Hi all sorry it took so long to get this latest chapter out but along with the usual writers block I was working on the begining of a possible freelance career. If any one is curious feel free to check it out at come.to/wpmorse It's still a work in progress but I do apreciate oppinions.

So anyway. All of these characters belong to the lovely Ms. Takahashi and Pioneer. Anything that is not in the public domain and you do not recognize instantly as Anime (ie Doozy Sack,Mama Prime, Governors, Peace Robots, Lollygaggers etc) belong to me. So, without further ado Montanto Productions proudly presents. (drumroll please.)

                       Shantyworld
                     A Ranma Fanfic
                 With Gratuitous Cameos

                      Chapter Four

                      Freetraders


"Freetrader Slave of Duty hailing Freetrader Jokutzuku, respond Jokutzuku.  Freetrader Slave of Duty hailing Freetrader Jokutzuku, respond Jokutzuku."

The Joketsuzoku had completed its final jump into normal space one AU away from its destination with a time distortion of only one week.  Now it joined the seemingly endless caravan of ships headed for the fifth moon of the planet, Mama Prime.

Mu Tsu, The mate's apprentice, sat next to the navigator�s station and watched the gray metal sphere that had just become visible on the bridge�s primary screens.  Considering the Slave of Duty�s kilometer long jumpmasts were only half retracted it could only have entered normal space less then a day earlier.

The Slave of Duty was nearly a kilometer in diameter.   With a crew of 120 and a hold capable of carrying up to 2,000,000 tons of cargo, it rivaled even cartel ships in size and success.   It dwarfed the Joketsuzoko, which was barely a third of its size.

"Master Xian.  Shouldn't we respond?" Mu Tsu asked turning to his master sitting behind him in the captain�s chair.   The communication�s officer groaned rubbing her temples the navigator stifled a giggle.

First mate Xian Kao leaned back and scowled.  He was a man in his fifties dressed all in black with a black skullcap.   His skin seemed tight on his face.  An unkempt beard covered fine cheekbones.   Dark lenses covered tired eyes that showed the fatigue of working three shifts straight.  He was not in a pleasant mood.   For a man to rise so high in the matrilineal Freetrader society though not unheard of was difficult.  Those who made it past the glass ceiling were not to be trifled with.

"Didn't your aunts and mother teach you anything, Boy?" he demanded tugging on his beard.  "The Slave of Duty is a ship of rank.  Do you want its board to think we're nothing but mannerless children who would just as soon fly into a pulsar without looking? There are customs and protocols that have to be respected."

"Freetrader Slave of Duty hailing Freetrader Joketsuzoku, respond Joketsuzoku.� The hail repeated for a third and final time.

Xian Kao signaled the communications officer to open a channel "This is Freetrader Joketsuzoku, Slave of Duty.  Good voyages to you," he said formally.

"Good voyages, Joketsuzoku.  May we have the honor of sharing visuals with your captain?" the Slave of Duty replied.

"Much as it would honor and delight me to provide that privilege I am afraid that the Captain-Matriarch is unavailable.  If you would spare me the time I will locate her." Xian Kao signaled Mu Tsu to take care of it immediately.

"That won't be necessary Kao," a voice from behind him said.

�Captain on the bridge!�

Xian Kao, and the rest of the crew, stood up as Kho-Lon, the captain matriarch of the Joketzuku entered.   She was old, though how old no one knew for sure.   Xian Kao guessed about 150 years subjective.   She was barely a meter tall and wrinkled like a prune.   Well kept long white hair with a yellow headband made up for her features some but hardly enough.    She balanced on a long wooden staff dressed in flowing yellow robes.

Behind Kho Lon stood her personal apprentice, Xian Pu, Xian Kao�s daughter.  Beautiful and proud, he thought to himself, and silent.  It was the matriarch's policy that the traditional Freetrader patois would not be spoken on the bridge.  Xian Pu had dutifully obeyed.   He had never heard so much of a peep out as her when she was on duty.

�Thank you, children, you can sit down now,� Kho Lun hopped to the captains chair on her staff.   "This is Captain Kho Lon.  Good Voyages, Slave of Duty.  I would be honored to share visuals, " she said as she sat down

All five of the central view screens switched from the caravan of ships to the Slave of Duty�s boardroom.  Sitting at the far end of conference table sat an old woman She was at least 90 years subjective and dressed in a navy blue uniform.   Her long white hair was tied in a long braid and draped over her shoulder.  Her senior officers flanked her on both sides of the table.   Behind her stood a handsome young man about seventeen years subjective.

