Free The Alien Trace [Cord 01] by H M Major

ideas impress me and would probably seem attractive to many of my people. But, Julia, do you really believe that sexual contact is not beneficial?"
        "It is the doctrine of my religion. I know nothing of the matter from personal experience," she said forthrightly.
        A tall human passing through the lounge detoured to stop at their table.
        "Making any converts, Julia?" the man asked pleasantly, and added to Cord in good Mehiran, "We are pleased to have you visit us. I hope your trade prospers."
        "I am sure it will, to our mutual benefit," Cord replied.
        "Ham, this is Cord"-Julia gave the shortened form of his name-"a practitioner of police science. Cord, this is Hamilton K, Trade Agent for Ten Suns Enterprises."
        The humans were evidently a diverse lot. Hamilton K's skull was shaven-or else he was bald-and a green K ornamented the middle of his forehead. His features were well shaped, however. Cord saw that the belt over his silky black tunic and trousers bore a K-shaped buckle, too, enameled green.
        Perhaps this was the master of the human complex, Cord thought. So far, K was only the second human Cord had met who spoke Mehiran-no doubt learned as Cord had learned Multi-Lang. A pleasing gesture and most courteous. A few more polite exchanges, and the Trade Agent passed on.
        "Why does he wear a letter on his forehead? Why don't the others here also?" Cord asked, bewildered.
        "It is his last name as well as a letter of our alphabet. Hamilton's world dispensed with ordinary last names when it was colonized. Instead, they substituted letters to signify certain broad genetic groups. Many traders come from his planet."
        "Why?… I'm sorry, Julia, I should not ask so many questions."
        "Why not? This is all new to you. How else would you learn? The people who settled K's world, to answer your question, were pragmatists. They brought up their children to be pragmatists, which is a useful trait for a Trade Agent: they make a profit and abide by the rules, and as long as they do, no company will ask many questions about their methods."
        "Here, the Council regulates some aspects of trade," Cord said slowly. The Council would act against someone who sold unwholesome food or lied to sell his goods.
        "The galaxy is a very big place. Some parts of it have not been explored yet. Each civilized world makes its own rules, which govern its ships and its offworld enclaves, like this one. Spaceport Mehira operates under the laws and regulations of Andar VII. Ships registered on Andar VII observe its laws, too. A trading enterprise from Terra would operate under that world's laws."
        "But then if two groups of traders from different worlds disagreed…"
        "They'd fight it out, most likely."
        Cord shuddered inwardly, half revolted and half excited by so casual a mention of violence. Yet what opportunities there might be!
        "How is criminal catching carried out, with so many inhabited worlds?" Cord did not bother to apologize for speaking of a subject which would disgust most Mehirans. It was obvious that humans were hardened to violence. And, of course, not being empathic, they did not suffer the mental results of violence, so it must seem like a less important matter to them than to Mehirans.
        Julia seemed quite content to answer his questions.
        "Some worlds have treaties with others-mostly those with similar cultures and legal systems-which permit extradition. The majority don't, feeling that if a criminal gets offworld and stays there, it's not worth pursuing him. The ports are watched, so that if a criminal tries to come back to a world where he's wanted, he'll be caught."
        Cord believed he was open-minded, but he was a little shocked.
        "You must not think any crook is safe if he gets offworld," Julia hurried on. "Some criminals a planetary government will think it worthwhile to pursue.