The Sovereign Aurora slid out of the golden wormhole. It came to a dead halt right above the diamond docks of the Central Milky-Way Exchange Ring.
Ten thousand Void Star-Whale Kings fanned their silver fins in the dark void around the flagship. Their deep, resonant song shook the glass skyscrapers of Galactic Wall Street.
Fifty miles of floating platinum piers stretched across the artificial nebula. Giant green and red stock tickers scrolled across the sky, tracking trillions of Origin Dao Crystals every second.
Down on the primary Bullion Dock, the morning air smelled of scorched ozone and expensive cologne.
Audit-Lord Vaelen stood at the edge of the VIP berth, clutching his swollen purple jaw. His white charity robe was still smoking from where Lin Mo’s star-cannon had blasted him through the wormhole five minutes ago.
Right beside Vaelen stood Managing Director Ao Jin of Vault #1. The Dragon-Clan investment banker wore a double-breasted suit woven from golden dragon scales that glittered under three artificial suns.
Two curled golden horns rose from Ao Jin’s slick black hair. He tapped a diamond-tipped cane against the pier and sneered up at the Sovereign Aurora’s hull.
“Docking fee is ten billion Origin Dao Crystals, country bumpkins!” Vaelen barked through a missing tooth, pointing a trembling finger at the flagship’s bow. “Pay up right now or get towed to the orbital scrapyard!”