"Cologne! Good voyages.  It�s been ages old friend.  How go the ways?"

Kho Lon took a deep breath.   Did the Slave of Duty�s captain really think she didn�t know the mispronunciations were deliberate?

"The ways are fast and safe, Ruth.   We haul much cargo.  I thank you for asking, yourself?"

"The cargo is good, and we have much to sell," Ruth replied.   "Perhaps we can discuss this in detail after we touch dirt."

"I look forward to it."

"Good.  Are you ready for the games?"

"Of course."

"Excellent, you have met my Grandson, Frederick?" Ruth asked indicating the extremely handsome young man with long blond hair and a pencil thin moustache standing behind the captain's seat.

"Why of course, I remember when you were knee high young man," Kho Lon said. Frederick bowed in respect.

I'm sure he and your champion will have an interesting time in the final competition," Ruth said.

Yes I am sure it will be a fight to remember." Kho Lon said slowly.

"Excellent.  We can talk again when we meet dirtside.  Good voyages, Jokutzuku." The image of the Slave of Duty was replaced by the image of thousands of ships heading towards the moon of Mama Prime.

Kho Lon turned to look at her apprentice with a smile on her wrinkled face.  "Well, Xian Pu, what do you say to that? Fine prospects, yes?"

Xian Pu was silent.  Her mouth was wide open as she shook her head frantically in denial.  She turned and dashed out of the bridge.

�Xian Pu!� Kho Lon shouted but it was too late.  "I thought you raised her better, Kao." She muttered turning to Xian Kao who had watched the entire exchange silently.

"Well, Grandmother, you turn your back for one minute." Kho Lon waved to silence her grandson before he continued.   She was not in the mood for his witticisms at this moment.

"I want her in my office when she finishes her shift.  What is our ETA?"

"We should be dirt side in thirty hours, Captain-Matriarch," the navigator replied.  One of the side view screens zoomed in on the distant planet.  Doozy Sack was barely visible next to the huge Mama Prime.

"I remember a time when a self respecting freetrader wouldn�t stop on the Sack for repairs,� Kho Lon commented Ah well, I guess it attracts a better class of thief these days.  Xian Kao? You and your apprentice get some rest. I want my best people ready for this."

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

"Master Xian! Master Xian!" Xian Kao turned to see Mu Tsu running to catch up with him.  "Master Xian may I speak to you?" Mu Tsu asked an empty space where Xian Kao had stood less then a minute ago.

Shaking his head, Xian Kao reached over and pushed Mousse's corrective lenses from his forehead where they had been resting to over his eyes.  Mu Tsu turned to Xian Kao looking a little embarrassed as he adjusted his eyewear.

Mu Tsu had been born blind.  His family had been able to buy corrective implants from the black market but they were cheap and defective and an endless source of trouble.  When they were not registering images 30 seconds out of synch they were giving his brain wrong information entirely.  The few times they actually worked they worked too well, sometimes giving him telescopic vision, when he did not need it, or the ability to see gas molecules.  The uplink from his eyewear corrected most of the problem but he had to be reminded to wear them constantly.

"Mousse, I am very tired and have to be on duty again in ten hours, this had better be good," Xian Kao sounded more then a little irritated.

"Master Xian, I was wondering, what the Captain-Matriarch was saying about Shampoo battling that Frederick person.  I was wondering if there was any chance of my being in the competition and," he stammered trying in vain to get the request out.

Xian Kao sighed and stared at the ceiling and shook his head.   �Mousse, we've gone over this too many times already.  There is no way my grandmother is going to give you even the slightest chance of marrying Shampoo when she can just easily use her for a potential alliance." He looked at his apprentice with sympathy for a moment.  "Besides, She�s turned you down, what? Twenty Eight times?"

Mu Tsu stared at the floor for a moment.  "Thirty, sir," he mumbled.

"Well, there you are then.  Don�t take it too bad, son.  I'm sure there's hundreds of young women out there who would want you." Xian Kao was fairly sure that Mu Tsu could not see his crossed fingers without his lenses on and Mu Tsu was notorious for hardly ever wearing them.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Kho Lon sat at her desk going over several of Joketsuzoku 's accounts.   The desk was a large expensive antique several hundred years old ornately carved in a style she could not identify from a Mahogoteak gene mix.   It had cost her much at the auction and the bidding had been furious.  But well worth the effort.  The Desk was situated so it faced the beautifully carved Khmer/Hapsburg doors.  Behind her was a high-resolution animated mural that took up most of the back wall of the office.  It depicted a lush valley on an unidentifiable planet.   Within the valley were hundreds of pools each with one or more bamboo poles sticking out of it.   Even when the mural depicted a bright clear day there was always something disturbing about the image.  Today the valley was overcast with a mild breeze.  The pools were covered in a fine mist.

