by Sharon
Day 189
Standard Year 1118
Irikwae
THE ALARM RANG 'way too early. Jethri pitched out of bed and headed for the shower before his eyes were properly open, emerging some few minutes later, eyes open, hair damp. He pulled on trousers, boots and shirt and, still sealing that last garment, walked over to the computer to discover the instructions that would shape his day.
He was to meet Tam Sin for luncheon—a last agreeable meal before aged Genchi, now embracing a third pod, lifted. Besides that, there was a certain odd lot he wanted to have a look at, over—
Red letters blinked urgently on his screen, alerting him to a serious scheduling change. He touched a key and the day-sheet snapped into being, the new item limned in red.
Jethri swallowed a curse. He was to meet with the master trader in charge of evaluating his file in the hall master's office in—he threw a glance at the clock—now.
"Blast!"
He snatched his best trading coat off the hook and ran.
* * *
OUTSIDE THE HALL master's office, he did take a moment to catch his breath, pull his jacket straight, and run quick, combing fingers through his hair. One more deep breath, and he leaned to the annunciator.
"Jethri Gobelyn," he said, clearly.
The door chimed. He put his hand on the latch and let himself in.
The office had the too-tidy look of a place that had been out of use for a time. The desk top was bare, and slightly dusty; the books lined up, all orderly, in their shelves. Two chairs and a low table made a pleasant grouping by the window. A portable comp and a tray holding two glasses and a bottle of wine bearing the Maarilex Reserve label sat at the center of the table.
But for himself, the room was empty, though the wine and the comp indicated that he could expect the master trader soon.
Taking a deep breath to center himself, Jethri moved to the bookshelves, and brought his attention to the titles.
He had just discovered that Hall Master yos'Arimyst had an interesting half-a-dozen novels shelved among his volumes of Guild rule and trade regs, when the door chimed and opened.
Turning, he began his bow—and checked.
"Master ven'Deelin?"
She raised her eyebrows, black eyes amused. "Such astonishment. Do I not wear the amethyst?"
"Indeed you do, ma'am," he said, bowing the bow of affectionate esteem. "It is only that one's mentor has been at pains to let me know that my file will be evaluated by an impartial master."
"As if there were ever such a thing—or could be." She paused and looked him up and down, her hands tucked into her belt.
"You look well, my son. Irikwae suits you, I think."
"I have learned much here, mother."
"Hah." Her eyes gleamed. "So it seems." She moved a hand, inviting him to walk with her to the pleasant grouping of chairs and table. "Come, let us sit and be comfortable. Open and pour for us, if you will, while I consult the notes left by the evaluating master."
He opened and poured, and settled into the chair across from her. She sat for a moment or two longer, perusing her screen, then sat back with a sigh.
"Yes, precisely did he say, when I met him just now in the Trade Bar," she murmured, and reached for her glass, lifting it in a toast, Jethri following.
"To Jethri Gobelyn, junior trader."
He sipped—a small sip, since his stomach suddenly felt like it didn't know how to behave.
"Truly, ma'am?"
"What question is this?" She slipped a card out of her sleeve. "Honor me with your opinion of this."
He received it, fingers tracing the Guild sigil on the obverse. On the front, there was his name, and junior trader, right enough, and the silver gleam of the datastrip that held the records of his transactions thus far.
"I find it a handsome card, ma'am."
"Then there is no more to be said—it is yours."
One more long look and then he slipped it away, into the same inner pocket that held his Combine key.
"You do well, my child. I am pleased. We will need to talk, you and I, to discover whether you wish to continue an association with Elthoria, now that you are a trader in your own name. First, however, I must bring you news of chel'Gaibin, which I fear and trust will not delight you."
He held up a hand. "If this has to do with Trader chel'Gaibin's attack upon my kinswoman on Banthport, ma'am, I have had that tale already."
"Have you indeed? May one ask?"
"My cousins Grig and Raisy found the incident so alarming that they came to me here on Irikwae, to inform me of my need for vigilance."
"All honor to them." Master ven'Deelin sipped her wine. "I have invoked a Guild inquiry, which will hold chel'Gaibin this next while. That he claims false Balance—that is a matter for the Council, and is not a matter that you must or may take under your own melant'i. Am I understood in this?"
"Ma'am, you are." He inclined his head. "Grig asked me to tell you, ma'am, that you should consider, not what Banth has, but where it is."
