The Crystal Variation (151 page)

“Then there is no more to be said—it is yours.”

One more long look and then he slipped it away, into the same inner pocket that held his Combine key.

“You do well, my child. I am pleased. We will need to talk, you and I, to discover whether you wish to continue an association with
Elthoria
, now that you are a trader in your own name. First, however, I must bring you news of chel’Gaibin, which I fear and trust will not delight you.”

He held up a hand. “If this has to do with Trader chel’Gaibin’s attack upon my kinswoman on Banthport, ma’am, I have had that tale already.”

“Have you indeed? May one ask?”

“My cousins Grig and Raisy found the incident so alarming that they came to me here on Irikwae, to inform me of my need for vigilance.”

“All honor to them.” Master ven’Deelin sipped her wine. “I have invoked a Guild inquiry, which will hold chel’Gaibin this next while. That he claims false Balance—that is a matter for the Council, and is not a matter that you must or may take under your own
melant’i
. Am I understood in this?”

“Ma’am, you are.” He inclined his head. “Grig asked me to tell you, ma’am, that you should consider, not what Banth has, but where it is.”

She paused with her glass half-way to her lips. “So. You have remarkable kin, young Jethri. I know nothing but admiration for them. I will consider, as he has suggested.”

She flicked her fingers toward the comp. “I learn here that you partnered with young pen’Akla in the pod deal. How did you find that?”

“Well enough,” Jethri said carefully. He put his glass down and sat forward, elbows on knees. “Ma’am, might you buy his contract?”

“Ixin, buy the contract of one of Rinork? chel’Gaibin will cry Balance in truth!”

Right.

“I had not considered,” he confessed. “Then I—wonder if you will advise me.”

She considered him. “Now, this has the promise of a diversion. Of course I will advise you, my son. Only tell me what troubles you.”

“I find myself plumper in purse than I had anticipated,” he said, slowly. “And it came to me that a good use of my resources might be to invest in—a trader.”

Master ven’Deelin tipped her head to one side. “Invest in a trader, young Jethri?”

“Indeed, ma’am. Suppose I were to buy the contract of a full trader. Not only would I, a junior, have the opportunity to learn from him, my elder in trade, but as owner of his contract, a percentage of each trade he made would be credited to—”

“Your guild card.” She raised her hand. “Enough.”

Jethri sat back, watching her as she sipped her wine, eyes closed.

“It only amazes me,” she said eventually, “that no one has thought of this before. Truly, young Jethri, you have a gift.” She opened her eyes.

“You will now tell me if this notion of yours was serious, or merely brought forward to plague me.”

“Ma’am, you know I would never deliberately plague you—”

“Pah!”

“But, I
had
considered buying Trader pen’Akla’s contract, so that he might find a ship and a route that will value him, to their mutual profit.” He opened his hands, palm up, showing empty.

“I do quite see that such an arrangement would be—questionable, at best. But, if
Elthoria
bought his contract—” He leaned forward again, hands cupped, as if he held a rare treasure.

“Ma’am, allow me to present Tan Sim pen’Akla to you as a young trader of heart, imagination and energy. His
melant’i
is unimpeachable. He speaks Terran, he honors guild rule, and—” He swallowed, keeping his eyes on hers. “And if he continues on that route, ma’am, it will break his heart and suck his spirit dry.”

Silence. Jethri forced himself to sit back, to pick up his wine glass—

“You make a compelling case,” Master ven’Deelin said softly. “I will speak to young pen’Akla.”

Seated, he bowed, as deeply as he was able. “Thank you, ma’am.”

“Such drama. So, while we are making dispositions of traders and contracts—what is your wish, Junior Trader Gobelyn? Shall you write contract with
Elthoria
, or has another ship caught your eye?”

Another ship? Jethri inclined his head.

“Ma’am, of course I wish to stay with
Elthoria
, and sit at the feet of her master trader. I have—much yet to learn.”

“Yes,” said Master ven’Deelin, smiling. “And so have I.”

Liaden/Terran Dictionary

LIADEN/TERRAN
DICTIONARY

Liaden/Terran Dictionary

Aelantaza
:A specially bred human

Aetherium
:A folded-space confinement area

A’nadelm
:Heir to the nadelm

A’thodelm
:Head-of-Line-to-Be

A’trezla
:Lifemates

Al’bresh venat’i:
Formal phrase of sorrow for another Clan’s loss,

as when someone dies

Al’kin Chernard’i:
The Day Without Delight

Balent’i Kalandon:
Our local galaxy

Balent’i tru’vad:
The starweb of all creation

Batch:
Humans made to order

Batcher:
An individual grown as part of a Batch

Bounty hunters:
Hunters, also charity agents

Candesa:
A vapor which, enclosed and compressed, emits a

cloudy white light, at once too bright and hard to see by

Carolis:
Next coin down from qwint

Cha’leket:
Heartkin (heartbrother, heartsister)

