Chapter Twenty-six
They watched the station pull itself together. Reverend Tassherty was a busy man, so was the head of station security. Both were reminding people "the empire forces won." They all smiled widely when Reverend Tassherty stopped by the 'sidewalk' cafe table where they were sitting, to say hello, and suddenly rushed off. He had a security comm and had just been called because one of the officers thought he could help someone who was still struggling. Kiri stopped by a few moments later.
"I'm joining the Toscan church."
"You are?"
"Yes, Shel. I read the tenets and was very surprised not to find anything I disagreed with, at all. They're exactly what I believe. You do your best to be a friend and love is the reward and visible proof in your life that it's the right thing to do. That's a little simplified, but not much. It's a very simple faith. The definition of God is it all works and the proof there's a purpose for sentient life is love exists. When I read the tenets of the faith, I suddenly understood why the Toscans had been included in the campaign of bigotry. The faith is very dangerous to it. There can't be anything wrong with love. Any society that... promotes love is healthy. So is any person who does love."
"Yes, very dangerous and probably growing rather fast. I didn't hear anything I disagreed with either."
"It was growing fast. Now they're in trouble. The church no longer exists on the world where it began, Lakeland. Reverend Tassherty asked me to tell you. I think he's rather sure you got a comm number."
"Not exactly, but I think I got something."
"Can you recommend a person to talk to about a gown for me? Lola is struggling to choose between dozens and Li is trying to narrow the choice from several, but even 'tall' waistlines hit seven cens above mine."
"Yes, but he doesn't have a shop, just a great deal of talent that's a bit of a disappointment to his parents because it doesn't have anything to do with tech. They love him and try not to show it, but they worry about him making a living because they can't afford to send him to a world to get the kind of credential that would earn him good money at what he's good at. He's not quite fifteen."
"I didn't see any kids here at all yesterday."
"There are only a few and no small ones, Shel. Quarters are two bedrooms max and there's no place for them to play. People who want to start families hunt for jobs other places, but having worked here is a very nice line on a resume, even if the job was store clerk. His parents are both ship maintenance techs. They've been here a little over two years and their little sub-contracting company is doing pretty well, but without the kind of ship traffic Gerridy has, it wouldn't be. The two of them can polish a thrust tube to gleam in the length of time a big ship is in a construction bay for a scheduled maintenance check. They don't like to do it in enviro suits and charge quite a bit more for it, but they will do it and most won't."
"That's because it's damn dangerous."
"They designed their suits themselves, Li. They're pretty bulky, but they've proved they work. They got a patent, but that's about the only job for which they're needed and big ships on tight schedules about the only ones that can't wait for a bay to open to have it done. They don't average more than three a year even here. Harjin says they do it because a dirty tube is a danger to everyone on the ship and no amount of money alone would be enough."
"And you think their son could make Mandy a gown?"
"I think he'd design, choose fabric, make it as fast as anyone else could do it from a pattern, it would be specifically for her, and men would run into things and women would beg for the name of the designer, Shel. I'm working on getting him a scholarship to the Farridi-Gomat School of Fashion Design on Merrilin. A credential from there is the best in the sector. You're the first ones I'm sure will look at the design and not for a name they can brag about. I know there are others, but I don't really have much chance to look for them."
"Want to go to a ball? I can take a guest and fabric and pay for two gowns to help get a scholarship is a great reason to spend money, and it'll probably still be less than buying one out of a store. I know I'm not your dream date for a ball, but Jarim will be there as guest of the captains and he'd probably like a dance partner who isn't married part of the time."
"Yes, Mandy, if Jon has time to do two without rushing. I'm not sure he will."
"If he doesn't, we'll find someone else to sew what he designs. If he chooses the fabric and cuts it, it's about the same as making one from a pattern in a catalog and it's that he designs that's important, not that he can sew."
"Yes, Tal, it is. Lola, Li, have you seen gowns you really want?"
"Lots of them, Shel, but they're just lovely gowns in my size, not gowns for me."