The doors to the office opened and a small white cat with purple highlights on its fur sauntered into the room.   It jumped up onto the desk stretched and stared at Kho Lon with yellow eyes.

Kho Lon sighed in irritation.   "Xian Pu, I am not talking to that void begotten cat.   Come in here this instant."

The cat started to clean itself as Xian Pu entered the room.  The cat turned and leaped into her arms.  It continued to stare at Kho Lon as Xian Pu began to stroke it.  Xian Pu arched her back sighing in contentment each time her hand ran through the purring cat's fur.

"Xian Pu, that�s disgusting it will have to leave while we talk." Xian Pu and the cat stared at her and blinked in unison.  The cat jumped out of her arms and left the room.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Lin-Lin, Ran-Ran and Lotion watched the Cat leave the room.  "Big sister Shampoo! Big Sister Shampoo! Is you okay? Great Grandmother punish you bad?"

The cat mewed a reply.  Lotion looked down at Lin-Lin annoyed.  "Lin-Lin silly vacuum skull.  Big sister Shampoo inside getting yelled at."

"What Big sister Shampoo do this time?" Ran-Ran asked.

"Grandmother Cologne probably caught her having too much fun." Lotion said matter of factly.

"Yes, yes, Lotion right.  That happen too too much,� Ran-Ran agreed.

"Big sister Shampoo.  Lin Lin know what cheer you up.  Come down to mess with us.  They show Stellar Journeys!"

"Episode thirty two," Ran-Ran added, "It one where Mr. Wallace climb in Jeffrey's tube to save ship."

The cat mewed in excitement.  Stellar Journey was a popular serial drama that took place in a galaxy without Governors and humans were a dominant species.  Copies of Stellar Journey and it's sequels "Stellar Journey: The Children", "Stellar Journey: Flatspace 5", and "Stellar Journey: Trip� would sell out immediately whenever they were available.  Everybody always laughed at the scenes where the engineers had to climb into the cramped little Jeffrey's tube whenever even the simplest repairs had to be made.  A far cry from the comfortable maintenance corridor's all sensible ships had.

"Who Jeffery anyway?" Ran-Ran asked.

"Xian Kao say he ancient god of bad design," Lotion answered.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Shampoo put her hand over her mouth in a desperate attempt to hide her amusement when she heard Lotion�s joke.  Unfortunately her great-grandmother missed nothing.

"Xian Pu, go to your room until I'm done talking to you." Kho-Lon said sternly.  She could imagine Xian Pu's feline counterpart dashing down the ship's corridor the minute she had chastised her grand daughter.  She waited until she was sure the cat was gone.

"Well Granddaughter, what do you have to say for yourself."

"Great Grand Mother, why Shampoo have to fight man?"

"He is Ruth's grandson and heir.  A marriage will solidify our alliance with the Slave of Duty.  It will forge a powerful business partnership.�

"Yes, yes, Shampoo understand but why Frederick? Why not other man? Frederick not man Shampoo want.  Who he fool with prettyboy looks and moustache? Not this spacer Shampoo tell you!"

"Xian Pu, is it asking too much to speak in the Standard dialect? When we get dirtside it does not do any good for potential clients to believe we are a bunch of hicks only good for sucking vacuum."

"Why Shampoo care what client think? They stuck on dirt! They Governors�! Shampoo spacer! Shampoo free!"

Kho Lon shook her head sadly.  She didn�t have the heart to explain Freetraders were no better then Dirtsiders.  It was just in their case the Governors used a longer leash.

"Xian Pu I am tired so I will be blunt.  You are probably the best fighter your age in the various confederacies we are members of.   In the games you should easily be able to make it to the finals.  In the finals you will fight Frederick and he will win.   Do I make myself clear?"

Shampoo's looked shocked.  "Great Grandmother want Shampoo loose fight? Great Grandmother want Shampoo take dive? Great Grandmother care nothing of Shampoo's honor?"

"Your honor is very important to me, Dear One, but in the depths of the void alliance and pragmatism matter more.  Please don�t think I'm cruel, when you're my age you will understand.  Now, I won't hear any more of it.  Get some sleep.   We will be dirtside tomorrow and I want you ready."

