Origins: The Complete Series Read online

  Renegade Origins

  Complete Box Set

  J.N. Chaney

  J. N. Chaney

  Copyrighted Material

  The Renegade and The Deal 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.

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  1st Edition

  Series By J.N. Chaney

  The Variant Saga

  Renegade Star Series

  Renegade Standalones

  Orion Colony Series (with Jonathan Yanez)

  The Last Reaper Series (with Scott Moon)

  The Fifth Column Series (with Molly Lerma)

  Resonant Son Series (with Christopher Hopper)

  Galactic Law Series (with James S. Aaron)

  Deadland Drifter Series (with Ell Leigh Clarke)

  Ruins of the Galaxy Series (with Christopher Hopper)

  Ruins of the Earth Series (with Christopher Hopper)

  The Messenger Series (with Terry Maggert)

  Starcaster Series (with Terry Maggert)

  Sol Arbiter Series (with Jia Shen)

  Exodus Ark Series

  Cyborg Corp Series (with Chris Winder)

  Wayward Galaxy Series (with Jason Anspach)

  King’s League Series (with Jason Anspach)

  Orphan Wars Series (with Scott Moon)

  Sentenced to War Series (with Jonathan P. Brazee)

  Standalones:

  Their Solitary Way

  The Other Side of Nowhere

  Forever Family

  Contents

  Join the Conversation

  Connect with J.N. Chaney

  The Renegade

  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

  Epilogue

  The Deal

  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

  Epilogue

  Renegade Star Universe

  Join the Conversation

  Connect with J.N. Chaney

  About the Author

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  1

  “Talk to me, Siggy. Do they see us or not?”

  “I’m afraid that is unknown, sir,” replied the AI through the cockpit speakers. “I do not have access to their Artificial Intelligence system, so I cannot know for certain.”

  As the Renegade Star drifted through the black, two of the four rear engines on an enormous transport cruiser loomed on the holographic display before me. I rubbed my hands together, leaning forward in my seat as I stared at the holo’s brilliant blue glow.

  It was time to go to work.

  I tapped my knuckle on the cockpit dash, unable to contain the jittery energy coursing through my blood. “Take a guess, Siggy.”

  “I apologize, sir,” said the AI. “Making an assumption regarding a potential threat is counter-indicated by my programming. While I live to please, I’m afraid—”

  “Godsdammit, he’s a talker,” I muttered as I rubbed my eyes.

  I’d wanted my ship’s personality to keep me entertained on long voyages, so maybe it was my own fault for not getting a boring, straight-to-the-point AI like every other Renegade. I just figured that since I’d be spending most of my time traveling through space on my own, I’d go a little less stir crazy if I had someone to shoot the shit with.

  I took a deep breath to regain my composure. Sigmond wasn’t so bad. I’d get the hang of this and get him trained on how to talk to me.

  Eventually.

  As I had only installed Sigmond’s personality a short while ago, he and I were still getting to know each other. Given enough time, he would adapt to my way of doing things, learn how to respond to my questions, and generally figure out how to anticipate my needs. The key here was patience—something I didn’t really have much of, but I was working on that.

  “I’m not asking you to pull numbers out of your ass, here. See if they’re scanning us and let me know if their weapons are coming online. Not everything has to be literal.”

  “I believe I understand,” replied the AI. “That’s quite logical, sir.”

  “Thanks, I think.”

  Being a Renegade was the only job I’d ever wanted. Who didn’t like the idea of gallivanting around the galaxy, doing work for rich contracts, and making loads of credits? I even had my own ship, the Renegade Star, which I’d acquired six months back, and it was unlike any other. With a shield, and even a few hidden compartments to smuggle contraband, it was the perfect ship to take me to the very top of this business. Sure, I might not be well known yet, but I’d claw my way up eventually. It would just take a little hard work, that’s all.

  “I have detected no outgoing scans. Nor are their weapons systems active,” informed Sigmond.

  “Then they don’t see us.” I leaned back in my chair hard enough to make it squeak. “See how this works, Siggy? You just gotta learn what I’m asking for.”