"I start with my size, then decide which one is most me. If there was one that was really me, I wouldn't still be deciding."
"Call Jon, Kiri. Tell him to meet us at Two Sector Fine Fabrics. They have the nicest selection and a size scanner. If he has fabric he's seen somewhere else in mind, no problem."
"If he feels like designing for men too, we really haven't been impressed with what we've seen so far and getting Jarim to step into a scanner field would probably be a great deal easier than getting him to let us take him shopping. If we put several people to work making Jon's designs, they'll see how good he is and add to a scholarship recommendation."
"Good idea, Tal, but gowns come first. They do get more notice."
"That's because the men's formal wear designs are boring, Shel."
"Tommy's right. What we looked at was basically variations on about two designs in three sizes and those sizes aren't really your sizes. They could make two more out of what would have to be taken out of the middle. I was thinking of looking at patterns for you guys, anyway. It would probably be easier to make you outfits than tailor those so they don't look silly. When Lola lapped over the waistline of that blue one you tried on to see how much needed to come out of the pants, the side seams nearly met in the back. That's why she was giggling."
"That and that all three of them were holding the pants up, Li. Smaller pants would have been too tight in the thighs and the outfit Tal tried on only fit in the shoulders."
"He looked like he had on a tent over a laundry bag, Lola. I felt like that was what I had on. Shel is used to having everything rebuilt for his build. I didn't think about it because my clothes got tailored or replaced while my shape was changing. I started trying things on and realized how spoiled I was by it, and they were boring besides."
"Tell Jon this is a yell for help, Kiri. If he doesn't have time to design for us all, we could still use his help to find patterns and pick material. We'll get Jarim and be there in a few."
Jarim attempted to protest. Shel put him over his shoulder and Tal walked along behind him and explained that's what happened every time he did, and he'd have warned him if he'd realized he was going to try it. Lola said they should probably have looked for his shoes and Mandy said he probably needed socks and dancing shoes to go with a formal outfit, anyway. Tommy told Jarim it was a good thing he'd answered the door in shirt and pants or they'd probably have been picking some up on the way. Li bent down and looked up at his face and told them he was smiling and looked cute pink. He was giggling when Shel carried him into the fabric store and stood him in the size scanner field.
Kiri walked into the shop with a gangly boy, who looked his age. He looked at the group and his mouth dropped open.
"Shel, Mandy, Tommy, Jarim, Lola, Li and Tal, my friend Jon. Told you they needed help because nothing was really designed for them."
"Yes, but you understated it. You're... magnificent."
"Thanks, kid. We're also desperate and going to be in the spotlight. Jarim is as well and Tommy has pointed out the men's formal designs are boring more than once. He got no disagreement. We'll get people to make up what you design, or patterns you pick, because you obviously won't have time to do it all. We're here because I n
oticed this scanner and wide selection of nice, but I'm sure you've looked more than I have."
"Here for most, but there's a burnt orange and russet satin brocade at Joslini that would just be incredible with his hair and a red gold silk here that I've dreamed of putting it with, but... men's formal wear is pretty boring. Get a printout of the size scans for me, please. I've designed a lot of gowns for Kiri and I know which one I really want to see her in, but I need to walk around and do some sketching. I don't think it will take long. I've been dreaming of people like you, but I was sure they were just dreams. You sure you want... Never mind. I know I'm the only one on the station who can do it. Feels odd stating it, but I do know it. Kiri, they need to get hold of Wilimic, Losmarita, Jomask, Harfern, Mobinette and Carin and Julin Oensderkraeddin and say they're coming with three day's work they need done in a bit more than half. If we're lucky, they all won't give other names because they've got full tailoring schedules. Tell Carin and Julin I'm designing and they won't explain how old they aren't and they'll be at my door with their shears when I get there. Was that gold here or at Ganns?"
"Well, I do know who Carin and Julin are, two more of the very few kids on the station. Their father is the fabric buyer for this place."
"I remember the rest of the names, but I don't think I'd attempt to spell that one."
