Economy and Trade

Bulk Cargo

Bulk cargo makes up most interstellar trade. It is low profit but essential for survival.

• Ore: Caraphex mining contracts dominate, supplying raw metals and silica. Most ore is shipped unprocessed to keep costs down, though refining near core worlds yields better returns.

• Grain: Brackenfeld and similar mid-agri worlds export large shipments of grain, protein blocks, and oilseeds. Cargoes spoil if routes are delayed, making reliable shipping vital.

• Water: Transported in sealed Vellari-standard tanks with tamper-proof meters. Desert and rim colonies pay the highest rates. Water piracy is common, especially near Salt Crown.

• Fuel: Varied grades, from Serean storm-battery packs to Pitchmire hydrocarbons. Poor-quality fuel damages ships but is often all crews can afford.

• Construction Materials: Ceramics, refractory bricks, steel beams, and bulk composites. Common in mid and rim worlds rebuilding after collapses, raids, or storms.

Risk: Though pirates prefer high-value cargo, bulk carriers are still frequent targets because they are slow, predictable, and poorly armed. Insurance is expensive and rarely covers rim routes.

High-Value Cargo

High-value cargoes are what most Free Companies fight to secure. The profit margins are high but so are the dangers.

• Medical Supplies: Vaccines, antibiotics, surgical kits, and gene treatments. Short shelf lives force fast delivery. Syndicates steal and resell them at inflated rates.

• Processors and Tools: Ship processors, mining lasers, sensor masts, precision bearings. These are license-locked and tracked, making smuggling lucrative.

• Live Samples: Rare animals, bioengineered crops, and medical test organisms. Must be shipped in stable environments. Escrow banks demand extra bonds for these.

• Rare Art: Sculptures, tapestries, recordings, and relics. Value is subjective, and ownership disputes are common. Syndicates often “authenticate” stolen art through bribed archivists.

Risk: High-value cargoes attract both pirates and corrupt officials. Crews must carry sealed manifests, multiple proofs, and escrow guarantees to avoid seizure.

Seasonal and Cyclical Work

Employment across the galaxy is unstable. Crews and dockhands rarely keep long contracts.

• Mining Yields: Ore veins peak and collapse. Caraphex clades move between sites constantly.

• Crop Cycles: Grain harvests and aquaculture seasons flood markets, then dry up, leaving workers unpaid.

• Storm Seasons: Serean chemical hauls peak during storm cycles, when extraction is possible but dangerous.

• Contract Renewals: Many jobs are tied to yearly or cycle-based agreements with Mega-Corporations or governments. When a contract lapses, whole workforces can be cut off.

Result: Layoffs are common. People rely on small savings, debt, or family crews to survive the gaps. This keeps labor cheap and compliant.

Standards and Seals

Standards keep cargo trustworthy. Without them, trade collapses. Every major species contributes a crucial standard.

• Water Seals (Vellari): All water moved between worlds is measured with tamper-proof Vellari meters. These meters are engraved with seals that prove no siphoning occurred. Counterfeits are common on the rim.

• Route Certifications (Keth): Keth auditors publish safety ratings for jump lanes, bridges, and cable routes. Their charts are trusted by most crews. Syndicates sometimes release falsified versions to mislead traders.

• Safety Labels (Talarq): High-temperature parts, ceramics, and reactor casings must carry a Talarq guild seal. False seals lead to explosions or breakdowns.

• Escrow and Identity (Synthborn): Synthborn nodes verify escrow accounts and archive contract proofs. They also issue permanent identity logs, which are difficult to erase.

Importance: Inspectors, creditors, and patrols check for these seals. Missing or fake seals lead to fines, seizure, or violence.

Banks and Ledgers

Money flows through multiple, conflicting systems.

• Licensed Banks (Core): Issue central credits. Backed by the Central Authority. Exchange rates are stable but fees are high.

• Corporate Scrip: Issued by Mega-Corporations. Usable in their supply chains but often worthless elsewhere. Workers on corporate contracts are sometimes paid only in scrip.

• Unlicensed Ledgers (Rim): Independent exchanges run by Syndicates, Faith Networks, or local councils. Fast and cheap but highly volatile. Theft and fraud are common.

Exchange Rates: Shift weekly or even daily. Many crews profit by hauling currency between systems where the rates differ. Arbitrage is risky and often regulated.

Delays: Bank transfers often take weeks to clear due to slow signals. Escrow contracts are safer but tie up funds until delivery is proven.

Debt

Debt is the foundation of Drift’s economy.

• Common Debts: Passage off-world, new engines, medical care, legal disputes, crop failure, and food shortages.

• Collateral: People pledge future years of labor, entire family crews, or ship shares. These debts are enforced by debt courts, corporations, or syndicates.

• Default: Missing payments leads to blacklisting, contract seizure, or indenture. Indenture means labor contracts for life in mines, factories, or warzones.

• Debt Pools: Some Caraphex clades and Vellari councils run debt pools, where members cover one another to avoid collapse. Syndicates sometimes infiltrate these pools and force unfavorable terms.

• Market Impact: Debt keeps people tied to specific companies, ports, or routes. It stabilizes corporate profits but creates resentment and unrest in rim sectors.

Reality: Few crews operate debt-free. Even successful jobs often pay down interest rather than clearing the principal. Debt is a permanent condition for most workers across the galaxy.