Cold and silent in space, the Umbral floats in the Langrange point between a star and its enormous gas giant, Jove - a hollowed out asteroid more than a mile in diameter that hosts a conference of interested parties every few months. These traders and their goods enjoy a certain anonymity absent elsewhere within the confines of the converted space station; there are no questions and no interference in personal matters, however the visitors might choose to conduct it.

The next summit is approaching soon, and a glimmering green beacon alights the docking bay as a ship, curved and oval in shape, begins its final approach with the hangar bay. Behind the atmospheric shielding, a dark-skinned human stands, watching the oncoming visitor with a hawklike gaze. He is Doge, the guardian of the Umbral, a powerful psyker from parts unknown. His arms fold beneath the smooth cloth veil he wears over his entire body, without fold or aperture, an obviously unnatural phenomena.

The other two ringleaders of the Umbral, the metallic shapeshifter Marlin and the massive, ursine Cambian, are deeper within the station; at a security station, the slime-creature floats, a dozen thin phalanges depressing keys at a breakneck rate that no human could match. Cambian, on the other hand, indulges his hobby, as he pieces together a quadruped machine from scrap metal and his own inspiration from the ground up. He is a gearhead, at heart.

Just like on Earth, trade was important out in the depths of space. The ADD could only get so much from their own planet and their few alien allies. This left finding rarer and more more valuable materials to the neutral market. The Umbral just happened to be one of those sorts of markets. The hollowed asteroid was not an issue for the ADD as long as the so called neutral market continued to deal in only goods and not slaves.

Alexandra's role here was two fold though the second was more implied than anything. She was to see about trading for materials for the science team to use for their research. During her visit, the russian woman would keep an eye and ear out for any information about potential slave trades either in the Umbral or elsewhere in the galaxy. Alexandra arrived to the Umbral in a standard unmarked scouting craft. She would carry nothing to reveal if she was an ADD agent or not. Not necessarily undercover but more just leaving her badge at the door as one would expect in a neutral area such as this.

She followed the flashing beacons leading her to the docking port. The russian beauty slipped on a long trenchcoat over her suit. No point in showing off tech she did not need to. The only visible weapon on her was a blaster on her hip. When the doors opened, Alexandra lightly pushed up her small framed glasses before approaching the waiting human guard. The agent's purpose was simple enough, trade for certain materials and possibly find some tech during her stay here. "I trust everything is in order?" she asked the guard, ensuring she was following protocol before hopefully being allowed entry into the market.

Doge raised a penciled eyebrow at the woman, then glanced at the holoscreen at his side, waiting for the scan results from Marlin to come through. With a beep, the requested information splayed across the orange square, and he nodded absently as he perused it. "It would appear to be." he agreed, and made a twisting motion with his forearm, causing the device to blink off. "Welcome aboard the Umbral. Ground rules: don't kill the other visitors, and take nothing from the station that you didn't buy. Aside from that, any bargains are yours to strike here."

The woman's confidence did her credit - here, in such a den of xenomorph predilections, she was not truly safe in any meaning of the word. Doge resisted the urge to warn her with a downturn of his mouth; she didn't seem as if she'd appreciate it.

"The others haven't quite settled in yet, but the Twins are in the lounge, and Cambian is tinkering on the stage as usual." he noted, at no one in particular. "Al-him's taken his usual corner. He's grouchy today."

Those three were long-time repeat patrons of the Umbral, and at least less likely to jump upon first meeting. It was the newer, more vicious visitors that had to be watched. It was a fact Doge acknowledged as he turned to affix his gaze upon a black ship gliding silently up to the dock, without waiting for the signal to beckon it in.

"Thank you," she said simply as she walked past him. Her long red hair trailed behind her as much as her trenchcoat did. The heels of her suit strike lightly against the metal floor as the russian woman strode confidently. It was important to show no fear or weakness in a place like this. The rules protected her life but little more than that. It would not surprise her if pirates and slavers knew loopholes that involved capturing females and taking them as property.

