A Starship Called Starsong

Chapter 32

A port city was usually one of the busier places on the planet, and even this remote planet was no exception. Travelers from other cities were here shopping or just having a good time.

I blended right in, and no one knew who I was. It was a type of freedom I had not truly had since my last ship-leave. And I was thoroughly enjoying every minute of it.

I picked up a picture made from the local rare metal. About the size of a sheet of paper, the multi-colored metal had been molded into a 3D scene of a forest in greens, bronzes, and browns. It would probably make a good birthday present for my brother.

"You should ask if he has others like it."

Starsong's comment made me curious, and I asked the man behind the counter, "This is really nice. Do you have others like it?"

He nodded and dug around under the counter before pulling out three different scenes. One immediately caught my eye; it was a blue, purple, and black galaxy scene with hints of planets and a few bright spots that were stars.

With a bit of bartering, I had that one tucked away in a bag. We were heading closer to my brother's location, so I would keep it with me until I had to mail it the last little ways.

I continued to enjoy my ship-leave, although if an emergency did come up, I had my communication device tucked into a pocket. That didn't take the mindlink into account either.

*         *         *

I walked into the trading house café, once more in my uniform. The two traders were already sitting at a table waiting for me - and they weren't fighting with each other. It didn't escape my notice that the staff kept glancing at them in complete disbelief. I was very certain that having them sitting peacefully together was a first for anyone who knew them.

Unlike our first meeting, this time they were focused on me. I had halfway expected them to fail, which would have freed me to hand in the already-completed paperwork that would allow me to bypass these two. It looked like they had managed to come to terms with one another and were ready to get down to business.

Most people would have likely thought that I would be disappointed that they were working together since I would be unable to bypass them, but this scenario was actually better for a long-term trading agreement. With both of them being forced to work together, it formed a series of checks and balances, and, more importantly, it didn't limit the amount of metal I could buy. I now had potential access to every mine's supply. That was the biggest win.

I ordered a tea at the counter before taking it to where the men were waiting. I sat down as I greeted them, "Good evening, gentlemen. I hope you weren't waiting too long for me."

They both shook their heads as the one replied, "No, we just got here."

I settled right down to business. "I am rather curious to see what trade proposals you have made."

They started lining up papers with numbers for me to inspect. Starsong commented, "There is no over-inflation present in any of these offers or numbers. The bulk prices for a hundred crates or more is quite good. It is quite straightforward, and you know what we are after."

They were taking me rather seriously, which was a first for any trade supplier so far. Although it was probably because I had caught them off-guard so badly last time. I moved a couple of the papers closer for a better look. This metal came in various qualities and colors, and there were price discounts for larger bulk purchases.

Starsong's lack of feedback meant that any of the offers were fine, and we had already gone over what would sell best at some of our future stops, so I knew exactly how much of each I was supposed to buy.