"Aye Commander," the out-fitter speaks slowly, "Madness now?"

"Not yet," Baltaar  replies.

"Sir?" the out-fitter is at a loss.

Baltaar continues, "In the meantime, Tell them to present it, as a Gift," Baltaar  pauses to smile, "A Gift from a Friend." 

"Did I say,'Free'?" Baltaar asks serenely, "I meant, 'As a Gift'."

"No Charge?" the out-fitter bursts out, "After all the farber-bloomin' trouble landing this felgar-karb cargo has been? As in 'Free'?"

The out-fitter raises his chin, "How much should I be charging them when they finally get here?"

Baltaar calculates, "Charge?"" Baltaar answers, "No charge at all."

"Well they'd better arrive bollmin' soon," the out-fitter sneers, "I don't plan to waste my days diggin' around on the last outpost to nowhere."

"Outer postings," Baltaar thinks, "More Customers, that is what third-partiy treatises are for," Baltaar says directly.

"Treatises?" the out-fitter says a bit startled, "I've never had to live by any treatises before."

"Worry not," Baltaar replies grandiosely, "With ample provisions for share-leases, shell conglomerates, blinded trusts, double books, etceteran, we can cache our provender and clear out of the entire transaction without a trace."

"Why I'd rather just grab our share and disappear," the out-fitter retorts.

"Something like that," Baltaar smiles grandly, "But it is all merely conjecture and speculation," Baltaar shrugs.

 

 

(optional)

Baltaar smiles with deceptive generousity, "If I knew-tell of a rumour of an obscure functionary desparate to escape an isolated, dead-end posting, and could substantiate such,"

"You want me to deal in the ruddy Dead-Zone?" the out-fitter snarls, "Then your functionary had better pay bloody-foul well."

Baltaar holds up a hand to stop the out-fitter's rant, "Rumour is unsubstantiated, so I can't name a specific location."

"Aye, Commander, True" the Out-fitter concedes.

Baltaar raises his tone to control the exchange, "And if I were to possess such knowledge, I'd be eligible for the treble-penalty," Baltaar pauses, raises a palm, "Of which I would be most happy to share."

"Aye, Commander," the out-fitter confirms, "You know."

"Yes," Baltaar answers easily, "I do. As to payment, I conjecture that the payment would be most generous, but access can prove most valuble."

"And where there exists one such functionary," Baltaar trails off.

"Commander," the out-fitter inquires, "So how do I dump this stuff?" he asks.

"I am sure an agent from the network will arrive at the convenience-micron," Baltaar answers back.

The out-fitter reflexively flicks his thumb, "Ingrates," he growls from between clenched teeth.

Baltaar smiles generously, "They have always paid well in the past, that I am sure of," he smiles mischeiviously, "Of course if I knew who they were, I could then bypass the network entirely, and pocket the entire commission for myself, or us as it were ."

"You? Us? At this point what difference would that make," the out-fitter remarks.

Baltaar sighs, "But alas, if I were to know such things for certain, it could result in very dire consequences, for me."

The out-fitter grits his jaw, "Can we be sure of these 'customers'?"

Baltaar narrows his left eye as he considers, "There are contacts on the trading networks that have customers."