"I am programmed not to accept gifts in any form," the AI spoke in a strict tone, "If you wish to speak with a representative for the Omniversal Market Convention, and it's proprietary owning company, the InterGalactic Trading Co., please hold on while I contact a shuttle to take you to the Command Station.

"Very well." the officer responded, hardly understanding the holographic program. "Representative, yes."
He signaled the troopers to lose the containers. They pushed a glowing blue pad on the side and the packages sealed shut.
For a long time there was a dull silence, the sounds of talking and music in the background seemed muffled and not-understandable.
"Perhaps you could speed up." the officer talked to the AI. He felt somewhat humorous as he did so, this AI is so much different than the Azerian AI's.

"Hold on, traffic to this sector of the recieving station is rather congested, you wait may take a few stadard minutes," the AI responded in a calming tone. A few minutes later a shuttle arrived. "Please board the shuttle," the AI said as it stood to the side, gesturing with it's holographic hand. The shuttle was small, perhaps ment for only a dozen or so passengers.

The eight Azerian troopers approached the shuttle and stopped. They examined the primitive thrusting system and fine-painted hull. Finally they entered the craft, still holding the crates and their rifles. The grunted and huffed as they communicated to each other via electronically-pulsing nanites. This strange world might just mean a new time for the Azerian. Perhaps an opportunity to spread their political ideology amongst other systems and cultures. The Azerian will soon learn to gain new allies, and make new enemies.

The probe at the desk seemed to be taking its time so Sern told the probe "Hold on a moment. This is just the display model I will get you the real container right away." He then went to the back and before getting the real container he activated a hidden radio that if traced would only be traced to a backwater planet with almost no inhabitants. "Lord I may have a sale. Stage one of the plan is coming to fruition just as you expected." The person on the other side then replied in heavily modified voice "Good work Sern. If you keep this up our distribution schedule will proceeded faster than expected. Keep it up." He then turned the radio off and walked to the probe. "Now as was said before the starting price is 50 credits but it is negotiable. Now will you take it or leave it?"

"50 credits is acceptable," the probe responded to Sern. A transaction from the newly created AP Intergalactic Trade and Banking firm was completed with what ever banking system Sern was using. The probe used it's tenticals to gather the container up and cradel it. "I will return later when analysis on this 'Phoze' is complete, we will discuss large scale purchases then.

*****

The shuttle took the Azerians to the command station where they were welcomed by a representative of the InterGalactic Traiding Co. "Now gentlemen, from what I've been told, your group is rather new to the market, so how may I assit you," the being, a rather ambigous huminiod, said.

The Azerian responded with a grunt and a silent chuckle. "We brought gifts in hope you will aid us in diplomatic means." The robotic voice seemed somewhat louder than it was before, perhaps it was just a quieter atmosphere here. "For we are in a war. We are the Azerian, from the Nibiou Galaxy. We came here to flee Oblivion and found ourselves in a battle with the Trantor. In return for your assistance we will provide you with Azerian warp-drives and max-accelerator technology." He paused. "Do you accept?"

"Well, it's not the place of the InterGalactic Trading Company to be involved personaly in any war, we find it bad for buisness, but if I many suggest to you, if you seek allies, you may find them here, though in the end it will cost you, since everything is for sale and nothing if free," The being decked out in a pinstriped suit said, "also, I would suggest that you not give away your tech, for one because it means your willing to give away of your selves, and two you'll find much better tech here for sale, though beware some of them are just pipedreams."

A shimmer then a folding of light before a blaze of white emitted from the spatial rift, from the anomaly a skeletal horse with a rider stepped through it. A mere second later the rift shimmered and closed, the dazzling white light that poured from the eye sockets of the Xindhi cast it’s luminosity upon all near him. Slipping from the horse the Cughtagh Skume peered around at the trading company officials and rasped, “I am Skume the Cughtagh, and I have come to browse the technology of these races.”

Casting glances at the people around, some surely having never seen a Xindhi before would be startled at the appearance of a skeleton walking among them. A skeleton festooned of an age long past, chain mail and leather boots. A two-handed sword and twin axes affixed upon the belt.

Skume rasped again, “Come tell the dreamers what we must do to attend this venture.” As he strode towards a desk, the jangle of his chainmail soft, yet seemed to defy the reason of this convention.

The Azerian troopers returned to the market place soon after. They walked down the vast corridors of stalls and shops, not browsing the technology, but the various species. They searched for allies, someone to assist them in the war against the Trantor. Very cautious they had their weapons upholstered and walked in two neat rows of eight soldiers. It appeared to be a small military parade as the vendors and consumers watched them pass by. Still a fairly new race in this galaxy, many consider them not welcome and strange compared to the other species.

