Chapter 2

Despite it still being dark outside, there was a flurry of activity in the marketplace. My androids had already set up the special produce tables that I rented from the owner of the marketplace. The tables tilted slightly with raised edges so that we could stack the produce.

Even though the sun hadn’t yet cleared the horizon, there were at least two hundred people anxiously waiting for us to open. Showing how smart he was, the fast-food vendor had his kitchen open, although he was only serving torpa, the Karkallian equivalent of coffee, and some sort of breakfast rolls.

“Are we ready?” I asked into my com unit, realizing that I’d missed my own morning cup of coffee. What I’d gotten instead was much better.

“Ready,” Ramina affirmed a few seconds later. With her assurance, I knew everything was ready. I didn’t need a checklist and didn’t need to worry that I had missed or forgotten some minute detail. My androids had done this before and knew the routine. With so much extra help available, I had the pirates’ military androids standing across the front of our stalls where the entrances were.

Our stalls had special yellow posts set up that created an opaque force field between them. The effect was the same as building a sturdy opaque wall. Two pairs of red posts in the wall left two, ten-foot-wide openings in the fields to allow access and egress. Many of the military androids were currently clustered in those two openings. For now, they kept people out until we were ready. A separate entrance let people into a corridor so they could visit the fast-food vendor. When we opened, every other android at the two entrances would step behind another android, leaving narrow gaps to allow one person at a time to pass between each pair of androids, preventing a dangerous crush of bodies from surging forward.

“Showtime,” was the single word I spoke into my com unit. A couple seconds later, the androids guarding the entrances shifted to allow access and people began streaming in. At the same time, the fields around the fast-food vendor’s stalls dropped so his customers could reach the produce in my stalls. Those customers had a slight advantage as they were already in the middle of my stalls.

“I have never seen so many people at the market so early,” Tiyya commented.

“I recognize many of them from my last two visits to Kai’ka. They buy large quantities to resell on the planets I can’t visit,” I explained.

One of those buyers made his way to me, no easy task considering the large number of bodies between us. After a deferential nod to Tiyya, who was still clinging to my arm, he grinned at me. “I understand that you have acquired a jump drive. Does this mean you will be able to return more often?” he asked hopefully.

“It does. It will probably take me three of your ten-days to complete each round-trip, although the next trip may take a few days longer. I will probably continue coming here instead of Kai’ka,” I explained.

“Perhaps you would help me,” I suggested to him. “I have four new items I brought this time to see how your people like them,” I offered.

He commed three other buyers that he knew, and they all joined Tiyya and me aboard one of my shuttles. As I suspected they would, they all loved the four new items. I chose papaya, guava, pineapple, and dates to bring this trip. Normally, I wouldn’t change what I brought unless they rated one or more of the new items as better than what I already brought. While I hadn’t planned it at the beginning of this trip, I was now considering buying a second, larger ship.

“How much of an impact will it have on the price if I am able to bring three times as much every three ten-days?” I asked the four buyers. We finally agreed that the best thing would be for me to bring wood for half of my cargo, and produce items for the rest, adding new produce items to my repertoire and bringing smaller quantities on each trip. The prices might drop slightly, but not significantly.

Once they left, Tiyya kissed me goodbye again. This time, though, she scurried away, although she did look back at me longingly just before disappearing into the crowd. She had taken the basket of strawberries that I gave her for her mother. I went to the fast-food dealer to buy a late breakfast. For some reason, I was starved again. He insisted that my breakfast was free. His business was already triple what he usually did, even though he continued charging the slightly higher prices that he charged yesterday.

Well before noon, we were down to our last cargo container of produce. Expecting things to sell as quickly as they had, I had this container packed with a mixture of everything. Unlike many of the other containers, this one wouldn’t be sold to wholesalers. The contents of this one would be sold to individuals who only wanted a single piece of fruit or a few pieces. We even cut the melons in halves and quarters to make them more affordable for average citizens.

Doing that had the effect of creating a larger overall demand for the fruit since more people could afford a taste. It also ingratiated me with the locals. They knew I could easily sell everything to wholesalers. Making the locals happy also kept the local government happy with me. I found that out on my second trip to Kai’ka.

When I radioed in for docking instructions that time, the harbormaster remembered me and assigned me the closest available berth to the marketplace, thanking me for the way I had sold some of my cargo individually so more people could afford it. His wife had surprised him with an orange, and he loved it. Once I verified that it was legal, and not considered a bribe, I sent him a handful of oranges to show my appreciation. I left him two oranges before leaving Kai’ka this time, even though I didn’t sell anything there.

With things winding down here, it was time for me to peruse the market and see what was available. I found out yesterday from Nundoro, the fast-food seller, where the Gorokian marketplace was and headed that way aboard one of my shuttles. Before leaving, though, I stopped to eat lunch. He still wouldn’t let me pay, exclaiming that he had done a ten-day’s worth of business today and made as much profit as he normally made in two ten-days. I got his com number and promised to let him know when I got back with my next cargo.

