Engagement [Book 3: SEKTOR V Trilogy]

Chapter 11: Duly Rewarded

Chapter 11: Duly Rewarded

Bok Flireen had been playing this as carefully as he could. He had to. His life likely depended on it. Trying to leverage the Elites was a big risk, especially for a mid-level Trader like himself. Of course, Zetas were nothing if not ambitious. Flireen was no different in that regard. Still, to pull this off and to set up his family for what he hoped would be a lifetime, he had to play his hand perfectly. 

 And what a hand he had! 

 It was hard for him to remain stoic and tell no one what he'd learned, especially his trading partner of many years, Teek Bitrall, who somehow still managed to know something was up. In fact, prior to this last run out to Sentilli, Bok had never attempted a solo trip without his partner. He thought about bringing him along, but in the end decided if this went south, he alone would take on the consequences. Besides, if it went the other way, he would happily cut his friend in on some of the spoils. For now, though, that was the last thing on his mind. Bok realized that as a Trader he was much better off than Zeta's Surface Dwellers (SDs), which admittedly wasn't saying much. The SDs were essentially indentured servants to the ruling Elite. Calling them slaves would be closer to the truth.

As a Trader, Bok's life was better...much better. His services were in high demand, especially on a dying world desperately dependent upon the resources and labor of outside systems. Given this reality, Elites had little choice but to grant Traders a certain level of autonomy. Zeta Reticulon was a world that had been "civilized" for millennia but due to desperate conditions brought on by a global population that continued to contract, maintaining the Elite's "expected" high standard of living necessitated the exploitation of labor and an endless supply of exotic, off-world luxury items and services that the ruling class "required". Keeping that supply of goods flowing helped Traders like Bok Flireen since it intrinsically provided political capital that could be used to avoid the suffering and endless oppression that existed on the surface.

Bok's frequent travels also gave him additional entrepreneurial opportunities to generate "enhanced resources", including exo-estates and other valuables that were rarely, if ever, reported to the government. Of course, none of this was "official". As a Trader, Bok fully understood his place in Zeta's caste system and realized that the Elites could remove his wealth and privilege in an instant if they so desired. This absolute truth had Bok Flireen worried.

His long-awaited meeting with the Deputy Supreme Leader was to occur today. Weeks earlier, he was set to talk to a much lower level official in his home province. That all changed however when Bok disclosed the nature of his information...Humans. The endless delays and dismissals he had previously experienced suddenly disappeared. While some of his friends and family interpreted this as good news, Bok did not. Such a dramatic shift in government interest gave him considerable pause. He knew that the Office of the Supreme Leader could instantly make his life infinitely and permanently better. He also knew that this same omnipotent Office could do whatever it wanted, without any worry of reprisal...

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"Deputy Supreme Leader, your appointment with the Trader from Rizon Province is waiting for you in your reception area."

"Provide more detail, female. Inform me again why a Trader has been granted a viewing? Also, why do you continue to speak? Do so again without permission and I will have your tongue permanently removed. No one wishes to hear your vulgar guttural notes," replied Zalek Trig telepathically.

The assistant, looking to the ground this time, weakly communicated her thoughts.

"I cannot say for certain Deputy Supreme Leader, but his registration entry suggests that he has important news regarding the Humans. More than that I do not know."