Part 34
You know, I've gotta give this Hoff guy credit.
Do you?
...don't I?
Call me crazy, but I generally don't make obscene gestures at people when I'm "giving them credit."
Hey, sometimes you've just gotta flip a guy off. It doesn't have to mean anything.
...
Yes it does.
Look, I'm just sayin'. STS's net worth dropped last week, so we're getting somewhere with this. Guy may be a slimy prick, but he sure knows what he's at.
"Slimy prick." Thank you so much for that.
Huh?
Oh...dude. No. Gross. I'm just saying I don't like him. There's no need to go there.
Yeah, you know what? It's too late for that. Far too late.
So does that mean you're thinking about it right now, or...?
If you could just stop talking until we get to the marketplace, and thereafter, that would be great.
mr. roke
are you thinking about cocks or not
i need to know because this will influence the direction of our conversation
Uh...
What in the hell?
...how big is your cargo bay?
100 tons. Yours?
Mine's only 80! How are we supposed to take all this?
We could stash some of it in our warehouses.
Dude, that's still nowhere near enough. We won't even be able to get rid of the Toasters, let alone everything else. Where did all this stuff even come from?
Booyah.
Wow. A little extra goes a long way.
Sure does.
Now, phase two. We need to start going to Pyke as often as we can. The sooner we can get our engine up to scratch, the sooner we can start outspeeding these fuckers.
Plus, every time they follow us there, they'll have to pay us 3,500 kubars each. That should make up for the extra ad costs.
I thought the auction was phase two.
Fine. Phase three, then.
You can't just change the phases like that.
They're my phases.
About damn time you called, slick. What've we got to beat this time?
150,000.
...say again?
150,000.
Now...now wait just a sec-
Goodbye.
Goddammit.
It can't be worth that much. Can it?
Goddammit.
I know Xeen's a hot spot, but...
It ain't worth that much, son. That wasn't why they bid so high.
Are you insane? We could halve that and we'd still probably win.
Not if our bids are getting leaked.
Alright, but if that's what's happening then we might as well just not bother.
No, dude. Think about it. We've got enough cash to bid this high. These other guys don't. If they decide to outbid us, even if it's just by one kubar, they'll be spending way more money than they can afford.
So they'll probably chicken out. That means we'll get the facility. We'll still have cash to spare, and they'll end up having to pay us visiting fees for another planet. Either way, we win.
We're the ones with the muscle here, my friend. It's time to start using it.
You're not serious.
I am dead serious.
Look. You're not thinking straight, alright? It's come out of nowhere, you got caught off your guard, you're overreacting. Just leave it, mate. It's not worth it.
Damn it, boy! My integrity, my manhood is at stake! That is worth a hell of a lot more than a hundred-fifty grand!
Then let me help! I can pay half of it!
No, son. It's my responsibilty. My fault them fellas caught on to somethin' amiss. It ain't half my fault, so I ain't takin' half the fall.
Also, not to be offendin' you, but can you pay half of it?
...
Not right now, exactly.
Didn't think so.
You just leave me to it, son. Old Vandergriff's come back from worse than this. And if it's my time to go, hell, it's my time to go. Been thinkin' about packin' it all in anyway. Maybe start up a little knitwear shop in Outer Glosser. Somewhere quiet.
Knitwear?
I like knittin'. If things go to shit, I will sit down, I will knit, and goddammit, I will be content. So don't you worry about me none. I got this under control.
...I love you, dad.
Okay, this just got real awkward.