"Get scanned and on the comm, Lola. You next and get hold of the girls for us, Kiri. They'll be paid too. I'll figure out how much won't get me a great deal of argument they aren't professionals. Shoes for Tal and I are probably going to be limited to black matte or shiny."
"I'll be right back!"
Shel began to laugh and told Kiri she'd probably see why he'd dashed for Jon. Lola told her Tal did not like shoes in which he could not wiggle his toes and Shel yelled "Shoes!" when he went to get dressed before they went anywhere, or he'd forget to wear them. None of them realized Tal's dislike for shoes, Tommy's opinion men's formal wear was boring and Jon's 'naivete' had begun a fashion revolution.
Jon sketched, tore pages out and sketched, sighed, tore pages out and sketched. Then he saw bolts of cloth being carried in and ran for them. Kiri had told him "They could buy every piece of cloth in the station, including that made into clothes, and it wouldn't change a significant digit in their credit balance." He didn't even ask the price of what was being carried in. He just pulled Barim over and told her of which he wanted half, quarter and eighth bolts, then dashed for the materials he wanted to go with them and scribbled how many meters of each on his sketch pad. He ran to the cutting counter, ripped off the page and then began carrying spools of thread to it. Shel walked over and grinned at the woman watching the pile grow.
"Anything he says. Comm Nightdancer computer. Two Sector Fine Fabrics purchase approved. Payment in full when totaled. Where did the fabric that has him so excited come from?"
"I have no idea. I don't even have a price on it yet. I'm not sure we've paid for it yet. Danlin said we wanted it or it wouldn't have been brought in, but that's all I'm sure of so far."
"I'm Captain Shelter Hadlain and he's short on time. We've got seven people standing over garment fabricators waiting for him to send material to make what he designs for eight of us for tonight. We've looked. Three could just buy something, but the rest of us couldn't and even patterns would have to be tailored. We won't leave before the total is in if it's day after tomorrow, but he needs the fabric now."
"He's choosing a lot."
"He doesn't know how much of what he'll need and he does know he needs to work fast. It won't bother me if he gets a bolt and decides he only needs a few cens, but I don't really expect it. What's that?"
"Kadincor. It's usually used in furniture, under a fabric cover. He said two meters of it."
"Then give him two meters. Jon! Where do you want it delivered?!"
"My parents' quarters in twenty! There. Let me think. Yes, that's everything here, when you fill the list I gave you, Barim."
"I'll get to work on it, Jon. It's still a lot."
"I know, but I got almost everything here. There are just a few more pieces at Joslini's and Ganns, Shel. Black shiny shoes for Jarim, a loafer style if possible. I'll grab socks when I know what kind and color. I think you'll need jewelry, but I don't know what for sure yet. I don't want to... overwhelm your wedding rings, but I do want to accent them. Kadiri can make what I come up with fast, but gem stones aren't fabric."
"Kadiri the store name?"
"Fire and Ice."
"I saw that one. I liked what I saw. Comm Fire and Ice, Kadiri."
"Fire and Ice, Kadiri speaking."
"Kadiri, this is Captain Shelter Hadlain. Our young friend Jon is moving fast to get us clothed appropriately for the ball tonight, eight of us. Most of us don't find things on even the nicest racks that don't need to be taken apart and started over and one doesn't find period. Call me for credit transfer when he dashes in with what he needs made for us, if it takes every bit of precious metal and gem in the place. We haven't got a budget and neither does he. I know he'll try to get the designs there as soon as possible and do expect to pay for custom and rush-rush-rush."
"Tell him not a great deal, simple, and probably about an hour."
"Did you hear?"
"Yes, and just realized who Jon is. All right. I'll be waiting for him."
"Thanks. Next?"
"Joslini's for the brocade. I really hope they have enough of it left for what I have in mind. If not, I'll come up with something there is enough for. There's just nothing else that's going to be as right with his skin and hair, maybe anywhere, certainly not here."
"Do find out where that gorgeous fabric came from for me. I may be as impressed with it as you are."