The added information the guard was appreciated though Alexandra did not really know the significance due it being her first time here. From the sounds of it, she arrived here a bit early if other merchants have not settled in and set up shop yet. It was alright, she preferred being early. The ADD agent took this time to take a look around the general area. Being only a bit over mile wide, it would not take long to see what was available. She would avoid any sort of back alleys though. No point in goading trouble in a place like this. Though confident, she was alone in this mission much like most ADD missions. Alexandra kept an eye out for anything being set up that looked to be of use to her or the research teams. Hopefully, she will not have to search or wait for long. The longer she stayed here, the more alien visitors will arrive along with more eyes taking in her voluptuous form.

The centre of the station was a wide ring that circled the core of the asteroid, with an automated shuttle track providing transit about the circumference. About the outer rim were lots, presumably for the merchants to come, but as the guard had noted, most were either empty or still in the process of construction. The lots to either side, for example, held the beginnings of crystalline igloos, manufactured by self-propelled crystals the size of horses. They vibrated and hummed alongside each other, drifting on invisible air currents, directing parts of the construction with their apparent proximity. A thin haze of diffuse minerals hung over the area thanks to the resonance, held aloft by the trembling air.

Further to the left, about a third of the way down the ring, the Twins were visible: a pair of enormous tauric beings that sauntered about on four legs, the station environmental settings set to a truly harsh level overhead as artificial lighting beat down and heat shimmered from the hot steel floor, only barely made safe for terrestrials by a wide pathway of carpets made of some unknown materials that resisted the heat without bother, keeping the air above cool enough to stand. Their stall, already set up, consisted of a variety of organically-harvested materials just as effective as any artificial construction; drugnott bone, for example, was dense enough to support the weight of an animal that drank entire rainclouds, a towering behemoth that filtered the upper atmosphere for food as a whale would the ocean. Miter silk, by comparison, lying in gleaming loops upon a loom, was one of the rarest substances in the galaxy - because it did not break. It could burn, ignite under the friction of tension, or tear off its anchor points as the stress grew too much for them, but the silk itself was as close to invincible as anyone had seen.

Al-Him sat past that stall, a chitinous centipede the size of an Earth bus, long and horrible, basking in the reflected sunlight. His stall was simple but impressive by comparison: a chunk of palladium the size of a small shuttle, accompanied by other deposits of rare compounds in pure, gigantic deposits taken whole from their home asteroids. The tsvar of a mining magnate, the insectoid had no lack of resources, and no need to advertise himself anymore in the Umbral. His reputation was established.

The center core was strung to the outer ring by a long series of bridges, atop which stood a stage surrounded by plush chairs and bags for seating. A veritable hive of wires converged there from the ceiling about a tremendous screen, and there before the center stage was the ringmaster himself: Cambian, the black titan that ran the Umbral, sat fiddling with an electrical box, attempting to fix the overhead lighting of the stage, which was evidently on the fritz. Splashes of grease stained his greyish skin beneath the scales that adorned his body, and the doglike head that topped the reptilian form twitched, the smell of burned circuitry unpleasant to his senses.

The area was much hotter than expected. Apparently the inside of the asteroid had environmental settings meant for the creators rather than visitors. Alexandra's suit adapted, helping keep the human's body cool though she kept to the carpeted path just incase. Thankfully, the entire asteroid was not this hot. A closer look at the stall revealed various forms of bone and cloth. The silk seemed to be extremely resistant to physical force but could do little against heat. Suppose the heat was here to help sear the cloth to whatever fashion necessary. Unfortunately, the material was not suitable for mobile armor it seemed. Still, it looked very appealing, not that Alexandra really had the time or funds to purchase such lavish garments.

Alexandra moved on to see a huge creature with giant rocks of raw materials that were apparently for trade and sale. Large windows reflected sunlight down onto the massive alien insect as it seemed to just be content with laying there and waiting. The russian noted the large supply of palladium available. Earth only had so much of it and naturally the ADD tended to use more of it due to their higher level of technology. It may be worth getting this in bulk if the price was right.

There was a center stage though there did not seem to be much going on there beyond there being a hulking creature trying to do maintenance. It was obviously not a stall and nothing seemed to be for sale so Alexandra ignored it for now. With the rest of the area with unclaimed or still in the process of setting up, the ADD agent returned to Al-Him's booth. There, the human woman took a look around at the various chunks of minerals that were available. The palladium would be nice but she would like to consider materials not normally found on Earth if possible.

