“No, the rest of my afternoon’sfree.”
“Good. I was after someinformation. I’ve got a whole list of worlds to visit and most of them I’venever been to. Neither has anyone on the ship. I was wondering if you couldhelp me out.”
“I’ll tell you what I can.”
John smiled, and took another sipof his coffee.
* * *
Zimon came up on the mainscreen. A system of six inhabited planets and more than twenty moons orbitinga yellow dwarf. John made contact and reeled off the appropriate protocols. He was put through to the Governor General, addressing the person-specificetiquette and was greeted approvingly.
“Yes, yes, nasty business what’sgoing on in the outer reaches,” the Governor General conceded, his eyesremaining on John while his attention flitted about the bridge. “It hasn’taffected business yet, but I can see how it might if it is allowed tocontinue.”
“My superiors would like toengage in an alliance with your world,” John said.
“An alliance?” The GovernorGeneral’s head tilted almost forty five degrees to one side. “You wish toengage us in a war that is not of our concern?”
“No,” John shook his head. He’dread the various treaties. Command had anticipated such questions and providedanswers. “We would like to formalise an agreement to keep trade open.”
The Governor General’s head straightenedand his brow creased, dropping low enough to cover his eyes before raisingagain.
“I do not see the need for such aformal agreement. As you can see,” he swept his hand horizontally across thefront of his body as though showing what he was speaking of, “from the numberand variety of ships that trade here, formal agreements are hardly necessary.”
“May I come down and discuss it–”
The frown reappeared.
“Or I could send a copy of theagreement for your perusal.”
“That will be sufficient.”
John tapped the keypad in the armof his chair, opened the file and sent the treaty.
The Governor General’s gazelowered. His pupils widened then contracted as though artificially focusing. A few seconds later, he looked back up to the screen.
“This seems straight forward andmildly beneficial. I extend a dinner invitation to you and one other where wecan discuss it properly.”
“Thank you.”
“I will send details…”
John looked across to Tan, whonodded the moment the information came through.
“Do not be late. I am a busyman.”
The transmission ended and thescreen returned to its view of the planet they were orbiting.
“Fifty two minutes. Formal,” Tanadvised.
“Giacomo,” John decided, knowingthe pilot had been there before.
Giacomo nodded.
“McReidy, you’re in charge.” John hit the intercom. “Mister North, Mister Hartford, to the bridge.”
* * *
It seemed a dozen or more guestshad received the Governor General’s dinner invitation. John ran a fingeraround the inside of his collar while he scanned the room.
“Not what I’d expected either,sir,” Giacomo agreed.
“Let’s make the most of it,” Johnspied the Governor General surrounded by suits probably all with similarintentions as his. Exclusive trade would drive prices up and increase profits.
They separated, drifting aroundthe room, joining a conversation or two and listening out for anything thatmight be useful. The suits initially regarded the uniforms with apprehension. A polite manner and carefully placed compliment usually relaxed the mood,though the antagonism of one had John bowing out gracefully. Eyes calm, smileplastered, mood simmering.
Dinner was an informal affairwhere guests helped themselves to the contents of the table in the centre ofthe room. Delicacies ranged from pickled jellies and candied bugs to tentacledconglomerates.
“Sir?” Giacomo asked, pointing ata black mass moving on a plate.
“Don’t even ask,” John told him.
Drinks were flowing freely. Openbottles with dubious labels surrounded by glasses waiting to be filled wereplaced appropriately on the table. Within an hour or two, a few guests wereexpressing opinions they wouldn’t have mentioned if they were sober. TheGovernor General oversaw the proceedings with an experienced manner.
John was still on his first drink– an orange liquid that his scanner told him had twice the alcohol content ofthe rum he usually drank.
A little more daring, Giacomotried something his scanner said was safe. It had the consistency of a seaweedroll. He struggled on the first mouthful.
“Tastes like rope,” he mumbled.
A couple of bites later and itwas gone. He washed it down with half a glass of purple liquid.
“Take it easy,” John told him.
“Scanner says it’s nonalcoholic.”
“I doubt there’s anything nonalcoholic here.” He turned his back to the Governor General and lowered hisvoice. “See how the Governor General’s keeping his eye on everyone?”
Giacomo glanced over John’sshoulder, his gaze crossing from one side of the room to the other.
“Yep,” he muttered as his eyesrested on a couple of suits mumbling with lowered heads along the side wall. “How long do we stay?”
“Until we get this treatyorganised.”
It was another half hour beforethe Governor General made his approach. Suits were swaying around the room,voices increased as balance decreased. One individual raised his empty glassto his mouth, tilting his head back to drain any remaining dregs, and toppledover. His arms splayed out to either side of his body. Guests twisted andstepped away from his touch as he grabbed at them and he thumped harmlessly tothe floor. A few seconds and the gap he’d created in the crowd closed over.
“Commander, how good of you tocome,” the Governor General greeted John.
“Thank you for inviting us,” Johnanswered, a smile plastered on his face.
“I have looked over youragreement and there is nothing in it that isn’t already occurring. It ismerely a formalisation of fact. Hardly worth your time or mine.”
John couldn’t read the man.
“I have already agreed to theconditions and sent confirmation to your superiors. Please… enjoy the rest ofyour evening. Vice Consul,” he stepped past John, raising a hand andsignalling a hulking man in purple braided formal attire, “how good of you tocome.”
“We could have stayed on theship,” Giacomo hissed.
“Manners, Giacomo,” John’s smilehad almost reached its limit. “He’ll probably time how long we stay.”
After a couple of guests had madetheir departures, John felt it polite enough to leave. He rounded up Giacomoand they swooped on the Governor General between guests, thanking him for theinvitation, the lovely evening and continuing trade.
The Governor General spewedsimilar sentiments.
No sooner were they back on Bismarck than the smile disappeared and John loosened his collar. He stepped off thetransporter pad and headed
