Chapter 25
With Gene's assistance, we established a council of the planets.
I had chosen two representatives of each planet to speak on behalf of their people. So far it went well, yet some of the planets had issues. "Why are there a females here!"
The planet with the rude salt merchant demanded an answer. From the planet Medusa the two representatives were Sneak and the leader. However they didn't take kindly to her nor any other female at the table. "A female is able to speak her mind and lead her people." Sneak protested to the merchant. "Why were you chosen?"
"You worm!"
Sneak hissed aloud.
"ENOUGH!" I shouted.
The merchant fell silent as I glared at him. "No one else would represent you huh?" I asked rather curiously.
He smirked to me. "I am that good of a businessman," he said with a coy grin. "However, I must protest to females being here, they know nothing about business! Let alone what the needs of their people are!"
The females of the table glared at him, until one spoke up. She was a rather interesting creature, very spider like. In fact she sort of reminded me of mother with her extra arms and all. But she spoke very well for herself. "If I may ask, sir, who gave you life before you were cloned?"
"What are you getting at?" he demanded.
"Answer the question," I scolded.
He sneered. "My mother, a female, but that was her job!"
"Who cared for YOUR needs when you were an infant, and was able to determine what those needs were?"
"I see what you are trying to say, but it is a female's job to remain with the infant and raise them until they are capable adults" he snapped back.
"Would your father have tended to you had it not been for her?"
He sneered once more. "I don't wish to speak of this anymore…"
"I am going to look into your representatives a little more closely before we continue on. The people of Insectiva have a point. You speak ill will of females when one raised you into the male you are. If such a notion disgusts you, then remove yourself from council. You can do business with the planets individually."
He actually smiled to the notion. "Glad there was that option!"
However as soon as he said that, I turned to the people who had issue with him regarding the trade of herbs. "Have you made an agreement on your salt trade?" I asked.
He smiled proudly. "We did indeed, our good friends from across the table here have come up with a very fair trade agreement."
I nodded as the male who hassled them froze.
"How can one possibly make a deal with salt without going by its weight!" he demanded.
"Simple, the herbs we grow are rare in this galaxy, so much so that they are in high demand. The salt we need to make seasonings and trade to other worlds is part of our agreement. We spit the profit"
He froze in shock.
I on the other hand, couldn't contain my grin.
"I am going to depart this council for the time being, however to keep everything fair I have asked one of my generals to keep watch over negotiations. Ger will keep track of everything, as well, he can detect when one lies. Watch your words!" I warned.
Ger entered the room and took my place. I had other matters to attend to. One was making mother's droid assistant far more functional.
Yet as I looked for the droid, I found it to be nowhere in sight.
"Gene!" I called into the lab the moment I arrived.
He was just processing the next batch of clones for the Medusa planet. "Yes?"
"Where Bofoi?"
A moment of pause came over him as he appeared a little reluctant to talk. "Uh… well…"
I figured I already knew the answer. "Prodigy…" I muttered.
"With all due respect Boros, I know you can make it good. But Prodigy came to me with a plan that I simply couldn't refuse… In fact…"
"Where is he?"
"He's in his lab space working now. Oh, we can tell the leader from Medusa that the next batch of males will be ready soon, but we are going to send them to the other side of the planet…"
"I am sure she won't mind the least bit. Thank you for the update." I have to find Prodigy, he doesn't know what I wish to do yet with the droid.
He better not has done something foolish!