"Did you really look at it? That's not static electricity that makes it seem to spark. It's the fiber reflecting light. I don't know what it is. It's something new and I have no idea where it came from, either, but I will find out, for both of us."
"It felt like a silk to me, but it might be a synthetic one. It's like holding pure water, rather a sensual experience. I recognized everything else you chose, but I have never seen, or heard of, that before."
"I'm not sure if realizing you know that much about fabric made me more excited or nervous. My sketch pad!"
"I've got it and the size-scan printout, Jon."
"Thank you, Li. At some point what's in my head needs to go on paper and I just realized I didn't have it. Those shoes!"
"Tommy, with Jarim. Get shoes and send him back to bed. He still looks short sleep. Will you need him for a fitting, Jon?"
"No, he has very good posture. A scan gives size and shape. It doesn't tell you how a person usually stands. What may be a smooth fit according to a scan might be rumples and bunches the second the person relaxes. You have to be careful fitting a person like that too. People have a tendency to stand very straight and still while you're sticking pins in what they have on."
"I've stood very still a lot. I can buy some casual things off of a rack, primarily shirts and pants that aren't meant to be tight anyway. Mandy is the same, but the selection of pants is narrower. In things like that, Tal has more trouble than we do. Shirts that fit his shoulders are too long and pants that aren't too tight in the rear are too big in the waist. He is not built like a slightly pudgy boy."
"Someone has done a very good job tailoring the clothes all of you are wearing now, Lola and Li too. They fit perfectly, not just well."
"There are fifteen in our marriage, nine more women. Our closets always have clothes that fit perfectly in them and there's probably more than one tailor who smiles widely every time we go shopping, but I'm so spoiled I don't know for sure."
"We're going to have six babies in the big nursery in our house not long after the end of the year."
"We'll get home in time for Lou to drive your little car when you're not sure if she'll fit behind the controls, Tal. That's a p
lan we all intend to see her carry out. The yacht is on her maiden voyage, Jon. We did some work on the drive, control systems and comp. She's performing beautifully, but we're all going to be pretty homesick before we finish checking everything out."
"Are... the others all as beautiful as Mandy, Lola and Li, Shel?"
"Very spoiled, Jon."
"Uh, huh. I believe it. I can't imagine it, but I do believe it."
Shel grinned when Jon said not to worry about shoes because he had an idea, then told him at least not yet. He now had an idea what the kadincor was for. They got to Joslini's and Jon got more excited. There was nearly a half-bolt of the brocade. He said all, chose some thread and they went to Ganns. Shel carried the remainder of the bolt. He said it was silly to try to figure out when to have them deliver it.
Tommy caught up with them there and raised an eyebrow. Shel said he didn't have any idea what the satin ribbon Jon was choosing was for, but was sure it would be interesting. Then he began choosing lace and Kiri reminded him she wasn't getting married and Jarim was the only other one who already wasn't. He grinned and told her the lace wasn't for gowns. He glanced at the time, yelped, tossed three more rolls of wide lace on the counter, said six meters each, grabbed the sketch pad and printout Li was holding out and ran out the door.
When Kiri led them into the living quarters area, Shel said he understood why it wasn't recommended for families. The doors to the crew quarters on the ship were farther apart.
They had begun to become a bit more widely spaced when they turned down a cross-corridor. Kiri told him most of what they'd passed were efficiency, basically one room with a kitchen counter, chairs and bed, and they were now passing one-bedroom. At the end of the corridor, were four two-bedroom units. Tommy mentioned Jarim's quarters had been close to the front and looked "standard apartment" size. She explained he was station personnel, as was she, and their quarters hadn't been "subdivided" due to need to house more people, as the ones around them built for those who worked for businesses had.
"Why didn't they add to the station?"
"They did. They added two decks of shops and three docking arms. Then they added another deck of shops and two more docking arms with additional maintenance facilities. They took out the family areas, made all the quarters smaller and told people go somewhere else if they wanted to have children. Some of these quarters are very nice inside, but the nice has nothing to do with size. A two-bedroom is three rather small rooms and one has a kitchen on the end of it. There are only twelve, they're expensive and all of them have families in them. None of the children are under the age of twelve."
