Health and Safety

Every registered ship must carry a minimum kit. Unregistered ships usually improvise but still follow similar standards.

Decompression Masks. Masks provide sealed oxygen flow in case of sudden hull breach or pressure loss. Regulations call for one per crew member plus two spares. On rim ships, masks are often old and may leak at fittings.
Hydration Packs. Water rations sealed in tamper-proof containers. Vellari seals are most trusted; broken seals mean ration theft or contamination. Each pack is marked by volume and date. Crews are expected to carry at least 72 hours of water.
Heat Blankets. Insulation sheets used for cold exposure in space, on rim stations with failing grids, or during medical recovery. Talarq crews often modify them for higher durability near reactors.
Patch Tools. Adhesive sheets, hull sealant, foam plugs, and bolt drivers for temporary repair. Crews train to apply patches in under two minutes. Caraphex crews often carry heavier rigs suited for structural cracks.
Species-Specific Spares. Mixed crews must carry extras: saline packs for Vellari, joint braces for Keth, heat lamps for Talarq, lift harnesses for Sereans, charge cells for Synthborn. Human-standard kits alone are not sufficient.

Standards prevent fraud and reduce accidents. They are enforced unevenly depending on the port.

Talarq Labels (Heat-Grade). Applied to reactor casings, piping, and smelter parts. Each label records tested temperature and maximum safe load. Fake labels are common in rim markets and often lead to explosions or fires.
Vellari Seals (Water Integrity). Seals are used on pumps, tanks, and cargo water lines. A true Vellari seal is moisture-reactive and leaves a trace when broken. Fraudulent seals are a known Syndicate tool for water theft.
Keth Ratings (Load and Cable Safety). Ratings mark the tensile strength of bridges, lifts, and cables. Keth auditors test and issue public records. Ignoring their ratings leads to collapse under load.
Synthborn Audit Tags (Data and Escrow). Digital tags embedded in escrow modules and automated ledgers. A verified audit tag proves the module has not been tampered with. Removing tags invalidates insurance claims.
Universal Cargo Labels. Core ports require every container to display cargo type, hazard code, and destination. Rim ports often ignore this, which increases accidents.

Hazards occur on every run. Crews that survive know how to identify and respond quickly.

Lane Shear. Sudden energy turbulence in a jump lane. Can tear weak hull plates or disable sensors. Avoidable with current charts; deadly with outdated ones.
Pump Cavitation. Gas bubble collapse inside water or fuel pumps. Damages blades, causes vibration, and leads to full system failure. Common in rim depots using worn equipment.
Solvent Exposure. Cleaning agents and process chemicals can cause burns, lung damage, or death. Caraphex tolerate more exposure, but humans and Vellari must use respirators.
Battery Fires. Energy storage units can overheat and ignite. Fires spread fast in enclosed ships. Suppression foam is mandatory. Rim crews often reuse expired foam, which fails under stress.
Hull Micro-Fractures. Tiny cracks from stress or micrometeorite impact. Hard to detect until they widen under pressure. Keth surveyors often spot them first with sensor rigs.
Counterfeit Seals. Fake Vellari seals, Talarq labels, or Synthborn tags. Counterfeits hide dangerous defects and void insurance. Rim markets sell them widely.
Corrupt Officials. Port inspectors may demand bribes to ignore missing standards. Honest inspectors exist but often lack funding to enforce properly.
Unpaid Security. Escort crews or dock guards who are not paid on time often abandon contracts mid-run. This exposes ships to piracy or theft.

Hull Breach Response. Mask on, seal off bulkhead, patch with foam or plating. Survival depends on speed.
Fire Response. Isolate air flow, deploy foam, vent compartment if possible. Do not use water in reactor areas.
Water Contamination. Test all stores at docking. If contamination is found, crews must discard or risk illness.
Data Fraud. If escrow tags are compromised, transactions may be reversed. Keep multiple proofs.
Crew Injury. Basic trauma care must be available. Some species require specific treatments: mineral slurry for Talarq, saline baths for Vellari, charge resets for Synthborn.

Ship Health and Safety