Shampoo said nothing, biting her lip to avoid a comment.  She bowed stiffly and turned and left.  Kho Lon winced as the doors slammed shut.  "There are times I wish I died young," she whispered to herself.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Xian-Pu stumbled to her cabin feeling quite drained.  She had earned the right to private quarters just a year ago and today she needed her privacy.  She was already asleep on the bed as she came in.  The cat woke up and got out of her way as she collapsed sobbing.  The cat made itself comfortable next to her head.  It was less then a minute when her door opened letting in Lin Lin, Ran-Ran and Lotion.

"Big sister Shampoo is you okay?" Lin-Lin asked.

"Big sister Shampoo crying? Don�t be sad Shampoo." Ran-Ran added.

Shampoo got up and sat on the corner of her bed looking at the twins and Lotion.   She smiled wiping tears from her eyes.   "It too too good Shampoo have you three as friends.  Shampoo be okay soon.  It just Great Grandmother want Shampoo to loose fight for good of Joketsuzoku." She explained her predicament to the three girls as best she could.

"That too too bad, Shampoo how we get out of this?" Lin Lin asked.

"We?" Shampoo asked.  "Shampoo one in trouble.  Lin-Lin, Ran-Ran and Lotion get to grow up and love man they want."

"We ship sisters," Ran-Ran said proudly, "Suffering of one suffering of all. Big sister Shampoo know that."

"Big sister Shampoo fight Lotion in early match," Lotion said hopefully.  "Then Frederick have to fight Lotion."

Shampoo looked up at the giant of a girl and smiled.  "Is nice Lotion offer but no way it work.  Shampoo clean floor with Lotion," she said sadly.  Lotion nodded in agreement.

"Shampoo have to loose to other man," Lin-Lin said rubbing her chin.  "Man have to be good and strong fighter.  Shampoo can't loose on purpose.  Man be brave too"

"Man be handsome too." Ran-Ran added.  "Case Shampoo have to keep him if Great Grandmother hold her too it."

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Ranma had spent the last ten minutes puking over the toilet.  He had no idea how he had gotten into the bathroom but he had woken up in the hot tub so sore he could hardly move.  The last thing that he could remember clearly was drinking wine with his father in their apartment.  After that he had vague memories of a pretty girl telling him what to do and fighting.  There was something else, something about a dark room and a tank.  No, it hurt to think about it.

At the moment all he could think about was emptying his stomach.  It was as if his lower intestines had suddenly tied themselves into knots, pulled straight and stuffed back into him.

For a moment he thought he was okay, until the dry heaves started.  Water.  He had to have water, and he was beginning to feel feverish.  He filled a bucket up with cold water and poured it over himself.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

"Ranko? Ranko! Are you all right? I thought I heard a man screaming in there." Kyouko frantically pounded on the door.  It was locked from the inside and she didn't have the key.  "Ranko? Goemon!" She shouted.

Goemon ran from his quarters wearing nothing but boxer shorts and carrying a crackling zapstick in one hand.  "

Goemon, the door!" Kyouko shouted pointing before he even had a chance to ask.

Goemon's foot shot out shattering the lock.  The door went flying open.

Ranko was lying on the floor naked in a fetal position.  She held a bucket in her hands tightly.  The room reeked of vomit.

"Ranko whatever is the matter?" Kyouko asked helping the smaller girl up.

"Nothing there." Ranko whispered looking at the floor.

"What?"

"There's nothing there." Ranko pointed at her stomach.

"I don�t know what you're talking about child.  Here let's get you to bed.  You've had a bad day.  Goemon? Take her to her room.  When you get back search the house with Jigan.  Whoever that was he can't have gotten far."

Goemon picked the girl up and paused.  For a moment he thought Ranko seemed heavier then someone her size and build should have been and her hair was darker.  When he looked again it was the bright red he remembered.  He shrugged and followed Kyouko to the servant's quarters.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

Xian-Kao sipped his coffee as he entered the captain's office.  Ten hours just weren't enough he thought to himself.

Kho-Lon didn�t look much better in fact she looked as if she had been awake since he saw her last.  At the moment she studying several three-dimensional schematics projected just above her desk.  "Sit down, Kao" she did not turn around.

"How did it go with Xian-Pu?" Xian-Kao asked as he made himself comfortable

"She is your daughter.  You should be proud." Kho-Lon sounded far too tired to even bother hiding her sarcasm.

