Etiquette and Frictions

Boarding and Space

Shared ships and stations must account for different needs, or tempers rise quickly.

Sereans. Their bodies are adapted to high-pressure atmospheres and buoyant flight. In standard gravity they tire fast, so harness slings or supportive seating are required. A Serean forced to walk or stand too long will weaken and lash out. Crews that respect this keep one or two hammock rigs set aside.
Keth. Their hollow bones make high-impact climbing or hard steps dangerous. They expect ladders, ramps, or padded grips instead of sharp drops. On ships with steep metal stairs, a Keth will feel mocked or endangered if no safe alternative is provided.
Vellari. They dry out in low humidity. On long trips, a mist spray or humid chamber is essential. Denying them access to this is seen as hostile neglect. Many mixed crews designate a sealed cabin where Vellari can rest.
Talarq. They need warmth to stay active. A cold ship slows their reactions. Portable heat rods or insulated corners are common compromises. Other species may find the Talarq corner uncomfortably hot, but Talarq see it as simple survival.
Caraphex. Their exoskeletons are durable, but their rest cycles require reinforced bunks. A weak cot will collapse under their weight, which they interpret as insult or poor planning. Crews that want Caraphex loyalty give them custom bunks and safe locker space for tools.
Synthborn. They need charging ports and maintenance benches. Crews that deny them access to power or limit their repair rights risk mutiny or shutdown mid-job. Many carry portable charge packs to avoid dependency.
Humans. Humans adjust most easily but often expect others to adapt to them. This leads to resentment if accommodations are one-sided. Balanced crews enforce equal concessions.

Negotiation

Every species has points they treat as non-negotiable. Contracts that ignore these points break fast.

Keth. They demand precision. Delivery dates, quantities, and payment must be exact. A vague contract is worthless to them, and they will walk away or challenge it.
Vellari. They think in terms of shared water. Any contract that ignores who gets water rights, or how maintenance fluids are split, is treated as incomplete. Even unrelated work often includes a “water clause.”
Talarq. They focus on safety and performance standards. If a shipment of parts lacks safety labels or if operating temperatures are not listed, they will consider the deal fraudulent. Their guild law treats mislabeled goods as sabotage.
Caraphex. They expect tool access, fair shift hours, and prompt pay. Delaying pay beyond the agreed cycle is seen as theft. A Caraphex clade will not forgive missed wages without repayment and penalty.
Sereans. They care about storm cycles. Any plan that disregards weather windows is offensive. If asked to fly or ship during a known unsafe period, they will refuse, and some will view it as an insult to their skill.
Synthborn. They need patch rights and consent logs. If a contract attempts to limit their ability to repair themselves, or if logs are tampered with, they treat it as enslavement. They demand written guarantees.
Humans. Humans vary widely. Core humans prefer flexible contracts with many clauses. Rim humans expect room for renegotiation when conditions change. Assuming one standard leads to disputes.

Conflicts

Mixed crews and ports see disputes often. Most are not cultural but practical: contracts, safety, and survival.

Late Pay. Caraphex clades and Synthborn nodes treat late wages as betrayal. Talarq guilds mark delinquent contractors as unsafe. Humans may tolerate delay but will add interest or demand renegotiation.
Unsafe Work. Keth will walk out of unsafe navigation jobs. Talarq refuse to touch mislabeled parts. Vellari view contaminated or wasted water as sabotage. Sereans will not launch into a storm for any price.
Broken Seals. A water meter seal broken without proper witness enrages Vellari. Keth treat falsified route seals as direct fraud. Synthborn nodes see tampered logs as criminal erasure.
Crew Friction. Small slights—ignoring a Talarq heat need, mocking a Serean harness, or failing to mist a Vellari rest chamber—become major fights if repeated. Many captains assign a “liaison” to track species needs.
Resolution. Most conflicts resolve by:
- Bribes or repayment, if money is available.
- Arbitration by Data Guild clerks or escrow arbiters.
- Personal duels or clade-led punishment in rim ports.
- Walking away from contracts, which carries long-term debt or blacklist risk.

Practical Rules for Crews

Log everything. Keep seal numbers, delivery records, weather notices, and payment slips. Every species trusts logs more than words.
Rotate comforts. One cycle favors Talarq heat, next cycle favors Vellari humidity, and so on. Balanced discomfort is better than one-sided comfort.
Assign clear roles. Each species has expected specialties. Ignoring those strengths makes them feel disrespected.
Pay on time. Even small delays build lasting resentment.
Never fake a seal. Whether water, safety, or route—fake seals cause instant hostility.
Respect survival needs. Harness, humidity, heat, reinforcement, charging. Denial of these is considered aggression.