Three-finger Nardu was easy to locate since everyone seemed to know him. He was happy to sell to me after I gave him the message from Yuka. He was surprised to see me with a contingent of Gorokian military androids as my escort. When I explained how I came by them, he commented that the pirate ship may have been of Karkallian origin, but the pirates were definitely former Gorokian military. Gorokian military androids were nearly impossible to come by. He offered to buy mine, or to give me twice as many Karkallian military androids in return. I politely refused, explaining that I already had these programmed the way I wanted them.

Then he explained that the special rounds for the rail gun were actually a dual round. The first half punched a hole in a ship’s shield by electronically shorting out a small area, allowing the second half of the round to pass through the shield. He only had forty rounds with him today, and I bought all of them.

When he hinted that he had more available, I asked about buying another two hundred rounds. He agreed to bring them to my ship at sundown and I gave him an orange to seal the deal. I figured that making friends with Gorokian marketplace sellers was a good way to find out all sorts of things. I was able to buy three more shield generators, one each of the Karkallian, Gorokian, and Dubanian shields, as well as the power sources for them.

I even found two used Dubanian jump drives, each powerful enough for a ship even bigger than mine. I even paid for a used Karkallian and a used Gorokian jump drive, wondering if one or more could be integrated with a Dubanian jump drive like the two AIs had integrated.

The electronic books I found were a huge bonus, one hundred sixteen different books, mostly Gorokian. Many appeared to be college-equivalent textbooks. Next, I sought the chart seller Nardu sent me to for star charts. He was an odd-looking old man, and I nearly climaxed when he showed me the electronic star chart he had available.

The chart was huge, more than a hundred times the combined area claimed by Terra, Goroke, Karkalla, and Duban. I had no idea that so much of the surrounding area had been explored and charted. Touching any part of the chart brought up a more detailed chart of that area. Touching it again brought up enough information to allow jumps into that area. Touching a solar system brought up extremely detailed information about each system, including the number and types of planets, a list of the most prevalent minerals on each planet, and information about the system’s star or stars. This was huge!

The chart was expensive, costing as much as I had received for two of the salvaged ships. However, the possibility of locating unclaimed planets where I could grow the items I brought here to sell made it worth it. The jump drive opened up all sorts of new possibilities for me. An uninhabited planet with tropical weather covered in virgin forests with lots of volcanic soil would produce plenty of the produce and would provide the timber that I needed.

I knew the Gorokian government wouldn’t let me visit their planets, but they had three buyers here this morning, so they were also eager to buy my produce. The chart seller was surprised and happy when I tipped him with an orange for selling me the chart.

The final things I found were AIs. The seller seemed nervous, but somehow knew that Nardu approved of me and agreed to sell me one Karkallian AI, two Gorokian, and two Dubanian AIs. Three AIs were for the next ship I hoped to buy. The other two were for my current ship. When they installed the other three shields, intending them to operate independently of each other, my androids studied them and merged all three with my Terran shield to create a single shield that was much stronger than any one of them individually.

Since learning that combining all four shields gave me much greater protection from attack, I wondered about combining all three AIs with my Terran AI. Would they work together? Would the idea work at all? The two I had now seemed to work well together. If nothing else, I hoped each AI would provide me with more insight into the race that manufactured it.

I was back well before dinner, even spending time in the regular marketplace where I found little that I was interested in buying besides local meat and vegetables.

Tiyya and another gorgeous girl were sitting on the steps of my second shuttle when I returned. Tiyya jumped up eagerly, flowing into my arms and kissing me. “Marc, this is Marile, my best friend,” she introduced us. Marile was as beautiful as every other Karkallian woman was, and like Tiyya, was just a younger version of those women. Her hair was more towards the orange end of the spectrum, and she had a sexy dusting of freckles across her breasts.

“I’m very pleased to meet you,” I greeted Marile.

“Tiyya has told me so much about you,” she answered coyly as she touched my arm with her hand. “I, too, am surprised that you continue to wear a shirt instead of going bare-chested to attract other women,” she commented.

“Maybe I will if Tiyya comes to her senses and finds a better man when I return to Terra to get more goods to sell here. If she’s still interested in me when I get back, I’ll continue wearing my shirt.” I still wasn’t quite sure what sort of relationship we had. Were we short-term sex partners? Was she looking for something more serious or even permanent? I liked her enough to consider a more serious relationship if she wanted to, but still wasn’t aware of all the intricacies of such a new relationship.

Both girls started at my pronouncement and Tiyya pressed herself against me. “Tomorrow morning, Marile can tell you how lucky I am to have found you. Then, I will be waiting impatiently for you to return,” she promised.

“I will miss you every second that I’m gone,” I replied. With that declaration, the girls pulled me into my shuttle. My market stalls were empty except for the produce I was selling to individuals. Nundoro eagerly agreed to take anything that didn’t sell today. He would continue selling it in his stalls each day until it was gone, figuring that it would draw more customers to his fast-food place. He would give me the proceeds when I returned. My androids had already returned the posts for the force fields and all but two of the produce tables.

Leaving the second shuttle for the remaining androids to use, we headed for the Cornucopia. Marile was just as impressed with the fruit we had for dessert as Tiyya was last night. She also enjoyed the warm shower. It was such a simple luxury, yet unheard of here.

