moment of silence as everyone waited for the fifth and final team to announce their bid. But the fifth team leader simply waived his hand, indicating a pass on his turn to bid. He appeared either uninterested or unwilling to commit to a bid so early in the process.
“Sixteen, plus!” the first team re-bid.
“Fifteen, plus!”
“Thirteen, plus!”
Again, the bidding got to the fifth team, and again they waived their turn. The turn then went to back to the first team, who paused, and then indicated that they were no longer interested in the job, the bid having gone below what they were prepared to work for. In a show of solidarity, the other teams also indicated they were done bidding. Tobin shook his head and returned to the side of the room to rejoin Nathan and the others.
“What happened?” Nathan asked, confused. “I thought we needed to hire a crew?”
“Patience, Captain,” Tobin smiled as he strolled past them and headed towards the exit. “The negotiations have not yet concluded.”
Nathan turned to follow Tobin, still unsure of what was going on. He looked at Jalea, who remained stone- faced as usual as she walked away.
Moments later, they found themselves outside the labor hall, walking down the steps.
“What the hell was all that for?” Nathan inquired, hoping for more of an explanation now that they were outside and away from the locals.
“It is all part of the ritual, Captain. Each of us must play our role in the ceremony,” Tobin assured him.
“So, you’re saying that-”
“You don’t look Volonese,” a voice called from behind him.
Nathan turned to see a small man, barely twenty years of age. His hair was shaggy, with most of it tied back in a pony tail. He wore the customary cloak and was preparing to pull the hood up over his head to protect himself against the Haven sun’s unusual radiation.
Nathan recognized the man as having been in the hall earlier, sitting near the leader of the fifth team. “We don’t?” Nathan responded. Tobin flashed Nathan a stern look as a caution against conversing.
“You’re too clean,” the man continued as he came out of the shadow cast by the building. “Volonese almost never shave. And their women are usually fat and ugly,” he added, eyeing Jessica as he spoke.
“We’re going for a new look,” Nathan joked, ignoring Tobin’s warning.
“Is there something we can do for you?” Tobin interjected, hoping to take over the exchange to prevent Nathan from saying something unwise.
“We’ll take the job,” the man announced.
“At eight percent? Minus fees and expenses?”
“I believe your price was ten?”
“Ah, but you seek to circumvent payment to the labor hall, do you not?” Tobin countered.
“As do you,” the little man pointed out. “And I am the only one out here offering to take the job, sans the labor hall’s fee.” It was obvious that the young man was not new at this type of wheeling and dealing. Nathan found the process intriguing.
“My mistake. Ten it was,” Tobin conceded. “And you can meet the terms of delivery? It is a rather fast job, considering the quota.”
“It will not be a problem. We’ve got the best harvester pilot on all of Haven,” the man boasted.
“Forgive me, I do not intend offense. But you seem a bit young for this job.”
“Possibly, but maybe that’s why we’re willing to take the job for the measly rate you’re offering,” the man smiled. He obviously didn’t care if he was being offensive, which made Nathan want to hire him all the more.
Tobin bowed his head in deference, refusing to take offense at the man’s rebut. “Perhaps. Then it is agreed. I assume your crew is ready to begin work immediately?”
“No choice, not if we wanna complete the job in two days.”
“Then have one of your representatives join me at berth four-thirteen for the ride up,” Tobin explained.
“You people aren’t going?” the young man asked, as he circled slowly around them, paying particular attention to Jessica as he passed.
“They have other business to conduct before returning to their ship.”
“Uh huh.” The man smiled as he passed Jessica. “Shame. You definitely ain’t from Volon,” he grinned.
Nathan smiled. He definitely liked this guy.
“Find anything interesting?” Nathan asked his friend as they returned to Tobin’s vehicle.
“Interesting, yes. But not useful,” Vladimir said. “But the day is still young, and Danik tells me there is very large open market where they sell used components for small spacecraft. It is on the other side of the spaceport.”
“Captain,” Tobin called. He had finished making plans with the young man representing the harvesting team and had rejoined them. “I must return to my ship and escort the harvesting crew and their ships back to yours.”
“Their ships?” Nathan inquired, a bit surprised by the inference of multiple spacecraft.
“These teams usually have at least two or three small ships. One harvester that collects material from the rings and delivers it back to your ship, and one or two cargo shuttles to haul equipment and workers, as well as to ferry some of the harvested material back to Haven for resale in order to collect your payment and theirs. I have instructed them to use at least two ships for hauling back to Haven, as I expect you will require significant resources with which to purchase the supplies you desire.”
“Sir,” Jessica interrupted. “I’d recommend we send Ensign Mendez and Sergeant Weatherly back to the ship with them. I’d feel better if Enrique kept an eye on the harvesting operations in my absence.”
“Very well,” Nathan agreed. “Tobin, can you take two of my people back with you?”
“Of course, Captain. I should return to Haven within a few hours at the most. Meanwhile, might I suggest that you spend some time in our street markets. Perhaps try some of our local cuisine. You may find something you wish to purchase for use on your vessel. I’m sure Jalea will serve as an adequate guide in my absence, as this is not her first time on Haven.”
“You don’t mind?” Nathan asked Jalea, not wanting to assume her assistance would be so forthcoming.
“It would be my pleasure, Captain.” Jalea smiled, placing her hand on his forearm to lead him toward the street market.
Vladimir watched as they strolled past him, a smirk on his face. He looked over at Jessica, who bore a suspicious look that somehow made Vladimir’s smirk magically disappear. Sensing the tension, Vladimir decided to follow Nathan and Jalea, along with Danik.
“You two head back to the ship with Tobin,” Jessica ordered Enrique and Sergeant Weatherly. “I need you to handle security on board while I’m down here. Who knows how many of these workers you’re gonna have running around the flight deck. So keep your eyes open, and recruit anyone you need from the crew to help you. Do not let them beyond the flight deck, understood?”
“No problem, Jess,” Enrique answered. “Come on, Sarge, let’s mount up,” he told him as he climbed into the vehicle.
— 3 -
Nathan and Jalea strolled casually down the crowded promenade, with Jessica, Vladimir, and Danik close behind. The wide lane was paved with something similar to concrete, the exact composition of which seemed a bit rockier than what was widely used on Earth. There were vendor booths lining the streets, with small shops of varying types directly behind them. Some of the booths were independent of the shops, while others were merely extensions of the businesses behind them.
The crowd was thick with all manner of people, some buyers and some sellers. There were women shopping for their families, with men standing by their sides. There were crews from various ships, all looking to buy needed goods and services. They all had the same, impoverished look about them, as if they had always been forced to make do with not enough.
