Free Jailed by Viola Grace

Chapter One
     
     
    Kori rose with the brightening of the lights and stood on the side of her bunk as it whisked into the wall. She used her lav, brushed her teeth and stood near the door of her cell.
    The cell door slid aside and let her out with the rest of the female minimum-security prisoners, as if there was such a thing on Janial station, an entire space station designed to hold prisoners until their trials, including persons and species that had additional abilities.
    As Kori walked with the rest of the herd, she wondered when she would get her elusive court date for her trespassing charge. Who knew that every body of water on Shiloss was sacred? Certainly not her.
    Young Nikada came up next to her and elbowed her in greeting. “Morning, Kori.”
    “Morning, Nikada. How many days now?”
    “I get out of here in two days. How many for you?”
    Kori gestured to the wall where their exit dates were posted. No Date Set was next to the name Korianne Genner of Terra.
    “Ouch. That has to hurt.”
    “It does, but I should have known that walking through a puddle on Shiloss would have gotten me into trouble.”
    “When I get out, I promise to have my brother look into it for you. He has some pull in these matters.”
    Nikada smiled brightly with complete confidence. It was endearing to see her bright fangs flashing with her smile.
    Nikada was a Wyencar. Her skin was more like the hide of a large cat than skin. The bracelets she wore kept her from shifting shape in the prison, but she was too affable to pick a fight anyway.
    Her case was also a matter of etiquette. Wyencar had rather loose dress codes, and Nikada had walked through her hotel on Vemix without clothing on. On Vemix, knees were the most lewd portions of anatomy, and they had to be covered at all times.
    Nikada faced a fine. Kori faced death if the Shiloss wanted to go that way.
    Kori pushed that thought away and quickly got her meal, sitting with Nikada and enjoying the fleeting protection that the young woman gave her. In the three months before Nikada arrived, Kori had been sent to medical twelve times for lack of nutrition. Her meals had been stolen from her by more aggressive inmates. Of course, her chronic weakness had caused a medical sweep, and the culprits had been moved to medium security. Taking more than your fair share was not recommended when your bed took your medical stats while you slept.
    They finished their meal and were going to the common yard when Kori heard her name. “Korianne Genner of Terra, please report to the chute.”
    Kori froze. “Was that what I thought it was?”
    She looked over at the nearest posting board, and next to her name the word, Now was emblazoned.
    Nikada grinned. “Go on. You might get out of here after all.”
    Kori quickly hugged her friend and said, “Keep those claws in, Nikada.”
    “Keep your spirits up, Korianne. Now, go before they send someone for you.”
    That never ended well, so Kori headed for the chute, scanning her prison id, stepping into the column and holding her breath as she was sucked upward toward the judicial processing centre.
    She was escorted under guard to the administration office and she stood silently as she was checked in.
    When she stood in front of the magistrate, it was very basic, “The Shiloss will drop all charges but you cannot set foot on their world again. Your possessions on their world have been destroyed and you are free to go.”
    Kori whispered, “Go where? That was my last job and I don’t have a new assignment. Is there somewhere I can get on a com system and try and find a place that will take me?”
    The magistrate nodded. “You will be allowed in the public area of Janial until you can get a ride to your next job.”
    Kori sighed in relief. “Thank you, Magistrate.”
    “Quarters will be arranged. Follow the guards with you. They will take you to your new sleeping quarters.”
    Kori nodded and followed the guards to a small section of the station where