"Why?"
"Because there's no place for them to play, Tal."
"That's not what I meant. Why didn't they build more places for people to live?"
"It was so profitable to do business here, no one was going to leave. If they did, people would be delighted to take their places. Servers make great tips. Shops pay well. Shop owners find people to run their shops or sell them after they've paid them off. Ship maintenance companies pay very well too."
"Who owns the station?"
"Gerridy Station Investment, which is owned by a corporation, which is owned by stockholders. It's run by a board of directors, primarily made up of bankers, who meet by comm for two hours, over a half-year period due to lag time, once every four years. It's managed by a contracted management company. They do a pretty good job. They fought real hard to keep station employee quarters from being chopped into tiny units, but a lot of us don't get paid as much as some of the store clerks. We certainly don't make as much as some of the servers. We earn about the same as people who do what we do on other stations and our quarters are about the same size. It's a nice line on a resume for anyone because it's a very busy place. It's also a good place to work a couple years, put a good-size chunk away and have a nice down payment on a home or business when you leave. Average length of employment for station employees is about five years. Some stay less. A few stay many more. Average for businesses is about two. Not many stay less. Very few stay more. The businesses tell prospective employees what quarters are like and how much they cost, at the same time they tell them how much they'll be paid and approximately what they'll make in tips if they do a good job. These quarters aren't maintained by station personnel. They're maintained by a maintenance company whose employees know what the quarters are like and how much they'll be paid when they take the job. The stockholders are making a lot of money, but so is everyone who works here and the quarters aren't outrageously priced, but a two-bedroom is very expensive. Oh, Carin and Jolin are thirteen and twelve. Hello, Jolin. How's it going?"
"I don't know, Kiri, but I think good. Jon said where to stack it and ran for his room with his sketch pad. We've heard him whoop a couple times. He wasn't exaggerating at all about you people. He said you'd have ribbon, lace and the brocade from Joslini's. We both knew which one he meant. Our dad said he'd have bought the whole cargo of the ship to get it, but Joslini's already had. That's a joke because their buyer is on Open Sky and they get a shipment six times a year. Come on in. Put the brocade over with the others please. We're trying to keep it sort of stacked so we have some room to work and his parents can still get in the door. We haven't found out what the new stuff is yet, but we want to know too and we're about to call Daddy to ask. Do you want to talk to him?"
"I'd like that. I'm Shelter, Shel. This is Talisman, Tal; Mandala, Mandy; Thomin, Tommy; Linlola, Lola; and Angeli, Li."
"You told us all your names because Jon's doing special for each of you and they tell who you are. Does he know them?"
"Yes twice, Jolin. He also knows three of us are captains, two are chief engineers and one is an ops officer."
"Why aren't two?"
"They gave Talisman the wrong test. Since he passed it, they asked if he'd mind being a captain instead."
"That's funny."
"They were giggling when they asked. If you didn't have everything here already, I'd offer our ship as a bigger place to work."
"We can only cut one thing at a time anyway, but thanks for the offer. Comm connect Two Sector Fine Fabrics remote Danlin."
"Danlin."
"Daddy, Jon got a design job for beautiful people who need special and can afford it. We're at his place with our shears and the people just brought the brocade from Joslini's. We all want to know what the fabric that got delivered just as he was looking for right for them is. This is Captain Shelter. He said Shel. Our daddy, Danlin."
"Hello, Danlin. What is it besides beautiful?"
"I don't know. A trader on a one-person ship picked it up on Shimmery at a district fair. They called it Shimmery silk. He said he didn't see it anywhere else and the booth at the fair was being run by two boys less than my girls' age. He got there at open and really surprised them when he said he'd take it all. He helped them work out what the price for all of it at the per meter price was. He said he'd never asked anyone if they were sure that was enough before and they showed him the price list their aunt had made for them. He's been here five hours and sold his entire cargo, all from that fair and a lot from that booth. He thinks everything in it was made by one big family because he was shown cousin's carvings, sister's gift boxes and so on. I asked him if he was sure he was charging enough and he said he'd feel guilty if he made any more profit off it. All I've got, all he had, was the district name, Rosepond."
