Liaden Universe [19] - Alliance of Equals - eARC by Steve Miller, Sharon Lee Page B

coffee mug and the keyboard was empty.
    Still smiling, Priscilla returned to work.
    —•—
    Padi’s knees were shaking, and her hair was damp with sweat, but she had managed the deal, and gotten what she wanted, at a price that was…very nearly…what she had intended to pay.
    Gustav rel’Ana had produced a sample of what was in his storerooms, along with certifications from the growers and harvesters. She had scanned them with the reader provided by the port, and found them authentic—which was to say, the port transmitted to her the Laster Cooperative’s confirmation that the information she had been given was true and correct.
    The samples tasted good to her—the nutmeat was firm and a little sweet, very pleasant in the mouth—but she was certainly not an expert on freshness. The certifications from the growers co-op included a list of nutrients, and a graph showing the rate at which each degraded, in stasis and on the shelf.
    Gustav rel’Ana wanted more per unit than Padi’s limit, but again, her research stood her well. She didn’t quite have to walk away from the counter before her view prevailed, though it had been a near thing.
    And in the end, he had gotten a little of his own back: because of the method by which the nuts were packed and sold, she was required to overbuy, for he would not break a sealed unit.
    She signed the sales chit; gave him the code for the tug which would be bringing the Passage ’s pod into orbit, and the deal was done.
    “It has been a pleasure, Trader yos’Galan!” the vendor told her, shouting again. “Come to me whenever you have need of milaster . I will be very glad to do business with you again!”
    That made her a little uneasy, but the papers had been signed; the delivery scheduled, and the money, she was certain, already transferred out of the port account with her name on it. Master Trader yos’Galan would surely critique her performance on the shuttle lift to the Passage , and she would learn then if she had been foolish beyond measure.
    She exchanged bows with the vendor and found her way out of the booth, Mr. Higgs falling in beside her, Father—still rather indistinct—beside him. Gods, she wanted a cup of tea and a quiet place to sit and gather her composure.
    That …was not her usual reaction to a completed trade. Most usually, she felt exhilarated, and curious to see what else the market might offer. Today, she only wanted to leave. However, she was not alone. Indeed, she was in the company of a master trader, who had not necessarily shared all of his requirements with her.
    “Is there business yet to do?” she asked.
    There was a slight pause, as if Mr. Higgs waited for the master trader to speak. When there was no contribution from that quarter, he said that he had no other business, and that they were coming up on time for the shuttle, anyway.
    Padi nodded and led the way toward the slideway, her stride somewhat less energetic than it had been on the way in. She wondered if Gustav rel’Ana had a nerligig or another, less legal, mood regulator concealed inside his booth.
    The slideway platform was just ahead. She forced herself to walk more quickly.
    —•—
    Shan felt something settle in the depths of his pocket, and sighed.
    It was nice while it lasted , he thought, watching Padi, ahead of them. The child looked exhausted, which was likely those short sleep shifts catching up with her at the far end of an unexpectedly vigorous session of trade.
    He had been wary of broaching the topic of sleep shifts. As a mere father, his concern would surely be set aside for her own necessities, and he was loath to bring the “master trader” into the matter.
    Well, they would have a conference on the lift to the Passage ; he would mention it then, in the context of the effectiveness of the trader on the floor. That might set her to thinking.
    He put his hand into his pocket and pulled out the red counter; it was glowing somewhat, and he felt, as plain as a