Well there's nothing for that," he shrugged, "she'll do her duty and do what's right.  She is your granddaughter after all.  "

"Yes, yes.  I am not ashamed to say it, Kao but there are times I hate myself more then the darkest villain.  Well, as you said, there's nothing for it.  We have much to discuss before landing.  "

Xian-Kao nodded as he watched the schematics move to the center of the room and waited for Kho-Lon to continue.  "We will be docking in the Heaven�s Way Freeport in twenty three hours.  I'd rather not talk about the details other then the General Manager there is one of the most manipulative little cutthroats I've ever had to suffer."

"It's our lot in life to suffer, Grandmother." Xian-Kao's smile destroyed the nearly perfect impersonation of a wise sage.

Kho-Lon raised an eyebrow in her grandson's direction.  "Xian-Kao, I will be lucky if I get five hours sleep before we land.  Have pity on an old woman."

"Jokes aside then.  If the General Manager is playing games with you why bother with Heaven�s Way at all? It's not the only Freeport on the Sack you know."

"Because the Joketzuko doesn�t have a warp drive.  And as long as that fact remains we can't be picky about where we land."

"A valid point, Grandmother, but the only people who can afford a warp drive are cartel fleets and Imperials.  They can afford to use the Governors' Ports so what good does that do us?

"The Sack's one of the places where a jump drive cannot compete with warp.  It's that void forsaken sun, you see, it's so hot you can't get within an AU of it without risking serious damage to your ship and I don't have to tell you that the chances of getting a descent pseudo-tau from a gravity well is virtually nonexistent at that distance.  The minimum time distortion in a jump we could hope for is a little over two months."

�It�s a shame we�re not arriving during the �winter� or we could jump from the gas giant�s gravity well without having to worry about being thrown off course by the star,� Xian Kao pondered tugging his beard thoughtfully.

�True, but I�m afraid we can�t afford to wait sixty years for an ideal route,� Kho Lon muttered

"Why do we even bother then?"

Kho-Lon laughed.  "With both the Oni and Jurai armadas gathering in the Governor's ports how can we not? The potential profits are staggering"

"I see your point, grandmother but having said all this with the size of our risk why spend even more credits at an expensive Freeport?"

"There are other Freeports that would better suit our needs.  Unfortunately they�re all booked solid.  Of our remaining options Heaven�s Way is the closest to the Governors' northern most port as well as one of the largest financial centers.  The Lazy Fair I think it's called.  It's probably one of the best spots to sell our cargo and with any luck we will be able to find a cargo that will be worth the time distillation.�

"I hope you will forgive me for doubting your judgement," Xian-Kao said bowing his head.

�Don�t bother.  Your opinions our valuable to me, Grandson.  Now, we have fifteen hours before landing occurs.  So it is in our best our best interests to go over our flight plan now.  I trust you and your people are up to it?

Xian Kao grinned, "Don't worry, Grandmother.  As any Amazon Spacer will tell you.  Going down is what men do best."

Kho Lon winced shaking her head.  "Just take a look at our planned course," she groaned pointing at the projected map.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

�What�s our status Xia Men?� Kho Lon asked entering the bridge with Xian Kao close behind her.

We should reach our window of descent in about an hour Captain,� Xia Men, the second mate, said getting up from the captain�s chair.�

Kho Lon looked at the tiny gray ball displayed on the primary view screens.  Even at this range it was completely dwarfed by Mama Prime.   If it weren�t for the steady stream of ships heading for it would be easy to miss.  �Good. Ti Xiu? Give me a display of the Ports.  I want to have a good look at where we are going.�

�Yes Captain,� the young navigator acknowledged flicking the appropriate screens.

Kho Lon watched as the central view screens zoomed in on Doozy Sack�s main continent.   Until all that was visible was the 200 square kilometers that the four Ports dominated.  They lay there like large black disks lain out in a triangular pattern with the largest, the Mainport in the middle.  To the north seemingly imbedded into the side of a huge crater was the Northport.  To the southeast one on each side of a humungous canyon were the two southports.  Surrounding the ports like a huge growth of lichen was the port city.

�Better try and access the Heaven�s Way Bandwidth while you�re at it, Xian Kao told the communications officer.

�At once, Master Xian, she complied.

The view of the ports was pushed over to the side screens.  The center screen now showed a young woman with long brown hair tried into a ponytail.  She smiled sweetly as a pleasant melody started to play in the background.   �Welcome honored visitors to our world.  We thank you for choosing Heaven�s Way Freeport for your stay on Doozy Sack.   Or, as we like to call it a happy rest stop to future destinations.�

�I wish I had dealt with that one during negotiations.� Kho Lon muttered.

