Jack handed him the message transcript. "The ship is the _Teegar_," he
said. "Flagship of the SinSin trading fleet. They want permission to
approach us."

Dal let out a whoop. "Then it's a space trader, and a big one. You've
never seen ships like these before."

Tiger joined them, staring at the message transcript. "A SinSin ship!
Send them the word, Jack, and be quick, before they get disgusted and
move on."

Jack sent out the approach authorization, and they watched with growing
excitement as the great trading vessel began its close-approach
maneuvers.

The name of the house of SinSin was famous throughout the galaxy. It was
one of the oldest and largest of the great trading firms that had built
Garv II into its position of leadership in the Confederation, and the
SinSin ships had penetrated to every corner of the galaxy, to every
known planet harboring an intelligent life-form.

Tiger and Jack had seen the multitudes of exotic products in the
Hospital Earth stores that came from the great Garvian ships on their
frequent visits. But this was more than a planetary trader loaded with a
few items for a single planet. The space traders roamed from star system
to star system, their holds filled with treasures beyond number. Such
ships as these might be out from Garv II for decades at a time,
tempting any ship they met with the magnificent variety of wares they
carried.