Governance by World Type
Core Capitals
Examples are Kedra, Armistice and Brightline.
Who runs it.
The Central Authority or a big company runs things directly.
Every office has another office above it. There are offices for customs, ship papers, IDs, debts and appeals.
Laws are strict and enforced. Small offices are still crooked.
Daily life.
Papers. Everything is recorded. Crews carry ID cards, ship papers and backup copies.
Lines. Waiting for an inspection or a court date can take weeks. Small traders pay rush fees to skip ahead.
Appeals. You can fight a cargo seizure or a debt ruling in court. It takes weeks or months, and your cargo sits in a locked warehouse the whole time.
Money. Only approved money is allowed. Unlicensed cash gets taken. Exchange booths charge heavy fees.
Police. Authority police are everywhere. Some are honest. The rest want a tip.
For crews.
Safe but slow.
Bribes and favors speed things up.
Big companies and insured freighters go first.
Smugglers and freelancers lose cargo unless they know people.
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Industrial Mid
Examples are Scoria, Shardplain and Brackenfeld.
Who runs it.
Local councils, guilds or company boards run each production zone.
Inspectors rotate, often from different groups.
Core customs fees apply, but nobody collects them the same way twice.
Daily life.
Quotas. Each zone has to produce a set amount of food, fuel or ceramics. Quotas set the taxes and the jobs.
Changing rules. A new inspector brings new rules. One month dirty smokestacks get fined, and the next month nobody cares.
Grey markets. Black markets are allowed as long as the quota is met.
Work terms. Debt turns into forced work here too, but the terms are shorter than on the Rim.
For crews.
Profitable but unpredictable.
Cargo that was fine last season may be banned this season.
Corruption is open. Most officials just want their cut.
Smugglers blend in more easily than in the Core.
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Extraction Rim
Examples are Pitchmire, Salt Crown and Mistral Gate.
Who runs it.
Syndicates, local bosses or private security companies.
There may be an official government, but it is broke or owned by someone.
Daily life.
Protection money. Crews pay the local power for safety. Those who do not pay get hurt or lose their cargo.
Fast courts. Debt and job disputes are settled in hours. The judge is usually paid by one side.
Hired guns. Companies and syndicates hire mercenaries to police the docks. The law is whoever paid last.
Toll gangs. Several groups claim the same lanes and depots. A crew can get stopped for money three times on one run.
For crews.
Cheap, fast and dangerous.
Pay up front for everything.
Bribes are expected. Fair judges are rare.
Big money for crews willing to risk raids.
Bounty hunters do well here. There is always someone on the run.
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Moving Ports
Examples are the Varo-Blue cloud cities, mobile fuel depots and drifting platforms in the belts.
Who runs it.
No planet government. Habitat councils, ship captains or local assemblies run things.
The law changes between districts and levels.
Daily life.
Moving law. Laws change as habitats move, merge or split. A port may treat Synthborn as people one season and as property the next.
Weather rules. In storm worlds, ships must follow local flight rules. Break them and you do not get to dock.
Docking deposits. Visiting ships pay a deposit in cash or cargo to cover damage. They get it back when they leave without trouble.
Layered councils. Each level or district has its own council. Trading safely can mean making several deals.
For crews.
Flexible, but the rules can flip overnight.
Keep track of who is in charge this week.
Deposits tie up cash, and broke ships get turned away.
Good chances for smooth talkers and quick profits.