"I have a suspicion, when Jon gets through with it, a large number of people will be aggravated with me."
"I've got a suspicion Rosepond district may have a large number of traders going from door to door. I don't think it's a synthetic because of where he got it, but I may take it to med section and ask to use a scope to find out if it's a silk."
"If it is, it's only the eighth we've found and that district will be... invaded by a lot more than traders. One of my wives, group marriage, is currently on her wrist c
omm to our ship computer. What have we got, Lola?"
"He must have landed on a flat piece of ground or made a lot of flyer runs. There's no port anywhere near that district. It's on the southeast tip of the smallest continent, northern hemisphere, about two hundred k north of the equator. The district is primarily lowland lake country and got its name from a flowering water plant. Major industry in the area, none listed; major crops tankin rice, native flowers and aromatic woods."
"That's more than I learned. I couldn't find a listing on the district."
"Lola never met a library she didn't like and she takes a piece of every one she likes with her."
"This came from the Imperial Library Planetary Guide for Forester sector. It's the only reference we've got."
"Danlin, we're very wealthy. I want to buy the rest of the fabric. Let us check it. If they have found a silk, let us get in there and... set them up some defenses."
"You're named right. Will you tell me?"
"Yes, but I ask you not tell anyone else, until we look a little deeper. If it's a synthetic or a process, we'll check to see if they've got a patent and move fast to help them get one if the answer is no. If it's a plant fiber, which neither of us think it is... "
"I think it's... a wool."
"A wool? A fleece? Why, Tal?"
"It has a smell. I want to get a little of it wet."
"The trader brought some things made of aromatic woods."
"It's not a plant smell. It's a nice smell, but it's an animal smell. Like wool, but softer and sweeter."
"Danlin, Tal has a very good sense of smell. He may be smelling something in or on the fabric and not the fiber, but it's very unlikely he's mistaken about there being an animal smell."
"I've got no references to native fleece animals which might be domesticable on Shimmery at all, Shel. But I did just get an odd cross-reference. I need to do this on the ship."
"Understood, Lola. I still want the rest of the fabric, Danlin. If it's from a fleece animal, they won't be the same people, but there will be almost as many headed for Rosepond district."
"True, but please tell me. I won't tell anyone else, but... Jon. He won't tell anyone, but I have a mental image of him with dark circles around his eyes from laying awake wondering about it, just like I would."
"So do I. I'll tell him. I have to explain why I took the rest of the fabric to him, anyway. We'll get a cart and pick it up on the way to the ship. Do give Barim a price on it, please. It bothered her to sell it to me before she could tell me how much I was spending. Don't discount it, Danlin. The store should get its piece."
"Oh, I won't, but standard markup still makes it about the price of a nice cotton."
"Uh... I see why you asked him the same question he'd asked."
"I was sure you would. I need to call the store. Out."
"You're here! Wonderful! Turn around, Tal. I need to see your back. Yes, I was right. Thank you."
"You're welcome, Jon."
"I've got two about done for Carin and Jolin to start on, but I need to finish them all before I go to Fire and Ice, so I've got to get back to work. See you later."
"See you later."
"He sits in the middle of his bed with his sketch pad on his lap. He says he sketches what he sees on the empty wall in front of him. He told his mom she didn't need to find something for it because it never got boring. His parents got him a stack of sketch pads and pastels instead of a holo-screen for his birthday last year."
"He wouldn't have enjoyed it as much, Jolin."
"I know, Kiri. His dad said he felt odd getting him the same thing this year, but it's what he asked for. You got him what he wanted most and would never have thought to ask for, just dream about someday. People to let him design for them."
