Homestar Saga

Chapter 108: Trade Deal

"So, how'd we get a trade deal, anyway?" Yvian was feeling good. Her sky dress pressed against her skin, soft and silky and far more comfortable than she'd expected. The dress contoured to her body, emphasizing her fitness and her curves. The light of the Homestar glowed gently over her heart, its light sparkling off the crystal city that covered her abdomen. It was beautiful, and she was beautiful in it. "I thought we weren't doing any international stuff, yet."

Mims and Lissa shared a look. Lissa's star dress was just as impressive as Yvian's, but the real surprise had been Mims in his new Peacekeeper suit. The black jacket emphasized his shoulders. The white collar and black tie lent an air of sophistication he usually lacked. The fedora drew attention to sharp eyes and a square jaw. Unlike standard Peacekeepers, the human's fedora had a red band. The outfit as a whole made Mims look lean, predatory, and sharp. Yvian noted with mild amusement that he wore the same shoes he'd had when Lissa talked him into the stripper outfit.

"We, uh..." Mims took off his hat so he could scratch his head. "We opened a dialogue while we were hiring the Oluken to treat you." He put his hat back on.

"There's a lot of stuff we need that we can't make for ourselves, yet." Lissa explained. "Venturetech had to cut us off after the Confed declared war, but even before that there were a lot of things we couldn't get on the open market."

"Inertial gravity and artificial dampeners rely on materials that are not present in New Pixa sector," one of the Peacekeepers added. Yvian thought it was Kilroy. His suit didn't look any different, but it rustled when he moved. Standard Peacekeeper suits were surprisingly well armored, tougher in some ways than Yvian's voidarmor. Since weapons and armor were not allowed on Oluken stations, the Peacekeepers had settled for similar attire made out of non-combat materials. "Our fabrication stations are capable of converting matter into basic materials, but exotic isotopes like Xublin 37 are beyond their capabilities."

"The materials can be synthesized," the other Peacekeeper added, "but doing so is costly and time consuming. It would take another eight years, four months, three weeks, and two days to start producing them in significant amounts."

"Oh." Yvian had known the Pixen Technocracy didn't have the materials it needed for shipbuilding, but she had never asked about the details. "Are we getting a good deal?"

"Negative." Both Peacekeepers spoke in unison.

"The motherless sons had us by the shorthairs," Lissa grumbled, "and they knew it."

"The treaty itself isn't too bad," Mims explained, "but we had to make a lot of concessions to get it. They're getting access to some of the crystal cities for study, and a bunch of tech the Peacekeepers received from the Xill."

"The full database on terraforming, bio-engineering, and known organic species," the unit Yvian thought was Zarkon specified, "As well as schematics for our fabrication facilities. Priceless information that could have been leveraged to heavily benefit the Pixen Technocracy."

"You meatbags should have left the trade talks to a superior negotiator," the unit that actually was Zarkon chided. "Such as this unit." Yvian wished the Peacekeepers would wear name tags. She'd suggested the idea months ago, but they'd flatly refused.

"What's done is done." The human shrugged. There was a slight vibration as the ship's autopilot landed them inside the docking bay of Tenril Station. "If it's any comfort, you can be in charge of negotiating from now on."

"Indeed," Ambassador Zarkon's eyes flashed white. He sounded mollified. "That is why this unit is here."

Mims pulled a datapad out of his pocket. The pixens were still wearing their wrist consoles, but Kilroy had forbidden the Captain from wearing his in the Peacekeeper suit. He said it would, "ruin the aeshetic." Mims checked the pad and said, "We're docked. Is everyone ready?"