3 x T

"And with a profit," Koniev said. He drank.

"And with a civilization saved and a market for our next trip," Greenberg said. He drank.

Je

"A pleasure to pound your back," Greenberg said gallantly. "Are you all right now?" At her nod, he gri

"I?don't really have one to make," she said with her usual hesitancy. "I'm just glad it all worked out." A moment later, she added, "And very glad to be going home."

"Aren't we all?" Greenberg said. Koniev and Marya lifted their glasses again, in silent agreement. The master merchant also drank. Then he asked, "What are you going to do, once you're back?"

"Why, go back to school, of course, and work on my thesis some more," Je

"Have you ever thought about making another run with us?"

"Why ever would you want me to?" Je

But now he said, "Because nothing succeeds like success. This little coup of yours will win you journeyman status, you know, and a share of the profits instead of straight salary. And with your, uh, academic background?" Je

"You really mean it, don't you?" She had trouble believing her ears.

"Yes, I do," Greenberg said firmly.

"We'd like to have you along," Marya agreed. Koniev nodded.

"Thank you," Je

"All right," Greenberg said. "I'll see you get rated journeyman anyhow. You've earned it, whether you choose to use it or not."

"Thanks," she said again. "That's very kind. I won't turn you down. Not, mind you, that I ever will use it."

"Of course not," Greenberg said.

She looked at him sharply. As a master merchant, he was used to?and good at?manipulating people to get his way. Not this time, you won't, she thought.

III

The tall fur crest above Gazar's eyes rippled slightly. With Atheters, Je

As the Atheter merchant rummaged through his wicker basket, Je

That had been two trips ago, now. She still hadn't quite worked out why she'd signed up for her second trip. Had she really been that depressed about not getting the first teaching job she'd applied for?

She stopped the useless worrying as Gazar's big golden eyes?his least-chimplike feature?went wide. He'd found what he was looking for, then. With a fine dramatic sense, he held whatever it was concealed between his six-fingered hands. He started squawking. The translator Je

"Let me see?" Je

"Here." Crest erect with pride, Gazar opened his hands. "This is carved omphoth ivory, which of course means it is very, very old."

"Why 'of course'?" Had Gazar not made an issue of it, Je

"Surely any nestling knows?" Gazar began. Then he let out a high-pitched screech that reminded Je

"Oh." Je

"They were worse!" Gazar's tail writhed like a fat, pink worm, a sure sign of agitation. "They ate the trees! Fruit, leaves, branches, everything!"

That hit him where he lived, all right, Je

"No wonder you hunted them, then," Je

"Ah, so here at last is something that interests you, then? I was begi

"I suppose so," Je

"Oh, indeed!" Always raucous, his screeches were nearly apoplectic now. "In fact, I would not think of parting with it for less than half a dozen scalpels, two dozen swissarmyknives"?the Terran name came out in one squawked burst?"and, let me see, two, no, three bottles of the sweet tailtangler you humans brew."

He meant Amaretto, Je

Gazar's grin exposed formidable teeth. "Would you sell it to me?"

"No. Nor will I give you everything that in your extravagance you demanded. Are you trying to empty all our stores so that we ca