Docking with the Kohask ship was simple enough. They’d waited long enough to pass behind a small moon before the hologram projection of the Zyvarn ship was dropped.

  Sandra was growling at him at the airlock. Not a good start to things. JoLane said, “Sandra. Cool it. I can talk some sense into Shilo. I got this.”

  Sandra huffed and ruffled her fur before she stormed off into the depths of the spaceship.

  JoLane asked, “How did you find us, Shilo? More importantly, why?”

  “I didn’t know I was going to find you here. My ex dropped some clues for me to investigate.”

  JoLane’s ears twitched. “Your ex?”

  “Lead security on the FTL Lanes. She said there had been a glitch. Dropped enough clues that I had to investigate. As soon as I saw the Zyvarn ship, I suspected smuggling. Only I never guessed it was smuggling Kohask.”

  “We’re not smuggling anything.”

  “Illegal colonization. Same thing.” Shilo boarded the ship and slammed his fist down on the button to close the airlock.

  “It’s not that either. The law isn’t being broken here. Possibly a mild twist. But it’s harmless. In fact, it helps create a safer galaxy. That should be worth something.”

  “Start talking.”

  “I will if you’d calm down. First, I need to report to Sandra. She was disturbingly less confrontational than I expected.”

  “You were shockingly firm with her.”

  JoLane smiled, “Thanks. Yes. These past few months working with the Kohask has shown that strong and firm works the best. We try to keep Jolangus and Kohask work shifts and communication separate. But I’ve had to work alongside Sandra to make that happen. I think she’s just the biggest softy. As long as she’s been fed. She gets … there’s a human slang for it.” JoLane bit her lip as she thought. “Hangry. Very, very hangry.”

  “This is all lovely except it doesn’t explain how ship hundreds or thousands of Kohask weekly through the FTL is legal. If it’s so above board, then why the secrecy?”

  “We are shipping the Kohask off too many of the new colonies. That’s all.”

  “That doesn’t explain the FTL lane. Where are these colonies? They’re not in this system and yet I followed the Zyvarn ship right into the black hole. Or was that another hologram?”

  “No. That was the ship. I think Sandra should explain the next parts. Wait here and I’ll check to make sure Sandra is up for company. You’re looking good, by the way.”

  “Um. Thanks.”

  “Sandra mentioned you’d swelled the last time she’d seen you.”

  “Last time? Ohh. The wedding. Yes, a slight allergic reaction.” Shilo paced the cargo hold and settled on sitting on some crates. “I’ll just wait right here for Sandra, then.”

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  Sandra entered the hold, her toenails clicking on the metal as she walked across and leapt onto a similar crate. She took up a tense posture with the fur on her back ruffled. “I saved your life. Multiple times. Currently, I think I am keeping you alive because doing otherwise would threaten the deal with the Jolangus. I think keeping you alive was a mistake.”

  Shilo swallowed. This wasn’t the mostly happy werewolf that he’d danced with back at the station. “I see no need for such thoughts. I explained to JoLane I had no idea it would be you that I found.”

  “Don’t be silly. You expect that I am to believe you didn’t recognize the Zyvarn ship?”

  “I had my suspicions. But the Zyvarn operate many such ships. How was I supposed to know it was the same one?”

  “JoLane says you’re leaving and that I should allow it.”

  Shilo wiggled in his seat. JoLane said be firm. He spoke louder and cleared his throat after his voice tried to crack. “I’m considering it. But first I need to know where the Zyvarn ship went and how shipping Kohask to new colonies isn’t breaking a law.” This was harder than shooting demonic rats in the dark. Had he been too firm? Not firm enough. “Come on. How am I supposed to be reassured that nothing nefarious is going on?”

  “Don’t you trust me? How about JoLane?”

  “I need to know. Where did the Zyvarn ship go?”

  Sandra swished her tail and rolled her eyes. She pulled her upper lip back, showing her canines. “Fine. You are troublesome. JoLane tells me you weren’t the one to find me, but it was your ex. I need to know in return if she’s a threat.”

  “If she is?”

  “Then she becomes a problem for me. Is that a problem for you?” Sandra scratched at the crate she was sitting on.

  Shilo swallowed. Was Sandra now threatening Kristy’s life? Why had he stumbled onto this? Shilo should have sent Danny packing. “Tell me about the Zyvarn ship. Your hologram and transponder spoofing has resolved any issues with the human division of space transport.”

  Sandra curled her lips again. “An oversight during the test flight. Of course, a trip through FTL is logged and when the ship didn’t arrive, it was presumed lost. We picked up an emergency broadcast requesting a ping of the ship’s location. Thankfully, we’d disabled the automatic response and knew our mistake. We returned running dark. Although we are now paying for two trips through the FTL eating into our budget for each colonization trip. And spending a fortune on every minute creating holograms the size of a ship. The Zyvarn ship is in a series of systems that are defunct. There’s an ancient FTL route that has taken a considerable amount of time and resources to restore. I can’t tell you precisely where in the galaxy it is, only that we can use the Maltin station black hole to arrive at a desolate and very much empty part of space.”

  “Unsanctioned colonization is illegal.”

  “Unsanctioned colonization in known space is illegal. This is a new FTL route. It’s not under intergalactic law.” She spat out the word intergalactic, enough she had to wipe saliva away.

  Sandra could be right there. Colonization law wasn’t his specialty, but he knew nothing except the impracticalities of space and time prevented a species from trekking across the depths of space like old earth had done. It’s not like the Kohask had created new FTL lanes. “How many systems have you found?”

  “Enough that our problem is solved. Assuming we can move enough Kohask through in a timely manner. But sending any that we can, ensures that those making it to the new systems will never be used like the Zyvarn did.”

  “So that’s all this is. Send some Kohask through to empty space. Why the secrecy? Why not lay a claim on the route? I don’t understand FTL travel enough but how is it even possible? Each black hole is connected to only one other.”

  “So the plagiums have told us. The trip through the alternate route is dangerous, but the scientists and engineers that modified the Zyvarn ship assure me that it’s stable enough for a thousand years.”

  JoLane returned to the hold. “It’s a warm sign that there’s no blood on the walls or floor. I take it you’re happy now, Shilo?”

  “Enough so.”

  Sandra purred, then growled. “And the department of space transport.”

  Shilo shrugged. “I’m not on talking terms with my ex. What she does I can’t be sure of, but I’ll be sure to let her know the glitch she detected was a harmless anomaly. Your method of using a hologram and spoofed transponder shouldn’t raise anymore questions. But consider mixing up the schedule and get some more ships. Not one company in existence keeps to such a tight schedule as every Thursday afternoon.”

  Sandra said, “We are working on modifications to other ships. Don’t die alone in space, detective. Next time call ahead or better yet, wait for me to find you.” Sandra hopped down off the crate and walked away.

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  Leo’s prospects darken when he’s sent on a peacekeeping mission to the mysterious desert lands of Ro-Tawgh—a perceived punishment for his dangerous, unstable powers. He joined the king’s services hoping to make a difference only to be cast away.

  But when an ancient and deadly magic stirs and old enemies resurface, Leo and the crew of the Arcturus find themselves in the heart of a storm.

  Amidst the hazards of the desert, while they battle strange creatures, they will find an unexpected ally where they least expect one.

  In a world of fragile peace, shadowy secrets, and unpredictable powers, can Leo master his magic before it destroys everything he loves?