"Herring"

As you have seen, (assuming you read previous to this point) when traversin' the Verse, not everything goes accordin' to plan.

I will keep a lovin' eye on the Navsys each time the course is laid. The ASNAV tech who made adjustments at Shinbone seemed competent, yet a little over self-assured in a quick and dirty sort of way; and he will not be the one driftin' if I close my eyes for a kip only to find I am in Reaver space or cratering an uncharted moon.

Thus the Skipper of the Gypsy Trader did not really sleep well the first two days of the run. Getting weary I finally thumbed the auto-pilot on the third morning: Course for Xin Caodi was dead on the money after I triangulated once, twice, thrice… all with the same immaculate result.

* * *

I was awakened by a loud squawk from the cortex viewer… glancin' in the mirror I looked like a man who had slept in his clothes for 16 hours (which I was), I fumbled at the receiver to take audio only…

The face of cousin Misha fuzzed into view as I eased myself up to a standing position.

"Stewart! …are you there Pодич?" his voice crackled much less than you would expect; Gypsy was very near a Core Relay.

"I am here Cousin (his term for me had been more formal) what causes you to send a wave?" ...Misha was far too cheap to wave without good reason.

"I cannot see you Stewart!" 

"No… and you will not see me, but I hear you just fine." …not letting on that I could see him in his usual high, stiff, snow-white and pretentious Core-style collar; silk Paisley cravat with jeweled stick-pin completed the effect. Misha never did dress like a fish farmer.

Misha sniffed after a pause, "Your family is worried about you… perhaps you have met with accident? We have not heard from you… is your shipment of herring secure?"

Good old predictable Misha… "The herring is happily secure in the hold Meesh… (he hates me to call him Meesh) …Gypsy was delayed, We're back on course…should be in Xin Caodi in 72 hours give or take."

Misha paused again, you could see him counting in his head...good thing his wife did the company books.

"A-Ha!, Perfect then родич Macpherson... you will be just in time to attend the Unification Day celebration held by the leading lights of XinCaodi City…By special invitation… I pulled strings…. Oh cousin how I envy you!" Misha simpered as only he can. 

* * *

I was cringing by the time Misha had finished relaying the information as to where and when I was to attend the "Gala Event". This apparently was where I was to meet my contact… the person interested in the Family Herring.

I was going to have to lay out my best bib and tucker for a hoity-toity party celebrating something  that over half the Verse thought to be a gorram tragedy… Unification Day.