They told Kiri they'd see her later, picked up the rest of the "Shimmery silk" and took it to the ship. Shel cut a small strip from one bolt and they all went to the lab with him. He gave a piece of the strip to Tal and he wet it, sniffed it and handed it to Tommy. Shel had a bit ready to scan when it was handed to him. He handed a bit to Tommy to put through the analyzer. The wet piece of cloth smelled 'wool' to all of them. Lola turned from the comp as Shel turned from the scope and Tommy got the results of the analysis.
"It's from an animal."
"That's what I got, Tommy. Lola?"
"The cross-reference was botanical. It was on the pond rose. It usually reproduces by breaking into several plants with complete root structures when it gets extremely large. However, it produces a seed pod at long intervals, ten to twelve years, which is the length of time a bloom lasts if not destroyed in some fashion. The large silvery green seeds are called Shimmery peas. Attempts to grow them failed until they tried in soil instead of water. When they did, they got what seemed to be a different plant and a rather common one. It was a creeper called 'pesky pink' because of the 'iridescent' pinkish color of new growth, which tells you how common it was and how difficult it was to get rid of, since it rooted at the base of every branching. An experiment on its tolerance for water produced an iridescent pink flowering plant, basically growing in mud, which produced a large number of seeds then died. The seeds from it only grew in water and they grew pond roses. It was the explanation of how the pond rose spread. Shimmery peas float on the surface of the water. Spring rains raise the water level. If the rains are exceptionally heavy, some seeds are deposited on what is usually dry ground, producing pesky pinks until a creeper reaches a place its quite damp year round. It's seeds are washed into water by autumn rains and pond roses spread."
"Most plants like that spread by being washed down streams and such. Why doesn't the pond rose?"
"An animal, Shel. That animal is why pond roses grow in the middle of lakes and not around the edges. Any pond rose that gets close to a place shallow enough for it to stand is eaten with great relish, and the fairly large animal wades out to its favorite spot every time it rains, just in case one floats by. It has an extremely fine silky coat. It was considered for attempts at domestication because it's rather docile, but it doesn't taste particularly good, doesn't produce milk in quantity, doesn't reproduce fast and silky coat rapidly deteriorates if removed from the animal. It didn't like our food crops and is easily kept out of fields, so it was just left alone. I think pond roses are responsible for the fine and silky and someone decided to feed them to one of our fleece animals and, after awhile, got Shimmery silk."
"Dye analysis is complete. It's from a plant."
"We've got a family who don't realize what they've done. Who don't trade anything but what they always have out of their district, because no one wants anything else."
"Shimmery is one of the nine worlds, Shel."
"I know, Tommy. Let's see if we can find out where that trader landed. I've got a suspicion he was supposed to be 'recruited', got excited about what he'd found and didn't stop for a drink somewhere."
Shel's suspicion was correct. The trader had told the representative of the trade association, who'd invited him to dinner, he'd definitely be back but he was on his way to Gerridy Station with "crafts" he'd gotten at the district fair. He said he hadn't mentioned the fabric because he'd wanted to find out what people, who really knew fabric thought it was worth, so he could tell them how much they should be asking for it. Shel asked him if the trade association rep had seemed angry, at least until he said Gerridy Station. The trader slowly nodded. Shel told him they'd try to find the people, find out how difficult the fabric was to produce and help them figure out what it was worth, but he didn't think he should go back until they found out why it was just a craft at a district fair. The trader told him to be careful. He told him he intended to be and commed Anverd.
"Shimmery is first. We have an excuse to go there."
"So do we. That's where the transshipped cargo came from. I think it's time to call for the fleet."
"Agreed. Full two sector defense forc
e ordered into action at the request of Imperial Drug Enforcement agents, nine worlds. Let's show them how fast we can really move. When it's done, offer every one of those worlds a separate treaty or separation. After the fleet reaches them, tell everyone the offer will be made when drug production and export is ended and the populace is freed from oppression of the most evil sort, mind control. By then, they'll all know it exists, except those who are controlled and it's a good way to find them. Their neighbors will ask for help for them."
Governor's Tribute Page 26