She paused with her glass half-way to her lips. "So. You have remarkable kin, young Jethri. I know nothing but admiration for them. I will consider, as he has suggested."
She flicked her fingers toward the comp. "I learn here that you partnered with young pen'Akla in the pod deal. How did you find that?"
"Well enough," Jethri said carefully. He put his glass down and sat forward, elbows on knees. "Ma'am, might you buy his contract?"
"Ixin, buy the contract of one of Rinork? chel'Gaibin will cry Balance in truth!"
Right.
"I had not considered," he confessed. "Then I—wonder if you will advise me."
She considered him. "Now, this has the promise of a diversion. Of course I will advise you, my son. Only tell me what troubles you."
"I find myself plumper in purse than I had anticipated," he said, slowly. "And it came to me that a good use of my resources might be to invest in—a trader."
Master ven'Deelin tipped her head to one side. "Invest in a trader, young Jethri?"
"Indeed, ma'am. Suppose I were to buy the contract of a full trader. Not only would I, a junior, have the opportunity to learn from him, my elder in trade, but as owner of his contract, a percentage of each trade he made would be credited to—"
"Your guild card." She raised her hand. "Enough."
Jethri sat back, watching her as she sipped her wine, eyes closed.
"It only amazes me," she said eventually, "that no one has thought of this before. Truly, young Jethri, you have a gift." She opened her eyes.
"You will now tell me if this notion of yours was serious, or merely brought forward to plague me."
"Ma'am, you know I would never deliberately plague you—"
"Pah!"
"But, I had considered buying Trader pen'Akla's contract, so that he might find a ship and a route that will value him, to their mutual profit." He opened his hands, palm up, showing empty.
"I do quite see that such an arrangement would be—questionable, at best. But, if Elthoria bought his contract—" He leaned forward again, hands cupped, as if he held a rare treasure.
"Ma'am, allow me to present Tan Sim pen'Akla to you as a young trader of heart, imagination and energy. His melant'i is unimpeachable. He speaks Terran, he honors guild rule, and—" He swallowed, keeping his eyes on hers. "And if he continues on that route, ma'am, it will break his heart and suck his spirit dry."
Silence. Jethri forced himself to sit back, to pick up his wine glass—
"You make a compelling case," Master ven'Deelin said softly. "I will speak to young pen'Akla."
Seated, he bowed, as deeply as he was able. "Thank you, ma'am."
"Such drama. So, while we are making dispositions of traders and contracts—what is your wish, Junior Trader Gobelyn? Shall you write contract with Elthoria, or has another ship caught your eye?"
Another ship? Jethri inclined his head.
"Ma'am, of course I wish to stay with Elthoria
, and sit at the feet of her master trader. I have—much yet to learn."
"Yes," said Master ven'Deelin, smiling. "And so have I."
* * * * *
Contents
Cast of Characters
Day 29 Standard Year 1118 Gobelyn's Market Opposite Shift
Day 32 Standard Year 1118 Gobelyn's Market Jethri's Quarters
Day 33 Standard Year 1118 Ynsolt'i Port Textile Hall
Day 34 Standard Year 1118 Ynsolt'i Port Zeroground Pub
Day 35 Standard Year 1118 Gobelyn's Market Dockside
Day 42 Standard Year 1118 Gobelyn's Market Departing
Day 42 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria Arriving
Day 60 Standard Year 1118 Gobelyn's Market Approaching Kinaveral
Day 63 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria
Day 65 Standard Year 1118 Kinaveral
Day 66 Standard Year 1118 Kailipso Station At Leave
Day 67 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria Protocol Lessons
Day 80 Standard Year 1118 Kinaveral
Day 81 Standard Year 1118 Kinaveral
Day 106 Standard Year 1118 Tilene Trade Theater
Day 106 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria
Day 107 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria and Tilene
Day 107 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria and Tilene
Day 108 Standard Year 1118 Tilene Docks
Day 116 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria
Day 123 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria Modrid Approach
Day 125 Standard Year 1118 Modrid
Day 135 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria
Day 139 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 140 Standard Year 1118 Tarnia's Clanhouse Irikwae
Day 140 Standard Year 1118 Kinaveral
Day 140 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 145 Standard Year 1118 Kinaveral
Day 155 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 158 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 161 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 165 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 166 Standard Year 1118 Elthoria
Day 166 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 168 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae Port
Day 177 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae Port
Day 178 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 180 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 185 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae
Day 189 Standard Year 1118 Irikwae