Jace closed the canopy before closing the armor over it. Then the screens lit up revealing the outside of the fighter craft. He powered on the hover plates and started floating before he retracted the landing gears. Once they were up he flew out of the hangar and into the endless void of space.

He flew around an asteroid as he maneuvered the ship. While he laid in the cockpit he did not feel even slight inertia as his fighter maneuvered. While his hands manipulated the controls his mind monitored everything relevant for the gauges.

With just his auxiliary engines he was able to fly through the field of asteroids. When the smaller rocks got near the fighter they bounced away because of the active hover plates. It was only the work of a few seconds before he was in visual range of the mining colony.

The place was entirely contained to a massive asteroid that was originally part of what was being mined. But now it had been mined out and hollowed; the only parts that were extruding were the various metal walls that were used for keeping the atmosphere in. While the docks were pushed out of one side and seemed to include several massive hangars where smaller ships could land for repairs.

At the moment it appeared that they were loading a bunch of goods onto a container ship. It was probably one that would make frequent voyages between this colony and somewhere else. But chances are it would be docked here for a while. With the chaos going on in the system, no would be using the current currency until they were assured of its legitimacy.

He moved toward the place and he watched as a pair of ships, refitted mining ships to act as fighters, disengaged from the dock and flew on a course to intercept him. But Jace was not worried as he received a message over a basic radio frequency.

"Unknown craft. Disengage engines and allow our tugs to bring you to the station." The person on the other end demanded. Considering the location of the source came from the dock of the colony he also figured that was where the bulk of their local militia resided.

"I could, or I could just fly into the hangar you have there." Jace offered over the pen channel. "My scans show you have enough room and I would get there before your modified mining ships managed to reach me."

There was silence over the channel as Jace adjusted to a direct path to the hangar as they contemplated his suggestion. Which was not really a suggestion, it was just what was going to happen. As he flew he figured he could start spreading the atmospheric barriers starting with this place. It would be what he bartered for what he needed to get from here.

"Unknown we do not-"

"I apologize I forgot to introduce myself." Jace interrupted the person on the other end. "You can call me Gladiator, but my ship’s designation is the Tooth-1. Just so you know." Jace informed them as he turned up the engines and shot through space and past the ships in only a moment before he slowed down. Using the station’s artificial gravity to slow himself down on his approach before slowly slotting into the entrance that he would pass through to get to the hangar.

Like all of the ships and space based facilities in this galaxy, they sorely lacked anything similar to an atmospheric barrier. In fact, his facility was the only one with something like that as far as they could tell. Another point to the fact that the atmospheric barrier technology he discovered back in his galaxy was not the norm.

He held position inside and a moment later his ship shuddered slightly as something managed to grab hold of the ship. It was not anything visible and after a quick scan it was revealed to be an alternative form of a tractor beam, unlike anything he had seen before. One which used gravity being pulled and pushed at the same time.

He would have to steal the technology. You know, just in case he needed to do a similar trick later.

"We are bringing you to the hangar as you requested. You will surrender all weapons and your ship to the security team that is going to meet with you." The person over the radio sounded annoyed this time. That was probably Jace’s fault.

He smiled as he realized he was about to make his day that much worse. "That is not necessary. I came to trade." Jace answered as the back door sealed behind his ship before the room began to be flooded with atmosphere from the facility.

"You are an unknown. You will do what we say or-"

"Or what? You’ll kill me? I assume you have some weapons but just enough to make pirates wary of attacking or even approaching." Jace began mocking them as the atmosphere finished cycling and the front gate in front of him opened. His fighter began moving on its own as he disabled his engines but kept the hoverplates operating. Just in case they decided to drop his ship.

There was silence on the other side of the radio while he got his first look at the mining colony’s hangar. Which was likely already cleared of any civilians or noncombatants. He would give it to them, and they managed to clear the hangar quickly.

Although the mining ships that were stored here were not the only thing. There were a few small single pilot ships with what appeared to be containers to transport metals. Not much else besides a single ship that appeared to be heavily modified to combat and still undergoing development.

While the security he mentioned were still in the midst of setting up. There were a few people with bulky rifles and then a few armored individuals in armor that was probably meant for space mining with two space lasers at the ready. As well as a single individual in a large mechanical construction exo-skeleton which noticeably left himself exposed.

Jace hummed as he pulled back the armored canopy with a thought and then opened the actual canopy once that was done. He climbed out onto the wing as both canopies closed. He looked down at the ground below while he smiled.

"Hello down there!" He waved down at the impromptu militia. Which probably consisted of the colony’s security team and other volunteers following the collapse of the local government. He had not checked the situation recently, but he was sure that it was in chaos.

One of the people in armor waved but another of the people smacked their hand down and glared at the person that waved for a moment. His armor had already been dematerialized so all he was dressed was a short sleeve black t-shirt, black cargo pants, and a pair of black boots. His usual get up that was honestly starting to smell a bit rank, he had not showered in awhile after all. He should get around to that.

One of the doors to the hangar opened up and he could basically see the privilege on the man as he walked in. Well that and anger that was visible on his twisted expression. Jace’s Hound’s Tooth started to lower to the ground as the man dressed in a full gray suit with markings indicating high political standing. After a moment he realized the man was a colony governor.

"Now who wants to trade with me?" Jace asked as his fighter lowered its landing gears and he sat on the edge so he was swinging his legs back and forth.

"I am the Governor of Kuiper-038, a mining colony. You will be surrendering your ship and everything else you own." The man in the grey announced. "Now then, take this sub human into custody. We will deal with him like we will the traitors that are aboard the freighter."

"Pass." Jace called out. "I do not deal with pompous jackasses." Jace looked at the others as the governor huffed and became red in the face in anger. "Now then, does anyone want to actually trade, a little bit of barter."

The governor pulled a side arm out of his holster that was hanging at his hip. It was a simple laser pistol. Electricity based, easily drained and that is what Jace did as the Governor started his threats. "That was not a request. Now drag him-"

"Are you the representative of this colony?" Jace asked with a chuckle.

Click!

The governor looked at his gun in confusion. Jace frowned as he tried to fire it several more times. "Okay..." Jace looked around at them as they shuffled slightly and he could sense an air of hostility aimed toward the governor. "How about we just ignore the entitled pompous asshole."

"What do you have to trade?" One of the people in armor stepped forward. He was clearly not afraid of the governor.

"Technolgy." Jace answered. "It is quality of life technology but not anything you have seen before. Although it might have been dreamt up. Just never developed." Jace informed them. "So can we go to a nice location and trade?"