After some looking, she finally spoke up. "Excuse me?" she called out to the massive creature, "I assume this is your shop. I am interested in studying rare minerals and materials, do you have anything that may satisfy my curiosity?"

The insectile being flicked open a faceted eye at Alexandra, then rumbled up towards awareness with a langurous stretch; chitin cracked and settled, made flexible by the baking heat. Its legs spread and bore it upwards and towering over the ADD agent, where its front six limbs folded into a complicated knot over its thorax, pressing a series of nodes upon a vest that had been strapped about its abdomen. "Human," it rasped, the low grating of hindlimbs translated through the suit into an approximation of English, "There is much to learn, then."

Al-Him turns about and scuttles slowly across the floor, a walking river of limbs that flows towards a smaller stand of equally brilliant gemstones, each the size of a ship anchor. They do not match the lode size, but are obviously much purer, to say nothing of the rarity inherent. "Alexandrite." the bug intones, tapping a long, mirrorlike faceted gem. It reflects light of different hues and colors, changing with the view and the amount of light striking it - it bursts in a rainbow as Al-Him's shadow passes over it. "Pretty - but also optic lens grade material for telescope, or laser, or ablative coating, depending on molecular alignment. Very good to catch energy, light."

Another forelimb unfolds, gesturing at a green-lit stone like coral, growing upon itself and the pedestal it was once mounted upon. "Berylite - crystallizes neighboring atomic structure into more berylite. Explosive, make good fuel. Shielding required. Engine turn into berylite very easy, very bad for crew." The insectoid taps the air in front of the compound, which shimmers faintly, proving why the gemstone corruption ended so abruptly at the floor.

Lastly, the mining tsvar indicates a clear stone that floats absent of any pedestal, suspended in the void of air. It is noticeably smaller than the others. "Tsuvir. Carbonate isotope, ignorant of gravity fluctuation. Uses endless. Very difficult to find though. Not buried in dirt like others - does not clump. Must filter from space, hydrogen nebula, proto-star cloud."

Alexandrite was a type of gemstone back on Earth as well. This particular sample seemed rather refined though. The ADD agent followed the giant creature as it continued to show other samples available. She was shown more gemstone. Berylite was far more volatile and dangerous to use unfortunately. With how it spreads and essentially infects other atomic structures, it was doubtful the ADD would support using this material in but the most extreme or controlled cases. Maybe a little bit could be traded for assuming it included a safe way to store and transport it.

Al-Him was very straight to the point though that could be due to the limitations of the translator or being a species that preferred not to communicate with humans or other species. The final thing it showed was apparently a material that did not follow the rules of gravity which in turn broke many laws of physics in the process. Endless uses may be a bit strongly worded but, Alexandra certainly agreed with the term. It was a material that the ADD cannot otherwise collect. Studying a sample may lead to technology that would allow gathering of more for actual use.

"I see," Alexandra replied softly, "I am interested in purchasing a sample of Tsuvir. And if the price is right, I may consider taking that bulk of palladium off your limbs as well. What is your price?" Now it was time to see if any of this was within the ADD's budget. It was hit and miss with neutral markets unfortunately. But, it did not hurt to ask. If it did not go the way she wanted, she could always see the other shops in the area before returning to her ship.

Al-Him rattles, a noise that does not translate at all through his vest. "Tsuvir sample, forty carat standard cut." he notes, turning to the floating sample of tsuvir and tapping upon his vest with several phalanges. A red light overhead blinks on and shades a tiny corner of the enormous gemstone, something concievably small enough for a ring or perhaps a necklace. "Price - say fourteen thousand credit."

Al-Him turns to Alexandra and spreads the forelimbs that compose his upper body, though where the gaze of his faceted eyes lay is impossible to divine. "Low price, perhap. Market price for sample less ten percent, may check ansible net at Cambian's station. But none filter tsuvir but I in deep reach of space. Opportunity for business will come again. Now, for palladium . . . "

He turns to regard the palladium, then back at the woman, chitin plates clacking softly at the glance. "Presume trade is with finance, yes? No goods brought to station. Buyer only."

