The Mech Touch novel Chapter 2719

Chapter 2719: Trade and Commerce

Every new major star system offered a wealth of options to visitors like Ves. While he felt irked by the sheer amount of 'house rules' set by the local authorities, the Prosperous Hill System was nonetheless a paradise to anyone looking to purchase a lot of goods and services.

While the expeditional fleet slowly settled into its assigned parking grid in the outer system, the crews of every starship became busy.

The vessels had to be cleaned up and checked for anything that the authorities might take fault with. Radioactive materials, explosive payloads, unstable power reactors and any other risky element had to be properly secured and stowed away. The ship's manifests had to be in order. The new arrivals also had to submit a summary of the goods and services they expected to buy or sell.

All in all, traffic control and many other official institutions demanded a lot of paperwork in order to make sure that every visitor had honest intentions in mind.

"Some of the information we've submitted are shrouded in uncertainty." Ves skeptically remarked to Gavin during a status report. "For example, there is no guarantee that we'll actually be able to recruit at least 5,000 mech pilots and 50 Apprentice Mech Designers in Prosperous Hill."

"The authorities won't quibble over that, boss. What they truly care about is our intentions. As long as we go through the motions by setting up a recruitment center and interview a lot of applicants, the Planetary Guard won't look nervously at us. If we don't do what we've stated and instead decide to visit some of the seeder places of Prosperous Hill VI, then their inspectors will soon knock on our doors."

"I see. Is it hard to maintain order in this star system?"

His assistant shook his head. "It's not that bad according to our sources. The potential for problems is always great when a star system becomes host to millions of visitors who come from all kinds of places. Many of them are average people but there are also those who are used to making their own rules rather than obeying them. Local security has to show a forceful stance in order to curb any excess behavior."

It was not easy to maintain law and order in such an open star system. The rulers of Prosperous Hill wanted to attract a lot of trade and commerce, but did not want the living environment to sink to a low point. They had to balance the demands of both locals and visitors in order to maintain an acceptable equilibrium.

"All I'm hearing is a lot of nuance." Ves frowned. "That makes it difficult for me to determine the actual circumstances. Just give me a verdict. Is this place safer than Bentheim in its prime?"

"...I would say it is safer." Gavin reluctantly answered. "Don't take my word for it though, boss. My information is based on secondary and tertiary sources. If you want to know the real score, you need to ask someone who is rooted in this star system. Still, the amount of incidents that have actually taken place is low unless you venture off the beaten path. Trouble is bad for business and Prosperous Hill doesn't have a history of open gang warfare like what Bentheimers took for granted."

"Yet there are still gangs in Prosperous Hill VI, right?"

He had seen too much of the galaxy. There were always groups of malcontents in every large concentration of humans.

"There are, but they're not as crude or ugly as those who can be found in third-rate states."

"What do you mean by that, Benny?"

"Well, they're smarter. They don't style themselves as gangs and even their lowest-ranking members don't dress up like literal street thugs. They wear discrete suits or uniforms and they act as if they are part of a gentleman's club or an employee union or something. They mostly earn their living from honest business with a bit of grey market activities on the side. There is always a veneer of legality to these disguised gangs, but deep down they aren't above pulling off bombings or assassinations to expand their turf."

That sounded just like his former as far as Ves was concerned.

"What about the black market?"

"That… is more complicated." Gavin looked doubtful. "There is very scant word about the shadier side of business in this star system. All I can tell you is that it definitely exists, but it is kept well under wraps. That's unusual considering the sheer amount of control and surveillance that takes place. While the black market organizations may just be that good, I think there's another explanation at hand."

"The official institutions are colluding with the black market organizations." Ves guessed.

"That's my guess as well, though I won't go as far to say that the highest officials are in on it. You have to know that the greater the control, the greater the need for release. As long as a small group of key officials are swayed, an entire portion of the security structure becomes compromised."

That was true. When it came to these kinds of structures, a chain was only as strong as its weakest link. No matter how much a security structure tried to control everything, the people in charge of specific responsibilities could easily tamper with important system."

"Well, this has nothing to do with us." Ves frowned. "I don't even know why we're delving into this matter. There is absolutely no need for us to engage with the murkier side of Prosperous Hill. We only have honest business in mind."

"You're correct, boss, but you shouldn't dismiss the black market so easily. While I don't have any indicators that describe the local situation, from what I have learned, busy port systems like these actually offer a lot of exclusive goods. It's just that the buyers and sellers of these goods have to be competent enough to seek out contacts, forge connections, gain approval and conduct business while remaining completely innocent on the surface. Those who get caught don't deserve to enter a black market in the first place." _{freēwebnovel.com}

"So it's that kind of arrangement."

This reminded Ves of something. He pulled back one of the drawers of his office desk and pulled out a secure comm that he normally didn't use. He activated it and navigated its file structure until he projected the item he sought.

A virtual bronze member card spun into view. The prominent logo of a white wing adorned its front.

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