Part 1 (2/2)

*None taken!' the stranger said with a broad grin. *Are you thinking of settling on the world below?'

The council members s.h.i.+fted on their feet and Tab wondered how many of them had been in favour of settling here. She could see the appeal of stopping in one place that might have all the resources the city needed, but wouldn't that make them sitting ducks for some larger city floating above? Either way Quentaris was going to have to boost her defences. Tab hadn't realised how vulnerable they were. She was glad these first visitors seemed friendly.

*We are determined to return to our homeworld,' Stelka replied.

The pint-sized visitor nodded. *Wise. There is a vicious predator on this world.'

*Our scouting parties have not seen anything.'

*It is not their season now, but it will be soon. You would do better to trade your supplies than set foot there again. Unless you have souls to spare.'

*Thanks for the warning,' said Commander Storm, head of the City Watch.

*My name is Kel. I'm captain of that frigate over yonder. May I approach?' He took a step forward, and the guards bristled. There was a rustle of fabric and a clink of metal as they readied their weapons.

*Whoa,' Kel said holding his palms up. *Rude and suspicious. You know, for most sky-cities trading is commonplace, almost tedious. There mustn't be much to do here, eh? So, what can I offer you?' His two companions hoisted a chest onto the dock. *We have some incense. Very rare! Or gem stones.' Kel bent down, fossicking in his coffer.

The Archon peered over Tash Morley's shoulder, keen to see inside.

*None of them are useful for anything,' Kel continued, *but some cultures like to display gewgaws and ornaments about their person to show how important they are. Made of gla.s.s mostly, strung along a strip of leather, or a chain of metal.' He looked up to see Stelka and other council members placing a hand on the jewels around their necks or wrists. *Yes, like that!' he said, beaming. *You know how to heat sand then? Not complete barbarians, are you?'

Tab and Philmon stifled a laugh at the look on the Chief Navigator's face.

Tab wasn't sure but she thought Kel winked at her as he stepped forward and placed a purple gemstone into Stelka's outstretched hand. *We have travelled the worlds and gathered together the most amazing crafts and artefacts. We have creatures you've never imagined, delights you've never tasted, spells and pipettes and potions galore.'

*And a revitalising tonic,' joked Verris.

*Why sir, as a matter of fact, I have the very thing! A magic animal that heals the sick. You'll never have fever or blight in your fair city again. You'll wonder how you ever lived without it!'

*Excellent,' Verris said, nodding for his marines to stand at ease.

*So, you're a pedlar?' Chief Navigator Stelka said.

Kel shrugged and s.h.i.+fted on his feet. *We prefer the term sky-trader. It has more of a ring.'

*And there are lots of a sky-traders in the worlds?' she inquired.

Kel nodded. *As common as clouds, madam.'

Stelka blinked. *Do you have any icefire?'

The three sky-traders exchanged glances. *Normally you'd start negotiations with a cubit of Hixasic measuring irons, and then work your way up to the most valuable thing in all the worlds,' Kel explained with a grin.

*And a Hixasic measuring iron is a' Bellgard raised his eyebrows.

Kel finished, *the least useful item ever made, and the most easy to get.'

*You can use them to stir paint,' observed one of Kel's companions. *They also make an excellent back scratcher. There's some species that would find them very useful as walking sticks. Very short ones.'

*I know!' said the second, snapping her fingers. *Giants could use them to pick their noses, if they felt using fingers was bad manners.'

*Lady giants,' the first companion agreed, nodding.

*I'll be sure to suggest it next time we meet thousands of lady giants,' Kel said sighing.

*About the icefire?' Stelka pressed.

Kel rubbed the back of his neck. *We might have such a thing lying around. Might not. I'd need to check my stock. I think at this stage the most important thing to determine is what you have that might be of value to us.'

It seemed to Tab that the sky-traders had been in the throne room with the council for hours. The city was preoccupied with waiting again, but this time the solemn fear had been replaced by barely contained excitement.

Philmon's cousin, who was also Tab's cabin mate, Amelia, had joined Tab and Philmon. The three played hooey with some of the children in the Square of the People outside the Archon's Palace.

Word had spread fast. Sailors seemed to be focused on repairing rigging right above where the children played. Grown-ups found reasons to hang around the square and speculate on what the sky-traders' currency might be, given that they seemed to have little interest in gems or metals.

*Children!' whispered one.

*Blood!' suggested another.

*Thickleberry tarts,' guessed the baker.

*Spoiled boingy deer meat,' drooled Vrod.

Many Quentarans remained at the harbour where one of the sky-traders waited with his craft, but he was less talkative than his captain.

Eventually the doors to the palace opened and the two sky-traders stood with the Grand Council on the steps.

Tab picked up the hooey ball and cradled it in her arms. Many of the children sat down cross-legged.

*We have reached an agreement,' Dra.s.s Nibh.e.l.line called out.

The crowd waited.

*Captain Kel and the sky-traders will trade goods with us in return for us teaching them how to play Quentaran games.'

A doubtful murmur rippled through the crowd.

*When you're in the sky a long time you get bored,' Captain Kel explained. *My people start sc.r.a.pping amongst themselves. New sports are an excellent way to pa.s.s time, and they are something we can trade with other cities. You might know something new that we haven't seen before. That's valuable to us.'

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