"Yes, credits only," Alexandra answered, "I doubt a miner such as yourself has any need for trade goods. Your price for the tsuvir and the palladium is acceptable. Will you provide appropriate storage for the tsuvir? You can have the cargo sent to dock eight." The agent offered a credstick for Al-Him to scan. Once business was completed and the transfer of cargo began, the red haired woman decided to check the other areas of the Umbral. So far, she managed to get a rare sample to study along with enough palladium to build and maintain several electronic items and vessels. She had no complaints at all.

The russian woman made her way to the Twins' booth. There was nothing she really wanted to purchase here. But it did not hurt to look. It would give more time for the other merchants to set up as well. So far, nothing out of the ordinary seemed to go on at this place. Perhaps it was unwritten agreement to ensure conflict did not occur in the asteroid. Fighting with any heavy arms could risk breaking the structure apart and exposing it to the vacuum of space, not exactly good for anyone's business much less the attacker's.

Once the place started to liven up a bit, Alexandra would take another tour around the small station. She had no intention of staying any longer than she had to. But her mission was clear in finding as much as she could to take back. The russian woman strode down the long walkways, her trenchcoat trailing behind her. Her breasts swayed gently with every sure step she took. Glasses covered eyes darted from one side to the other, taking in as much of the area as she could while still paying attention of any aliens who decided to get a bit too close. Business or not, this was not a place she should be lowering her guard.

Al-Him inclined his head as the woman strode away, then scuttled back to his resting place. The pressure sensor clicked beneath the dockplate as he settled down again, opening the encrypted channel he had been speaking on previous to the woman's arrival. The steady thud of machinery at the other end barely escaped the microphone, embedded as it was within the insect's plates.

"Speak." the basso voice at the other end says, abrupt and impatient, a predatorial rumble that quakes up from somewhere in the earth like magma. "I've got a rerouted capacitor line to string and a grav node to replace, make it quick."

"The woman is a plant." Al-Him replies, silencing the sounds of labor on the line instantly. "She does not offer to trade and did not offer a stall number. She is no invitee. How did she make it aboard?"

There is a long, thoughtful silence. "Our documents got falsified again." the other sighs, and the channel clicks as he presumably rises to his feet. "I don't know who yet, but I'll find out. Let the Twins know while I round her up. Though - curiousity makes me ask why you're turning her in so quickly."

"She called me a laborer." Al-Him answered, and there is a low rasp of mandibles on the word, a body language too alien to translate, but the rage comes through all the same, throttling and mottled deep.

"Ah." Cambian says softly. "Yes, that would do it. I'll educate her about that, yes?"

"Do so." the tsvar spits, the microphoe nearly cracking under the sudden tensing of chitin, before it clicks off as the device crumples under the pressure.

Regardless of the truth of his accusation - he doesn't know in the least if the woman is a sting or not - he will see that insult repaid.
_____________________________________________________________

Cambian sighs and rises from his perch on the center island, setting aside the blowtorch he'd been working with and stretching to his full nine-foot height, scratching pops echoing from the scales as they scrape with the motion. He glances down at the redheaded woman making her way towards the Twins, takes a few steps back, and then with a running start hurls himself out into the empty air, a multi-ton missile that lands on the outer ring a few dozen yards from Alexandra. The impact rattles metal throughout the station, and heat hisses from his scales as he straightens, affixing his gaze on the infiltrator, taking her in.

The massive canine head tilts to the side and speaks into the mike hung about its neck off-kilter briefly. "Marlin, swing by, we've got a possible situation. Doge, don't alarm the guests arriving - we should be getting more now - but keep an eye out for the lady's shuttle, and try to close it down without setting off any alarms."

Brown eyes realign on Alexandra's as the scaled form rolls its shoulders and begins to approach, the towering biped in no particular hurry. The broad shoulders and too-long arms hang by his sides, like the proportions of an ape, pointed claws on the ends reaching all the way down to his knees.

From the stall of the Twins comes gales of laughter, as they hear the story too, though they make no move yet.

