Deep within the port, a set of heavy, heat-resistant doors slid open with a low-frequency hum. Beyond them lay a massive space dominated by a blue phosphorescence—a realm entirely divorced from the glitz and glamour of the resort.
"...By the way, I haven't introduced myself yet. I’m Kai. As the Coordinator, I handle the external trade side of things. Welcome to Azurite's Underworld."
The man—Kai—gave a brief self-introduction, his heavy boots thudding against the floor as he walked.
"...Incredible. This isn't just a warehouse. The synchronization precision of the magnetic levitation is through the roof, and the density of the power lines is insane. Just how much heat are you managing here?"
Mina’s eyes sparkled with an engineer's fervor as she gazed up at the massive structure, her voice thick with awe.
"You have a sharp eye. This is the planet's lifeblood. There are hundreds of millions of Credits worth of catch being managed in this room."
It was just as Kai said. This was the guild-operated Stock Area, the central hub where the bounty from every sea across Azurite Prime was gathered. Massive magnetic levitation containers drifted silently in every direction, while holographic price lists flickered in the air like a digital blizzard.
Inside transparent, cylindrical Preservation Capsules lay the giant Scissors Shells we had eaten earlier, alongside unknown silver-scaled fish resting in a state of artificial hibernation.
"Everything here is 'the real deal,' destined for the finest restaurants in the Imperial Capital or the tables of the privileged elite. If these hit the open market in the Capital, they’d go for dozens of times the wholesale price here. ...I can be flexible with the inventory, so just tell me what you want."
Kai jerked his chin toward two Interstellar Transport Containers waiting on drones nearby, already designated for my ship.
"Kai, there was one thing I was curious about."
I scanned the rows of capsules and voiced a question that had been on my mind.
"The tourist guides mentioned that you need a Special Qualification to handle this planet's fish. Is it really all right for an outsider like me to take this much back with him?"
"Well, if you were trying to open a shop in this city and serve fish you'd dressed yourself, the guild would shut you down in a heartbeat without a certification. But if you’re just loading it onto your ship to grill and eat yourself while you travel, no one’s going to complain."
"I see. That’s good to hear."
"Naturally. Our pros will give them a perfect three-piece breakdown, flash-freeze the fillets, and wrap them individually for you. That’s the most reliable way. I can’t stand the thought of handing over a prize catch to an amateur only for them to turn it into trash."
"...Wait. Did you say 'fillets'?"
At my question, Kai knit his brows suspiciously.
"Yeah. I’ll give you the highest-quality meat in the most convenient form."
"...No, I decline. Keep them whole."
Kai stopped in his tracks and looked back at me, his eyes clouded with doubt.
"Are you serious? How are you going to dress them? Does your ship have some kind of high-end automated equipment I've never heard of?"
"I don't need equipment. I'll dress them with my own hands."
I took a steadying breath and added a specific request.
"For the portions going into the containers I just bought, you only need to clear the innards. ...But for the portions going into the Class 3 freshness preservation freezer on my ship, leave the innards as they are. I want to load them while they're still completely fresh."
A heavy silence temporarily drowned out the mechanical thrum of the market.
Kai narrowed his eyes, staring at me as if appraising my value. His gaze wasn't that of a merchant looking at a customer, but the sharp, judging stare of a craftsman evaluating someone in his own field.
"...By hand? Don't talk rot. The catch on this planet is delicate. Unless a master craftsman uses specialized blades, you won't even get a decent fillet out of them."
Kai pointed toward an Azurite Snapper lying on a nearby workbench. It was over a meter long. Its azure scales were hard, yet the texture when I touched it felt remarkably close to a red sea bream from Earth.
The bone structure, the elasticity of the flesh, the placement of the organs—combining those physical traits with the memory of the flavor from our meal, it was clear that its internal anatomy was nearly identical to the fish I knew inside and out.
"Look, I like a customer who spends freely, but I hate people who waste life. You don't need a guild qualification to take them whole, but I won't hand over a single fish to someone who can't handle the product. ...If you really claim you can 'dress' them, then prove it right here."
Kai pulled a utility knife from his belt and laid it quietly on the table.
"Give this one a perfect three-piece breakdown. We'll talk after that."
The surrounding craftsmen stopped their work and began to gather, drawn by the sudden tension. I felt the familiar weight of my own knife hanging at my hip and took a step forward.
"...Kai, I don't need your knife. I have my partner right here."
The cold air of Azurite Prime pricked at my skin.
"It’s time for the chef to get to work."