Freedom's Ransom Part 27

'We did well, but not as well as I led you to believe we would,' he said and was surprised when someone booed.

'You got back, you brought us coffee and a whole rake of materials we can't get anywhere else, Zainal. What's your problem with that?' It was Worry who had spoken, and Kris was relieved that it had not been one of the more vocal detractors.

'Sally Stoffers has a record of what I traded the Botany resources for,' Zainal said, pointing at Sally in the audience.

'He did real good, folks. We all did. Got quite handy with bargaining, even when those Barevian merchants were being d.a.m.ned stingy.'

Zainal gave her a grateful nod for her comment.

'I didn't do as much as I promised you I would and could.'

He was not apologizing, Kris realized, but explaining.

'Barevi's a different world now than the one I knew.'

'Yeah, they lost the war.'

'That isn't what I meant,' Zainal replied, exasperated and possibly unable to explain what was prompting him to make this confession. 'Though on balance, I think your planet has made the better adjustment.'

'Good for Earth!' Someone hoisted a clenched fist skyward in an old gesture of supremacy.

'Botany is in an extraordinary situation,' Zainal went on. 'Both worlds are at a crossroads, I think. I know.' Kris could see his chest rise as he took a deep breath. 'I would like to think that we can do more... both for Earth, your planet, and for mine.'

'Invade them?' someone called.

'The Eosi were manipulative and... and evil,' Zainal said. 'They perverted my world and subjugated many more. Many more.'

'That's their problem.'

'No, it is ours as well. We inhabit the same galaxy. There is more we can do to a.s.sist recovery on your own world. I would like to have the same discretion to help mine... and ours!' He hurried on lest someone interrupt him. 'The Botany s.p.a.ce Force would be invaluable to both worlds, or I should say, all three, including Barevi.' He took another quick breath. 'I would like you to consider using our ships-'

'The ones we stole from the Catteni in the first place?T 'Yes, those. To bring what's needed on Earth from Barevi. We were able to discover two chests of Eosi treasure with which we can probably buy out everything in all the storage rooms on Barevi and bring it back to Earth. They trade there, you know. If we make the Barevi merchants hire our ships, we can see that everything gets back to Earth!'

'Wow!'

'Hey, man, think BIG.'

'We'd charge the Barevis for the shipping, wouldn't we?T 'What about the captives, Zainal?' a woman asked, nearly a shriek to be heard over the comments from the audience.

'Well, now, I've thought about that a lot, since some of you may know that Kris and Kathy nearly got sent to a slave colony. It's one of my plans. Look, if we start transporting Botany ores and metals to Earth, and to Barevi, we will hurt their markets, which, I must tell you, are already hurting. One' - he held up his hand as he ticked off his points - 'Earth gets the ores it needs to start manufacturing again and, two, cuts off the market for the slave colonies' produce. If they don't need slaves to work, maybe we can buy their freedom. That's what we all want, isn't it? The slaves freed?T 'This civil war has to do with planetary rights,' someone with a marked southern accent cried.

'D'you think it'd work?' a woman called.

'I'd like to give it a try,' Zainal said. 'Now, what I'm going to say may distress some of you, but I was talking to the judge,' and Zainal swivelled his body so he could see the judge, who was nodding encouragingly, 'and, with all due respect, we - Catteni and Humans - are not that different.'

'Yeah? Since when?' No one was quick enough to see who had asked that.

'Since I know that both our species want to explore s.p.a.ce and both our populations need additional worlds on which to develop.'

'A point well taken,' the judge said with a little tap of his gavel.

'Are you suggesting we make partners of the Catteni?' d.i.c.k Aarens jumped to his feet.

'Why not? They couldn't dominate you, could they? Your tactics made them leave.'

'But partner the Catteni?' Aarens objected.

'Beat them at their own game?' the judge suggested.

'It's better than fighting them,' Dorothy Dwardie said firmly. 'Where would Earth be if we had had Catteni technology?'

'Look, I don't know what the coodinators on Earth - the effective governors of Earth, I should point out - what they'll think about this notion, but I'd like to put it to them and bring them some essential supplies that we know they need. And bring back to Botany coffee plants and banana trees and other Terran plants that might adapt here, as well as people who can teach us how to grow them properly.'

'We're all for the coffee,' someone yelled.

'Tea bushes would do well here, too,' a woman suggested. 'They grow tea in Kenya, you know.'

Zainal nodded and made a note on his clipboard.

'It wouldn't cost Botany anything,' Zainal said, 'now that we have how much, Sally?'

She stood. 'I figured out that the Catteni gold coins equal about three quarters of a billion dollars on the last gold-exchange figures.'

