Dr Wood was washing his thick fingers when the receptionist entered, smiling.

“Just one last patient Doctor Wood.”

He sighed deeply and nodded slowly. He had been senior vet now for twenty years and it was starting to get to him. Long hours for little pay, that was the upsetting bit. He hated his short stature with the bulging beer gut. Despite his middle age, his hair had gone completely.

He had always wanted a smarter office, but high rents had forced him into this grubby side street.

He dried his hands upon his dirty white coat and turning, saw an elegantly dressed lady enter with a cat box.

She approached the examination table and whispered, “Molly keeps scratching.”

“If you put her on my table mam, I will have a look.”

When the woman did so, he took a small comb and gently ran the blades across the thick ginger fur. As he did this, small black dots fell onto the table.

The proud lady looked horrified.

“They can’t be fleas.”

The doctor grimaced.

“I am afraid they are mam. Not to worry though. I have something to kill the little blighters.”

Dr Wood turned and removed a small tablet from a drawer.

“Here we are mam.”

He approached the rather nervous cat and forced its jaws open. Then he popped the tiny pill into its mouth and gently closed it again.
The animal’s response was immediate.

Its hackles raised and it spat the offending morsel back out. Then it hissed and spat before launching itself at the nearby hand.
Before the startled vet could respond, its teeth sank into his palm and broke the soft skin.

As it pulled back, the vet’s face turned scarlet and he shouted, “I’ll have you stuffed for that!”

With blood flowing freely, the injured man rushed to the waiting sink as the woman protested.

“She does not like tablets Dr Wood. No wonder she bit you.”

The vet half turned and spat, “perhaps I should stuff you too.”

Rather horrified by this snarling comment, the woman placed Molly back inside her box and rushed out of the examination room.
When the blood flow stopped, he rushed to the door and barked, “no more today Miss Tart.”

He slammed the door, cursing as he heard the receptionist leave at last.

“Why do I put up with them?” he muttered to himself. “Damn animals.”

He stalked out of the examination room and entered the small receptionist area. Thankfully, his private apartment was joined to his practice and he entered it quickly.

They called it an apartment but it was really a glorified bedsit. Tiny kitchen, living area and shoebox bedroom was all the privacy he had. He sat upon the single chair and quietly boiled.

As the sun sank that night, the awkward smog descended as factories continued to belch out their filthy waste. He suddenly had an idea.
Opening a tiny wardrobe, he spotted the top hat and black cape he had worn at a recent fancy dress party.

Grinning to himself, he removed the long white coat and threw the cape on. Then he donned the top hat and stared at his black trousers.

“Perfect disguise. Now comes my revenge.”

He glanced down at his vet’s bag and removed the laser scalpel. Then his grin became totally evil. Swirling the cape, he marched out into the night, searching for a feline victim.

Along a rather grubby alley, he stopped and knelt. Then he called out softly, “Here kitty, kitty.”

Moments later, a small ginger cat padded out and came trotting towards him in a friendly manner.

The maddened vet produced his scalpel and switching on, sliced the animal in two.

As he dashed towards his home, the thoughts of further vengeance filled his warped mind.

One month later, Jerrix and Yoland arrived.
---
The field of golden corn swayed gently in the breeze as the capsule hatch slid open. A tall woman wearing a green security guard uniform, with flowing red hair slowly emerged. Standing erect, she checked her laser pistol holster and waited for Jerrix to step out.

“It looks safe enough Jerrix. Nice and peaceful for a change.”

She watched the five-foot high cat stepping into the open, noting his swaying dark blue cloak.

Jerrix checked his gold throat clasp and smoothed down his thick black fur. His bright yellow eyes settled upon the scorched exterior of the escape capsule. Dark smoke was still rising as the ejected white chutes lay in the near distance.

“At least that white bib of yours never got toasted,” Yoland said jokingly.

He stroked the bib beneath his throat and scowled back.

“I am certainly happy that we survived the experience.”

“So who attacked us?” Yoland asked.

“That is something I would like to know,” Jerrix replied gazing across the corn.

“So where are we this time?” Yoland asked.

Jerrix sniffed the air and smiled.

“It looks like Belcite Three to me my dear. Can’t you smell the acrid odour?”

