"Do you have any idea how soon we can lift? I suspect that the sooner we can lift, the safer we'll all be."
"I agree," Jirik responded, "But I can't estimate when we can get the hell off this mudball. The negotiations with Fanlin might be over in an hour, but they could drag on for weeks, if he has to consult with the people on Wayoff. I know," he added hurriedly, as Bran began to object, "We can't wait weeks. We've got delivery deadlines for our inbound cargo. But we can't force Fanlin to deal; we'll just have to hope. Then there's that damned spook Tomys. Who knows what that guy will do next? I'll try to hurry things, but I'm not in charge here."
Bran nodded glumly. "I know. Well, Captain, we've really stepped in it this time, haven't we?"
"Yeah," Jirik agreed. "We're in a positive feedback situation, here. It's running away with us, and everything that we do just seems to make it run away faster."
Chapter 6
Fanlin was waiting anxiously when Jirik arrived for his appointment the following morning. Cony was once again present, as well. "Well, Captain," he demanded as Jirik walked through the door, "What has your crew decided? Are you going to take the deal?"
Jirik waited until the office door was closed and Fanlin gestured toward a chair before he replied. "Well, sir, the crew voted that we should actively negotiate the deal." He shrugged. "We could be facing a lot of danger transporting that many credits, no matter what form it's in. When word leaked out, and it would, if it hasn't already, we'd have to run a gauntlet of pirates and hijackers all the way to Alpha. To take that risk in an unarmed ship, rewards would have to be sizable." He nodded to Cony, who was sitting by Fanlin's desk, and took the indicated seat.
Fanlin started to reply, but was interrupted by Cony. "What makes you think that word would leak out, Captain? I mean, we're not exactly publishing the deal on the newsfaxes."
"You can't keep a secret this big," Jirik replied. "Look at who already knows about it: You and Mr. Fanlin, of course, Then there are an unknown number of people on Wayoff. Oh, I'm not too concerned about those directly connected, the decision-makers; but how many of their staff people were informed? How many of your staff people know?"
Fanlin looked urgently at Cony, a stricken expression on his face, then turned back to Jirik.
"I hadn't even considered that risk, I'm afraid, Captain," he replied slowly. "I admit that I've made no special effort to keep general information about it particularly quiet. In Fact," he continued embarrassedly, "I'm rather afraid that I may have bragged a bit about the possibility of doubling our size overnight. I'm very sorry. Perhaps I should let the word get out that the negotiations failed. Would that help?"
Jirik sighed. Fanlin might be a whiz as a librarian, but he was a rank amateur at business. "I doubt it, sir. Oh, it wouldn't hurt to try, but unless you're a consummate actor, you're not likely to impress the types of people we're worried about. They'll hit us anyway, on the chance that you're lying. So," he continued, "dozens of people on Boondock, and probably a few dozen on Wayoff. The probability is approaching certainty that at least one of those people will give or sell the information to hijackers or pirates, unless the rim is blessed with the absence of those particular vermin?" He looked hopefully at Cony, who shook his head somberly before replying.
"Sorry, Captain. Oh, we may have fewer of them, because rim tramps carry smaller cargoes. But we certainly have our share. I can say that I've told no one in my agency." A faint smile touched his lips. "I'm under no illusion that we have no leaks. Elementary security demanded that I not even tell my immediate staff. I apologize, Captain. I should have made sure that Jon was aware of the danger, and told no one."
Jirik shook his head. "Your apologies are accepted, gentlemen, for what that's worth. Unfortunately, we have to assume that word is out that the Lass will leave Boondock carrying over twenty million credits, in one form or another. Actually, that rather simplifies matters, since we're going to be running the risk whether or not our negotiations are successful. Even if we decide not to pursue the deal, we're going to be a target. So we can stop fretting about it and start trying to get together on the terms. As I mentioned, it's going to take a very substantial profit to justify the risk."
Cony smiled slyly. "But, Captain, as you've so eloquently pointed out, the cat is out of the bag, so you will be taking no additional risk. If you're going to be hit anyway, the risk is the same whether or not you are actually carrying the funds. I see no additional risk to justify a premium profit."
Fanlin jumped to his feet. "Albet, you know that's not fair! We're the ones who put the ship and crew at risk, with our lack of discretion! We are morally obligated . . ."
"Moral obligations be damned!" Cony interrupted him. "This is business, not a prayer meeting! The fact is that the Captain is assuming no additional risk by actually carrying the credits. Besides which, even at two or three percent, the Lass will earn a larger profit from this one trip than she has probably earned in the last standard year. Am I not right, Captain?"
Jirik shook his head. "No, sir, you're not. As you pointed out at our first meeting, the Lass is a big ship. We've earned more than you might think. I also disagree that you people bear no responsibility for our heightened risk. If you had not taken what was essentially a scouting mission and turned it into an actual offer, and then leaked the offer, the chances are good that we could have left here and returned to our home sector safely." Cony tried to interrupt, but Jirik plowed on. "However, we are rather getting the cart before the tirl. I still don't even know the number of credits we're discussing. Exactly what deal are we being offered?"
Fanlin had been glaring at Cony. At Jirik's prod he jumped slightly and began shuffling papers on his desk. "Of course, Captain, of course. The Coalition is offering to provide a letter of credit on the Bank of Alpha in the amount of twenty-five million credits. In return, you will obtain a shipload of bookchips, but not less than ten million volumes. The letter of credit will provide a drawing account for the expenses incurred in obtaining the chips, copying them, stowing and delivering them to the rim. Upon arrival on the rim, you will deliver a stated percentage of the shipment to each of the rim worlds. You will be authorized to withdraw an agreed-upon amount to cover expenses. Upon delivery of the last portion of the shipment to Wayoff, you will be paid the profit, the amount to be agreed upon as a percentage of the twenty-five million, less expense funds drawn. You will provide a detailed statement of expenditures to the Trade Coalition office on Wayoff. Does that sound equitable?"
"That depends," Jirik replied. "If I'm expected to pay my expenses out of my profit, that profit percentage had better be more than the two or three percent that Mr. Cony indicated; a hell of a lot more. How much authority do you have to vary the conditions of the agreement?"
It was Cony that replied, not Fanlin. "He doesn't have a lot. The coalition people on Wayoff know that Mr Fanlin may be a bit naive when it comes to trade negotiations, so they limited his authority."
Fanlin looked chagrined. "I'm afraid that's so, Captain. Any major changes will have to be referred back to Wayoff. What changes do you have in mind? I confess that it seems simple and fair to me."
Jirik shrugged. "On the whole, I would agree. The only problem that I have, aside from the amount of the profit to be agreed upon, lies in the area of expenses. I would prefer to be allotted a certain amount for expenses, in exchange for a point or so of profit, but with the expenses not deducted from the profit unless I exceed the allotment. That way, all concerned would know exactly how much we had coming, and prevent a lot of haggling over what expenses to deduct. Dealing at second hand like this, I'd like to keep the agreement as simple and clear as possible."