With the help of the Zero-One merchants and that rich lady Hervar, I now had a coffer of my own, along with a card. A coffer with a billion Qeta credits in it…
"Man, I just wanted some cash," I muttered to myself. "What am I gonna do with a billion?"
My stomach rumbled, indicating that I still haven't eaten anything.
So I turned to Hervar – "Know any good sandwich places?"
"Sandwiches, specifically?" She looked confused. "I can show you exquisite cuisines the likes of which you've never seen."
"Not really in an 'exquisite cuisines' mood, sorry," I replied. "I haven't eaten anything since I got here! A girl is starved for a sandwich."
"Ugh, very well. Get in my highrider," Hervar relented. "I'll just… give my informant a call really quick."
Figures someone like her wouldn't know any commoner joints, I wryly thought as I sat down in a cushy seat. Nice ride, though… huh, I could buy one of my own now.
"Hey Aria, you've been quiet ever since this lady showed up," I whispered.
"She just speaks a language I'm unfamiliar with," she answered. "Judging from the inflections… perhaps a noble tongue of Konjico's aristocracy?"
"I bet Kelly would have an idea then," I nodded, then leaned back in my seat. "Honestly, Aria, I still don't know if this superspeech thing was meant for me."
"You don't honestly think that, do you?"
"Well, no. But it just makes me wonder, you know? What else did Lum give me? I dunno. I'd ask her, but I think she's still asleep. I really hope she isn't sick."
"Who's Lum?" Hervar got into the highrider with us.
"Oh, um… I'll tell you later," I replied.
"No worries! I'm benign, promise," she assured me. "And as proof of my goodwill, we're off to the finest sandwich shop in the Zero District!"
"I seriously don't get it," I sighed. "Why are you so interested in me?"
"I just know a good investment opportunity when I see one," Hervar replied. "Not many can boast as powerful a companion as Aria. And then of course there's that other thing in your bag…"
"Nuh-uh! No lookie!"
"Hmph, I knew it. It's even more powerful than those Galacta rings, isn't it?"
I did not like the glint in Hervar's eyes. If she found out about Lum… nope, I wasn't even going to entertain the thought.
"Aria, hold my bag," I said, handing it to her. "Or, hm… maybe I could just buy a new one…"
"Well, bastions of trust are seldom built in a day," Hervar shrugged. "Anyway, we're here. Welcome to… um… the Tomato Hole? What's a tomato…"
The guy running the shop looked to be human, but not quite the same type of human as me. And apparently tomatoes were indigenous to his homeworld – a blue-green planet called Delana. Just how many worlds were out there, I wondered? And how many of them had humans…?
As we left the sandwich place, I nudged Hervar. "What'd you think?"
"Those sliced red fruits were slimy and disgusting," she replied.
"No way, it was great," I retorted. "Kind of sweet-tangy, with high water content that complemented the greens and meat nicely. And that sauce… Mmm, I should bring Tarv and Kelly over there later."
"You mentioned them before. Are they your friends?" Hervar asked.
"Yep. They're over in the Metal District right now, getting work done on our spaceship."
"Oh, perfect. That district is home to the biggest shopping mall in the Qeta lot," Hervar told me, "Perhaps even the galaxy!"
"Huh, really? So, what, it's half mechanic stuff, half consumerist paradise?"
"More or less. Driver, take us to the grand mall."
This highrider really was fast. We were on the platrail for maybe thirty minutes, but this time we'd made it to the Metal District in maybe two or three.
"Hey Hervar. What's the world below like?" I asked as we got off the highrider.
"You mean Arqos? I've never been."
"Huh??"
"Most travelers who frequent the Qeta Lot don't bother," Hervar shrugged. "Not like any of us are from there anyway."
"What…"
"Trust me, it's better like this. What happens in the Qeta Lot stays in the Qeta Lot, as the saying goes. No need to get those planetside folks involved."
Soon we approached a massive gate, with a strip of shops and markets stretching into the distance as far as I could see.
"Alright… shopping time," I said. "No holding back! I've got all the money I could possibly want! Here we go!!"
I thought it would be a fun time, but as I walked down the strip, I found myself thinking I could buy that if I wanted rather than I want that. Did I even want anything from here? New clothes, great-looking food, trinkets and charms, magical items, sleek vehicles, tools and weapons of all types…
I looked back at Hervar. She was already carrying several bags of stuff, and talking on her comm about shipping fees.
