JoLane gave him a small smile. “All better. I don’t like it when friends fight. Huh. I just called Sandra a friend. Might be too much time in deep space.”

  Shilo laughed. “Yeah. I think she’s good too. As good as anyone can be in this galaxy. Might be a bit rough around the edges. The Kohask are presented with a tough choice. Overpopulation and war is a terrible business plan.”

  JoLane gave him a bigger smile and her ears twitched forward. “Speaking of business. This habitat building has been lucrative, and this latest stint of the operation has plenty of down time. I won’t have to run another haul like this for a couple weeks. Then it’s back to field work, which sucks and is a month-long stint on a moon. Which is why I booked a week cruise on the Elysian’s Breath. I can upgrade for a second room. Actually, I had booked a second room, but it was foolish of me to think Sandra would enjoy a vacation, no matter how badly she needs a pedicure.” She bounced, her powerful legs sending her flying towards the ceiling, where she caught herself. “I’m so embarrassed. You’re going to say no. A week is too long, isn’t it? Give’s you the wrong impression. Let me at least pay for a dinner. We could even talk business. I’m sure the JoLangus need a detective for something.”

  Shilo laughed. “I’m not sure what to think. I’m always on my toes here. Dinner sounds lovely, but a cruise of luxury doesn’t seem like my style. I’m not sure on the logistics here. Where is the Elysian’s Breath at?”

  “We are headed towards the large gas giant’s moon where it’s stationed at. You’d be making Sandra happy if the ship didn’t have to slow down. I’ll get my things and be right back.”

  Shilo nodded, then made a call to the department of space transport. Kristen answered his call.

  “I thought I might hear from you. Seems you got the wrong idea and got lost. I see this call is coming patched through the Maltin hub, which means you went and explored my glitch even after I told you it was a simple nothing.”

  “Guilty. You know me so well, Kristy. Your wasp is a nothing.”

  “Of course it’s a nothing. I hope it stays that way.”

  “Me too. I need a vacation or a day off. I might try out a couple days on the Elysian’s Breath.”

  “The Elysian’s Breath. A Luxury cruise. I tried to get you to do that once.”

  “I know that. Kristy. You’re right. What you said on the elevator, that is. I’m always trying to save something bigger than myself. Maybe the galaxy will have to work out its problems on its own.”

  “That would be a first.”

  Shilo hung up on the call and helped JoLane shuffle bags onto his ship. “After the strange week of going on a weird search across the galaxy for no pay or even hint at a job, I have to say the idea of dinner on a luxury cruise ship and some peace and quiet sounds rather inviting.”

  They parked his cruiser in the ship’s luxury garage and JoLane checked herself in and discussed options for rebooking her second room. It wasn’t looking promising as her nose was twitching and her ears were laid back. “JoLane. It’s fine. As long as I can get to some affordable fuel, I can get back home. You suggested dinner and perhaps a drink and then I can leave. Besides, I’d hate to see what they’d charge for parking my ship for the week. That alone is likely twice my apartment rent.”

  “Don’t be silly. I offered to pay. I’ll have them top off your ship from here. But seems they already gave out the other room or won’t rebook it. The least I can do is pay for your dinner and top off your fuel tank.” JoLane took a room key and passed Shilo a day pass. “Come on. This liner has everything. Swimming pools. Theater. Dinner with a view.”

  “I’m not much for shows and didn’t pack … well, anything, let alone swim wear. Dinner sounds like a great idea and then I’ll just be off.” They walked along the hallways and picked up a map at some point. JoLane was taking in sights and stopping at every booth to see what excursions there might be.

  The liner had seven full meal restaurants and while the choices were exquisite with meal choices, they couldn’t go wrong on they settled on the main diner with the largest view of space currently positioned to watch the red and gold gas giant they were in orbit with. The planet had five large rings and even a moon that rings as well. The moon had been terraformed and was primarily water, reminding Shilo of his trip with the Plozun. “I’ve had a few wild cases since the demonic rats, but the mildest and easiest to solve was with a group of Plozun squabbling over an inheritance. If I could solve every case wearing my swim trunks on a beach, this would be the life.”

  Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.

  They ordered their meal and JoLane gave him a toast. “To less demonic rats and to more friends amongst the stars.”

  “Cheers.”

  A series of performers came out starting with a Lutan singer, which human ears must not have been designed for. The deep throat singing reminded Shilo of quadratops calls than birds singing. But the rest of the diner’s guests applauded. The wait staff noticed their discomfort and brought out some ear buds, which adjusted the pitches to a much more tolerable range.

