The Gray Market was an underground trading scene for alien leftovers and curios which existed by the 21st century.
It was addictively frequented by US dotcom giant Henry Van Statten for these leftovers, which was motivated by his childhood interest in alien worlds (PROSE: Henry Van Statten [+]BBC webteam, Who is Doctor Who? (BBC, 2005).) and for his company Geocomtex to derive new "cutting edge" technology. (TV: Dalek [+]Robert Shearman, adapted from Jubilee (Robert Shearman), Doctor Who series 1 (BBC One, 2005)., PROSE: The Time Traveller's Almanac [+]Steve Tribe, BBC Books (2008). Chapter 3, "Everything Changes"; Page 146.) His frequent purchasing was also funded by the wealth that Geocomtex produced. (PROSE: Henry Van Statten [+]BBC webteam, Who is Doctor Who? (BBC, 2005).)
Many of Van Statten's alien possessions were displayed in his collection in the Exhibit Room of the Vault in Utah, fifty-three storeys under the ground. (TV: Dalek [+]Robert Shearman, adapted from Jubilee (Robert Shearman), Doctor Who series 1 (BBC One, 2005)., PROSE: The Time Traveller's Almanac [+]Steve Tribe, BBC Books (2008). Chapter 3, "Everything Changes"; Page 146.)
Behind the scenes[]
- While there exists a grey market in the real world, the Gray Market mentioned by Van Statten seems to be a separate and alien-focused market; the name is also likely a reference to gray aliens.