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My city ship is still heading towards this system, and my courier ship is orbiting above the planet where these aliens can see it. Lucky me... I get to be the "ground guy." I have to deal with these rustics face-to-face. I get to confirm that these people really are living in the hell-hole our simulators have projected. They actually walk on dirt, and love doing so! My skin cringes every time I step out of a vehicle. There are so many hazards to watch out for on any dirt world. The natives deal with them out-of-hand; I have to blunder through each and every one.
As I approached this world it became clear early-on that colonists would be my big-ticket trade item on this world. The human population here is large and the life span is short. This planet is churning people at a fantastic rate, and, as may be expected on such a world, their manufactured and cultural goods will be of interest only to artifact collectors on other worlds. But the people... the people... an average life span of only eighty years! With some decent unrest we can fill our holds with mercenaries and farmers in a year, and spend the next ten colonizing. This run could give me... us, enough riches to split the ship. I would be a "ship father." All this... and more... provided this situation ripens as well as it looks it might.
My ship day is over, time to report. Back in my ground ship, I beam a secure video to the city ship.
I begin formally by saying, "Planetary Administrator Jax reporting to Coucilmeister Loran and other Council members.
Then I relax, smile widely and I say, "I may be optimistic in putting it this way, Councilor Loran, but if I were you I'd be dusting off cryobaters and plans for a space barge. This world is as ripe as our simulators predicted."
Then I say evenly, "However, there is a hiccup. These people are virgins to interstellar trade. They have no inventory stockpiled, none of any kind."
I end the video. That's all they need to know for now. I strap down and depart this godforsaken place for a return to the city ship. I'll be back, but I'll cherish every moment I'm gone.
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