  The next performance was a group of Ryshaloians brought out in a large tank. The eels collectively played music using their tails to work the keys on the piano’s.

  JoLane’s ears perched up. “So much more relaxing.”

  Shilo asked, “Would you like to dance?”

  “I thought you wouldn’t ask.”

  Shilo stood up and offered his hand. “I wouldn’t know how to dance to the Lutan’s singing. But if you’re willing to allow me to trip over your feet in a slow circle, perhaps I could pass that off as a dance.”

  “Are you calling my feet big?”

  “No. I’m calling myself clumsy.”

  The waiter interrupted them on their way to the dance floor. “Excuse me. You’re Shilo Zander. You arrived today. I have just been informed that a room has been found for you. Your room and board, along with credit for excursions, have been provided. On the house.”

  JoLane coughed when the waiter showed them the number of credits that Shilo had been offered. It would allow them to book every excursion twice and include free drinks and a separate line of credit for gambling. “There must be some mistake. I only requested a room. You’re not charging that line of credit to my account, are you?”

  “Oh no. This is an offer from Elysian’s Breath. I hope this resolve’s any inconvenience.”

  Shilo nodded. “Um. That’s very generous. I was content with a dinner and then ready to take off.” He brushed the agreement away. “I couldn’t accept this.”

  The waiter frowned. “That’s unfortunate. If there is anything the cruise failed to deliver on, please allow us the chance to fix any issue. The happiness of our guests is our top priority.”

  “Shilo. Accept the offer. That’s a free vacation you’re about to turn down.”

  “Well, I could stay the night.”

  “Perfect. It’s settled. Accept the package so he can get back to his work and we can dance before the song ends.”

  Shilo signed the papers and swapped his guest badge for the upgraded pass. They stepped out onto the dance floor and Shilo placed his arms around JoLane’s waist and looked up at her. “Don’t you think that was rather odd?”

  “No way. What did the cruise liner lose, giving you an empty room? Nothing. The Elysian’s Breath is still going to all the stops on its way. The points they gave you are only for this cruise.”

  “Perhaps. But I’m not used to being the lucky one.”

  “I consider it luck that we met. And great fortune that you stumbled across me again.”

  Shilo stumbled a bit and caught himself before bumping into the couple next to them. “It seems like a big series of coincidences to me. I met your sister in a rather unusual place. Saved her and wished there was something I could do to save the others.”

  “Which sister?”

  “I bet you have a large family.”

  “There’s nine of us. Five brothers and three sisters, then rouge me.”

  “Oh. That is a lot. I’m the only one. I met Jill.”

  “What trouble was she up to this time?”

  “I don’t think it was her actions that brought her distress. I found her strapped to a wall in some sort of weird zoo on a mechhead planet.”

  “The robots? Why would she be there, or you, for that matter?”

  “I’m surprised she didn’t mention it to you.”

  “Like I mentioned, the work for the Kohask has me a touch further out of reach than usual. Jill has always been the adventurous one.”

  “Like you in many ways.”

  “Perhaps we are similar in a few ways.” JoLane’s ears laid back, and she pulled him closer. “Should I be worried?”

  “About Jill? I don’t see why she would return to the mech heads planet and I’m not going back either.”

  “Not that. About her. About you. You didn’t find her more attractive.”

  “What! Attractive? Um. I’m heading down a conversation that is getting complicated. Let’s focus on here and now.”

  “Why can’t you answer the question?”

  “Of course I found you sister attractive. I thought she was you. You two look remarkably similar. I rescued her because I thought she was you. Over everyone else on the mech head’s zoo. And I don’t even know what to do about the zoo. I have my camera footage, but the mechs moved the zoo after my security breach of their territory.”

  “A zoo? Of sentient species? How is this allowed?”

  “Mostly because it’s being done by the artificial lifeforms. They operate beyond the loose arrangement that passes for intergalactic law.”

  “That’s horrible. Someone should do something to stop it.”

  “I agree. I’m not sure why they would be doing something like that. Perhaps your sister knows more.”

  JoLane shook her head, allowing her ears to bouncy around. “I’d rather we change the direction of this talk. It’s not very relaxing. Would you walk with me?”

  “Of course. We won’t solve the galaxies problems tonight. And everyone needs a reminder on what’s worth living for. I haven’t found my room yet. Perhaps we could explore this space liner and plan out our day tomorrow.”

  JoLane accepted his hand. And they walked through the halls of the Elysian’s Breath until finding Shilo’s room.