  “I believe I do, sir,” said the AI in his now-familiar calm and collected tone. “I shall inform you if anything changes with regard to the Reliant or nearby orbital security scans.”

  “Perfect.”

  The last thing I wanted was for planet security to shoot my ship out of the sky.

  Well, that
wasn’t entirely true. After all, what I wanted least was to fail this mission, lose out on a ton of money, and wind up on the run because I lapsed on my debt. All because of something as trivial as getting caught by a bunch of minimum wage security goons and having my ship impounded.

  I was too broke to die just yet, though, and this job promised to have one hell of a payout. I had borrowed quite a stack of credits just to pay for Sigmond, which was to say nothing of the Renegade Star itself. I couldn’t let anything screw this up or I’d be left with one angry loanshark to contend with. Namely, Fratley Oxanos, and he certainly wasn’t the forgiving sort when it came to getting his money back.

  All I had to do was steal a box from a toy company.

  Simple, right?

  First, I had to sneak past what little security Pratus had, and the Reliant gave me the perfect cover when it came to evading orbital scans since they couldn’t tell the difference between two ships when they were flying this close to one another. This bloated pile of metal was our one shot past the part-time idiots protecting this rock, mainly because, like most settlements in the Deadlands, they couldn’t afford better equipment.

  Not that it would have stopped me anyway. If a client wanted me to steal something, I’d find a way to deliver. That was my job, and I aimed to please.

  I only wished I’d picked a better looking ship to ride so close to. It was like looking at the underbelly of a rotting whale. Though they didn’t show on the holo, a handful of armed ships circled the planet on the off-chance someone tried to attack or break protocol, which was a fair thing to be mindful of when your neighbors were pirates and Ravagers. This meant they weren’t watching for little ships like mine, which was hiding below another as I made my way in to steal a single piece of trash from a toy factory. Hardly a cause for alarm.

  Once I slipped past security and made it into the atmosphere, I’d be home free. The only security checks they did on incoming vessels took place in orbit, so all I had to do was make it through the stratosphere and I’d be in the clear.

  Easy.

  I scoffed at the massive transport vessel consuming the holo before me, hoping this godsdamned heap of metal didn’t change course.

  The last thing I needed was for the transport to be denied orbit and veer off into the stars again. It was the only ship large enough to hide mine from the scanners, and if it didn’t give me cover, I wouldn’t have another shot for at least a day.

  Camping out so close to the Reliant only worked because this exact model’s sensors couldn’t pick up objects inside their shield range, and I’d been quick enough to sneak inside before being spotted.

  Now, sure, this wasn’t the most glamorous of gigs. Stealing from a toy manufacturer had never been one of my major to-dos, but I wasn’t going to complain. This was the life of a Renegade. If the pay was good enough, we took the work others were too chickenshit to try.

  I tapped a few keys beside the holo, and the glowing blue image of the Reliant’s shield shifted to give me a better view. The long chasm of cold metal seemed to go on forever, with thin pinpricks of orange light burning all the way at the end as its shield glimmered with reflecting sunlight from the nearby star.

  “I have detected a change in the Reliant, sir,” said Sigmond.

  I stiffened and rubbed the stubble along my jaw as a few possible scenarios of how this could all go to hell played out through my mind.

  Most of them ended with my ship exploding, and me along with it.

  My chest tensed, and I prepared myself for the worst. “What do we got?”

  “A waste receptacle unit has released human excrement on the port side along the lower hull,” informed the AI. “I will continue to monitor the transport vessel for changes and alert you immediately upon detection of any discovery.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek and squeezed my eyes shut as my anxiety dissolved into annoyance. “Siggy?”

  “Yes, sir?”

  “I don’t care about them releasing shit into empty space.”

  “Apologies, sir,” said the AI. “I promised to inform you of all changes regarding the Reliant or planetary scanning operations. Perhaps I took that too literally.”

  “Hm. You think?”

  An alert blared through the cockpit speakers, piercing the silent air, but it died after only a few seconds.

