Dutiful Passage
Millsap Orbit
I
Shan poured a glass of the red and carried it to the desk.
The disappointment at Millsap—no. He had no regrets to waste on the affair at Millsap. If Padi remained unSorted, she had not been harmed—and in fact had shown a gratifying amount of restraint in her rebuttal of Healer Osit’s temerity, merely holding him against the wall, when Shan had received the distinct impression that it was entirely within her scope to have thrown him through it.
Really, it made a father’s heart glow.
Their arrival back on the Passage having coincided with her usual hours with Cargo Master ira’Barti, Padi had taken herself off to that pleasurable duty. Lina had gone to her station in the ship’s library, and Shan had returned to his office, his mind occupied by two necessities.
He had finally put his finger on the very person with whom he might profitably share his concerns regarding the Terran route that nurtured Millsap.
Janifer Carresens-Denobli.
Of course.
Before he did so, however, he needed to complete one more, minor bit of research.
Leaning to the screen, he tapped in a series of three commands, calling up a star map of Millsap space, including the Terran Loop. Working carefully with the screen, he traced the route back from Millsap, to its point of origin—
“Hah!”
He grinned at the star map, increased the gain, made one more adjustment.
A dense field of purple triangles bloomed in the area of space he was studying, each triangle marking a note regarding navigational hazards and special conditions of local space.
Nodding, he moved his field of interest a trifle past Twidee, the planet where the Conway Primary Loop originated, increasing the optics only slightly…
An infobox bloomed, brilliantly orange.
Dust alert.
“Excellent,” Shan crooned, and tapped the box.
NOTE: Check your programming! Rapid changes in density within Jump arrival and departure zones in Finashif Sector are expected to diminish as the proper motion of the greater Rostov’s Dust Cloud and proper and radial motion of cha’Goolin’s Star contribute to a return of system dynamics toward stable approach parameters. Jump approaches based on historic local and regional dust occlusion densities may result in substantial Jump offset. Use of Dust Avoidance tables or data older than two Standard Years for approaching this region is not recommended. Check your programming! Figures attached are based on successful Jump reports within the last 1/10 Standard Year or less.
Shan leaned back and picked up his glass, enjoying the momentary glow of having guessed correctly.
With the Dust taking a different direction, it would be reasonable for the traders of Twidee to send ships out to explore this newly accessible space in terms of trade. Indeed, it would be foolish not to do so. Naturally enough, they would have to draw on the inventory of ships in hand, which meant one—or even two—fewer available to the Conway Loop. The goods delivered to Millsap would therefore be less—very slightly so, in the scheme of things, but more than enough to catch a master trader’s eye—and present him with an opportunity.
Leaning back in the chair, he considered the possibilities before him.
Trader Carresens-Denobli had not answered his last letter. Here was an opportunity to continue their contact without seeming to be too eager in their discussion of the possible Ashlan-Surebleak-Nomi-Oxin-Rood Loop proposed by the trader. The seeming alteration of a long-established Terran Loop must concern a man who was at once a trader-at-large for the Carresens Syndicate, and a senior trade commissioner. Shan would, perhaps, be doing the trader a good turn, if he had not already understood the alteration in the motion of the Dust in Finashif Sector.
If Trader Carresens-Denobli was aware of the new situation, a letter from Shan would demonstrate that he was a worthy trade partner, observant and willing to share information.
Yes…
He reached for the screen, paused with his fingers over the keys, and then began, gently, to typed.
To Janifer Carresens-Denobli, I offer greeting and information of possible use, for the good of trade…