The Feather Merchant

By Hillyer Ives

Life is not always easy. Far from it. This third popular, action-packed novel in Hillyer Ives Connizol series features a young merchant who had been handed a bill of stolen goods on Earth, having to pay a very expensive fine. Everything began falling apart after that. With nothing left but a ship load of perishable feathers, Pitzi sets out to define his new direction in life. His first desire was a date with a beautiful young woman, the daughter of the Star Police commander. But things continued to go wrong. The young woman stowed away on his ship, a Confederation offense, to look after Pitzi. Pitzi later has doubts about Merats love when Janzi Jit, a good-looking athlete joined them after the three were kidnapped and taken to the slip-shod world of Purrit. There they were to be used by the Confederations most wanted criminal, Otlee. Otlee was said to have been responsible for the deaths of over two thousand people. This never-ending action story involves not only suspense and adventure, but much comic relief and humor. Join Pitzi Phips, a sawed-off little merchantman with a big heart, as he takes on the Connizol Confederations number one assassin.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse
• Release date: Mar 27, 2005
• ISBN: 9781456726126

Hillyer Ives

Hillyer Ives (psuedonym for James Estes) is the author of seven exciting, published novels for teenage and adult audiences.  Both Mars Mich, his first work, and Salzo, his fourth, are in the exhilarating series called the Connizol Tales.  Ives was born near Houston, Texas, but lived with his family in other areas of North Texas where he attended schools.  He holds a Bachelor of Music degree from Texas Wesleyan University and a Master of Education from Texas Christian University.  He was editor of a corporate magazine for thirteen years. Always interested in adventure, Ives has led many backpacking groups to areas in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, served as chairman of the National Speleological Society’s convention, received the NSS Fellow Award, and was editor of the Texas Caver for more than seven years.  He has been active in the Boy Scouts of America explorer program, and following his retirement from West Texas Utilities Company at Abilene, has been employed each summer as a Park Ranger in Utah.  He enjoys not only writing novels and music compositions, but traveling abroad.  He has authored seven novels of adventure, science fiction, fantasy, and horror.

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Contents

TO THE READER

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

TO THE READER

This is the third adventure in the Connizol Tales. In the first, MARS MICH, we were introduced to the young Mars Mich, a teenager from a suburb of Pittsburgh who was whisked off to Connizol to marry the daughter of the strange man whose life he had saved. Mars met a young man called Salzo, brother to the king or zetphir, who became a good friend. In the second tale, Salzo returns to Earth on business, and delivers a message to Mars’ former girlfriend, Gail Lemons, a U.S. senator’s daughter. When Salzo settled his large commercial monstrosity on the main runway of Pittsburgh International Airport, the young prince found himself in utter horror — facing a U.S. senate investigating subcommittee.

In this tale, Pitzi Phips, another space merchant, one who deals mainly in feathers, and who is a friend of both Mars and Salzo, faces insurmountable problems. Since there had been found a number of stolen goods aboard his ship as well as Salzo‘s, Pitzi was fined thousands of U.S. dollars, resulting in business failure. Our adventure begins with destitute and scrawny young Pitzi about to go nuts with worry about his future.

CHAPTER ONE

Pitzi Phips was exhausted. And that was unusual. Most of the time his nervous energies carried him beyond the physical endurance of most men. He blamed his tremendous lassitude on the nerve-wracking things that had recently transpired, things that had taken place on a slip-shod world called Earth.

Now — finally, he hoped — things would return to normal.

Pitzi was alone on his merchant ship, the Ellitoz, a Zollen name which roughly meant beautiful. Since it was a merchant ship, it was anything but beautiful, however. Pitzi nevertheless believed his ship had character. Unlike most ships of its particular make, its warming power rods made a lovely sighing sound, not the usual humming. Sometimes too, the ship’s controls didn’t react immediately — that is, until the ship made up its mind — just like some women Pitzi had known. And like most space vehicles which were privately owned by Zollers, their owner-operators got very attached to them. Pitzi and the Ellitoz were inseparable.

He made the final operational settings that would presently send the ship into jump speed. As usual the signal light came on about six seconds later than it should have.

Oh, come on, little girl, this is no time for joking, he looked at the ceiling. I want to get home.

The light came on, winked at him a couple of times, then steadied.

That’s more like it, he breathed, and snapped on the jump lever. The ship shuddered slightly, and Pitzi felt the temporary uneasiness in his insides. All the stars outside the ship winked out. The Ellitoz was now in jump, and would remain so for some eighteen hours, slightly less.

Pitzi settled back in his recliner operator’s chair, placed his hands behind his head, and ran over the happenings of the past several days.

