Marketplace Manor

The voice on the loudspeaker said "attention all passengers leaving for Planet Aries, please report to shuttle dock 10. "Flight number 3933 is now loading passengers." "Please have your boarding pass ready and only one space suit per person is permitted."

I immediately joined the line, verified that my boarding pass had been stamped in the proper places and tightened my gravity boots that I had loosened while waiting to board my flight.

The trip to Planet Aries was be the first of many assignments to the planet.  I was hired as manager of Marketplace Manor and it was my job to inspect each station of alien goods for quality standards including freshness of foods and the authenticity of materials.

As I approached the front of the shuttle I was paired off with an earthling and his 11-year old son.  We were placed in a tripod of seats and buckled in by the flight attendants.

I had plenty of reading material with me, as well as a review log which I would be filling out when we arrived in the marketplace so I was not ready to have a conversation with my travel companions.  The flight was expected to take only ten days earth time, and we would be traveling at the speed of light.

"Excuse me sir, my name is Warren Samuels and this is my son Buddy (actually Benny).  We are on our way to Marketplace Manor.  This is my son's first trip, but I myself have been coming here since I was his age.  It was the experience of a lifetime."  "What about you?"

I didn't want this man to know why I was making this trip.  I was supposed to look like a regular shopper and actually helped me answer the problem I had tackled for weeks before. How was I going to be able to hide my true purpose for being here.

"Well, I said, this is actually my first trip and since the holiday are almost upon us, I wanted to surprise my family with unusual gifts.  So here I am."

"I am so glad that we got seated with you.  Last years trip was very different because I ended up traveling with some seniors who couldn't keep up with my pace, even with the gravity boots they brought."

"That won't be a problem for me.  I am wearing Hightops.  They are supposed to be the best for walking on the planet."

"You're absolutely right about that.  Buddy wears them all the time. Take a nap and I will wake you up when we arrive."

The shuttle finally landed ahead of schedule and so we had to wait to be docked at the entrance.  When we finally made it off the shuttle I followed Warren and his son to the exit and we jumped on to a modern shuttle bus.

It was a warm day and the breeze from the movement of the shuttle bus assailed our senses with the odor of burning charcoal and sweet chocolate.  I had never experienced anything else like this in my life.

The bus suddenly stopped and Warren motioned me to follow him to the entrance gate.

"That will be 2 kroners to enter the marketplace usher. " I glanced at Warren for interpretation."

"Oh. in earth dollars that is 10 dollars."

"Here you go, sir.  Thank you kindly."

The marketplace was filled with stands that offered not only authtic space foods, but the most up-to-date women's fashions, modern weaponry and children's school books.  We were all hungry from our long trip and had not eaten since early morning.

We grabbed a menu from a waiter dressed in s light green uniform from the planer Neotune.  Except for a long crooked nose and the wiry hair on his head, he looked much like an earthling.  We decided to go with the Octopus Salad and pig roast.  Buddy had not formed adult taste buds yet so he went for the mock macaroni and cheese.

As I ate our food, I mentally reviewed the quality of my meal and felt that the quality of the food was excellent.  I asked the waiter for his business card and left him a large tip.

"No, you do not have to do that sir.  TIpping is not permitted here.  We receive an extra stipend from Marketplace Manor.

"Ok, thank you.

"Lets go check out The Weapon's Store next.  Buddy has to bring back a non-toxic weapon for a school project next month.  So we headed to the stand that read "Eddies Whio".  The shelves were loaded with a multitude of weapons that I didn't even know existed.  I looked at various weapons, grilling the salesman about the history of the weapon and bartered with them for their best price.  Of course I went away empty-handed with a promise that I would return shortly.

Next I told Warren that I wanted to buy my girlfriend Lara a silk dress and which stands had the better quality cloth.  He chucled and said "that one's easy, "Crawfords' Lace Stal"l.  My wife always shops there when we shop here.  The best part is that they are the least expensive, and the silk is woven in Mercury.  You can't get any better than that.  After all, it is the warmest planet next to the sun.

ByWe walked around Marketpkace until dark and decided to stay over for the night.  We walked arround the Planet Court until we found a vacancy at the Saturn Supreme Hotel.  Of course the hotel was a little too high for my budget, but why not splurge for one night.  I was going to be making quite a good salary.

At about eight-o-clock that evening Warren and I checked in to a room and left Buddy to go to sleep.  We went down to the lobby and went into an American restaurant.

We were chatting away about nothing important when Warren turned to me and said, "I have an admission to make to you".

"Oh," I said, and gave him a curious look.

"Our sitting together on the shuttle was not an accident". "Let me properly introduce myself to you.  My real name is Daniel Evans and I am the President of Marketplace Manor and I was evaluating your performance."

I looked at him, my mouth open in surprise.  I wanted to curl up and die inside.

"Don't worry, you performed just fine.  I have a few little things that I can recommend to you, but I would like to officially welcome you to Marketplace Manor."  "Congratulations and welcome.