True to his word, Nardu arrived with two hundred more rounds of the special ammunition. I paid him and thanked him. “No need to thank me,” he laughed. “My wife intends to thoroughly thank me tonight because of the orange I brought home.”

Despite the pace the girls set for me during the night, one I’m stunned that I could come close to keeping up with, I still felt exhilarated in the morning--as well as ravenous for the second morning in a row.

“You don’t have to worry about Tiyya looking for anyone else while you’re gone. She’d be a fool to try, and she’d be unsuccessful at finding anyone who compares to you,” Marile purred after kissing me farewell.

“Are you leaving today?” Tiyya asked anxiously.

“Normally, I’d leave once I bought all of the cargo and got it aboard, but I’d like to spend another night with you before I go,” I admitted, making Tiyya beam.

“I’ll be back before dinner,” she promised, “and I may bring someone else with me,” she added with a conspiratorial grin.

“I meant what I said yesterday, all I need is you,” I reminded her, squeezing the sexy globes of her tight ass as I kissed her.

“You don’t mind me bringing someone else, do you?” she asked tentatively.

“I’m not as crazy as I look, so no, I don’t mind. I just don’t want you to think that you need to bribe me by bringing other women,” I explained.

“I’m not bribing you,” she protested quietly. “I enjoy sex with women, too. It’s very common here. I doubt there are any Karkallian women who haven’t been with other women. Having a man there makes it even better. When I bring someone, I’m sharing my good fortune with people I’m close to. I’m sharing a woman with you each night, and sharing you with her,” she explained.

“As long as it’s something you want to do, and not something you feel you need to do for me,” I reiterated.

With a final longing kiss from each girl, and a good deal of groping on my part, they were off, using the former pirate shuttle since I wouldn’t need it today. When they were gone, I left for one of the businesses I learned about yesterday.

By late afternoon, I had a valuable cargo, by far the richest I had ever taken back. Some of the technology that I could afford this time would be new to Terrans while other cargo was familiar but highly sought-after things--with an equally profitable price tag. Considering that I now only had to pay the standard Karkallian tax instead of the higher tax offworld traders were charged, I’d make an additional 7.5% on what I sold. “Too bad I couldn’t get a break on the Terran taxes,” I laughed to myself.

Despite what I knew about Karkallian morals, I was surprised when I returned to the shuttle I let Tiyya use and found out that the female she brought for us to share tonight was her mother, Zalika.

Since Tiyya insisted that she was sharing other women with me because she wanted to, and I knew that married Karkallian women frequently had sex with other men, I sure wasn’t going to argue. Just the thought of sharing a mother and daughter for the night had me rock-hard.

Rather than eat dinner first, Tiyya wanted to have sex first. At first, it seemed as if Zalika was evaluating what I did with Tiyya. Finally, though, she joined us.

“I see now why my daughter is smitten with you,” Zalika commented as the three of us lay together afterwards. We finally ate the dinner that my androids cooked for us. Seeing the looks in the ladies’ eyes, I figured that I’d need lots of energy tonight--not that I minded. Digging out one of the chocolate bars that I brought along, I broke off part and stuffed it into my mouth.

“What’s that?” Tiyya asked.

“It’s chocolate, a Terran candy. It has lots of sugar and I’m eating some to give me more energy,” I replied.

“Candy?” Zalika queried.

“Candy refers to any number of sweet treats eaten on Terra. They have too much sugar to be healthy for people, but eating them only occasionally is fine,” I replied.

Tiyya wanted to taste it, so I handed her the candy bar. While Zalika and I watched, she carefully nibbled off the corner of one of the squares and tasted it, running it around the inside of her mouth with that sexy tongue she used on me earlier.

“Oh, my,” she gasped in surprise almost half a minute later.

“What?” Zalika and I asked in unison.

“I think ... I think the candy acts like Nenteik,” she said as her eyes widened in surprise. I had no clue what she meant and worried that she was having some sort of adverse reaction to the chocolate.

“Nenteik is a female aphrodisiac,” Zalika explained when she saw the near panic on my face.

“Aphrodisiac?” I gasped.

“You might want to eat the rest of that candy if it gives you extra energy or acts like an aphrodisiac for Terran men,” Tiyya husked in a sultry voice. Even before I finished chewing the chocolate, Tiyya was all over me. Zalika watched, amused.

It must have been one hell of an aphrodisiac because it was nearly four hours later before the effects wore off and the three of us collapsed, completely spent, and slept.

We were so exhausted that my androids had to wake us up in the morning. Fortunately, they had breakfast ready for us. “Do you have any more of that choc-lut?” Zalika asked while we ate.

“I have a few more,” I replied, thinking that she wanted to take one home to use with her husband.

“I would like to have them tested to make sure they are safe. If so, once the government approves them, you can sell them as an aphrodisiac. Our current aphrodisiac costs 500 Karkallian credits for ten doses. With the amount Tiyya used last night, the one bar would have 96 doses and would be worth 4,800 Karkallian credits,” she explained.