'That's enough to buy out everything the Barevis looted from us, if we get good prices,' Zainal said. 'I want to ask the coordinators in the metropolitan New York area if we can use Newark Airport for the swap meet of this century. We'll supply the coinage, which we got free anyhow, and your planet can ransom back all they need to reequip abandoned manufacturing. Why should we waste our time and fuel bargaining at Barevi when we can make money off them by carting it all to Earth and getting other folks to haggle?T 'Haggling's the fun of it,' a female voice protested.

Worry got to his feet and waited until there was silence. 'I think Zainal's suggestions have merit and provide positive advantages - to us, to Earth and, however inadvertently, to Barevi. I was talking to Chuck and Kathy Harvey about their adventures on our home world. It'd be real fun to outsmart the Catteni, no offence meant, Zainal, but you're more Botanical than Catteni anyway. In any event, since you don't really need our approval, being a free citizen and the person who helped us acquire the ships that comprise our s.p.a.ce force, I think you ought to have a say in how they are used. And if it takes some shenanigans to free the slaves, why, work away. No one else's doing anything to get them back, are they?'

While that straight talk ruffled some sensibilities and caused an outbreak of loud conversations and reb.u.t.tals, the judge permitted it to continue until he felt the need to curb some of the more vociferous arguments.

'Let us vote first on whether or not Zainal should go back to Earth with the goods he acquired for them by trading coffee beans on Barevi.'

Chuck sprang to his feet. 'I request that the a.s.sembled allow Zainal to return to Earth and deal with the authorities there on how best to relieve their shortages. I request that he be allowed to suggest to the Terran coordinators that the Botany s.p.a.ce Force can transport Barevian goods to Earth for the purposes of barter.'

'I second both motions,' Dorothy Dwardie said, jumping to her feet.

Others were as quick to support the motions, and they were very quickly pa.s.sed. Zainal bowed his head at such support.

'I think this idea of forcing the slavers to give us back our people is a bit far-fetched, Zainal,' d.i.c.k Aarens said, but he had stood in support of the first two measures.

'It probably is, d.i.c.k, but if you can think of another way, I'd be interested. I also intend to suggest it to the coords. I'm hoping to meet with more of them when we return.' He held up his hand for silence again. 'And I wonder if I can bring back a select number of folk from Earth. My crew will tell you that people were envious of what we have here and how often we were asked to make room on Botany for deserving cases.'

'We don't need a population explosion on Botany, Zainal. h.e.l.l's bells,' Leon said, 'we just don't have the facilities.'

'We can always build new homes,' Dr. Hessian said, rising to his feet in his ponderous way. 'We cannot be lost to compa.s.sionate a.s.sistance.'

'I volunteer my services,' Dorothy said, 'to a.s.sist in winnowing out applicants, and since we now have a s.p.a.ceship business, they can come for limited periods.'

'Under proper contracts,' Sarah McDouall suggested.

There were so many other comments fired back and forth in the hall that the judge had to make vigorous use of his gavel.

'If Dorothy is willing to volunteer her services,' Zainal said, 'could we bring back a limited number of folk? Limited, of course, to how much s.p.a.ce we have on a KDM.' He gave a wry smile.

'No one will come first-cla.s.s,' Kris said.

'The Newark coord, Dan Vitali, has an asthmatic grandson who would benefit from our clear Botanical air,' Zainal said.

'And he asked if he could take applications. We need more trained botanists, Leon Dane tells me, and possibly more miners. Right, Mike?' Kris said, pointing in the direction of the men. 'Practical specialists like agrarians to see what Terran things, like potatoes, would do well here and what might be sent back to Earth to be propagated.'

'And a dentist. With his equipment. Where is Eric Sachs?'

'Doing a very good business on Barevi. He didn't care to desert his patients at short notice.'

'We'll pick him up on our next visit,' Kris remarked, though she wondered if they would repatriate the ebullient Dr. Sachs.

'I'm sure we need time to discuss the details of these ideas,' Judge Iri said, banging his gavel so he could be heard, 'but let us be resolved, here and now, to do what we can to relieve Earth's problems as best we can and to try to establish harmonious relationships with the Catteni government and the Barevi merchants. What say you?'

There was a roar of approval, much stamping of feet and loud applause.

'You're stuck with it, Zainal,' the judge said, with a tap on Zainal's shoulder for the work that he had cut out for himself. 'You asked for it. You got it.'

Kris rushed forward, ahead of the crowd, to hug Zainal, who was now grinning widely with relief.

Maybe this exceptional man could indeed manage the feats he had promoted himself for. He returned her embrace, not embarra.s.sed to be seen displaying such an unCatteni demonstration of affection.

'I dropped, I stay.'