He and his friend, Salzo Comh, another merchant and the zetphir’s young brother, had gathered in a secret place near the small city on Earth called Kalispell, Montana. They had met with another merchant and trader, Ashbot Democ. Ashbot had enjoyed good luck acquiring supplies through his agents on earth. He had such an abundance of goods that he sold some of it to Pitzi and Salzo for a very low price. Since Salzo had more time, and since he had promised to deliver a personal message from his friend, Mars Mich (Marshall Michelwiks), to Mars’ old girlfriend, Gail Lemons, Pitzi and Ashbot had left the young Salzo to go deliver their supplies. But before leaving they had impressed upon Salzo that he should not land his big ship on the Pittsburgh International Airport runways. These slip-shods don’t know nor realize we Zollers exist, so you’ll get into big trouble if you set down there. Those earth people will simply go berserk, Ashbot had warned.

Some six or seven planet days later, Pitzi had received a code message from his friend, Salzo. Salzo was in serious trouble and required help, but Pitzi was tied up at that time and couldn’t get away.

Remembering the incident Pitzi smiled, focusing his eyes on a small cubed projection on the Ellitoz’s ceiling. He remembered the exact moment Salzo had called him. He had actually lied to Salzo, telling him that he was tied up. In actuality he was with a young woman of Tophitz. Pitzi however, remembered at the time how serious Salzo had sounded.

Pitzi had not considered that Salzo was in such a position that he could not get out of it himself. Salzo was an intelligent man. But landing at the slip-shod airport was a big mistake. Two days after the call, Pitzi received a code from Mars Mich to inform him that Salzo was indeed in trouble, and that he needed to join him in going to Earth. Mars had informed Pitzi that Salzo’s brother, the zetphir of the Connizol Confederation, had decided to go as well, hearing of Salzo’s mistreatment and wrongful incarceration by Earth authorities. Pitzi had also learned through a Star Police friend, Itziph Benr, that half the Star Police would accompany the zetphir’s ship to Earth.

A rather long story, the ending was quite involved, but nonetheless spectacular. Seems everyone Pitzi knew had gathered above the Pittsburgh airport in their motionless, hovering ships. Now relaxing in his operator’s chair, Pitzi admitted that he hadn’t understood all the pandemonium that followed. He had merely been overjoyed that Salzo and his brother had been spared. It would have been a terrible thing had the zepthir and Salzo been killed. No telling what the Star Police would have done to Earth.

As an outcome, Pitzi thought, it really was good for Salzo. First of all, his friend would perhaps learn a lesson from it, pay more attention to what he and Ashbot told him from then on. Secondly, Salzo had won the love and heart of a very beautiful girl, Mars Mich’s ex-girlfriend, Gail, the late senator’s daughter.

Pitzi had never realized the fact that Ashbot’s earth agents who procured most of Ashbot’s earth merchandise were actually stealing it. Some of it had been sold to himself and Salzo. Pitzi found himself in the hole financially. At the request of the zetphir (or was it a polite command?) both he, Ashbot, and Salzo had to make certain reimbursements to the people of Earth whose merchandise had been confiscated. But Pitzi himself had to pay several thousand dux credits, or about $50,000 slip-shod dollars, which amounted to most of his business’s remaining operating funds.

Pitzi was certain he could not remain in business after making that large payment. He would have to sell a lot of feathers to make up the balance, and keep his own business intact.

Suddenly Pitzi became somewhat melancholy. He jerked out a piece of linen and dabbed his eyes. Must have gotten something in them.

He had been thinking. Shucks! He’d always wanted a permanent girl. First he wanted Zatsol’s daughter, Lasan, but the old trader had given her to Mars, because Mars had saved Zatsol’s life. With his luck, Pitzi should have known better than to believe he could have married Lasan. But Mars was a fine young man, and was making Lasan a nice husband, even if he was a slip-shod kid and not quite dry behind the ears.

Of course Salzo, the big good-looking, young zetphir’s brother, had landed him the precious Gail Lemons. And yes, Salzo had the personality and good looks to land about any woman he chose. Except Lasan, of course.

As for Pitzi? Humph! Even Lasan’s dark-headed friend wouldn’t accompany him to dinner at any eating place. So he wound up feeling sorry for himself. He was still a very young man, and he had a thriving business. That is, until he made the 20,000-dux payment to those people on Earth. Material things, he considered, didn’t really help a girl to like a man. A man also had to have pleasant looks, a reasonably healthy physique, a sense of humor, and a good upbringing, which included what some people called common sense, which in itself was quite uncommon.

Pitzi didn’t think he possessed any of those things. He wasn’t pleasant to look at to begin with. When he was younger and growing up, he never cared about looks. Now that it made a difference in whether a girl would accompany a man to eat at an eating establishment or not, he was serious about his looks. But he didn’t know what to do about it. Everyone couldn’t be born handsome like Salzo or Itziph, that star policeman.

And Pitzi didn’t think he possessed a good sense of humor. He liked to think of himself as amusing, but his attempts at it always left those with him looking as if they had eaten a stale mizzie.

