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“These are quality products,” Ervik stated.
The Qi’ta-ji replied.
“We are dubious about the quality of anything Humans make and sell,” translated Lu, “which is why we acquire them as bargain items.”
“You agreed to meet us to get these comms,” Ervik said. “You know that the simplicity of these comms has nothing to do with their quality. You deal with several races that could use these, which is why they are of interest to you in the first place.”
The Qi’ta-ji responded. Lu translated, “Name one.”
“The Wunatt,” stated Ervik without hesitation. “They have only somewhat made their way into space, their homegrown ships are barely space-worthy, and they are craving better connectivity. Comms such as these would be exactly what they are looking for.”
The Qi’ta-ji said something, and Lu translated, “That may be so. But who’s to say they will not then reverse-engineer these, as they tend to do with many such items?”
“So what if they do?” asked Ervik. “You still get one good sale, and they know you will bring them other useful items down the line. It’s more about the relationship than a singular item. And that’s just the Wunatt. What about the Dramorit-Onai?”
The Qi’ta-ji did not hide the surprise in her response. Almost unnecessarily, Lu translated, “How do you know of the Dramorit-Onai?”
Ervik chuckled. “We would not do well trading with non-Humans if we were only aware of a few. While no Human has yet encountered the Dramorit-Onai, we know that you have. They are as hungry as the Wunatt for newer technologies, and from what we were told, far more pleasant to deal with, overall.”
To the surprise of Jeck and the rest of the crew, before parting ways, Avra had shared a bunch of information that would be of no use to most - but was invaluable to them.
While xez traded products from non-Humans to Humans, Avra did not sell Human products to xerz non-Human trading partners. Overall, it was a less profitable market than xerz business worked with.
However, the Dawnstrider’s operation was much smaller, thus making it more lucrative to them. So Avra had provided them with a host of useful information.
Deven had acted not only as captain, but quartermaster and procurement. Ervik had requested taking that over, and Jeck was happy to let him have it. He had poured over all of Avra’s data, determined what to acquire and where to take it, and they were now a long way from Human space.
The Dawnstrider was at a Doolari trading outpost along their border with the Qi’ta-ji. As such, they were the two most dominant races to be found. Doosilnav-Baj-Pok orbited a small, icy planet at the edge of a solar system. It was a massive space station, originally comprised of a half-dozen older Doolari Homeguard-class capital ships.
Doosilnav-Baj-Pok, Avra had informed them, had never been visited by Humans before. But many of the traders who could be found there had dealings with Humans elsewhere.
The Qi’ta-ji they were meeting with, Du Vigilt a’ltin, sold Avra a type of Qi’ta-ji stoneware that extremely wealthy Humans liked to use to entertain important guests. But, Avra had assured them, Du Vigilt a’ltin liked to deal in the unusual, and had contacts with several races Humans had never heard of, including the Dramorit-Onai.
Jeck was watching Ervik work as casually as he could. Ashira stood beside him, while Lu was at Ervik’s side to translate. With Lu’s new connection to the Dawnstrider, they no longer needed anyone to remain behind with the ship.
Jeck was impressed. Ervik was playing at nonchalant but confident completely naturally.
Du Vigilt a’ltin said something, which Lu translated to, “I did not think Humans cared much for any race but themselves. I cannot deny you are piquing my curiosity. Maybe sixteen thousand credits.”
Ervik sighed. “Really? First you insult the quality of these comms we have to offer, and now that I have proven that they would be worthwhile, you offer an insanely low amount?”
Lu translated Du Vigilt a’ltin’s next response. “The twenty-four thousand you wish is a ludicrous price, and you must know that. Neither the Wunatt nor the Dramorit-Onai are particularly wealthy. We may have to take currency other than ICE credits as well.”
“Perhaps,” Ervik conceded. “But then, let’s be honest here, you would be establishing a relationship with less-experienced and hungry races, and that opens any number of exploitable channels.”
“Are you implying I would exploit customers?” questioned Du Vigilt a’ltin through Lu.
Ervik held up his hands. “Of course not. No, what I am saying is that the potential number of unique opportunities they represent—and making yourself and your operation a go-to for them—has incalculable future value. That being said, however, we are not, of course, unreasonable. Twenty-two thousand.”
Du Vigilt a’ltin chuckled, which needed no translation. She spoke, and Lu said, “That is hardly a compromise. Seventeen thousand.”
“Twenty-one thousand,” Ervik countered.
“Eighteen thousand,” Du Vigilt a’ltin said next. “And that is my final offer.”
Ervik sighed dramatically.
Jeck felt himself tense, waiting.
Ervik shook his head. “Well, this presents me with quite the conundrum. I really cannot accept less than twenty thousand for this lot. We have come a long, long way—the first Humans to ever see Doosilnav-Baj-Pok. You should have heard the controllers when we requested landing clearance. They were quite taken aback by our arrival. We might be able to convince the Doolari to buy—but I think the Qi’ta-ji have a far better handle on the wants and needs of the races Humans never see. We had hoped this to be more than a one-time transaction, too. So much opportunity....”