  “What the hell was that?” I asked.

  “Another change has been detected in the transport vessel, sir.”

  “More shit escaping into the black? Or has a garbage chute opened this time?”

  “Neither, sir. The Reliant is changing course.”

  “Dammit.”

  I grabbed the piloting controls as the light broadened on the holo, the Reliant’s engines igniting ever so slightly to propel the behemoth of a ship forward. The transport vessel angled away from the planet, and I altered my ship’s path to match theirs.

  We were getting closer to orbit, which meant the Reliant would soon come to a slow orbital crawl and I’d be forced to break away and head into the atmosphere alone.

  I increased the throttle and angled the Renegade Star nose-down to keep us from being too close to the Reliant’s hull. Depending on their next course correction, there was a decent chance we’d collide and my shield would graze their sixteenth deck. That wouldn’t be good for either of us.

  The controls pulled against my grip, and the muscle along my forearm flexed as I forced the Renegade Star to obey, being careful not to go too far away from what I had deemed the safe zone.

  When I was certain we were on the right trajectory, I set my speed to match theirs and allowed myself to relax—but only a little, and not for very long.

  As a Renegade, it wasn’t a matter of if things went wrong, but when.

  “Any damage?” I asked.

  “None detected, sir,” replied the AI. “However, I could run a more thorough scan if you’d like.”

  “I’m sure we’re fine, since the shields are still good, but never be afraid to give me the full report.” I placed my palm on the console. “Can’t let this baby get hurt when the paint is still fresh.”

  “Excuse me, sir. Assuming you’re speaking metaphorically, does that make me the baby?”

  “Not today, Siggy.”

  “Understood, sir.”

  “How long until we’re able to get clear of this other ship?” I rolled out my shoulders, causing the left one to pop. “I want to dock on the planet as soon as possible.”

  “That’s unknown, sir. Due to the lack of data available, I—”

  “Let’s try that again,” I said, interrupting what was sure to be a droning monologue about statistics and variables I didn’t care to listen to. “How long until we get through those orbital security scans?”

  “Approximately twenty minutes.”

  “That’s more like it. You’ll get the hang of this, Siggy. Don’t you worry.”

  “I appreciate the vote of confidence, sir,” said the AI.

  “It’s all about anticipating needs,” I pointed out. “For instance, when I ask how long until we’re able to get out from between this asscrack of another ship, maybe you could go ahead and assume I mean after we get past everyone who wants to see me dead or arrested.”

  “I shall endeavor to do so, sir.”

  “That’ll do, Siggy,” I said. I flicked my seat, casually aware of how fast my heart was beating. Usually I could keep calm and focused on a mission, but something about this job just made me nervous. I’d only run about a dozen jobs so far, and none of them had paid this well, although they were twice the work, and a lifetime of getting screwed over had taught me to be cautious.

  I’d stolen bigger prizes for far less, and I’d had to do it under gunfire. What was so special about this target that made it worth 5000 credits? With that much money at stake, I had to assume some crucial details had been omitted—details that could get me killed if I didn’t watch my back.

  Could Max have left something out about this job? Usually, a
n agent wanted to keep his Renegades alive, but from what I’d heard about my new Renegade Bounty Officer, Max Ventrose, he had a tendency to put credits over lives. I’d yet to experience that for myself, but rumors usually came from a real place, which is why I preferred to keep an eye on him.

  “You got any readings on that toy factory yet?” I asked.

  “Nothing yet, sir,” replied Sigmond. “The interference caused from our proximity to the Reliant severely limits my scanning range. Shall I disengage?”

  “No, it’s fine. That box better be there is all, or we’ll be thumbing for a ride to our next job. How’s our fuel looking?”

  “We are at twenty percent capacity, I’m afraid.”

  “Mm,” I mumbled. “That’s not going to get us far after this gig is over, but it should be enough to get to Max’s place on Leoda. Let’s hope we don’t have to leave in a hurry. Where’s the nearest off-world refueling station?”

  “The fourth planet in this system,” replied Sigmond. “Shall I mark it on the map for you?”