Editing Black market

{{Era|Forerunner|Covenant|Human|UNSC|HCW|Post}}
{{Wikipedia}}
[[File:HE Ven Base.jpg|thumb|300px|A Kig-Yar black market hosted on Ven III.]]
{{Quote|multi=more|1=Eric Santiago|q1=How do you think Innies get UNSC explosives or weapons? Spare parts?|2=Gage Yevgenny|q2=Black market?|3=Eric Santiago|q3=Black market still has to get that stuff from somewhere.|4=[[Eric Santiago]] and [[Gage Yevgenny]], discussing UNSC traitors supplying black markets<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''', "[[Dirt]]", ''page 112''</ref>}}

The '''black market''' refers to illegal trade outside the official economy. Both [[human]]s and several [[Covenant]] species are known to engage in black market activities. Black market bazaars are locations where illegal products can be handled on the black market by either [[piracy|pirates]] or [[Insurrectionist]]s, who frequently attend these bazaars.

==History==

===Prehistory===
Before the [[human-Forerunner wars]], black markets existed throughout the galaxy. When [[Prehistoric human civilization|prehistoric humanity]] discovered that an [[Flood|unidentified powder]], found on the outskirts of the galaxy, made [[Pheru]], animals domesticated by humanity, have a more favorable behavior. Due to this behavioral alteration, the powder began to circulate on black markets across humanity's interstellar empire.<ref>'''[[Halo: Cryptum]]''', ''pages 268-269''</ref>

===Human-Covenant War===
Among the Covenant before the war, the [[Kig-Yar]] were known to sell goods on the black market, including [[Forerunner]] relics, outside the [[Ministry of Tranquility]]'s authority.<ref>'''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''', ''page 94''</ref> 

[[Remote scanning outpost]]s were intended to keep black market runners out of human space, as well as to watch for pirates and [[Covenant]] forces.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]''', ''page 161'' (2010)</ref> Around [[2494]], [[Levosia]] colonists were suspected of diverting elements used to manufacture [[Shaw-Fujikawa Translight Engine]]s to the black market. As a result, the [[United Nations Space Command]]'s regional [[Central Command|CENTCOM]] had the [[UNSC Navy]] blockade the [[26 Draconis system|planet's system]], eventually leading to the [[Callisto Incident|''Callisto'' Incident]].<ref>'''Halo: Evolutions''', "[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]", ''page 436''</ref> A black market bazaar was spotted in November of [[2525]] near the [[Roosevelt military base]], which was taken down by [[SPARTAN-II program|Spartan-II]] [[Blue Team]].<ref>'''Halo: The Fall of Reach''', ''page 103'' (2003); ''page 125'' (2010)</ref> During the [[Human-Covenant War]], [[Insurrectionist]]s modified [[Covenant]] weaponry for human uses and sold them on the black market. Before the [[Cole Protocol]] was established, the black market was flooded with Covenant weapons and equipment.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''', ''page 100''</ref> Some [[UNSC Marine Corps|UNSC Marines]] would occasionally return with Covenant weaponry from a battle to sell on a black market.<ref>'''Halo: The Cole Protocol''', ''page 99''</ref>

By early [[2525]], the [[HMG-38]] machine gun was considered obsolete by the UNSC, but was popular on the black market trade amongst [[Insurrectionist]]s—particularly the [[United Rebel Front]].<ref>'''[[Halo Encyclopedia]]''', ''page 325'' (2010)</ref> 

During their service in the Covenant, numerous [[Unggoy]] participated in an active black market trade. Due to their interest in human culture, human transmissions—such as [[Wikipedia:Soap opera|soap operas]] and [[Wikipedia:Sitcom|sitcoms]]—were popular on these markets among Unggoy.<ref>'''Halo Encyclopedia''', ''page 150'' (2010)</ref>

===Post-War===

Following the Human-Covenant War the black market was inundated with small arms, including the [[MA5C assault rifle]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''', ''page 156''</ref> Directly following the war, weapons and ships were commonplace on the market, including [[B-65 Shortsword]]s.<ref>'''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''', ''page 12''</ref><ref>'''Halo: Mortal Dictata''', ''page 103''</ref> [[Huragok]] [[Slavery|slaves]] would often be sold on the black market by pirates and were considered very valuable.<ref>'''Halo: Glasslands''', ''page 261''</ref> Around 2553, the mercenary organization known as the [[Banished]] was seeking [[nuke]]s and were known to have traded with [[human]]s in the black market.{{Ref/Book|Halo: Retribution}} A massive black market was hosted by Kig-Yar pirates and smugglers below the surface of the desolate planet [[Ven III]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Escalation]]''', ''[[Halo: Escalation Issue 11|Issue #11]]''</ref> 

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Fall of Reach]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Contact Harvest]]''
*''[[Halo: The Cole Protocol]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions: Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''
**''[[Dirt]]'' {{Mo}}
**''[[The Impossible Life and the Possible Death of Preston J. Cole]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Cryptum]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo: Glasslands]]''
*''[[Halo: The Thursday War]]''
*''[[Halo: Escalation]]''
*''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''
*''[[Halo 5: Guardians]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Wars 2]]'' {{Mo}}

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}
[[Category:Insurrection]]
[[Category:Society and culture]]