Trader's Hand - 3

A mini story by S.E.Estes
Part 1 | 2 | 3

Verl wasn't sure what he expected but he didn't expect them to look like ordinary people. From the stories he'd heard and the items of theirs he'd seen he considered them superior beings and was vaguely disappointed. It did little to dampen his excitement, their arrival was more than a great trade opportunity, that didn't interest him, to him it was a chance for redemption. Level Nine was his hell and in the Explorers he found a way out. Their average appearance and behavior gave Verl the idea that perhaps above Level Nine was a normal world where he could find a home. He wasn't sure what he was going to do about it but it was foremost on his mind when he approached an Explorer trading vids. They traded for just about anything and Verl always wondered what people with superior technology would want with their junk. They did take junk, as much as they could, and when Verl asked the vid trader why she explained, "Raw material." Her answer, though short, wasn't unfriendly and that gave Verl encouragement to ask the things on his mind. "What's it like up there?" She shrugged a little, "Kind of boring, not like here." Her answer threw him, boring was the last thing he would have expected to hear about the Explorer world. "How do you mean?" he asked. She thought about it a moment, "It's edgy down here, up there it's... I don't know, I guess you have to live there to understand." Verl saw his opportunity, "I'd like to see...", he was handsome and she'd noticed it, her smile was eager when she said, "I'd love to show you around.". He learned fast that it wasn't his charms that made her so eager, her eyes shone with excitement when she asked, "Would you show me your world?" He wanted to explain how miserable his world was but he knew she had to see for herself to understand enough to lose the thrill of the new. "Stay a few days, there's a place open right near me and I can be your guide." he invited. His blood gave a little rush at her joyful acceptance but he was sad to think how her joy would be crushed when she saw his world for what it was. He had selfish reasons for asking her but she sought the invitation and he was one of the few safe people on the level so he looked happy when he asked her when she wanted to come. It was fine with him when she said, "Right now!", better to get it done quickly than to brood about it for awhile, besides it got him to his objective sooner. He warned her though, his eyes we deadly serious when he stared into hers, said, "It's very dangerous here.", and showed her the butt of his blaster. He knew what he would see in her eyes, she was looking forward to it.

It went as he'd forseen, she learned the next day when they witnessed a territorial killing. Horrified, she left without a word, taking no notice of Verl who followed her. They passed four levels before the lift started slowing and she came to herself long enough to speak, "I'm sorry, you're probably used to that..." He shook his head, "You did better than me, I don't go out." "You stay in one of those miserable little rooms all the time?" she asked, her mind off the killing for a moment. He nodded, "How sad.", she murmured and then brightened a little, "Wait until you see my cabin." she said and slipped her arm in his. She led him down clean, well-lit corridors filled with colors he'd never seen before, the decks below were the gray of metal relieved only by a few colors of life. People were everywhere, laughing and talking, a feeling of safety and contentment pervaded the air, Verl felt like he'd finally come home.