The invitation to the Sector 9G Black Market Auction was more than just an opportunity—it was a test. Only those bold or foolish enough to risk it all entered that ring of lawless trading. Kairos was... both.
Nira's synth body sat across from him in the Jade Vulture's command lounge, projecting auction dossiers and risk metrics onto the table's hologlass.
"Attendance probability: 1.2% survival risk. 7.9% chance of being scammed. 2.1% chance of making contact with high-tier black-level vendors. Odds of profit: 31.7%."
Kairos leaned back, arms crossed. "So basically... there's a chance."
"A statistically viable one. Barely."
He grinned. "Load the cargo. Let's roll the dice."
Sector 9G wasn't on most maps. It floated in the void between charted star systems, where the gravitational anomalies distorted sensors and history alike. The auction was hosted on the Nebula Widow, a derelict cruiser refitted with gold-plated walls and breathing corridors—literally. The air pulsed like lungs, giving the entire ship a sense of being alive.
Kairos wore a hooded trader's mantle. No name. No insignia. Nira stayed close, posing as his "asset evaluation droid," blending seamlessly among smugglers, nobles, pirates, and cloaked aliens with no discernible anatomy.
The auctioneer stood in the center of the organic auction dome—part insectoid, part human, wearing a bio-silk robe stitched with living fibers that shimmered when touched by starlight.
"Tonight," the auctioneer crooned, "we offer the rare, the forbidden, and the forsaken. First: a memory crystal extracted from a dying sentient moon. Then, a living parasite that grants temporary precognition at the cost of your appetite for a week…"
Kairos wasn't here for the novelties. He was waiting for Lot 43.
And when it was wheeled in—inside a containment cube the size of a microwave—his breath caught.
Lot 43: Unverified Fragment of Ancient Pre-Earth Tech. Status: Unknown. Category: Forbidden Relic.
The bidders around him stirred. The whispers grew louder.
"Impossible.""A fake—has to be.""Too small to be functional, too old to be relevant."
But Kairos saw it clearly. The device shimmered with System-code resonance. His own trading interface flickered.
[Unknown Tech Detected – System Integration Possible – Cost: 3,000 C.U.]
His eyes narrowed. He had just enough.
"Bid: 3,000 Cosmic Units," he said aloud.
A hush. Then laughter.
"Someone's bold."
"Who let a Tier 2 in?"
Another bid came. 3,200 C.U. From a cloaked figure with golden eye implants.
"System traders," Nira whispered, tense. "They know what it is too."
"Bid: 3,500 C.U.," Kairos said calmly.
Silence. Then the countdown began.
3… 2… 1…
"Finalized. Sold to the unidentified human with the synth aide."
A low buzz echoed through the chamber as Kairos stepped forward to claim the item. As soon as it touched his palm, the system flared:
[Fragment Acquired. Integration Begins.][Warning: Origin is Nexus-Level. Power Restriction Applied Until Rank 3 Achieved.][Passive Unlocked: Market Ghost – You may now observe trade histories and pricing trends from hidden or past markets.][Compatibility: 87% – More fragments needed for full reconstruction.]
His vision blurred.
For a moment, he saw a hologram—flickering stars, planets, and a dying blue world crumbling into silence. A voice whispered in a language long forgotten.
Then it was gone.
Back aboard the Jade Vulture, Nira scanned the cube repeatedly.
"The auctioneer sent a private message," she reported. "They want to know who you really are."
Kairos smiled. "Tell them I'm just a ghost... looking for home."
"Cryptic. Dramatic. Potentially dangerous."
He shrugged. "That's what sells."
And indeed, his reputation tracker blinked again.
Trader Rank: Tier 2+Reputation: Moderate Notable (+7)C.U.: 5,870 (after purchase)Star Credits: 14,300System Fragment Owned: 1/??
Status Summary:
Cosmic Units (C.U.): 5,870
Star Credits: 14,300
Inventory: Partial Restock Pending
System Unlocks: [Market Ghost] Passive
Reputation: Moderate Notable (+7)
Trader Rank: Tier 2 (Climbing)
Fragments Acquired: 1 (Ancient Tech – Unknown Origin)