“What forces?” Alzigo stared at the Navigator incredulously. “How can you not know--” He stopped abruptly, and his shoulder sagged. After a moment, he looked back up at them with an anxious expression that seemed almost ludicrous on his monstrous face. “Please … I have never imagined your species would be caught so unawares … that you’d be so oblivious ... I’m really not equipped to introduce you to the enlightened universe. The transition phase … it can be overwhelming. Let us stop here. Please, take some time to digest everything I told you. And I too … need time to think.” He produced a thin translucent disc, seemingly from the air, and offered it to Lana. “Here. This data module contains many common facts: information on races, basic technology, cultural protocols, and other such things. It will let you obtain a basic grasp on the state of the galaxy. Study it and you’ll be better equipped to handle our next conversation. Now, is there anything tangible you’d like to acquire from me?”

Nori closed her eyes and stood silently for a long moment. When she finally opened them, she stared hard directly into Alzigo’s beady black eyes. “Weapons. You want to trade? We need as many weapons as you can get us.”

“I can certainly help you with that. I have a wide assortment of personal weapons, ray guns, even plasma rifles, but those don’t come cheap.” He bowed his head apologetically. “But that is a moot point. Your people would be too low-level to use them anyway. I only have a single crate of Zappers. They’re only F1 rank, mostly used to scare away wildlife rather than battle the Warped.”

“I take it that a level one human can use an F1 ranked gun?” Nori asked.

The alien nodded.

“We’ll take the whole crate then. It’s better than nothing. A bee’s sting is annoying, but a hundred can kill. How much?”

Alzigo looked at her. He looked perturbed and his jaws pressed upward in a sort of an alien frown. “This is hardly the proper way of conducting business, Miss. First, there’s the negotiation process, then the contracts, then--”

“We don’t have time for that,” Nori cut him off. “While we chat, more of us die down there. How much for the case?”

“Nori,” Lana said. “Let me handle that.”

The taller woman frowned at her. “We don’t have time for that, we need to--”

“Nori.” Lana’s voice was sharp. “Go and walk around the station for a bit. I assume that would be alright?” She looked at the alien who nodded at her. “Alright then. You too, Bulco. The two of you need to take a little time off, err … outside.”

“But--”

“I insist,” Lana said with a hint of steel in her voice.

Bulco and Nori exchanged puzzled looks.