"What. No. I mean we drop in and inspect. This is only gathering evidence. If the Zyvarns wish you harm, maybe we could find some clues as to why and how."

"So you're not suggesting a raid."

"I am not. This is a scouting mission only."

"Disappointing."

The Kohask cargo ship did not lack in speed. Detective Zander had Sandra redirect the pilot, because the pilot wasn't a fan of taking orders from a human, and the ship arrived in the Zyvarn system from a trade route that the Kohask occasionally used.

"Let's go to that moon of the gas giant."

"It is out of the trade route. The Zyvarns are very clear that travelers go to their main planet only."

"All the more reason we should go there. I only wanted a small colony that was less likely to nuke us. But if someone doesn't want you snooping, you should snoop there first."

The Zyvarn system response was not welcoming but Sandra sent as much made up mechanical failure bullshit as she could and threw every treaty paragraph at the colony until they relented.

Sandra stood at the big door with the two other Kohask and Detective Zander. He stood behind her and made sure his pistol was functioning. She had provided it to him after the cargo ship was cleared to land. The plan was simple. Zander would sneak behind them and disappear behind the ship. He would try to find any evidence of Zyvarn involvement with Kohask trouble by looking for a biological lab.

Sandra did not trust Zander and worried that he would flee. Beyond the various subtle and not so subtle threats she had attached a tracking device to Zanders arm. "This explodes if it's removed right?"

"That's correct." Sandra patted him on the head.

The door opened and Sandra stepped out, clicking and clacking wildly in the Zyvarns native tongue. The other Kohask followed suit complaining about the made up mechanical troubles. Zander dropped down off the the ramp and rolled below into the service pipe. He burned his hand on the first pipe and rolled clear of the rest. Isopods scurried below him in a line. The ones above on the deck fumed with the Kohask. To Zander that consisted of growls and howls from the Kohask and meaningless but annoying clicks from the isopods.

The station was simple enough to navigate. The service deck that he was on completed on full circle. The landing deck above held the Kohask cargo ship and two Zyvarn craft. Below zander was the rest of the base which consisted of small tunnels and little rooms. Zyvarn crawled around poking their heads in and out. Most tunnels were barely the size to fit Zander, Sandra would have no way of moving around most of the Zyvarn station. The most direct evidence would be if Zander could catch the Zyvarn holding a Kohask prisoner.

That meant he didn't need to search the entire base and Zander found the Zyvarn feeding on Kohask but also following baby howls led him to a nursery raising baby Kohask. "Sandra. Sandra. Do you copy? The Zyvarns are running a nursery. A Kohask nursery."

Static responded. Zander crawled closer attempting to photograph the nursery capturing a Zyvarn with a baby Kohask. His arm got stuck in the pipes. "Damn tracker." Zander pulled hard and his hand slipped right out of the tracker. Beep. Beep. "Shit!" Zander rolled on the pipes and squeezed through to fall below. He wrapped himself in his trench coat and covered his ears waiting for the explosion.

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The station erupted in chaos. Alarms and Zyvarns shooting. Kohask crawled on walls and proved that Zander was wrong. Sandra was big but she could also squeeze into some tight spots.

Zander ran towards the nursery and did his best to herd the young back towards the cargo ship. He made it there with not many scratches at the time when the two Kohask arrived with injured Kohask females draped over their backs. The Kohask growled at him. The baby Kohask frightened hid in the shadows.

Zander kept his pistol on the two growling Kohask. "I'm the friendly detective. Can this day just be over."

Sandra arrived and literally barked orders. The two growling Kohask backed down and tended the wounded. Sandra didn't seem any less blood lusty and Zander moved slowly. "Don't show fear. Sandra. I found some younglings." Zander stepped out of the way allowing Sandra to see the pups. She jumped past him and nuzzled the bravest and pointed to the ship. She turned around and thumped Zander on the head with the back of her paw.

Fuzzy vision, pounding headache and the smell of wet dog. At least it was a clean and shampooed dog. "Ugh." Detective Zander rolled away from the light that escaped into the window display. The light and window were fake and his poor attempt to wake himself up if it was after ten am on a work day. "Jessica! Jessica, just cancel today. Why did you bring your mutt?"

The fluff of his bed, a dark and comforting ocean of black swallowed him up. Black?

Detective Zander sat up. Sandra coiled around him and snoored. This was definitely his place. He just had an unexpected guest. Zander slipped from the Kohask's grasp, out of his bed and moved silently from his bedroom.

He brewed a cup of coffee and took a dose of painkillers for the headache. Jessica was not in, her desk was empty. The door was swinging and a note demanding money for the repairs to the space was taped to it.

Sandra joined him and Detective Zander froze. "Good morning Darling. I appreciated the help. I didn't hurt you too badly? Your assistant was here. She did not want to stay."

"You... This wasn't a dream?"

"No. Your debt with the Kohask is cleared. The pups are rescued. I was worried I caused permanent damage to you. I remained to watch over you. You are well?"

Detective Zander rubbed his eyes and shielded them from the light. "Yes, only a headache, slight concussion perhaps. But not my debt with the landlord."

"Yes, that is unfortunate. Maybe next time you won't try to shoot your visitors."

"If they schedule an appointment I won't." Zander turned down the bright lights to a soft glow that didn’t make him feel sick to his stomach.

Sandra smirked, "I might consider that." She walked across the room and tweaked the door until it closed. "Next time then." She opened the door.

"Wait. Could the Kohask perhaps fork over the bill for these repairs if I negotiate a deal to help... um help build more habitats."

Sandra lifted her ears. "Maybe, what do you have in mind?" she inquired.

"The Jolangus, they could build underground habitats. You promise them good pay and don't eat them and I am sure they would be intrigued by the offer."

"Eat them. We are not Zyvarns. We don't eat our neighbors, only our enemies." Sandra suggestively licked her lips. "Or maybe nibble on friends, in a playful manner. Would you do me a favor? The authorities don't like when I walk around unmuzzled. It scares the children." Sandra lifted the muzzle by her claws.