The First One's Free Read Free

picked
up the tuber. “I could give you seeds, but had I successfully gone
through your entry protocols, they simply would have been
confiscated and destroyed as a potential contaminant. This, on the
other hand, is a sample.” He pointed to a bud on the surface of the
root. “These are what my people call ‘tubers,’ and on our ancestral
world, they have eliminated famine time and again. Once we mastered
genetic manipulation, we were even able to make them grow in the
polar regions. My employer specializes in this kind of work.
However, we are much newer to the industry than the older food
engineering entities, some of which date back to before my people’s
last global war.”
    Tishla took the tuber from Marq again and
examined it. “And these buds?”
    “If you skin the tuber,” said Marq, “and
simply toss them in a field somewhere, the buds will grow into
perfect clones of the original plant. From there, you can take
seeds and modify the genes as you see fit. You have flowering
plants on this world? Small creatures that will help pollinate
them?”
    Did they? Kai asked himself, knowing
Tishla would be wondering the same thing. It’s all our
immunologists can do to keep ahead of the parasites .
    “Just so you know,” said Tishla, “my master
is not Jod. We’re not going to believe this is just going to
blossom into the lush garden of our creation myths. Not without
some evidence first.”
    “To follow your metaphor,” said Marq, “the
giant in question is Juno. And Juno is the one giving you the gift.
Freely. We would actually consider it a favor if you took this
tuber for your own purposes. We only ask that you let us see the
results of your work.”
    “And why would you do something like
that?”
    “You are familiar with the concept of the
free market?” When Tishla nodded, he said, “Such markets are not so
free when more established entities rig the market for their own
purposes. Juno is simply looking for new ways to compete.”
    Kai wondered why he did not completely
believe that. He could see from Tishla’s expression she wasn’t
buying it either.
     
    3
     
    It took a day to find Marq’s ship. Kai noted
with amusement that the asteroid where it lay anchored looked very
much like one of the tubers.
    He had debated about sending someone to look,
perhaps sending Tishla herself and a team of Palace Guards, but
ultimately decided to go himself. He could trust his premier not to
stage a coup, but he could not trust his guards not to kidnap
Tishla for themselves.
    They guided their jump ship toward the
asteroid and found Marq’s ship on the far side. Kai admired Tishla
as she worked the controls. Even her flight suit could not hide the
lines of her body. Though she was focused on the controls, a stern
expression on her face as she studied the alien craft for a means
of docking, a smile started to form on her lips.
    “Do I make your tongue swell?” she said
playfully.
    To Kai’s surprise, it was swelling a
little. “Sometimes, I wish I could keep you beyond your term of
indenture.”
    “You know what to do, Lattus.” The smile had
now fully formed. “You know what I want.”
    “And if I could give it to you, I would.” He
leaned back. “But you and I both know the Oligarchy will never
allow me to marry a servant, even when she’s become a Free Woman.”
He reached over and stroked her arm. “There is no shame in being
the mistress of a High Born.”
    “There’s no legal standing in it, either.”
Her smile had vanished. “I’m going to use the collapsible collar to
dock with the ship. If that code he gave us is genuine, we’ll be
inside in under five minutes. Watch the thrusters for me please.”
The smile returned. “I mean, may I ask Your Excellency to watch the
thrusters, Master?”
    “Yes, dear.”
    A wide cup-like structure blossomed on the
launch’s underside as Tishla positioned it over the docking port on
Marq’s craft. The thrusters fired wildly from multiple sides of