform, aren’t I?” Keldon said.

  “That’s no guarantee,” Ollie said. “Who’s your trainee?”

  “Gage Walker.” I shook the shopkeeper’s hand. From the glue stains on his fingers, it looked like the trinkets were his handiwork.

  “Oliver Trinidad, good to meet you. So, you’re a deputy in training, huh? Where’d you leave that could possibly be worse than working for this guy?”

  “Mining rig,” I said.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Call me Ollie, then. You paid your dues. If this peace officer stuff doesn’t work out, you come see me.”

  Keldon laughed.

  “You taking on apprentices for the arts and craft business?” I asked.

  Ollie glanced at Keldon and something unsaid moved between them. Keldon gave a slight nod.

  “Come on, Gage. How about some coffee?”

  “I’ll never say no to that.”

  Ollie rose to push open the door marked “Staff” behind his counter. I followed Keldon through to where a two-man security cage stood ajar, allowing access to a larger room with a work bench that held several projects in various stages of assembly. The real show was all the cargo crates and cylinders packed into the space beyond. Some of the containers looked military grade, tagged with Union transit marks, while others carried the logos of high-end brands that could have been real or knock-off, I didn’t know.

  Ollie walked to the coffee maker on the edge of his workbench and poured cups for all of us.

  “How’s our Sheriff doing?” he asked Keldon.

  “Worried about reelection, as always. He’s got us out on foot patrols to remind everyone we exist. Everybody forgets about the Sheriff until the shit hits the fan.”

  “Until the Union takes over, anyway,” Ollie said.

  “The day that happens is the day I’m getting off station,” Keldon said. “Screw the Union.”

  Ollie placed his hand over his heart in mock concern. “I didn’t know you felt so strongly, Sergeant. Did the Union kill your puppy?”

  “I don’t need the Union encroaching even further into the Deadlands. They can’t take care of what they already own. Besides, Taurus is a frontier station. Always has been, always should be.”

  “There’s a lot of money here. More every day.” Ollie turned his attention to me. “How long have you been on station?”

  “Almost a year now,” I said.

  “What do you think about Taurus?”

  “It’s all right,” I said. “Once you look past the ravagers, smugglers, and awful neon everywhere.”

  “Smugglers aren’t so bad,” Ollie said with a half grin.

  I was trying to figure out why Keldon had made a point of stopping here, since they weren’t having any sort of personal conversation.

  “How do you two know each other?” I asked.

  That seemed to be the wrong question. Keldon drained his coffee cup and set it on the workbench beside a half-finished toy rocket.

  “Don’t ask the question if you don’t want the answer,” he said. “Ollie and me go way back. It’s good you met him. If you ever need help outside the Sheriff’s Office, you find him.”

  Ollie tilted his head back, looking surprised. “That’s high praise from the likes of you, Jack Keldon. Don’t forget my help has a price.”

  “Everything on Taurus has a price,” the sergeant said with a shrug. “The only free thing on this station is a bullet in your ass.”

  Ollie laughed. “That’s good. I’m using that.”

  “Let’s go, Gage,” Keldon said.

  I set my empty coffee cup beside Keldon’s and noticed a stack of data tablets at the back of the bench. The topmost tablet had what looked like an ad for a job on its face, with a credit amount that meant it couldn’t be legal.

  “Take care of yourselves,” Ollie said. “Good meeting you, Gage. And if you need anything, don’t hesitate to stop by. Trinidad’s Trinkets usually has what
you’re looking for.”

  The shopkeeper pulled out his stool and waved us out of the backroom before picking up his soldering iron. We walked through the shop and back out into the promenade, where I slid my face shield down to check my HUD for any changes in the area.

  Nope, still nothing.

  We walked on, traveling another few blocks and checking more doors. It appeared Ollie’s place was the only open store in the sector. Groups of drunk tourists stumbled by, too cheap to buy a transport to their next casino.

  “Alert,” Ellie informed. “Party barge inbound.”

  “Yay,” I answered.

  Immediately after the alert, I picked up the sounds of shouting and laughter. Keldon motioned for us to step out of the promenade as a party barge rounded the corner a hundred meters away. The street filled with flashing lights, screeching laughter, and music I felt through my duty armor.

  I rested my hand on my pistol. At this time in the early morning, the drone-operated party barge would have maybe twenty holdouts stumbling around on its platform.