Highwaymen

Out in the furthest reaches of the Solar System, lonely stations float beside massive lasers, slowly humming their way towards the stars. Great spaceships churn their way through the space dust slowly riding the ladder of lasers outwards towards the stars. Ten minutes apart by lightspeed, the workers of these lonely stations are integral to maintaining the foundations of society, but they live in the distant voids where there are few traces of human civilization can be found.

With an average of one Au of space in between each, the R.U.N.G.S and their crew are isolated from each other for years at a time. The average spaceliner moves past over 43 R.U.N.G.S in a day, and their pilots engage with the station's caretakers very little. Highwaymen have a poor reputation, as the group of people willing  to accept such duties are, by definition, quite bizarre. Commonly crewed by drifters, smugglers, or banished scientists, the R.U.N.G.S are often seen as an acceptable alternative to prisons.

Most R.U.N.G.S have less than fifty crewmembers, and nearly a dozen Drifters. There have also been some famous locations that operate small Hotels, Restaurants, Commerce Hubs, or less savory ventures. Many illicit people or projects can be found out in the outskirts of humanity, waiting in the shadows.

Career

Qualifications

Most importantly, a Highwaymen must be able to withstand many years worth of relative solitude, and continue to work in the highest capacity. Their educational requirements include Nuclear physics, Fusion mechanics, and Laser mechanics, all at the PhD level. Every R.U.N.G.S Station must also have a commander with a Doctorate in Space Law, and a fully vetted medical professional.

Payment & Reimbursement

Most Highwaymen are paid slightly below standard wages, and provided with free life support and entertainment to compensate for their complete isolation. They also obtain extra income from side ventures such as smuggling, prospecting or emergency delivery to passing spaceliners.

Perception

Social Status

Highwaymen are seen as little better than their ancient counterparts, often disrespected and occasionally used as a slur. Most Highwaymen are from the lower echelon of society, formed from the castaways and exiles of the inner system.

Operations

Dangers & Hazards

A traditional legend tells of a R.U.N.G.S that lost its commander and nuclear physicist, and lost control of its main laser emplacement before replacements could arrive. The laser supposedly bounced off a comet several million kilometers away, and pushed the station off its pathway while melting the comet and destroying incoming ships. The station was forever lost, but the asteroid it was anchored to kept it and its crew alive for hundreds more years. This story doesn't have a common ending, but none of them are pretty.

Alternative Names

Specialized R.U.N.G. Operator

Type

Transportation

Used By

• Interplanetary Governance Council