Exact Change...

She had been raised to believe that most everyone was honest. That the crooks and the scammers were out there but they weren't the majority. The reason why we thought there were so many of them was because they stood out. You could deal with 100 honest folks and one dishonest one and the dishonest one would be the one that stood out. 

But the key to honesty, she had come to realize, often lay in if you were viewed as "one of us" or "one of them." If you were part of their in group, of those they thought of as being like them in enough ways they were much more likely to be honest in their dealings with you. But even those who were mostly honest, whose friends would describe as completely honest, whose coworkers would say they trusted them, even those folks weren't always honest in their dealings with someone that they felt wasn't like them. 

They seemed to justify it by lessening the one they were dealing with. Those sorts didn't need to be treated honestly because they for sure wouldn't treat me honestly if given the chance. Everyone knew that they were scammers and dishonest themselves so how could they expect to be treated in any other way? Like to like. 

And the distrust grew. 

Because if you knew someone who had been scammed it was easy to paint a whole group by that one interaction. If your only time interacting with someone not like you, they ended up being dishonest? Then you could easily assume that everyone who was like them was dishonest as well. And so you self segregated even more. Leaving fewer points of contact so the scammers stood out even more.

She wanted to go back to believing that almost everyone was honest, it would put her and her partner out of a job, but it would be worth it. 

She took a deep breath and held out her hand, the money crumpled in her palm. She gave her best smile and said "I'm sorry, I don't understand the currency, please take what I owe you." The automatic translator did its job correctly. She was fluent in all dialects of this region, but spoke the one that was expected from her. The clerk looked at the total and looked at the money in her palm counting out twice what he was owed.

Well it could have been worse, often they took everything and insinuated they were owed more and were being nice by not demanding full payment. 

It could have been worse, but it should have been better. 

"I think you made a mistake." This time she spoke his language directly. 

He didn't realize at first that it was her speaking and not the translator. "Oh? Let me see. Oh yes, I hadn't noticed the gum." He had the nerve to reach for more money from her hand. This time when he neared her the pinchers from her symbiote shot out from her sleeves and grabbed his wrist. He looked up at her with wild eyes. "YOU! You're one of them!"

"Two of them, actually. There have been a lot of complaints from the traveling population about your store. That you overcharge when you can, short change when you can't, and always give substandard product."

"Liars."

"And what you just did? Understand I wasn't being honest when I said I didn't understand the currency. And also understand that my partner's grip might tighten even further if you try to deny what you just did."

"A mistake. Am I not allowed a mistake?"

"A mistake would be once. As I said, there have been numerous complaints. Under current protocols I am within rights to take ownership of your store from you."

He paled at this. Finally she had his full attention.

"This is my family's store! Multiple generations have struggled to make this a success! You cannot do this!"

"I can. And it is not through anyone's fault but your own that I can. Though there is another option."

He narrowed his eyes, he didn't trust her, those like her were known to be dishonest and untrustworthy. And one who would willingly join with a symbiote? Even worse. 

"You can share ownership."

"Share my store? With whom? You? What as my boss? Controlled by the System?"

"Not your store."

"Then share what?" 

She stood quietly watching him until realization dawned on him. 

"For a period of not less than two years you would serve as host. During that time learning and absorbing all of the knowledge that can be passed along in a relationship such as this. I think you'll find that at the end of two years you might choose to extend."

The disgust was plain on his face now. "You want me to let one of those things live in my body? For two years? Just because you think I overcharged you for some gum?"

She smiled again, "Let's stop pretending that it was a one time mistake. And you don't have to. It's just a secondary offer. But you will choose one of the two. Either we take ownership of your store, or you host. I will be back tomorrow for your answer. And we will be watching you, so don't do anything foolish."

With that she and her partner left the store. 

Most folks were honest, as long as they felt like you were one of theirs. She believed her job was just helping them see we are all one. Or we could all be given the right motivation.