It�s probably a sim-mascot, Grandmother,� Xian Kao commented, �there�s is no way anyone can be that nice.�

�Heaven�s Way is ideally situated between the northernmost and central Port and a mere walk away from one of Doozy Sack�s largest commercial centers the Lazy Fair.�

The woman�s face was replaced with shots of a bustling marketplace with close ups of smiling vendors filling bags with assorted produce.   �The Lazy Fair provides you with the perfect opportunity to complete any transaction you wish to pursue be it selling your cargo, meeting new clients or simply gather supplies the Lazy Fair community of helpful merchant is ready to help you in anyway,� the woman�s voice continued.  The viewscreen showed hundreds of people waving happily as if to emphasize her point.

�Is it really necessary to keep listening to this?� Xian Kao asked as the woman droned on about shops, hotels, clubs and landmarks of interest

�I don�t know, Master Xian, that Ganymede�s place looks like fun,� Ti Xiu grinned.

�Kids,� Xian Kao muttered under his breath.

�Good voyages, Joketsuzoku.� The recorded message was suddenly interrupted and the face on the screen was replaced with another woman.  She looked very much like the first but she appeared younger and her hair was cut at shoulder length with her bangs cropped making it look as if she was wearing a strange brown helmet.   �Do I have the pleasure of speaking with the Captain-Matriarch?�

�I am Kho-Lon, captain of the Freetrader Joketzuko,� Kho Lon answered put off by the younger woman�s informal manner, �Nabiki Tendou I presume?�

The woman smiled.  A slight curl of the lip that didn�t affect the rest of her face.  It was almost predatory, like a cat�s.  �I am honored to share visual with you at last, Lady Kho.  For better or for worse I welcome you to Doozy Sack.�

�I thank you,� Kho Lon replied.

�I think you will find this is a good time to do business,� Nabiki continued, �though perhaps a little more competitive them some people are used too.   Still, a good way to weed out the stragglers wouldn�t you think? I assume you already have buyers lined up but if you have need of any help at all I will be more then willing to help.  For a small finders fee of course.�

�Of course.   I look forward to discussing the details in person.�

�You honor me.  Now a few words before I give you over to flight control.   Be ready to go off automatic when you enter the atmosphere at the given coordinates.   The tugs will link with you when you enter the flight ceiling.   You will be docking in grav-dock number 12.�

�I thank you for taking the time to deal with us personally, Lady Tendou, we are in your debt.� Kho Lon bowed her head respectfully.

Nabiki gave her slight predatory grin a second time.  �I thank you for choosing Heaven�s Way Freeport for your dirtside needs, honored captain.  Good voyages.� The image of Nabiki Tendou was replaced with navigation charts and a view of the Freeport.

�Aiyah! If only Xian Kao twenty again,� Xian Kao grinned.  A glare from Kho Lon silenced him.

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

"Ah! Welcome, welcome, Kak! Honored guest, Kak! To Glass House Saloon, Kak! This one answer too human title Polly, Kak!  Is anything the.  .  .  " The Tengu host bobbed his head looking at Kho-Lon from several angles and raised his feathered crest in a gesture of confusion, " aged honored human want, Phrik?" He made a clucking sound low in his throat, which might be the Tengu, equivalent of a blush as Kho-Lon stared at him.

"Thank you, honored host.  I am here to meet a friend.  A fellow aged honored human."

"Ah yes, Kak! This one knows who you speak, Kak! It been here for some time, Kak! Come, come this one will take, Kak!"

Kho-Lon followed her host as best she could.  It was quite tedious since Polly would dash half way to the table stop to see if she was following and rush to his destination.  He would then return and circle her a few times gently nudging her to hurry up.  It was a relief when she finally reached Ruth's tables a long minute later.

Ruth looked as if she had had about as much sleep as Kho-Lon she smiled as Polly came with more tea.

"Hello Cologne! Lovely to see you in person.  How long has it been?"

"Too long, time flies slowly in the Void" Kho Lon replied sitting down.

"It does indeed.  So tell me why the long face? Don't tell me Polly couldn�t tell you were a woman either? Are the ways going slowly for you?"

Kho-Lon paused as she let the Tengu fill her cup.  "I can honestly tell you that the ways are good.  True, the risk of doing business on the Sack is costly but the clients are many and our cargo is good.  We will succeed I'm sure."

"So speak the profits," Ruth smiled.

Kho-Lon sipped her tea silently.  If she wanted bad puns she would have stayed on board the Joketzuko.  "So how go the ways with you?" she asked.

"Oh good, very good," Ruth exclaimed.  "Our cargo has its risks but the rewards! Not even the cartels can dream of it!"

