Family Ties, part 4

Who:- Jay, Vanessa....again
Where:- nowhere interesting.... 
 
Emerging from the rift the reverse thrusters fired.  “Vanessa” Jay said “got anything on the navi-comp?”
“We got a starsystem, about half a light-year away, picking up Space Corp. Technology there”
“Then I’d say heading there was a safe bet wouldn’t you?”
Approaching the system Vanessa said “Third planet”
She glanced back at the console “Southern hemisphere, western continent”
“Ok, bringing her in to land”
A few minutes later, The Phoenixes legs were lowered; dust billowed out from under the small vessel as it touched down the whine from the engines dying down.
Donning their field jackets, and holstering guns the Chrysler’s prepared to begin the search. Vanessa hit the door release control and The Phoenixes hatch hissed open, the embarkation ramp slowly deployed and Jay led the way to the ground. The ramp slid back into the body of the shuttle and the doors hissed once both Vanessa and Jay were safely on the ground. They looked around, they had landed in the heart of a city, it looked as though it had once been a flourishing metropolis, but now, buildings were crumbling, vehicles scattered the road, now hollow, blackened shells.
The sky was filled with black clouds.
“Whaddya s’pose happened here?” Asked Jay, not really expecting an answer
“It looks like there was a nuclear holocaust” said Vanessa “But recently, in the last few years.” She took out her tri-scanner. .Jay smirked as he noticed the label on the bottom saying ‘Property of Dr. Charles Keto Esq. Unauthorised use punishable by ointmentation’    
“Could he get any more pathetic?” Jay said as he realised the ‘mock value’ of Keto’s sad labellingness*
“A Space Corp. vessel, definitely somewhere on this planet”
“How can you tell?”
“ Well admittedly I AM getting radiation interference from the atmosphere, but the alloys used and computer core. is definitely corp.”
“Could be picking up the Phoenix”
“Oh that’s registering too, but I’m not picking up any indication that this vessel’s engines are still active. The Phoenixes engines are still warm, these don’t even register.”
“If it’s the Wildfire it may not recognise the engine”
“True, but after 5 years, would they still work?”
“Another good point, well no point hanging around here, lets make a move”
They were stopped in their tracks.
“HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!”
“What? Who..” Jay began
“Shut up!” said the stranger, he was alien and wore a uniform that made it look as though he belonged in some kind of army. “I think the boss will want to see you two.”
“The boss?..” asked Jay again
“YOU DON’T LEARN DO YOU?!” he said and beat around the back of the head Jay with the butt of his gun, knocking him unconscious. Vanessa said nothing, she watched as the stranger called some friends over “You two take him” he said to them, pointing at Jay “I’ll take the female” He approached Vanessa, taking her gun and tri-scanner.
“Don’t struggle, and you won’t get hurt, I think the boss is gonna be VERY interested in you two.”
He handcuffed Vanessa and led her into a nearby truck, into which the unconscious Jay had already been thrown; this was turning into a fun outing.
 
(* JHXMT’s dictionary of Nessness available at all good book retailers NOW!)