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“How long have you been on New Verdan?”
I grimace.
“A while.”
“Oh. I just got here not long ago myself. Was supposed to have a job interview but I was late and they pre fired me. Anyway, it wasn’t all bad, because I totally joined the Deep Space Club when I totally nailed this dark haired human woman on the flight—”
“I’m really not interested,” I growl, but he keeps talking.
“Oh yeah, with the prettiest green eyes, too. And let me tell you, the carpet matched the drapes.”
I’m growing irritated. Olivia has green eyes and dark hair…no, couldn’t be. Besides, he’s clearly lying. He keeps on talking even though I’m barely listening.
“…so I figure once I open up my own brewery, I’ll be rolling in pussy,” he says.
“What?” I gasp. “What did you just say?”
“I’m here to unlock my subsidy and start a brewery. What, are you deaf?”
“But I’m here for that subsidy.”
The door opens up and a bored looking Alzhon chip head clerk steps out. His eyes dart between us and he sighs.
“Oh good,” he says, being ironic “you’re both here. As it turns out, the EC has decided to slowball the rollout of this alcohol production deal, so there’s only the one subsidy.”
“Only one?” I sputter. “But I signed up for it first.”
“That doesn’t matter, sir. All I can say is that you can share the subsidy and go into business together—”
“I don’t work with Vakutan,” the fratvoyan spits.
“—or you could settle it between you in court,” the clerk says.
“That would take months or even years,” I groan.
“—or,” the clerk says, giving me a dirty look for interrupting him. “you two could, I don’t know, have like a brew off or something. Let the people of New Verdan decide the winner and who gets the subsidy.”
“Is that for real?” I ask. “Because it kind of sounds like you made that last one up—”
“You’re on!” The Fratvoyan grabs my hand and pumps it enthusiastically. “I’ll send over my assistant to hammer out the details later. Good luck and may the best Fratvoyan win.”
“What? No!” I growl, retrieving my hand. “I do not agree with that statement as I am clearly not Fratvoyan!”
Seventeen
Olivia
New Verdan is an unspoiled paradise, to be sure. But all of this comes at a price.
Now that I’m staying for a while, I’ve taken up lodging in town. It’s a sort of extended stay hotel, with bare minimum accommodations and shared laundry facilities but it’s comfortable enough for now.
What bothers me is the lack of the name brands I’ve come to adore. I can’t find Fenix brand lipstick, or Gyphornax’s Best distinctive Milano cookies. Not to mention a serious lack of any sort of designer clothing outlet.
I guess a brewery isn’t the only thing the colony is missing. Maybe I should start an outlet mall? Put it up right next to the brewery.
I head over to the open air farmers market. When I lay eyes on the colorful produce available, initially I get excited.
But I soon find just how limited the selection really is. The initial wave of colonists were primarily human and vakutan. Vakutan crops tend to be bland, and there are only so many human crops that you can grow on New Verdan.
