" "I can make it about six," he replied." "I can make it about six," he replied. "I have an important conference today but should be free by then." He rolled over and lit one of the unusual-appearing cigarettes I had noticed earlier on the end table by his bed. He exhaled the smoke smoothly as he offered me one. "It's been tested and shown to be compatible with your metabolism. At least it's no more harmful than the native narcotic you Earthlings smoke." I inhaled cautiously at first and tasted the unfamiliar spicy tanginess as it rolled over my palate. "You seem very young to be entrusted with the responsibility of a major trade conference," I remarked as I exhaled the smoke. "Actually all the sons of the noble houses are expected to begin taking on such responsibilities around my age," he replied. "As a scion of the royal house this conference would normally be something I would have learned to handle several of your years ago. Arranging a trade deal for your state's meat and grain for our mining colony on Antares IV isn't that complicated. What I am really here for is to set up a trade in some of your native narcotics. Your tobacco, for instance," he said pointing to the pack of cigarettes lying next to my discarded clothing, "should prove to be quite in demand among our people. It's been shown to be no more harmful to us than it is to you and our medical tech- nology can forestall any damage it might do. Your marijuana and some of your stronger drugs should turn out to be the basis of a lucrative trade also. I'm afraid we'll have to ban the catnip you sometimes give your domestic cats among our people, however. It's been shown to set off a murderous killing frenzy in our species and would do even more damage than it does if the user weren't so uncoordinated and disoriented by its effects. |