Commodities, weapons and equipment can all be traded at either the Space Stations or City Star Ports located within a particular solar system. Whilst it is possible to take advantage of the price differential between Stock Exchanges located within the same system this is rarely particularly profitable and typically only the local government performs this duty as a means of oiling the wheels of commerce. For the freelance entrepreneur then inter stellar trade is the only viable means of turning a decent profit and if a large freighter is used then enormous sums of money and be made in a relatively short space of time.

All spacecraft are fitted with tractor beams which can be used to pick up ship wrecks and sell them for salvage at a nearby Space Station. The Figures illustrates a typical salvage operation being performed high above the atmosphere of a nearby planet. As can be seen in the left-hand image the ship approaches the wreck so that it has a trajectory slightly above it. Once over the target the tractor beam is activated using the ‘[’ key which if successful will cause a series of electromagnetic pulses to envelop the object.

Once the ship has been secured it can be flown to the nearest Space Station and deposited using the ‘]’ key. Provided that the released wreckage drifts within docking range it will be picked up and the Space Station will be obliged to pay a fair price for the spacecraft and its contents. An itemised ‘Salvage Statement’ will be issued when the transaction has been completed.

The following points with respect to the use of tractor beams should observed.

The destruction or apprehension of criminals is actively encouraged by the Inter Stellar Police force and generous rewards are available for any pilot willing to take on a law enforcement role. In addition to a standard bounty extra incentives are often posted by the police for the bringing into custody of the most violent individuals. The particularly successful pursuers of this career path tend bring their prey to justice alive rather than dead as the salvage rights of the criminal’s spacecraft often proves more lucrative than the bounty itself.

The Alien Fighter takes on a role that is very similar to that of the Bounty Hunter, except that it is typically far more dangerous. The fight against the Alien Menace is centred at the edge of charted space in the lawless systems around Algorab. In addition to a very hostile environment the typical Alien vessel is superior in both speed and firepower to the equivalent human one and hence only the most experienced individuals pursue this career. However generous bounties paid by the Royal Navy and the enhanced value of any salvaged spacecraft make Alien Fighting a quick, but often deadly route to vast amounts of wealth.

Whilst salvaging the wreckage of criminals or aliens can be very lucrative, their cargo holds are often empty. Hence the quickest method of attaining unimaginable wealth is to disable any trade ships that usually carry vast quantities of freight. The salvage rights on such vessels can be enormous, however the judiciary take a very dim view of such actions by imposing punitive fines and the Interstellar Police Force will pursue such individuals without mercy.

Breaking rocks in the asteroid belts of the many gas giants that occupy a typical Solar System can be a quick and easy way of generating cash for the owners of larger spacecraft. Although the equipment necessary to mine ore can be fitted to smaller ships, their limited cargo capacity can make this form of occupation a frustrating one due to the constant need to ferry ore back to the nearest stock market.  Although only a Debris Collector and a decent compliment of weapons is required to undertake this form of occupation an asteroid analyser is highly recommended as it will help locate the most valuable sources of minerals.