Motoko version A,outer trader, smiled as she said, "Let's make ourselves a deal. Unit 3257/29-P, I have heard of your race's massive expansion recently, thanks to energy transmissions which could be heard in open space. Shall we sell your race some Super Alloy Z, or what do you need. I know expanding as an AI race ca n be hard, what with the basic AI copy problem and all, but lets talk about your needs." She was curious to find about this new race from a small system out far from the core Trantor worlds, yet close enough for a long jump. Very, intriguing.

As the probe left the stall Sern was happy that he had made his first sale. Though one thing seemed odd to him. From what he had heard from other merchants the AP were an AI based race. Even if they bought this first canister he doubted that they would come back because it could cause mutations which only appeared in organics. What would an AI want with it? But as he was pondering those things he saw what looked like a sort of military parade coming down his lane. He looked at the the person who seemed to be the leader and for fun changed himself and his clothes to look like the man. So when the man walked by and turned to Sern's stall he would see himself. That might draw up curiosity and with it would come sales. His day looked to be getting better and better as it went on.

A holographic attendendant appeared infront of Skume. "Welcome being to the Omniversal Market Convention, if you wish to purchase from any of the vendors, all we require is a bio-signiture to record your visit, if you wish to sale, a vendor's license is available as well," the hologram spoke in a pleasent singsong voice.

*****

"You may reffer to me as Gorundo, my organic creator thought it funny to name me after a hate pollitician, but our expanse is not hindered, what I've come to propose a partnership between the AP and Trantor, the proposal," the hologram of Gorundo materilized a rectangular block, which contianed the proposal, "the AP will produce small to medium goods for Trantor, in which Trantor can then resell said goods at market price with a one-hundred percent profit, in return the AP has a ten percent 'piggy-backing' rights to new planets that Trantor discovers or exploits, the AP gets ten percent of the planets total mass for it's own exlpoitation, with the choisest areas going to Trantor of course."

*****

The probe carring the Phoze returned to the AP cargo freighter. An on board lab would analzy the substance and determine if it has any use.

The A1 Model scanned the agreement, simply saying, "We approve, on one condition. Do not dismantle the worlds, just mine them, otherwise approve, since we will be launching a new Megaroad to found a new world. Shall we work on the location of the planet to colonize?" The A1 model's link to the Database gave her access to Trantor, as another Trantor agent, disgusted as an independent trader walked up to Stern's stall. He put down 10,000 in gold standard units, saying, "Give me all your additives, now. I will pay you with anything you want, just all of them. I need them NOW." The man was quite forceful, as he was already late for the dropoff.

The earlier agent shadowed the Azerian parade, using her costume to let her come closer. She asked the Azerians, "Hello, may I help you," hoping to get an answer from them.

The Azerian officer was once again startled, however, it was no AI this time, but a young woman.
The captain, now noted as Halukahan, responded to her request in a robotic voice.
"I am Officer Halukahan of the IA. I do not need help." To other species this seemed very rude, but the Azerians don't see it as so. They like to be direct and to the point. He waited for another response from the alien as he nudged towards his troopers, signaling them to put down their weapons, which they rose after this creature appeared.

"Is shallow Matter Harvesting acceptable, only surface dismantleing of our part of the planet" Gorundo asked. The hologram shifted appearence for a second as the agreement was sent back to the Originator for his review. "Now, let us discuss your newest planet," the hologram spoke as it returned to Gorundo's form.

After the the parade was almost in front of his stall they were stopped by a little blond woman. If they were kept much longer they would be discouraged from their route by this woman and then he would get no sales. He desperately needed sales. But something seemed different about the people in the parade. One of them seemed to be looking at not the wares of the various stall owners but the stall owners themselves. That was most curious. Maybe the military of whatever political body or empire these people represented was looking for some new troops. Quite interesting. Maybe this was a time to show the Veroose's native talents to an unsuspecting audience. He made himself appear to be like the blond woman down to the genetic level. He then walked up beside her and repeated what she had said in her voice which he had copied as well.

Conquerer_Man wrote:"Is shallow Matter Harvesting acceptable, only surface dismantling of our part of the planet" Gorundo asked. The hologram shifted appearence for a second as the agreement was sent back to the Originator for his review. "Now, let us discuss your newest planet," the hologram spoke as it returned to Gorundo's form.

The woman smiled. We have sent scout ships to Phageous. It seems like a good place, nice and isolated. Recommend sending teams to scout and colonize that place before Megaroad moves in for permanent ground settlements..

"Scouting party has been sent, prospecting bases will be set up to mark the best mining locations for Trantor," the hologram responded, "Planetary life from initial scanns seem scant, though a large being has been detected in the upper atmosphere for a breif time, something this large could be a nuesance."

*****

The lab on board the AP cargo ship analyzed the goo. It was a potent mutigen, though would be usless for the AP. Though it might be a usefull weapon against oragnic, and if coupled with a nanite swarm could affect an entire world. The AP probe was dispatched to contract this Sern for the procurement of more Phoze, at least enough until the AP could snythsize it on their own.