The End

Anne McCaffrey's books can be read individually or as series. However, for greatest enjoyment the following sequences are recommended: The Dragon Books DRAGON FLIGHT DRAGONQUEST DRAGON SONG DRAGONSINGER: HARPER OF PERN THE WHITE DRAGON DRAGON DRUMS MORITA: DRAGONLADY OF PERN NERILKA'S STORY & THE COELURA DRAGONSDAWN THE RENEGADES OF PERN ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN THE CHRONICLES OF PERN: FIRST FALL THE. DOLPHINS OF PERN RED STAR RISING: THE SECOND CHRONICLES OF PERN (published in US as DRAGONSEYE) THE MASTERHARPER OF PERN THE SKIES OF PERN Crystal Singer Books THE CRYSTAL SINGER KILLASHANDRA CRYSTAL LINE Talent Series TO RIDE PEGASUS PEGASUS IN FLIGHT PEGASUS IN s.p.a.cE Tower and the Hive Sequence THE ROWAN DAMIA DAMIA'S CHILDREN LYON'S PRIDE THE TOWER AND THE HIVE Catteni Sequence FREEDOM'S LANDING FREEDOM'S CHOICE FREEDOM'S CHALLENGE FREEDOM'S RANSOM The Acorna Series ACORNA (with Margaret Ball) ACORNA'S QUEST (with Margaret Ball) ACORNA'S PEOPLE (with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough) ACORNA'S WORLD (with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough) Individual t.i.tles RESTOREE DECISION AT DOONA THE SHIP WHO SANG GET OFF THE UNICORN THE GIRL WHO HEARD DRAGONS BLACK HORSES FOR THE KING NIMISHA'S SHIP Written in collaboration with Elizabeth Ann Scarborough POWERS THAT BE POWER LINES POWER PLAY This book is respectfully dedicated to the people I've met on my chat line: herewith listed in their on-line nicknames.

I apologize in advance if I have forgotten anyone, and this list is current even to newbies as of 19 June 2001.

Many of. you gave me your time, encouragement and often explicit help throughout this book. I am pleased to have met all of you listed below. Ciao.

Allettah Gill Melissa Arnbrosius Gizmo nine Michael An Grainne Miranda Anareth Grey Bear Moomin Angele Gynna Mousertx Anneli Habit 2 Mpatane A'ron Happy b.u.t.terfly Natalie Aviendha Heideth NCC2235 Barbie Hishin Nemkitty BD No Nemlee Beck/Coelura Jax Nirgal Belarion Jeffrywithle Peanuts Betsy Jenna, Trivia Lady Princess Jennifer Birgit John Quixotic Bonnbon Jojo Ranen Bowser Jor Rapunzel Brina Jorine Raz Cami Khricket Rimmer Cheryl Kismet Rogue Wolf Chris K'Nan Rosh Cindy Koolness Rube Clueless Kris raven Simon Corsaith Kyky Sparkies C'ris Lady Cygnet S'ran/Sokar Dark Steps Laurel SW Debbiedamoodvmom Leia Tail Kink2Enniem Dianna Little Bit Tankiawee Draig Loiosh Thalarob Elfin friend L'rry Thunderchild Elrhan Mallory Tsarina Emma Marie Wendy Freev MasterHarper 57 Wolf Shadow Gail Mavron York Harper

Acknowledgments.

In putting together the details required for a book, the author is sometimes thrown out of his/her depth and seeks the help of experts in particular fields for advice and information.

In this fourth of the Catteni/Freedom series, I required more knowledge of dentistry than my experience or memory could give me. Dr. Les Latner, DMS, Los Angeles, and A. M. Price, DMD, were generous with their help in answering my somewhat rambling requests for information.

Thanks to my loyal friend, Lea Day, I was put in touch with Tony Diorio of Dariene Coffee, Babylon, New York, who gave me information about the transport of coffee beans from their various locations and how it is handled. Wendy Gilbert (aka Hishin) surfed the Web and friends and found out more about coffee plantations in Kenya, for which I am indebted.

Bobbie Parker (aka Short Wave, aka Jake) improved my understanding of satellites beyond the information I found on the Net at various locations. He put me wise to certain minor s.p.a.ce difficulties and even designed the KDM ships that transported my heroic crew on their s.p.a.ce adventures. It's not so much gaining information as interpreting it correctly to my needs that is my major problem. Therefore, all mistakes are mine!

My son, Todd J. McCaffrey, as a licensed private pilot, was once again on the spot with accurate landing-type protocols.

I also wish to let it be known that I am grateful for the encouragement and help I received from the chat line on my Web site. They were wonderfully generous with their time, thoughts and encouragements. They even let me use some of their real names and not just their on-line nicknames. As I have met very few of them, I hope I did not offend in my portrayals from just a name and chats on-line.

My collaborator, Margaret Ball, found me more information about the Masai and their tribal system.

And finally, my thanks to my daughter, Georgeanne Kennedy, for her careful editing and comments. My deepest grat.i.tude to Susan Allison at Putnam Berkley for her continued encouragement and especially for her patience.