Then I looked over at Aria, who was cradling my backpack like a baby. I guess there was a baby in there.
As we walked further down the strip, a cute little boutique caught my eye– Sandarqon. I could read the letters!
Inside, a green man was arranging some dresses off to the side.
"Hi," I said. "You open?"
"Is patron? Greet," he said. "Am ready for sell, yes. Welcome to Sandarqon. Has look for cloth? I make lovely cloth."
"Yeah, these are nice." I picked out a small sundress. This would look great on Lum once she gets bigger, I thought.
"Aha. Good look," the shopkeep said. "White dreamweave, leaf fiber, flowers of me."
"You mean, the flowers from your body??"
"Is true, is. Am dryad, so things for leaf, bud, petal, is work easy."
"A dryad! The Qeta Lot really does have everything," I said, impressed.
"Good and bad every, yes? I saw Red house high lady nearby," he told me. "Great for network, great danger also. Business is boom, maybe, or business go boom. No is worth, I am think."
"Who, Hervar? She's just rich, isn't she? Or are the houses like some noble somesuch?"
"Yes, houses try for control entire Qeta Lot," the dryad explained. "Control money, control districts, control suppliers, control taxes. No is good for trust. Is all pawns, all power, all around."
"Huh…" I was suddenly really glad she didn't learn about Lum. "Well, thanks for the info. I'll buy this sundress."
"Eh, just that? I throw in hat for you. Is match, for nice lady and nice daughter," he said, handing me a pretty woven sunhat.
"Oh! W-well, you know what, I'll pay for this one too," I decided, pulling out my card.
"Eh, really? Much kind," he smiled.
"Don't worry about it. I'm certainly not hurting for cash right now," I laughed. "Bye!"
I exited the boutique with a smile. "There you are, Aria," I said, walking over to her. "I met a dryad! He was very nice. Where'd Hervar go?"
"Eh, further down that way," she vaguely pointed. "This place is troublesome. Can we leave soon?"
"Oh. Sure," I said, surprised. "I guess it makes sense you wouldn't be a fan of malls."
"It's not that," Aria shook her head. "I sensed people watching us the whole time we were here."
"Huh. You don't think it's those Blue house guys, do you?"
"They don't seem to be on us anymore, at least," Aria observed. "Oh! Silly me, they were watching Hervar."
"Ehm…" I looked down the strip, but couldn't see her.
"You know what, let's just leave," I decided, putting on my sunhat. "The last thing I need is to get caught up in some mercantile mafia political drama."
"Agreed," Aria nodded, and we began walking the other way. "Oh, I know. Give me a moment, I'll call Tarvalen."
"Yo," his voice said through Aria's mirage. "You ladies having fun? We're still negotiating payment options on our end–"
"He's trying to convince Burlong to accept another IOU," Qelimara cut in. "I told him this was a bad idea!"
"Hey, Tarv," I said. "I got a shitton of money now. Want me to spot you?"
"What? You?" He didn't sound convinced.
"Yeah, give us like an hour. We're on our way."
As Aria closed the mirage, she said, "You know, I can warp us to him immediately."
"Oh, 'cause he's like your main beacon?" I wondered.
"Mm, something like that." She held out her hand, and I grabbed it.
ZZWORP!
Aria's warping was very different from the Shell – an electric sensation encased my body, making me feel like I was disintegrating and being reassembled at the same time.
Then, just like that, we appeared behind Tarvalen. He was facing a massive machine creature three times his size, bristling with arms and tools. Its electric eye looked annoyed as it stared down at him, but it quickly shifted and focused on Aria and me.
"Arrre these yourrr pals?" It slowly intoned. "Which one has the funds?"
"Huh?" Tarvalen turned around. "Oh. That was fast. I thought I'd have to stall more, thank goodness."
"You're Burlong, right?" I stepped forward. "Do you take Qeta credits?"
"Yes." Burlong's giant body smoothly slid across the silver-grey ground. "Make the trrransaction herrre. Sixty six thousand, five hundrrred."
"You got it." As I made the payment, Tarvalen and Qelimara both stared at me, looking dumbfounded.
"Business, finished. Goodbye, Tarrrvalen." Burlong moved into its garage, and soon the Shell slid out, looking freshly polished.
"Phew… you know what, I'm not even gonna ask," Tarvalen exhaled.