Governance by World Type
Governance by World Type
Core Capitals
(Examples: Kedra, Armistice, Brightline)
Governance Structure.
Direct administration by Central Authority or strong Mega-Corporations.
Bureaucracies are multi-tiered, with offices for tariffs, registries, identity, debt, cargo manifests, and appeals.
Laws are comprehensive and enforceable, though corruption exists in minor offices.
Public Systems.
Documentation: Every transaction, permit, and identity is logged. Crews are expected to carry physical seals, digital proofs, and backup copies.
Queues: Long delays for inspection, arbitration, and debt hearings. Smaller traders often pay “expedite fees” to cut lines.
Appeals: Legal processes exist for cargo seizure, contract disputes, and debt rulings. Appeals may take weeks or months, during which cargo is often locked in bonded storage.
Scrip Enforcement: Only approved currencies circulate openly. Unlicensed tokens are confiscated. Exchange kiosks charge heavy conversion fees.
Implications for Crews.
Secure but slow.
Expect bribes or unofficial favors to speed up movement.
Large corporations and insured haulers get priority.
Smugglers, freelancers, and grey traders risk confiscation unless heavily connected.
Industrial Mid
(Examples: Scoria, Shardplain, Brackenfeld)
Governance Structure.
Local councils, guilds, or corporate boards manage production zones.
Oversight rotates between inspectors, often from different factions.
Core tariffs apply, but enforcement is inconsistent.
Public Systems.
Quotas: Production of food, fuel, ceramics, or other resources is monitored. Quotas determine tax levels and dictate crew employment.
Rotating Inspections: Different inspectors mean rules shift between visits. One month emissions violations are punished, the next month ignored.
Grey Markets: Tolerated so long as main quotas are met. Bribes or unofficial trade channels keep supply lines flexible.
Worker Contracts: Debt-to-labor conversions are common, but sentences are shorter than rim contracts. Appeals exist but depend on political leverage.
Implications for Crews.
Flexible and profitable, but unpredictable.
Cargo and permits may be accepted in one quarter and rejected the next.
Corruption is open but transactional: most officials just want their cut.
Smugglers blend easier here than in the core.
Extraction Rim
(Examples: Pitchmire, Salt Crown, Mistral Gate)
Governance Structure.
Weak or fragmented. Real control lies with Syndicates, local bosses, or private security companies.
Official planetary governments may exist but are underfunded or controlled by debt.
Public Systems.
Protection Rackets: Crews must pay local powers for “safety.” Failure results in violence or seizure.
Fast Courts: Debt and contract disputes are resolved quickly, often in hours. Judges are usually paid directly by interested parties.
Private Security: Corporations or Syndicates hire mercenary forces to police docks and checkpoints. Authority depends on who paid most recently.
Contested Checkpoints: Multiple groups claim control of lanes, depots, or toll stations. Crews may face several demands for payment in a single route.
Implications for Crews.
Cheap, fast, but dangerous.
Payment in advance is required for nearly all services.
Bribes are expected. Neutral arbitration is rare.
High profit margins exist for crews willing to risk raids and seizures.
Non-Standard Ports
(Examples: Varo-Blue habitats, mobile refuel depots, moving platforms in belts)
Governance Structure.
No fixed planetary government. Control is local, flexible, and usually based on habitat councils, ship captains, or assembly groups.
Law shifts between pressure groups or layers of settlement.
Public Systems.
Mobile Jurisdiction: Laws change as habitats move, merge, or split. A port may accept Synthborn rights one cycle, and strip them the next.
Custom Weather Rules: In storm-heavy regions (e.g., gas giants), safe passage requires adherence to local atmospheric rules. Breaking rules can mean denial of docking.
Visiting-Ship Bonds: Incoming ships must post bonds (cash or cargo) to cover damage or disputes. Bonds are often held until the ship leaves without incident.
Multi-Layer Councils: Different altitude or sector communities hold overlapping authority. Negotiation requires multiple signatures for safe docking and trade.
Implications for Crews.
Flexible and negotiable, but unstable.
Crews must track current council factions to avoid conflict.
Bonds tie up valuable funds; unprepared ships may be turned away.
Opportunities exist for diplomacy and quick profit, but rules can reverse overnight.