>
> Subject: Passages
>
> The idea of high, middle and low passages has bothered me for a while. If the
> passages are not based upon the distance travelled, but instead a single jump,
> rhe question is where do you get these tickets? The Traveller's Aid Society
> gives them out as dividends to their members and it is doubtful whether every
> tramp steamer spaceship sells them. I thought that they might be sold by
> finachial institutions and the T.A.S. in the same manner in which banks sell
> Traveller's checks. This would explain the lesser amount you get on a discount
> and the reason why passages are accepted everywhere throughout space; they
> are backed by the various banks throughout space.
>
> Fred Schiff - You can kill and maim with your Zen gun.
Passage tickets probably work similar to airline tickets
today. Most carriers will honor the tickets of another carrier
(with the possible exception of Eastern Airlines) as a
courtesy, and as a way to increase their own business. It is
assumed that the line which honors the ticket bills the
issuer.
This offers the possibility a couple of interesting angles to
the game. What if a major line goes T.U. after a tramp has
accepted several passage tickets? There may also be the
possibility of major lines leveraging the small business owner
into purchasing a special franchise or going out of business
all together.
A smart tramp operator may work in a high competition area with
many major competing lines that cannot allow a bad reputation.
Other possibilities are special contracts with certain lines,
or accepting cash only. I suppose you have to be on the
look-out for Fly-By-Night Starlines tickets, too.
-------------
I always assumed that the Traveller's Aid Society was kind of
like Social Security or the Veterans Administration. Probably
closer to AARP - as a private organization. One thing you have
to remember is that it is HUGE. Suppose 1 person out of 10,000
in the Imperium pays (or has paid for them) the 1Mcr admission
fee. Assume resonable investment, assume also hotel, bar, and
other revenues. The society is probably LARGER than most
(ALL?) Mega-corporations. They maintain important economic and
political contacts, possibly have their own fleet for internal
travel and communication services, and DEFINITELY print their
own scrip which is legal in most of the Imperial worlds.
In the Shattered Imperium of Mega-Traveller, a good TAS
director (likewise good Mega-corporation directors) will
instruct the people to remain neutral. This allows the
opportunity for increasing power.
["Mr. Director, the Emporer is here, will you see him?"
"Let him wait another day."]