Du Vigilt a’ltin made a noise that Jeck thought might be a sigh. Lu translated her next statement. “I would consider nineteen thousand, but not a credit more.”
Ervik smiled warmly. “That’s more like it. We have a compact.”
Ervik extended a hand, which Du Vigilt a’ltin took. They shook. Ervik produced a datapad and made adjustments. Satisfied, he tapped a key and passed the datapad to Du Vigilt a’ltin.
The Qi’ta-ji could not hide her surprise when she read the datapad. Lu translated, “You write in Qi’ta-ji?”
Ervik chuckled. “Not exactly. We have a universal written language translator, you see.”
Du Vigilt a’ltin became very serious, speaking rapidly. Lu said, “I must have this. What must I pay for this program?”
Ervik’s smile widened. He gestured toward Jeck. “Captain?”
Jeck stepped forward. “Given how we came by it, I would not feel right charging you for it. We’ll share it under two conditions.”
“Name them,” Du Vigilt a’ltin said.
“First, you do not turn around and sell this to anyone else,” Jeck began. “If you choose to share it, you do so for free. No one may profit from selling this program to any other. And that is being enforced by the CSA.”
Du Vigilt a’ltin said through Lu, “Agreed.”
“Second,” Jeck continued. “A favor. If we have a cargo that you cannot use, you will send us to an associate who can make use of it.”
“We, in turn,” Ervik took up, “would not deny you a future cargo. In fact, we’d give you first refusal on anything that we believe might be of interest to you.”
Du Vigilt a’ltin took a moment before replying. “Agreed.”
Information was exchanged, money changed hands, and the compact was signed. Ervik and Lu stood close to Du Vigilt a’ltin to make arrangements to move the cargo from the Dawnstrider to Du Vigilt a’ltin’s possession.
Sub-vocally, so that the comms did much of the work, Ashira said, “Avra’s information was invaluable.”
“It really was,” Jeck agreed. “And I think Ervik’s found a new vocation.”
“Absolutely,” Ashira said.
Avra had explained in xerz notes that Du Vigilt a’ltin liked to be made to feel particularly special. The Qi’ta-ji trader would not respect anyone who took her “final offer,” but would be much more inclined to make another counter with the right kind of flattery.
Ervik had done a perfect job. Jeck had no doubt he could, but it was very different from his usual, aloof nature.
The extra leverage of the compact in the Qi’ta-ji language had been Lu’s idea. She believed it would gain them more, and it also made use of the flattery element Avra had presented them.
It was the first trade since Jeck had become captain of the Dawnstrider. A little less than a month had passed since the encounter with Avra, the Xorcerizts, and the history they had been witness to on the satellite in the middle of nowhere.
The new dynamic between the crew of the Dawnstrider was, on the one hand, not much changed from what it had been before. But on the other hand, they were taking a more collective ownership approach, each playing a part in the ship’s operations.
Jeck might have been named captain, but it was still a collaborative between the quartet. It was already feeling very natural.
Ervik and Lu concluded the arrangements with Du Vigilt a’ltin, bade her farewell, and joined Jeck and Ashira.
“We’re set,” Lu said. “A floating pallet will arrive at the Dawnstrider in three hours.”
“Very good,” said Jeck. He looked at Ervik. “Nice job.”
Ervik grinned. “That was fun. I think I like this new gig. But we owe Avra bigtime.”
“Xez expressed no interest in any payment,” Lu reminded him. “We did offer xerz such, after all.”
“I think this was Avra’s way of showing xerz respect for us,” Ashira said. She had told the crew about Avra knowing who she really was.
“Surreal,” Ervik said. “Deven and Chandi are going to be completely shocked about this.”
“Very possibly,” Lu agreed.
They began to navigate the station back to their ship. Despite the continued threat of the Ditufgne, life went on.
They had received the new, more powerful Xorcerizt shield generator after the meeting. Ashira was still studying it, amazed not only by how much more powerful it was than their old system, but its seamless integration with the existing couplings and shield generators. She was further convinced there had to be a way to tap into it and leverage its power for more than just the shields.
One of the reasons they had chosen to find a cargo fit for Doosilnav-Baj-Pok was its distance away from Human, Ravusq, and Zathru space. While the Doolari were among the targeted races that had been part of the mysterious Project Outbound, the Qi’ta-ji were not.
Since only Humans, Ravusq, Doolari, Zathru, and Yalifira had been targeted, the proximity to Qi’ta-ji space seemed to Jeck and the crew potentially safer than trading nearer home systems.
Not long after the conference, the Dawnstrider crew had learned of the Ditufgne provocation of the Yalifira homeworld. After their unsuccessful presentation there, they’d not yet launched another attack.
Jeck and his crew suspected they were to up something and changing their plans. What that might entail, however, remained a mystery.
Still, it seemed better to play it safe. And they had made a pretty good sale and a new contact in the process.
