How To Get A Ship
How To Get A Ship
Starships aren't cheap. There's the basic cost of the ship itself, and then bank loans, maintenance, and repairs—it looks so romantic in the holovids; it's murder in the space lanes. Some templates begin the game with a freighter, but odds are the character also inherits a mountain of debt.
New ships tend to be beyond the reach of the average person, and even used ships are expensive. Probably the best ship most characters are going to be able to afford is an aging freighter that has more than a few quirks hidden beneath its battered hull plating. (Ship owners can upgrade their vessels over time—see the "Using Repair Skills" and "Improving Vehicles, Vessels and Weapons" sections of Chapter Three, "Attributes and Skills.")
Military-quality vessels—such as starfighters and capital combat ships—are expensive in the best of times, and governmental regulations are supposed to make sure they don't fall into "Rebel hands." Normally, only planetary governments and the largest corporations have the opportunity to legally acquire such vessels. (Those with the money and the connections can purchase such ships through the black market.)
Characters working for the Rebel Alliance/New Republic, large companies, or wealthy individuals may borrow cargo haulers and freighters to complete their missions.
Characters may also be able to lease a ship from a sponsor. Often, they'll be under exclusive contract and have to take cargoes at the sponsor's convenience. They'll have to make regular payments and probably cover all expenses and repairs out of their own pockets… but at least it's a way to get a ship, especially for those who can't get loans from financial institutions.
Of course, there's always the "easy" way to get a ship: borrow money from a crime lord. With the Empire's repressive policies, even the most honest spacers are sometimes forced to turn to the underworld for a few credits. Most crime lords are more than happy to help a freighter captain through a tough time in exchange for a few "favors" and a hefty profit. This route is only for the most desperate individuals, but for some it's the only way to get a ship.
Booking Passage
Characters who need to find a way from one system to another—but who don't own a ship—still have a few options.
Passenger Liners and Transports
The most common choice is to book passage on a passenger liner or transport. Liners travel regular routes between worlds, and most major systems are serviced by one or more such ships.
Accommodations range from spartan (a seat and perhaps a meal for short journeys) to staterooms with luxury amenities. Naturally, costs match the style of travel: from a few hundred credits for a short trip on a cheap transport, to many thousands of credits for luxury cruises.
For these trips, the characters simply purchase their tickets and let the crew do its job. Of course, things can get more complicated. Pirate attacks are a continuing problem, and overzealous customs officers have an annoying tendency to search liners, looking for undercover Rebel operatives, contraband cargo, or Clone Trooper deserters.
Independent Freighters
Characters can save a few credits by booking passage on an independent freighter that already has cargo destined for the world they want to visit. Many freighters have a spare bunk or two—but not many other amenities—for just such an occasion.
Charter
Characters can also charter a ship, hiring an independent freighter captain to take them to a planet. While more expensive than commercial liners—some chartered ships charge 10,000 credits or more—they generally offer more privacy, and the characters can often pick the departure and arrival timetable.
There are many reasons to charter a ship: perhaps it's the only way to avoid customs searches, maybe the characters have a sensitive cargo they want to keep hidden from prying eyes… and some worlds are so remote that the only way to get there is to charter a ship.
Source: REUP:120