"You're not shipping perishables, are you? Kho-Lon asked.

"You could say that." Ruth waved her hand as Kho Lon raised an eyebrow.  "Please don�t pry Cologne," It's better that way."

"Are you ready for the competitions?" Kho-Lon asked changing the subject.

"Oh definitely.  We will be well represented.  My Frederick is looking forward to showing his skill.  But I must say I'm a bit concerned about your granddaughter.  What was her name again?"

"Xian-Pu."

"Oh yes, that's right, Shampoo.  She looked a little reluctant."

"Premarital jitters I assure you."

                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

�Shampoo, Shampoo!� Mousse shouted as he ran up and down the large waiting lobby that over looked the rest of the port.  They had been rewarded with shore leave soon after landing Mousse had been told that Shampoo was waiting for her hover bike to get through customs.  While it was true things probably could go a little quicker the crew of the Joketzuku followed one of the elder�s favorite maxims.  If they were legal, personal items were not worth bribing an official for.

He saw Shampoo with her friends standing in line at one of the fast-food restaurants inside the Lobby.  This one was called �C-Ko�s� it was crowded with a line of beautiful women despite the stench which was so bad it was hard to even get close to.

�Shampoo do you want to come with me as soon as you get your bike? I hear the Lazy Fair is great!  Please say yes!� He glanced at Shampoo�s tray trying to identify the contents.  The smell was sickening.  �Shampoo? How can you eat that stuff?� he asked.

Shampoo made a slushing gurgling sound in response.

Mousse pushed his lenses down over his eyes to discover he had been talking to a rather puzzled looking Lollygagger with mottled tan skin and a tattoo of a smiling human female with short black hair on its side.  In fact he quickly saw that there were no beautiful women standing in line at all.  At least not in the human sense.

A sharp blow to the head broke his train of thought.  �Stupid Mousse why you think Shampoo slow?� Shampoo demanded coming up behind him.  �You think Shampoo slow? Shampoo slimy and ugly?� She paused as she realized what she was saying.  �Shampoo sorry.   Shampoo insult stupid Mousse not nice Lollygagger,� she apologized bowing to the Lollygagger.

The Lollygagger waved a manipulator tentacle to show it was not offended and belched a question pointing another tentacle at Mousse.

�Shampoo ask that question for years,� Shampoo replied.

Mousse followed as Shampoo left C-Ko�s.   �Shampoo I�m sorry but would you like to come with me to the Lazy Fair.  There will be all sorts of good things to buy there and .  .  .  .  .  .Shampoo?�

Shampoo was ignoring him completely.  This was not unusual except that her face bore a glazed over expression.  Some people twiddled their fingers when they were bored.  Shampoo hunted.  The symptoms were always the same.  First was the vacant look, which would last until Shampoo spotted her prey.  Then came a look of intense concentration followed by a content smile.   It was the content smile that always made Mousse the most nervous.   Shampoo�s feline counterpart appeared with what looked like a centipede in its mouth and leaped up onto her shoulder.  She looked at Mousse with all four eyes and smiled.

�Shampoo tell Mousse what.  Mousse go get bike for Shampoo and Shampoo think about it.  Is Deal?�

�You mean it, Shampoo? Do you really mean it?� Mousse asked excited.

�Mousse call Shampoo dishonest?� Shampoo asked, �Mousse think this face of lier?�.

�No.  Of course not! Thank you, Shampoo.  Thank you! I won�t let you down!� Mousse shouted running for the exit.

Shampoo finished thinking about it by the time Mousse had left the Lobby.   �That take care of stupid Mousse for hour or so,� she said to herself.   She jumped off of her shoulder onto a nearby table to finish her centipede.  It tasted almost like shrimp.  It made her remember that although she had just finished filling one stomach the larger one had to be dealt with too.  Swallowing the last bite of centipede she jumped back up on her shoulder to get a better vantage point.  There was so much to explore.   She sniffed the air of the Freeport taking in the entire atmosphere.  It was dry with hardly any humidity mixed with the stench of grease and ozone.

She watched as service vehicles massed around the Jokutzuku.  And listened to her father argue with an attendant of the price of fuel.  In the distance she could see a Jurai dreadnought hover above the Northport.  From here it looked so small but she could tell that it dwarfed every ship in the Freeport even the Slave of Duty.

Shampoo sighed as she looked at the Freetrader that filled the largest grav-dock in the Port.  She wondered if she could stand living in that hulking monstrosity.  It looked barren in comparison to the warm comforting curves of the Joketzuku.  She hoped that here friends� plan would work so she wouldn�t have to worry about that possibility any more.

