The Traders
Written: 1944
Published: 1944
6800 words
Date: 134 F.E.
1
The trader Limmar Ponyets is informed by Les Gorm that a fellow trader
(really a secret agent) has been imprisoned on Askone, and is ordered
to go there to rescue him (1000)
2
Limmar Ponyets goes to Askone, where he has an interview with the the
planet's Grand Master about the fate of the imprisoned trader Eskel
Gorov (900)
3
Limmar Ponyets succeeds in seeing Gorov, who explains to him that he
has been sent to Askone in order to try to sell Foundation goods there,
but the locals won't buy them, for religious reasons (1000)
4
Ponyets makes gold for the Grand Master, as ransom for Eskel Gorov
(1100)
5
Ponyets offers the gold transmuter to Pherl, the favorite of the Grand
Master, in exchange for iron (1200)
6
Eskel Gorov is released and Ponyets blackmails Pherl into buying his
whole cargo of atomics (1600)
Comments: This story is by far the shortest of the nine. Uniquely, it
does not involve a Seldon Crisis at all, and there is very little
suspense. The transparent device of the transmuter cannot compensate
for this. Pherl is a mere caricature of the courtier. Historically his
status as the Favorite of the Ruler might have been treated in such a
way as to add a sexual interest, but this would have been unthinkable
in the 40s. All this being said, the plot is tightly developped, and
what little there is, is at least handled skilfully.
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