In the asteroid belt, there's an asteroid called Lanyun, which is quite similar to the Iron Shavings Star Body in size and environment.
The difference is that Lanyun's atmosphere is a bit more normal than the Iron Shavings' gases, with mild radiation but non-toxic.
This star body belongs to Pudding Mining, which had mined it for a while before sealing it up.
Since there are minerals, somebody must stay behind to prevent theft, and there cannot be too few, otherwise security becomes an issue.
However, without mining, there is no output, leading to only expenses and no income, making the guards quite bored.
Later, when starships occasionally stopped by to replenish gases, the guards thought they might as well start a marketplace here.
After reporting to Pudding Mining, the group agreed to try it out—after all, it was an open-source endeavor.
Trading in the vastness of space carries considerable uncertainty, but with the backing of Pudding Mining, safety was generally assured.
