The Trader

I see them as legalized pirates - not messing with them are the best. They don't have to raid or whatever. They just want you to give them some cashes for things you unwanted.

— Rubin Bones

Ever since humanity wanted to meet somebody, they came up with ways of transporting themselves to meet each other. When they arrived they also came up with ways of transporting their goodwill to somebody, and that's called the trading. Being traders are risky yet rewarding, it becomes one of the most popular jobs the universe can provide.

Here, the term trader refers to those in space, meaning that you need at least one spaceship with a secured storage and a functional jumper to be categorized. Typically, the traders buy goods from one star system, jumping across the void, to sell in other star systems, no matter the distance.

The method they trade are vary, depending on which economic system the desination preferred. Some planets only trade through bartering. Some rich planets have valuable resources as main currency like metals. For the confederation, they even invent their own currency from thin air called Confederate Digital Currency. Although it can only be sent and received within the range of DSC, their market is considered the largest.

For those who trade within only single planet just like the ancestors did, for whatever reasons, they're categorized as a Traditional Trader. Despite the little power they had in the universe, it was really a starter for many legendary traders like Malcolm Mortis, who once raised in a caravan on his home planet Tungstumon before pursuring himself to become one of the best traders in history.

Career

Qualifications

There is no boundry between whoever should become trader. Anyone can be the traders if they wish - just need some sort of interplanetary transporter. The only difference is the wealth they initially invested.

Payment & Reimbursement

It depends on how they organized themselves, and the resources that considered important within their own societies. They usually get physical rewards or pays with preferred currencies after the successful trade. The CDC is the most widely used, but it can only be used within the confederation.

It's also depends on type of trade, such as the income from sold products, or by completing contracts of transporting missions.

Operations

Workplace

Trader ships usually have weapons for defensive and very durable shields, such as Powered Shield, cheap yet so effective. Typically, they have no permanant bases. The closest thing they did are founding shops to attract buyers, or even turn the ship into a movable one, stationing on one location at a certain duration.

Speaking of locations, some traders choose to gather around popular colonies as a cash-grab - very competitive. Some wander around the known galaxy searching for those in need - very time-consuming. Some traders even work with pirates for illegal stuffs - incredibly profitable.

Provided Services

Depending on merchants. There are many new merchants every days and so their weaths from start to the lifetime. Some of them comes with large fleets, and some are an ameture corvette.

However, these are the most common physical items that can be found on any ships:

CDC, encrypted in electronic chips.

Water

Type

Financial / Trade

Legality

Pirates, despite having thier own communities, may defect to become the trader - but they might not be seen that much positive attitude. In fact, trader have a thin boundry whatever their goods, or the way they traded, are illegal or not. The term middleman still apply to both.

Pirate can be considered trader for sure - just a bit more hostile.

Famous in the Field

• Malcolm Mortis
• Wolly Nudant

Ranks & Titles

• The Merchant Prince

The Biggest of Its Kind

One of the biggest independent trader community is the Farland Company. Setting between CSE and rim-worlds with a movable headquarter Optus Surcus, anyone can come, rest, and trade here even though they require the company's approvement, and thus holding much the galactic power without forming a nation. Some news sources considered it as the shadow government.