Traveller - The Salesman

Here is an idea for Classic Traveller settings.

This started with a reply to a previous posting of mine.  With a small Class C starport, I don't see a lot of automated repair equipment.  Especially for the smaller and poorer ports.

I was imagining the "Repair Facilities" being merely a tool rack that the starship crew could make use of.  if Necessary, "Bubba", the starport's mechanic would assist, for a small fee (or favor...).

This is not about that favor...

How does Bubba get his tools?  He's on a small jerkwater system well off the X-Boat route.  Does he wait for the Snap-on-parts van?

I am imagining a small parts company based on Regina.  They have a deal with Oberlindes, or Al Mora to ship parts to depots in each subsector of the marches.  Each Depot has a stable of franchisees with ships.

The Snap-On-Parts ship is in corporate livery, and has a dedicated cargo space (5 or 10 tons) for parts inventory.  There's also a custom large G-Carrier (In corporate livery also).

You pay the company for your franchise, you buy the stock, and are assigned a route.  At each starport you offload the G-Carrier, and travel your route on that planet.  After a week or so, load back up and head to your next location.

I'll handwave the economics of this, because Lazy tonight.  Maybe a later post for that.  Tonight, let's talk adventure seeds.

Our party is the crew of the Snap-On-Parts ship.  Owner aboard/captain, gunner, steward/supercargo, engineer.

Each week they land on a new planet, and must go forth to talk to locals.  If they want, they can try to find some speculative cargo (you left 10 more tons of cargo space, right?) to sell at the next stop.  perhaps a passenger or two can be found.

What if that next contact wanting tools is a pirate, wanting to hijack your ship?

What if that next contact wanting tools is running a top secret naval installation?

What if you land in the middle of a gang war between rival mechanic shops?

What if you land on a planet in the throws of a neo-luddite revolution?

What if you have rivals from EvilPartsCo?

What if you have an unscrupulous rival from Snap-On?

Referees can see the hooks from high orbit, I'm sure.