Alexandra did not even reach her next destination before seeing a giant scaled form launch itself through the air and come crashing into the outer ring. The impact staggered the human woman. The sound of ringing metal filled the air for several seconds before finally fading. The hulking reptilian ape seemed to have his full attention on the red haired agent. Alexandra sighed softly as she stood up fully after the impact, pushing up her glasses with a single finger as she gazed back at him.

Looks like there was trouble and that trouble somehow involved her. Should she runaway? No. That would be pointless. She would have to not only out run or disable this giant alien beast but, she would have to some how do all this while assuming that no other guards would intercept her retreat or disable her ship. Escape was just not an option by herself. Besides, running away would ensure she could not return here for further business. She did wish she knew what rule she broke that led to this. This was supposedly neutral territory, right?

Seeing him speak into a microphone, Alexandra had no other choice but to await his coming. She kept calm as she looked up at the giant alien. "Is something the matter? I do not recall breaking any rules here. I purchased my goods from the previous stall as required." The guard from before said there were only two rules, no killing or stealing. She truly wished this does not get out of hand.

"True." The massive alien notes. "You've broken no rules. I'm not here to bother you about that - I'm just wondering how you got aboard, because I didn't invite you, and yet -"

The beast extracts a datapad from the toolbelt wrapped about its waist, the tiny thing toylike in his grasp. He takes it in between two fingers and taps it, frowns when he presses the wrong button, and fiddles with it for a moment in an effort to get back to the document he wanted. "Ah, there we go. The VIP list two months ago doesn't have your name on it; but you are on the current list, and the admin account is locked to anyone but me. That's curious, you can see."

Placing the datapad back on the belt, the titan frowns down at Alexandra. "I've never had someone do an independant op here before, so you've got a backer. I just want to know who - I like knowing who's on board. It makes all the other patrons breathe a little easier knowing no shithead warlord's going to show up, wondering what he can steal or take."

"My apologies," she replied quickly, "I did not realize that it was that difficult to get into this place. I do not know the details of how they got access as I am only here to buy and trade. I had no intention of creating any subterfuge." Alexandra moved a bit closer so she did not have to speak any louder than she needed to for the next part. "I have no issues with revealing who sent me," she added, "I work under the Alien Defense Directorate. I have further credentials on my ship if you need to see them. I can assure you that I am no warlord but, I am also aware that there are many who are not fond of the ADD. Just as you want your patrons to breathe easier due to there being no pirates, I prefer breathing easier due to the other patrons not suddenly lining their crosshairs on me."

"As I said before, I apologize for any issues my presence may have caused," she continued, "If I am not allowed to do business here, I ask to have the credits I did spend be returned so I can return my ship and take my leave. But, I figure a place like this would not care where the credits come from. I may be able to help you as well. During my stay, I noticed you have been working away on some electronics on the center ring. I may be able to help you with repairs or setting up if you require it."

Alexandra was unfortunately very aware of the ADD's tendency to leave crucial details out of the mission briefings. It would have been nice to know she was technically trespassing in this place. Hopefully her way with words would be enough to not be crushed by this behemoth and thrown out the nearest airlock.

The ogre exhales harshly, a bellows-like sound that whips Alexandra's hair back from the force. "ADD. Well, at least you're more forward about it. You're not the first operator they've sent here, though you seem mildly more competent. The last didn't even know what she was asking to buy. Shitty mission prep seems to be a standard."

He stands still for a moment, predator eyes affixed in the middle distance. The Twins, from their plush recliners, watch with bated tension, leaning forward with hands pressed onto the ground, a runner's position ready to leap forward.

"You're good." The ringmaster says finally, and waves at the twins, who relax at the signal. "You're correct in that you're still a buyer like anyone else, even if your sponsor is a spook show - you, personally, haven't broken any rules yet. Follow the Deuce - the two rules - and you'll make it out alive. The rest is on your head though, because Al-Him's already spread the word, and this is very shortly going to be a bad place for you. Very few of the guests are on good terms with the ADD, and even fewer will be interested in killing you."

Cambian shrugs. "Standard fare for ADD, I'd guess."