The Good Reaper: A Novel

An alien race has traveled 9,000 light years to reach Earth. They brought with them, a cure for cancer and all infectious diseases as well as advancements in propulsion technology. But is the human race ready to welcome a superior race? Is the human race ready to move beyond the narrow-mindedness of a territorial mentality? Is the human race prepared to trust strangers from a far-away world?

When Naos Oriel-Achernar volunteered to be part of the second phase of the study of the human race, he had no preconceived notion of breaking Ranjisan law. But that was before he got to know, admire and even love the human race. Naos was part of the medical discovery team that was tasked with observing human medical conditions and treatments. Phase I of the study of the human race consisted of strictly areal observation. Naos was a part of Phase II. In order to study humans more closely, Ranjisi observers posed as humans and blended into human society. Naos was assigned to work in a hospital in New York City.

Rule one of the Ranjisan exploratory bylaws prohibit direct involvement in human medical treatments. Naos was only there to observe and report back, but living among the humans was far different than studying them from the sky. Humans are rough around the edges and sometimes cruel but Naos found them exciting and he grew to love and admire them. He couldn’t stand to see them suffer with diseases that were cured on Ranjisan, centuries ago. All disease had been wiped out on Ranjisan. Ranjisi people only died after living long and healthy lives because eventually, the blood vessels deteriorated. But that took about 150 Earth years and in the end, there was no suffering. Ranjisi left their physical bodies with dignity and that is why Naos could not understand why the human race was still opposed to assisted suicide. It really hit Naos when he watched the best friend he had made on Earth suffer for the last months of his life. Naos decided he would never watch another human die a slow and painful death.

Naos is still grieving over the death of his good friend Eli when he meets LeAnne. LeAnne is dying of a rare lung disease known as LAMS. Naos gets to know LeAnne while transporting her to and from her treatments and a friendship is born. The friendship between LeAnne and Naos gradually blossoms into much more than a friendship, but LeAnne doesn’t know who Naos really is. She knows he holds a deep dark secret, but she could never in her wildest dreams imagine what that secret is.

If Naos is willing to become an interplanetary fugitive by helping humans die with dignity, what about the possibility of taking it one step further? If the “end of life” treatments could be smuggled to planet Earth and many Earthly diseases are curable, wouldn’t it be possible for Naos to actually cure people? Wouldn’t it be possible for Naos to cure someone who has found a permanent place in his heart?

Naos is in a battle with his conscience. Should he deny his feelings and obey the laws that he was sent to Earth to live by or should he do what he knows in his heart is right and become an alien fugitive criminal?

Excerpts:

“Doctor Bockarie watched silently. Her big dark eyes seemed to never blink. She appeared amazed as she leaned in to see the front end of the Zaurak Elakribi application which displayed the computer simulated models. ‘It actually is beginning to make sense,’ Doctor Bockarie said. ‘The pods will hunt down and destroy the cells with the matching DNA. It’s amazing.' ”

“The nurses were quick to notice that Mesarthim and Doctor Bockarie frequently took breaks together. ‘Look at the Doctor’s smiles,’ Nurse Abeni remarked.
‘Her big dark eyes are smiling too. She seems to have taken a liking to the space doctor,’ Aide Folami agreed.”