A good upbringing? Pitzi was one of nine children, and his parents had grubbed out a meager living during his childhood. He was the youngest child, too. His mother had little time for him, even though he knew she loved him. His father worked all the time in the emerald mines on Hozel. He still worked there, and Pitzi never saw his father but on special occasions when he was on Hozel himself delivering goods to Buzzi Jit. Pitzi had only been educated for eight years, not the usual thirteen as was most Zoller children.

One good thing Pitzi believed he had been blessed with was common sense. He had known that Salzo would get into trouble at Pittsburgh, and he knew a nice looking girl when he saw one. Oh yes! Merat Kimp, Lasan’s friend, was a nice girl, even though her father was an honored Star Police commander, and in spite of her mother’s not wanting Pitzi hanging around their apartment anymore than he felt Merat did.

Whew, nice life, Pitzi considered, if a person didn’t deteriorate too much.

Perhaps he needed something — a new direction. Anyone as old as twenty-three needed something new. Life was too short to dash around selling feathers all the time, and not enjoying some of the finer things that money could buy — if he had the money to buy anything.

Well then, perhaps a new direction would give him a boost. After he was rested, he’d explore some new angles. Perhaps he should just go ahead and boldly ask Merat’s father for her hand in marriage, if for no other reason than to see what contortions the commander’s face would make.

But alas! Merat didn’t seem to take to Pitzi anymore than Lasan ever did.

Maybe he could learn some lessons from that young fellow, Mars. Mars seemed to have what it took. Lasan fell instantly in love with the fellow, according to Zatsol, her father. Mars was a more intelligent slip-shodder than most.

Another idea — perhaps Pitzi could visit some of those newly discovered slip-shod worlds and learn some things.

He suddenly made up his mind. He would seek to change his life’s direction. He would try to think positively. He would expand his business to more of those slip-shod worlds, especially those interesting ones around the Big Cluster. He would ask Merat’s father point blank for her hand in marriage, and he would consult Mars about the little details of what it took to be attractive to women. Then he would be on his way.

CHAPTER TWO

Pitzi Phips felt much better when the light indicator before him indicated his ship was approaching a mass in space that was Connizol’s star. Except for a few meals and some repair work on Ellitoz’s built-in gravity mags, he slept most of the way through jump.

In fact, after working with the gravity mags, he had enjoyed the weightlessness of it so much, he kept the gravity control off and enjoyed his sleep time even better.

He was clearly excited that he had made the decision about a new direction. At twenty-three years, he was getting too old to be mired in his ways.

After slowing, he began breaking for the landing at the Merchant Fleet port. Boy, he thought, things were different already. It was the first time he had landed at the port with an empty ship! There wasn’t a stitch of fabric, a can of anything, nor a single feather aboard. Won’t Zatsol be surprised? That is, if he hadn’t heard already of his misfortunes on earth.

Oh well, thought Pitzi, it’s a good day. The weather indicators told him that the port area was clear and basking in crisp star shine.

"I’d better make arrangements for that load of Lillit feathers first, he talked to himself. Sure don’t want to lose that account at Hozel."

After he checked in, and after the power rods had cooled, he took his little floater vehicle over to Zatsol’s warehouse. He had been paying Zatsol six dux per day for rent space. Zatsol, his teacher in the merchandising trade, had a refrigerated space constructed just for feathers. Pitzi so far was the only trader who stored them there.

Later, he looked in his records and found he had an abundant supply of the Lillit feathers, the long white and pink ones that were the most in demand. Plenty for a large load to Hozel, he was thinking. He closed the computer books, and consulted his order log. Yes, there it was. He knew that Buzzi Jit on Hozel would be about out of the Lillit feathers by then. He picked up the little communicator on the table, and punched Buzzi Jit’s code. It would take about four seconds to get through the communications lanes.

This is Jit Enterprises, came a woman’s voice. It sounded like Buzzi’s daughter, Gazel. Oh darn! He never liked Buzzi’s daughter. She was so pushy, and never minded her own business. In fact, she didn’t mind Buzzi’s business well. Pitzi didn’t want to talk to her. Oh well, he remembered that a new direction took real courage and fortitude.

Oh, Gazel, he sang. How are you? he tried to sound pleasant.

Who is this? she snapped.

Um, this is Pitzi. It’s a very nice day here, Gazel. How are things on Hozel? Was he using the right tact? Was he friendly?

"Terrible! You know good and well what sort of weather we always have, Pitzi. Don’t be funny. What do you want?" she barked.

Well, no luck with Gazel. He’d try some more though. I hope the weather gets better there, Gazel. Say, beautiful, let me speak to Buzzi. Pitzi even smiled when he spoke, thinking that would help his vocal delivery.

Hang it up, Pitzi! You know as well as I that I’m no good-looker. Father’s not here. So, what do you want?

