Shilo Zander settled into his chair behind his desk back on his little minor space station far removed from the cluster of the galaxy. The troubles and corruption of the galaxy seemed to find him out here all the same. Shilo flicked Danny’s identification badge across his table and then placed his index finger on it and slid the badge around the edges of the console.

  Had Danny’s visit been because of Kristen’s concern over some FTL troubles? Or was there something deeper there?

  Shilo pulled up a folder on his console. It was a jumble of characters which he’d randomly jammed into the terminal years ago. But the first seven characters were burned into his memory. Currently, the file was deleted and last accessed long before he’d settled on starting his PI business. Shilo restored the folder and browsed the contents refreshing his mind with the jumble of possibly corrupt officers. The list was long, the evidence low. Danny had made the list and dropped off the list multiple times. Shilo dragged Danny’s folder into the folder of suspects.

  He then opened the folder labeled simply with a pair of question marks. Probably a Hoshaness crime boss. Likely connected with port dealings with a Hoshaness with an alias of Oscar Lorne. It might even be Oscar Lorne and while that particular crime boss was known to the force to be trouble his financials were smooth as ever and always had seamless alibis.

  Hoshaness had mastered criminal enterprise when humanity was still playing with fires in a cave, catching one was something considered a myth. Of course, it happened but almost all known cases of a Hoshaness crime boss having their organization collapse and the authorities seize assets had been from another crime boss turning on them and rotting the enterprise from the inside.

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  He skimmed the files a touch more before closing them and pouring himself another cup of coffee. He placed in the cup a small wooden umbrella that he’d saved from his last shared drink on the Elysian with JoLane. The vacation had been refreshing—what did it mean that he considered a vacation where his ship is stolen and Gunks take a shot at him refreshing.

  But Gunks working a chop shop was if not a respectable crime—one Shilo could understand—at least when they don’t botch a job, and an Elysian dock worker ends up dead. One does what they must at the edge of civilization.

  Shilo was lost in his thoughts when the buzzer went off, alerting him to a visitor. With a brief glance to the security screen, he pressed the door release and called out. “I’m in the back.” He closed the files on his console and looked up as a lizard type alien walked in. His first thought was Jessica, which is why he’d opened the door. But the lizard before him wasn’t even a Zipper, it was a Jisper.

  He wasn’t even certain it was a female. But now that he saw them in person, he could see the scales were darker and no hint of color changing was present. Their head lacked the longer scales that Jessica had, making the creature look bald. It wore a suit and spoke with a deep voice that assured Shilo he was meeting with a male Jisper. A servant if he understood the meaning of the metal bracers.

  The Jisper repeated himself. “I have been requested to summon you.”

  Shilo set his pistol on the console.

  “You have no need for that. But Jispalla Valia, You could think of her as Queen Valia wishes to see you.”

  Shilo frowned. “We have no queens here. There isn’t a queen for light years.”

  “You’re correct. Jispalla Valia has an unusual circumstance and desires discretion and has even travelled from her core planet near the cluster pocket to find you. Your success in cases such as clearing a moon of a deceitful colony and opening the luxurious green diamond vein to the market has been of great interest to Valia.”

  Shilo tapped the pistol on his desk. “I’m not much for taking cases for Royalty.”

  The Jisper placed an inner galactic credit on Shilo’s desk. “Money has changed hands. I expect your silence on Valia’s behalf. She is no longer a royal member and is only looking for justice. She wishes for what was gifted to her as refuge. Jispalla Valia has researched you carefully, Shilo. She has information you may find of value and again has great need for discretion. I believe another seven galactic credits would settle your rent for the remainder of the year. You only need to find something for her.” The Jisper placed a card on top of the credit and pressed a finger to his lips.