"That's too expensive. I'll give three frozen gems for this, this, and nothing more."
Inside the bustling market, Titus stood locked in a tense exchange with an alloy salesman, the two separated by a plastic transparent wall smeared with fingerprints and dust. Voices overlapped everywhere, deals being struck and broken in the same breath.
Alloy sales were the lifeblood of the universe. Ships, buildings, weapons, all of it relied on refined metal. As humanity continued to shell corruption into oblivion, the demand only climbed higher, feeding markets like this one without end.
"You're bargaining with me?" the salesman scoffed, jerking his chin toward the long line behind Titus. "Don't you see the people waiting? Take it or leave it, kid."
His prices were already low by market standards. Compared to the massive conglomerates, being haggled like this felt insulting, a waste of breath and patience.
Of course, none of that stopped Titus.