There was a sharp pang in Pitzi’s gut, a disappointment, but he had made up his mind.

"Uh, well, would you please have him code me at the warehouse so that I can check with him on a shipment of lillit feathers?" He even softened his voice that time.

Oh, alright, whined Gazel. What’s that code again?

Pitzi took a big breath, rolled up his big blue eyes, and got another grip on himself. Gazel was not only ugly, but she was awful at keeping track of anything. He’d given her his code at least two dozen times. He gave her the code once again.

Later, while walking back to the Ellitoz, Pitzi thought he’d just mark off Gazel as a permanent failure. He’d never been able to do anything about her lack of a sense of humor or her reactionary behavior. Oh well, after he ate a bite, he’d float over to Zol and look up Merat Kimp. That particular thought gave him a pleasant feeling.

When he arrived at his apartment high in Zol’s Tiff Tower he cleaned up and put on his best suit of clothing: flowing silk trousers of light blue, a silky, black shirt with loose open sleeves, a pair of deep brown riffit hide boots with the gold buckles, and the wide tri-buckle belt that his mother had given him on his twentieth birthday. Pitzi had carefully tried to comb his black shiny hair and hung a yellow-gold medallion and chain around his neck. He hesitated at whether to wear his harness and riddler, but did anyway, because most young Zoller men used them as a standard accessory — loaded, but mostly unloaded. Pitzi's harness was carved of riffit hide and embellished with gold wire and emeralds. It put a finishing touch to his dress. He found himself whistling a little off-key tune just before strapping himself in the floater which usually rested on a private shelf high on the seventy-fifth floor of the Tiff Tower.

He was excited. He was about to launch his new direction. And one of the first items on the agenda was to visit Merat, Lasan’s attractive, raven-haired friend. He’d try once more, maybe many times, to obtain her permission to allow him to take her on a date.

It was mid-afternoon in Zol. Eating time was usually around Connizol’s starset. The timing was perfect. Merat would have plenty of time to plan for it.

Just for the fun of it, Pitzi circled around the apartment complex’s eleventh level, and looked at the little landing and gardens where Mars and Lasan lived. He got a little heartsick when he thought about Lasan, but it didn’t last for long. That, he knew, was in his past. Lasan and Mars were happily married, and Lasan would never have married Pitzi anyway.

Somewhat later he brought the little floater silently and carefully on the landing just outside the Kimp apartment. He knew that her father, Commander Bernerd Kimp, was probably not at home. Thank God!

Mrs. Kimp answered his knock, and smiled widely at him. That in itself was unusual — something new. Why, Mr. Phips! I never expected to see you here, she said, opening the door wider for his entry.

Mrs. Kimp eyed the young man, and was slightly amused that he was so formally dressed at that hour of the day. He really wasn't a bad looking boy, just a wee scrawny, and his little slender neck seemed even slimmer with the large medallion chain about it. He seemed a pleasant little man, however for some reason Mrs. Kimp didn't trust merchants.

Pitzi followed the woman into the larger apartment room, and stood quietly when he asked, I would be pleased to speak to your lovely daughter, Merat, Mrs. Kimp, should it also please you, ma'am. He tried his best to be as polite as he knew how, and he trusted his mother's teaching on the matter.

Yes, Mr. Phips, I'll tell her you're here.

He wished she would stop using Mr. Phips. Whew, that didn't sound very well from a possible future mother-in-law, now, did it?

While waiting, Pitzi didn't sit down, although Mrs. Kimp had invited him to do so. He was too nervous. And nervousness was familiar to him. He'd never noticed his being that nervous before, however. Usually he just barged right in and got things said and done quickly.

Perhaps he also must put patience in his new direction?

When Merat walked in and when he saw her long black hair and beautiful face, he was more nervous than ever.

Hello, Pitzi, she greeted him.

Hello, Merat, he got out. It was not like him to be so halting. He'd have to be somewhat more assertive in his speaking.

He began, I . . . well, I just got back from that Earth slip-shod world, Merat, and wanted to see you. In his nervousness, he didn't know what to do with his hands, so he grabbed hold of the medallion with his right hand, and placed his left hand on his belt, hooking his thumb in the top of it.

What do you want to see me about, Pitzi? she smiled sweetly.

Funny, but he momentarily had forgotten, then he said, I would be very happy to enjoy your company at a meal this evening.

She seemed pleased at first, saying nothing, but then she frowned. I'm so sorry, Pitzi, but not this evening.

You . . . don't, um, don't care to . . .?

No, not this evening. I do very much appreciate your invitation, however. She said it just right, and it took some of the disappointment away.

Then . . . perhaps tomorrow evening?

She frowned again, wilted a little. Oh, I'm sorry, but I cannot go then, either.

Pitzi drew a breath, trying to disengage the sensation of a vise