Chapter 24

With the planets we visited. Prodigy made certain that they had access to a communication device in case help was needed. I was rather surprised though to see that many of the planets opted to do trade with the ones I have gone to. There was a great deal of cooperation, but those who didn't have such promise in trade brought me in to mediate the situation.

It happened more often than I thought. I had to sit through them arguing over meaningless trivial matters. "Those herbs are not worth the salt!" one planet argued.

It was indeed salt for herbs and they insisted on going by weight. However herbs were light compared to salt. Therefore they would need a whole planet's harvest to equal the salt they desire.

"It's impossible!" said the other. "Lord Boros…"

"I have to agree with the herb sellers. Do you understand the difficulty of cultivation of such a plant?" I asked.

The salt seller appeared to have cared less. "Weight is weight!" he protested.

There needs to be a compromise of some sort.

Gene stepped in.

"We have established teleportation between the planets under Lord Boros's protection. Seller of salt… Perhaps you should visit the herb seller and see the details that go into making the product you desire. Salt is simple to obtain and not work extensive. Live on the planet for one month and then return to the bargaining table." Gene suggested.

However the seller sneered. "I will do no such thing! That is trivial work!" he protested.

I sighed aloud. "Then the herb seller can look for another supplier, I have three for them to speak with…"

There came a pause between the two. "You do Lord Boros?"

"NO, I was here first!"

"Then make a proper deal. If you insist on going by weight you are not going to make any deals what so ever!" I protested. "Either adjust accordingly and make a fair price or, suffer with your delusion of going by weight for a heavy product!"

I left it at that, but I also gave the herb seller the name of the three other suppliers they could speak with.

"I can start to see why the previous Boros blew some planets up." I muttered to Gene.

He snickered to the comment. "Perhaps it would be better to have a council?" he suggested. "Take those from the other planets and have them convene with you on trade and other matters, yet leave it in their hands rather than having to turn to you all the time for an answer."

"I knew there was a reason why I kept you on this ship…"

"Speaking of ships… we may have to do some arrangements. We are getting a little cramp and need to expand."

I had to agree.

Every planet we went to, we tend to get more crewmembers. The quarters were getting smaller and the crew is not the least bit pleased with it. "Speak with Prodigy and see if he knows where we can go…"

"I think the answer to that is simple. We go back to his home planet…"

"Very well… then again we would be half way back to earth. We could visit!" I said, then paused to a sudden pain. "What the void…" I muttered.

"Pain Boros?" Gene asked.

"Two in my back…"

Standing up, Gene peered to my back and investigated. "You are swollen here… Strange, perhaps we ought to take a look at this."

Sometimes Gene tends to get carried away on something, yet for a strange reason, I feel he knew there was something odd about me for a while yet kept silent for it was new to him.

Next time, he will tell me what happened, for not even I was prepared for what he discovered!

#

We circled back to Prodigy's world.

There we allowed the ship to be rebuilt and expanded. At the same time, I had a few of my own projects looked over by the elder. He was rather impressed to my abilities to say the least, yet one he took an interest to was the one I was most proud of. "You made something that can go back in time?" the elder asked.

"For the sake of peace, and to protect a time line," I explained.

"Well, it's well built, it can withstand it however it can only go back for five minutes correct?"

I nodded. "I wish for at least an hour to be safe than sorry…"

"Not possible, too much strain on the time line, but as long as you can identify the point of change, five minutes should be all that you need."

We remained with Prodigy's people for some time. All the while I would be on the ship and try to contact mother. There was something I wished to try and yet I needed her approval.

#

"You want to borrow what?" she asked of me in disbelief.

"Your robot… Bofoi, can I borrow it for a while?" I asked of her.

She wasn't sure about it, however she hasn't used it in a while. "I suppose, let me confirm with it too that it wishes to go."

Mother was always strange, however I did adopt this notion as well that robots with strong personalities need to be treated as people. She returned a short time line with her droid, it agreed to come along with me, but I vowed to return it to mother when done.

With the teleportation device, she sent it right away.

I took the robot out and looked it over. It was in fine working order to say the least. "Thank you mother!" I called and severed communication.

"Boros, what is it that you desire of me?" the droid asked.

"I have been eavesdropping on mother through the Brawlers and communication devices. I have caught wind of a man who wishes to harm her and the family, yet they are asking about the one named Bofoi… your former creator."

The droid said nothing.

"As such I wish to give this man what he desired, yet, I wish to have 'Bofoi' be you. Would you consider a rather strong upgrade?" I asked of it.

"Upgrade…" it processed the thought.

"You will be able to assist a lot better than you do now!"

"Then proceed" the droid said. "I wish to serve Alley Brawler to the best of my abilities…"

"That's all I needed to hear."