LOCATION: AGARA — GAL1049

Echa brings her hoverbike to a halt alongside another vehicle, its metallic frame lightly resting against the silver, high-tech structure of the parking bay. An overhead canopy shields her from the sharp rays beaming down from above. Releasing her grip on the handlebars, she slides off her mechanical glasses and places them safely inside the bike's storage compartment.

She blinks her green eyes softly, rubbing away the lingering exhaustion with the back of her forearm. Letting out a quiet groan, she leans back against the chassis, the cushioned seat compressing under her weight.

“Be careful, Echa. Don’t let your guard down like you usually do. We are waiting for the signal,” Index’s voice chirps through the earpiece following a soft electronic beep—calm, precise, and ringing straight in her ear.

Echa listens with her arms tightly crossed over her chest. “Such great, reassuring words,” she mutters, her voice cool and focused as she examines the busy terminal.

A few folks are chattering near the gathering spots, completely ignorant of her arrival. Over to the side, a guy is busy flirting with three women, while a cluster of older men lean over their machinery, running programs on them.

Pushing herself off the bike, she starts walking toward the terminal entrance, her boots making a heavy thud against the floor panels. Beneath the floorboards, narrow glass gaps reveal clear, fresh water rushing steadily through the facility's underlying grid.

Her eyes roam left and right, taking in the layout before she can even reach the main entryway. Suddenly, a hovering security drone drops down to block her path. A thin blue laser projects from a transparent bar on its chassis, scanning her chin and face before emitting a crisp, approving beep.

“Miss Echa. Welcome to GAL1049. You may proceed,” the drone states in a flat, fully mechanical voice. Without another word, it whirs away to reprimand a few guys who just dove into the open water line for a distance swim.

Echa lets out a quiet scoff, her face entirely unbothered as she continues on her way to the terminal entrance.

The terminal opens into a massive, vaulted archway entrance. Several pathways branch out toward a central platform, and Echa steps onto one of the main walkways.

As she moves along the edge of the circular plaza, a vibrant marketplace reveals itself, with shops tightly packed around the perimeter. Nearby, an anti-gravity fountain sends streams of water rushing upward. High above the canopy, the heavy rumble of large transport ships echoes through the structure as they slowly touch down on the roof landing pads.

“Clear the area,” security drones announce in flat, synchronized mechanical voices as they hover above the crowded floor, cutting through the heavy chatter of the locals.

The market is packed with people drifting from shop to shop. On a center stage, a performance android—an elegant lady robot clad in a sleek black dress with glowing violet lines—dances and sings with fluid, mesmerizing grace.

Echa descends a flight of metal stairs, blending into the circular flow of the crowd. Her green eyes remain sharp, scanning every single face that passes her by.

“Where are you? Show yourself…” she mutters under her breath, her voice barely a whisper to herself.

As she navigates the market, the crowd thickens into a dense bottleneck in front of the more popular storefronts. Squeezing her way through the sea of shoulders, she completely ignores a local guy who grins at her, calling out, “Check this out, lady.”

As she cuts past another shop, a sudden chill runs down her spine. She quickly senses a heavy gaze locking onto her from behind—an Anomaly is tracking her. Matching her footsteps perfectly to the steady rhythm of the singing android's performance, Echa continues forward without breaking her stride or turning around.

“Got you. I can’t believe this is actually happening,” she murmurs to herself, her throat tightening with a mixture of serious focus and stress.

Taking a quiet, steadying breath, she spots a small shop stall with an empty counter. Needing a quick way to break her line of sight, she nods to herself and steps out of the crowd, stopping right at the glass showcase.

The old storekeeper behind the counter smiles warmly, leaning forward to get a better look at Echa's face. “My dear, I can’t believe my very first customer of the morning is such a young, elegant lady! Please, take your time. Look at whatever catches your eye.”

Echa just blinks, her lips parting slightly in a rare moment of genuine awe before she quickly collects her composure. “Yeah... sure,” she replies, her gaze involuntarily drifting down toward the shimmering ornaments glittering inside the display cases.

“Wow...”

The beautifully glowing trinkets momentarily steal her focus, but she shakes her head, forcing her mind back to the surface as she pretends to shop. She occasionally glances sideways out of the corner of her eye to check if her stalker is closing in, but the figures filtering past the stall just look like ordinary people.

Noticing her wandering attention, the old shopkeeper speaks up, her voice incredibly calm and gentle.

“Would you mind taking a look at these other ornaments over here? I am positive they would look absolutely beautiful on you, dear.”

The old lady slowly rises from her chair, her eyes locking onto Echa’s.

“Come, I will show you,” the shopkeeper says, her tone remaining soft and gentle.

Echa stands there, her eyes widening in an awkward panic. “No, really, it’s—”

Before she can finish declining, the old lady cuts her off.

“Please, I don’t want my very first customer leaving halfway through shopping. It would leave a terrible impression on my shop. Come along now,” she says, sliding open a heavy metallic door.

Letting out a defeated sigh, Echa steps through the verge. Inside, the private backroom is completely lined with glass display cases, filled to the brim with shimmering, glowing ornaments.

Echa lets out a nervous laugh, shaking her head. “Great. But truth is, I don’t actually have the money to—”

She turns back around to face the counter, the words instantly dying in her throat.

The old lady is standing right behind her. Her gentle demeanor is entirely gone, replaced by an ominous, unmoving grin that twists her features.

Echa's jaw instantly clenches at the sight.