Actually, she had.

“Must be from a factory,” she commented.

“As a matter of fact my dear, it’s from the nearby city.”

She looked surprised by this piece of news.

“It’s not like your generation star ship my dear,” the cat explained. “This community relies on old fashioned manufacturing processes.”

“I think that I understand,” Yoland replied.

“Good. Now shall we go?” Jerrix suggested.

She followed him through the cornfield and down a short hill, towards what she viewed as a scene from the bowels of hell. The city itself was well hidden beneath a cloud of black smog. Tall smoke stacks spewed this out, twenty-four seven.

“We can’t go there,” she complained. “Think of the lung damage.”

The cat shook its furry head.

“Believe it or not my dear. None of that is toxic. Just very difficult to see through.”

“I’ll eh, take your word for it.”

They followed the main track and found themselves quickly enveloped. Yoland noticed the sudden reduction of visibility.

“This will take some getting used to.”

The cat smiled.

“Those who live here are quite used to it.”

The track had given way to a wide thoroughfare. To the left, Yoland perceived a huge dirty factory through the smog and beyond that, the rowdy sounds of a rather lively bar.

“The bars are not for your eyes my dear,” the cat advised. “Far too bawdy.”

They strolled along the street, noting the filthy walls that stood right next to a smallish restaurant.

“The more I see this city, the less I like it,” Yoland muttered.

“Yes,” the cat replied. “It is a bit depressing.”

They had reached a junction, noting the lack of traffic, when they both heard a terrible squeal from the left side street. Jerrix reacted at once.

“Come on my dear. Let us see what’s up.”

He dashed forward with Yoland in pursuit until she saw him stop suddenly.

“What have you found now?” she asked.

The cat knelt and felt tears rise.

“Somebody butchered a brother of mine.”

Yoland looked down and saw a small cat with its belly cut open. She stepped back.

“I think I’m going to be sick.”

The cat glanced up.

“Anywhere but here my dear.”

As she was engaged in the unpleasant act, Jerrix stroked the warm dead animal.

“Damn butchers.”

Another voice drifted toward him.

“What do we have here?”

The cat glanced up and saw a black uniformed officer walking up to them.

“What does it look like?” the cat hissed.

As Yoland returned, the officer gazed down at the obvious crime.

“Seems that I have caught the mutilator. I smell promotion here.”

Now the cat got angry.

“My name sir is Jerrix Tau. Check your register.”

The officer produced a phone like device and typed in the name.
Jerrix saw his eyebrows rise with surprise.

“It says here that you are a criminal investigator?”

“Of course I am sir. What of it?”

He saw the young officer smiling.

“I had better take you to headquarters. The warden will want a word.”

“The who?” Yoland asked.

“Head investigator,” Jerrix chipped in.

The cat stood up as the officer led the way through the gloom towards a well-lit single storey building. Yoland noted the lack of vehicles.

“Does everyone walk?”

Jerrix shook his head.

“They own cycles my dear. With this gloom it is far safer you know.”

They climbed the short steps and entered the main building. At the reception desk, the officer saluted the sergeant and reported.

“I need to take these two to see the warden.”

The sergeant glanced at the two strangers.

“They don’t look important enough.”

“They could help find this maniac,” the officer suggested.

The sergeant rang the desk bell and moments later, a tall, dark uniformed individual walked from a poky rear office.

“What’s up?” the warden asked.

The sergeant pointed.

“Hubbard brought these two in sir.”

The young officer saluted again.

The warden walked around the desk and regarded the strangers with interest.

“What crime did you two commit?” he asked.

“Jerrix Tau at your service sir.”

The warden looked rather nonplussed.

“Is that supposed to sound important?” the warden asked.

The officer chipped in.

“Sorry sir. He's a criminal investigator. Found another cat mutilation.”

Now the warden’s attitude changed completely.

“You taking an interest then?”

Jerrix nodded vigorously.

“What are you doing about it?” the cat demanded.

The question took the warden aback.

“I set up a small taskforce sir. Why not join it?”

“We would be glad to.”

The warden dismissed the young officer and took them up a flight of stairs and into a small department. At the far end, two female officers turned around.

“Holley, Hair. I have some help for you,” the warden said.