As they entered the primary module between the traders’ warehouses and the starship docks, the crew was beset by noises, smells, and sounds of an open bazaar. There were several races represented among the stalls, the buyers and sellers of foods, spices, and other small goods—but the crew were the only Humans.
“This place is amazing,” Ashira said.
“It is quite impressive,” remarked Lu.
“Despite being the only Humans here, nobody seems to be paying us much mind,” Ashira said.
“I am totally okay with that,” said Ervik.
Jeck’s stomach rumbled, and he realized he’d not eaten since just before landing. “Should we try to find something we can eat?”
“That could be interesting,” said Ervik. “I know there are any number of foods Humans can’t consume. Lu?”
“For the most part, anything produced by the Doolari should be safe,” she said.
They found a Doolari stand selling a bread-like substance filled with aromatic meat. Lu analyzed it and informed them it was safe. Healthy, even.
The crew made their way toward the outer edge of the bazaar, where numerous tables had been set out. Others were there, consuming food, drink, and holding conversations. Even as the crew sat to eat, Jeck was still surprised how little attention they were receiving.
Ashira asked, “Lu, are we really not being stared at?”
“I have not noticed us being much observed,” Lu said. “Overall, most just seem to be going about their business here.”
“How many times has an unusual race made an appearance in a Human-dominated sector and gotten stared at?” asked Ervik.
“Might be part of Human nature,” Ashira said. “The way we tend toward our own insularity.”
“Maybe,” Jeck agreed. “But because this is a hub for trade, maybe as unusual as we are, all of them know Humans.”
Jeck paused to look around. He saw Doolari and Qi’ta-ji the most, but also noticed Luranai, Pame, and at least two other alien races he could not identify.
“I am a bit surprised that I’ve not seen any Zathru nor Ravusq,” Jeck said. “Admittedly, this is a long way from either of their territories, but you would think we are not the only crew that trades outside our own species.”
“I have observed,” Lu began, “that those who do trade inter-species are few and far between. Perhaps Humans are less insular than you believe yourselves to be.”
Ashira swallowed a bite of her sandwich. “Clearly, despite our supposed insularity, Humans have been associating with other races for a very long time, if Project Outbound is any indication. I would be curious how long the various races out there have been participating in interstellar travel.”
“What is the name of that race the Gardarran Pulsar Confederation has been observing for the past hundred years or so?” Ervik asked.
“The Mo-heen,” replied Lu.
“I’m not familiar with this,” Jeck said.
“About 120 years ago, a scouting expedition discovered a world of advanced aliens,” Ervik said. “Well, advanced in the respect that they were using electronics, had split the atom, and had primitive satellites orbiting their one and only world. The Gardarran Pulsar Confederation decided to observe and see how they would advance.”
“Yes, I recall reading about that in school,” Ashira said. “But that was probably twenty years ago. The Mo-heen had set up a base on one of their three moons and had a manned expedition en route to the nearest planet to them.”
“I always found them fascinating,” Ervik said. “They are apparently right on the verge of either destroying themselves or unlocking the secret to faster-than-light travel. Lu?”
“Yes,” Lu agreed. “Scholars are convinced, if the ninety nations that make up the Mo-heen peoples do not all go to war with one another over differences in fur color, perceived nationality, or religion, their scientists will unlock hyperspace anytime now.”
“I wonder when the last time was that Humans made first contact with anyone?” Jeck pondered aloud.
“That is not something I have in my memory,” Lu admitted.
Jeck gestured vaguely to those around them. “I see two races in this bazaar I don’t recognize.”
Ashira paused and looked around. “Yes, I see who you mean.”
“We know of the existence of the Torvodach,” Lu began, “but we know they have had no contact with Humans. At least, not with any Human governments. It’s a big galaxy—it’s not hard to imagine there are numerous races that Humans do not know, and vice versa.”
“And yet Project Outbound left this galaxy,” said Ashira. “And in the void encountered the Ditufgne. Two-hundred fifty thousand years later, they arrive here to sow chaos, targeting the five races that made up the intergalactic mission.”
“What are you thinking?” questioned Lu.
Ashira took a moment, clearly considering her answer. “Given how much we do not know about this galaxy—why cross the void to another? Why not further explore this galaxy?”
“I mean, if you have the technology,” Ervik took up, “why not?”
“I see your point,” Jeck said. “If there is more than enough to learn in this galaxy, why leave? But there’s more to it than that, you think?”
“I do,” Ashira said. “Either Project Outbound went off looking for something specific—or escaping something. Because why is it that, apart from one message found in the archives of the Yalifira, nobody has any record of them at all?”
“Curious,” Lu agreed.
Jeck could not help but feel a chill as he considered that. Ever since meeting the Xorcerizts, while they seemed benevolent, there still seemed to be a piece of the puzzle missing. Given the technology they had shown thus far, he hoped they did not have more sinister motives.
Ashira shook her head. “I just hope that whatever it is they are not telling us about all this will not be something worse than dealing with the Ditufgne. Two extra-galactic races more powerful than anything known -and with ulterior motives - is not a pleasant thought.”