"Hey there, that cat have a license?" a voice behind her asked.

Shampoo turned her heads to see a girl her own age tall with short brown hair dressed in ragged but sensible clothing standing next to her.

"License?" Shampoo asked puzzled.

"Well, just ID, really," the girl explained.  "Something that shows that beauty's yours."

"Yes, yes, Shampoo understand.  But why Shampoo need ID for cat?"

"Tengu," the girl stated as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.  "Especially the young ones.  Sure most of them are good kids who wouldn�t dream of touching somebody's property but other then that just about any small animal's fair game.  Better not to take chances."

Shampoo gulped in shock.  Her cat form arched its back hissing on the off chance there were Tengu delinquents prowling the port.

"Aiyah! Where Shampoo get pet ID?" she asked almost pleading.

"You've come to the right place," the girl smiled.

Shampoo stepped back studying the girl carefully "You not general manager Shampoo hear father and great-grandmother swear about so much?" She wondered why anyone in such a high authority would dress so poorly.

"You don�t know how often I get that," the girl laughed.  "I can never tell if it�s a compliment or an insult to Lady Tendou and myself.  No I'm just a working girl trying to make a living.  If you need anything at all here just let me know.  My name's Nanami." She pushed a business card into Shampoo's hand.  "For a place so crowded the Rimsides can get quite lonely."

Shampoo finished haggling just when Mousse had brought her hovercycle back from customs.  It was always a pleasure playing the Merchants game with someone who truly appreciated the art.  She wondered if she had let her nervousness get the better of her and if three pet tags were more then enough.  In retrospect she thought the cat sweater with the words "somebody's pet" did look a little silly.

She shrugged as she climbed on to the hover cycle, ignoring Mousse completely.   The cat leapt onto a saddlebag behind her.  She had more important things to think of.  She had to find herself a patsy.

"Shampoo mean brave warrior," she corrected herself.

                                * - * - * - * - * - * - *

The planet was well within Jurai space and used primarily as a communications station.  The Governors had little use for the world and kept only a minimal presence there.  Just enough to remind the Jurai who was boss.

The population consisted of barely a thousand Jurai.  Of the lesser species, there were Tengu, Lollygaggers and many humans.

The Jurai, in a rare demonstration of irony, had named the world "The Delightful Pleasure Garden of the Divine Susano-o".  In a way, this was appropriate.  The surface of the world was habitable, but only during the summer.  The rest of the year the temperature was cold enough to freeze methane and the average windspeed averaged between gale and hurricane force. Sentient life was only able to live in long winding underground warrens and there they had thrived.  The Humans had abbreviated the Jurai name to suit their own purposes.  They called it Suzie's Playground.

Despite the obvious problems humanity prospered on Suzie's Playground.   By the time of the present era, the population of the warren's numbered in the millions.

Unfortunately nothing lasts forever except the Governors and the Void.  In one of the more decisive battles of their century long war, the Oni, through extensive lobbying and massive bribes, had garnered permission to make a surprise push into Jurai territory.

The Jurai did not have time to make a counter bid.  Suzie's Playground was one of the first casualties of the Oni offensive.  Having always considered it expendable the Jurai evacuated their people quickly, leaving the unessential population to fend for themselves.  For the rest of the people of Suzie's Playground running away was not an option.  In a mere week the Oni attack had cut the population in half.  In another day the remainder had been decimated.  To make matters worse the warren's life support system had been completely destroyed.   The surviving inhabitants of Suzie�s Playground would only last until the end of the summer.

Two weeks before the inevitable, salvation came in the form of the freetrader, Slave of Duty.  In exchange for the remaining net worth of the colony, the remaining 30,000 people were put into cold storage, stacked like firewood in their sleep units.

For the refugees this came as the ultimate relief, at last there was hope.  The colony could live and prosper elsewhere.   Justice and revenge would come in time.

Four months later the remaining survivors awoke in a large hanger.  There were 28,651 of them left.  Mass hibernation of that scale on a limited budget was risky at best.  Still, you get what you pay for.  When the survivors had come fully to their senses they found a small army of armed guards surrounded them.   A spot light came on to reveal a tall man in his forties with red hair, silver eyes and a smile that reminded some of a happy piranha.

"Hello everyone," he said smoothly.  "Allow me to introduce myself.  My name is unimportant, but my associates call me the Fisherman.  I'd like to thank you all for volunteering for a glorious cause."



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