Trade has resumed to normalish levels since the pox plague crisis has passed. In order to expand trade further, the Consolidated Associated Traders of Zenobia (C.A.T.Z.) is jobbing out to independent traders. DaveDorm Gaffer, Seren Undercroft, Svetlana Pleiades, Stacy Leakey, Cody Winterwolf and Ziggy London have stepped up so far. We have been working with Dave, Svet, Tillery and Albert on setup for some time.
Araxes to Dragon's Egg Moon to Washtown to Colchester to Zenobia to Paquin and back seems to be a popular route. We are trying to get trade missions going to Botany Bay, Necronom IV, Deshima Station and Talmont. I am going to have to ask around about Strega, Blackburne Smuggler's Den and Moonshel. We have a current limited consignment from some trade with Cargo Express and am negotiating with Umbrella Corporation for a consignment to expand medical trade
I was checking the settings on the embassy guesthouse autoshuttle when I saw Seren Undercroft who rents one of the landing pads nearby. I waved her up and showed her some of the inventory we have available for consignment.
I originally thought Seren Undercroft was from 34 Tauri, then I thought she was from Deshima Station, then I found (when I asked her) that she was from some place called the seven sun. We discussed where that was, but I don't remember. I really need to keep better notes.
I showed Seren some of the very fine products from the Dharma Initiative and the Alferd Packer Meat Packing Company of Packard, Albion. Zenobia produces some very fine livestock, clover fed beef and fodder crop hogs, etc, but most of what I have in inventory was spacer and prison provisioning.
Tripe, Haggis, Headcheese, MRMs, Chum, Fish Heads. Synthetic Protein Artificially Manufactured (S.P.A.M., crueltly free meat substitute), not to be confused with the 13 varieties of real meat Spam (Shoulder Pork And Meat), Smeat (Spreadable Meat, convenient and fun) and Soylent Green. Ultimate Beef is their biggest export, only a lifetime of force feeding and the best growth-hormones and steroids can make.
Seren was expecting to be heading to Dragon's Egg Moon, so I didn't expect her to take any Blue Sun products. But who can refuse the fruity oaty goodness of fruity oaty bars? I try to explain to people the practical aspects of hibernation and cryogenic labor transport, Gruntsicles. But for some reason, no one seems excited about the opportunity.
Shortly thereafter, Seren got elected to the Beit Dawla Council in Al Raqis. I see her every week now. Willard Deerhunter and Dave Gaffer were also elected, I am used to seeing them often. Willard works at the Clan Misrim trading post in the Deep Desert and Dave Gaffer runs Vulture Shipping. I see them both regularly. I didn't have much dealings with Arnold Gustav before his election to the Beit Dawla, he and Sisko were the only military types who won seats in the election. Captain Sisko Aries of the STC (Starfleet Torchwood Command) has not yet taken the oath of office and his term is a third over. Trade types dominate the current council.
Meanwhile, back in Zenobia, Svetlana Pleides arrives with a phosphorus that she got in trade in Caliban. She is anxious to get to Dragon's Egg and then to Paquin, a circuitous route. Svet travels with her first mate and her children in their very comfortably appointed ship.
Svet is still trying to figure out what to trade for to get the maximum return for her trade.
I took Svet up to the C.A.T.Z. Longbow Frigate that we keep moored for orbital loading and unloading. I showed her the new reconditioned mule for moving cargo and some of the lifesupport cargo among other things.
I ran across Ziggy London recently. I don't know where he has been all these months, hopefully not prison. He bought me this great new clipboard.
Bug hunting in Araxes has been brisk, I have almost 100 tons of the critter carcasses boxed up for export. I consigned out 15 boxes to Ziggy.
That and some Mudder's Milk, regular and chocolate flavored. Protein and vitamins and 15% alcohol. Mm-mm gross. Big mover along with Fruity Oaty Bars, people can't say no.
We have four master bug hunters so far in Araxes. Those are folks who have collected all 20 meat beetles, both landlobsters and 12 steak spiders. Saygar, Ito, Stacy and Ferris. Ferris is a kid and did it with just a slingshot. But shouldn't he be in school?
We traded them each 8 literpaks of the highly coveted Literpaks with specially processed micro-cluster Dihydrogen oxide specially manufactured with some somnoluminesence process to make it more effective for the desert. Or so the literature says although the legal disclaimers says that they cannot claim that.
I try to clue traders in that there is good radionuclide ores in Dragon's Egg Moon. I direct them to Natirra for medical supplies and Miya Wingtips for colony supplies and then to Cody to trade for the ore mined in the colony.
Luckily, they are nice enough to crate them with protective shielding.
Sources of Thorium, Uranium and Duranium (depleted uranium). Very few fission reactors in this day and age. But Fission Fired Fusion Reactors are simpler than a lot of fancy engines. Fission salt rockets are used in deep space missions. The simplest engines ever, even a plumber can fix them.
The UAP has had a modest military presence in Araxes for years, a very low profile. A barracks, a few missions, some meetings, some negotiations. But recently they made an installation, the Watchtower overlooking the Al Raqis Highport.
They had threats in the area, the Guild Navigator who was involved in theft of Zenobian antiquities, the criminal Commander Faith and his father, the AR_Pharma debacle, the negotiations for the release of Zeno and Calina.
A lot of indies come to Araxes. Lori Schulman is from Araxes but grew up in 34 Tau, joined the independents in the last part of the war. She has a small village in the area. A known hangout for smugglers.
It is difficult to maneuver a full sized Firefly into the village, but with some luck and determination I was able to get it done. I spoke with the Sheika of Azaadi for a while. I think she views me as Alliance and did not want to talk about trade, saying none was done in the area.
Of course, earlier I found the village stash. No worries.
Zeno went to Azaadi along with some friends. She had hired someone for Kaden Security but they have frequent scheduling conflicts.
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