Cha’trez:
Heartsong

Chernubia:
Confected delicacy

Chiat’a bei kruzon:
Dream sweetly

Ckrakec:
(derived from the Yxtrang) Approx. “Master Hunter”

Coab minshak’a:
“Necessity exists”

Coderoy:
Tough fabric from which soldier kit packs are

constructed

Confusion:
A card game

Conselem:
An absurdity

Delm:
Head of Clan (Delm Korval, Korval Himself/Herself)

Delmae:
Lifemate to the Delm

Demi-qwint:
Small change

Denubia:
Darling

Dramliza:
A wizard; PLURAL: dramliz

Dri’at:
Left

Dueling stick:
A cross between a cattle prod and a stave

Edonai:
Roughly, “My Lord” when speaking to an Iloheen

Eklykt’i:
Unreturned

Eldema:
First Speaker (most times, the delm)

Eldema-pernard’i:
First-Speaker-In-Trust

Entranzia volecta:
Good greetings (High Liaden)

Fastflame:
Chemical fire that dies out after it consumes

its own fuel

Fa’vya:
An aphrodisiac-laced wine sold at Festival

Flan:
Next coin up from qwint

Flaran Cha’menthi:
“I(/We) Dare”

Galandaria:
Confederate? Countryperson?

Ge’shada:
Mazel tov, congratulations

Galunus, two-headed:
A mythic creature of loathsome aspect

and third-rate thought process

Glavda Empri:
yo’Lanna’s house

I’ganin brath’a, vyan se’untor:
Play with the body, rest the mind

I’lanta:
Right

Ilania frrogudon palon dox:
Approx. young ladies should

speak more gently

Illanga kilachi:
(no translation available)

Iloheen:
Sheriekes

Iloheen-bailed:
Roughly, “Lord of Space and Matter”

Indra:
Uncle

Jelaza Kazone:
The Tree, also Korval’s Own House.Approx.

“Jela’s Fulfillment”

Lazenia spandok:
Son of a bitch (REAL approximate)

Lisamia keshoc:
Thank you (Low Liaden)

Jumping-jack(s), also 'jack(s):
Cheap rooms for rent

Kalfer Shimni:
Really expensive wiskey

Kenake:
Roughly,”Foreigner,” “person without couth or shoes,”

“Flatlander”

Level One shielding:
Lowest level energy shield

Logic tile:
The smallest component of a computational device

Lumenpaint:
Paint that lights itself up

Master of Unmaking:
The Iloheen

Megelaar:
The Dragon on Korval’s shield

Melant’i:
Who one is in relation to current circumstances;

also who one is in sum, encompassing all

possible persons one might be

Menfri’at:
Liaden karate

Mirada:
Father

Misravot:
Altanian wine; blue in color

Nadelm:
Delm-to-Be

Nubiath’a:
Gift given to end an affair of pleasure

OS-633:
Overhead Shields Series 633

Palesci modassa:
Thank you (High Liaden)

Prena’ma:
Storyteller

Prethliu:
Rumorbroker

Phantom lover:
A punishment device

Pilot's Undernet:
Pilot information network

Pin-laser
:Sneak weapon

Pod:
A Batch

Qe’andra:
Man of business

Qua’lechi:
Exclamation of horror

Qwint:
Coin

Relumma:
Division of a Liaden year, equaling 96 Standard days

Four relumma equal one year

Sadiline:
A gemstone

SATA:
Spiral Arm Trade Association

Ser:
“Sir”, “Mr.”

Sheriekas:
The Enemy

Skileti:
Naturally occurring lycra

'Skins:
protective suit for pilot wear on-planet

Smaly Tube:
Used to move pallets from the port

to wharehouses within the city

Smartstrands:
Computational media

Smartwire:
Binding wire

Starsilk:
Expensive fabric

Tanjalyre Institute:
A school for aelantaza

Telomite:
Rock, for carving

Tempo:
A drug that increases mental acuity and reduces

the need to sleep, for a while.

Thawla:
Mother (Low Liaden; approx. Mommy)

Thawlana:
Grandmother

Thodelm:
Head of Line

Tra’sia volecta:
Good morning (Low Liaden)

Trealla Fantrol:
The yos’Galan house

Truth-blade:
A scholar’s instrument of proof

Undertrade:
black market, specifically trade with the sheriekas

Valcon Berant’a:
Dragon’s Price or Dragon Hoard,

the name of Korval’s valley

Valcon Melad’a:
Dragon’s Way, the Delm’s Own ship

van’chela:
beloved friend

va’netra:
charity case, lame puppy

Viezy hide:
Tanned hide of an extremely rare

and poisonous reptile

World-eaters:
Sheriekas doomsday machines

Zaliata:
Energy creatures

zerlam’ka:
kinslayer