The galactic corridor between Earth and the outer markets was more than just a trade route—it was a growing web of shadow exchanges, gray zones, and black-market traders. Kai Zareth, freshly minted Trader Rank 3, was beginning to understand this.
Sitting inside his hidden Vault room, deep within the sub-dimensional nexus provided by the Galactic Exchange System, Kai stared at the smuggler's chip left behind by the alley informant.
Seller Code: TR-017Trade Route: Earth → Sector 7Cargo: Modified Terran Music ChipsValue: 88 CU
Someone made a stealth trade worth more than I've earned in two weeks...
And they hadn't done it through the official system.
"Vault," Kai commanded, "Trace this Seller Code: TR-017. Priority scan."
🛰️ SYSTEM: Clearance insufficient. TR-017 is under shadow-protected credentials.
Figures. Smugglers used ghost credentials, spoofing system tags, and circumventing tax layers. Still, it confirmed what Kai had feared: he wasn't the only Earth-native using the Exchange. Worse, someone else had found faster—and dirtier—ways to get ahead.
An Invitation to Shadows
That night, back on Earth, Kai returned to Bu Mira's café. This time, he wasn't there for beans.
As he sipped his cup, the same man from the alley stepped out of the shadows.
"Figured you'd be curious," the informant said, sliding into the seat across from him.
Kai didn't look up. "TR-017. Who is it?"
"Don't know names. But I know drops. There's a smuggler route through Luna's dead side. You want into their circuit, I can get you a meeting. Cost? Fifty Credits."
Kai leaned forward. "And if I refuse?"
The man smirked. "Then you'll never catch up. Galactic trading doesn't reward saints, kid."
The Smuggler Meet
Three nights later, Kai stood on the barren outskirts of Luna's gray plains, wearing a sealed vacuum suit. A shuttle dropped him near an old mining crater, where a low-frequency beacon pulsed.
He descended into a dim tunnel, where blue-glowing drones scanned his body. At the end of the corridor, a holographic form flickered to life—tall, robed in merchant's garb laced with void-metal threads.
"You're the Earthling Vault trader," the smuggler's AI envoy said. "Name's irrelevant. What's relevant is opportunity."
Kai crossed his arms. "I'm listening."
The smuggler gestured. Behind him, a display lit up, showing rare goods from dozens of frontier systems—tech components, synthetic spices, mind-enhancers, memory beads.
"All forbidden. All profitable," the envoy continued. "You supply Earth exclusives—we funnel them through bypass systems. No fees. No system cut. Straight CU, untraceable."
Kai's mind raced. With a single drop, he could triple his current wealth.
But…
"Warning," the Vault chimed in his ear. "Engaging with non-sanctioned routes may suspend official trade access."
The system had warned him. A single wrong move, and he'd lose the structure, the protection—and the legitimacy.
Kai didn't answer immediately. Instead, he made a counter-offer.
"I'll give you a taste. A one-time drop. But I want info in return."
The envoy paused. "You bargain like a Sovereign."
"Working on it."
Decision Made
Back in the Vault, Kai carefully logged one crate of Earth-stimulant tea into a gray-channel container—not through the system, but an isolated stasis pod.
It was a risk. One that could blow back if he was tracked.
But information was worth it. If the smugglers could provide him with secret trade routes, hidden buyer networks, or locked sector maps, it could be the edge he needed.
[Gray Trade Initiated – Unofficial Delivery Pending]Value: 9 CU (Est.)Risk: ModerateReward: Unknown
Kai sat down and exhaled.
"I'll dance with shadows for now," he muttered. "But only until I can build my own light."
Status Update:
Kai Zareth, Rank 3 Trader, has made his first foray into the gray market. Official CU gains slow but steady—yet the information he's bought may be the key to advancing faster than any system-locked trader.
Vault Summary:
Current CU: 65
Trader Rank: 3
Active Contracts: 2
Unofficial Trades: 1 (Gray Channel)
Inventory: Earth Stim Crates (x4), Snacks (x3), Artisan Music Chips (pending drop)
Known Traders: 1 confirmed smuggler contact
Status: Watched (System), Engaged (Smuggler Network)
Sovereign Path Progress: 12%