This is the first of four terrific articles on Piracy.  My thanks to Erick for granting permission for me to host it on my web site. - Kevin Clark - Mar. 7th, 1997.

The Sweet Trade in Space: Piracy

Table of Contents:

• Introduction
• Pirate Syndicates
• Areas of Operation
• Catch and Carry
• Spikers
• Three-Armed Trade
• Dock Rocks
• Hunting Grounds
• Piracy in the Main Arms
• American Arm
• French Arm
• Chinese Arm

INTRODUCTION

In any time period when unbridled economic and colonial expansion outruns governmental authority to oversee or protect it, some individuals will find it easier to take advantage of others' honest labor with some dishonest labor of their own.

And so, just as the people of the late-15th and early-16th centuries on Earth found themselves learning the meaning of the words "buccaneer" and "freebooter," and what was meant by the "sweet trade," the far flung colonies of the nations of Earth are relearning the effect of piracy on commerce in the early part of the 24th century.

PIRATE SYNDICATES

Just as pirates of centuries back found it convenient to band together to increase their profits at selling time by allowing for greater amounts of cargo to be taken, so too do the space hijackers of modern days come together for mutual support. This has lead to the development of well managed organizations known as pirate syndicates, which account for the majority of space hijacking today.

Similar to the organized crime families of the 20th century, pirate syndicates are close-knit organizations designed for the purpose of supporting a small fleet of vessels in their operations against free commerce. The "family" aspect becomes even more noticeable when one realizes that most members of pirate syndicates, especially those more closely involved with the actual hijacking of the vessels, are brought in by word of mouth by someone in the organization. The term "sweet offer" refers to the initial approach made by a syndicate member to a prospective pirate.

A pirate syndicate is formed when a person or group of persons comes up with the initial investment money to start the organization. This money is used to modify available ships, acquire stores and supplies, and bribe the necessary government officials. Such individuals normally come from two different sources. One source of sponsorship is a criminal organization wishing to expand its base of operations. A notable example is that of AmeriCo, the American-based, one-time cosmetic company, which now serves as a front for a wide range of smuggling operations in the American Arm of explored space. It is now widely held among law enforcement and naval officials that AmeriCo sponsors one of the largest pirate syndicates operating in the Chinese Arm. It is believed that AmeriCo uses its pirate syndicate to help find markets for its smuggling operations, and to take advantage of the lucrative potential of the "three-armed trade" upon which most pirate operations are based (this will be discussed later).

The other group from which sponsors can be found are, ironically, the business communities and local governments of the colonies. This is especially true of those colonies which operate under some type of space trade act which limits their trade with goods manufactured by the owning country or carried on ships owned and licensed by the owning country.

Under such restrictions certain items, such as luxury goods and high-tech components not manufactured by the country on Earth which controls the colony, can become exorbitantly expensive. Traders and colonial officials circumvent this problem by sponsoring small pirate syndicates to basically steal what they cannot afford to buy. In such a fashion a government-controlled black market for these goods can be created. These syndicates also allow local governors to make limited war on the shipping of rival countries. Note the difference between piracy, the unrestricted attack of space-going vessels of any nationality, and privateering, which is the operation against the shipping of a specific country or countries during a time of war, sanctioned by a Letter of Marque.

When one's vessel is being boarded and one's cargo is being stolen, the difference is often one of semantics. At one time the government of Indonesia adopted a policy of supporting such syndicates as a means to limit the expansion of rival nations and make a place for itself in space.

It learned to regret this policy when the major space-going nations banded together in an unwritten agreement to limit the Indonesian presence in space. Now the legacy of this ill-conceived course of action is the fact that even today most captured pirate vessels are of Indonesian registry; and despite having a supply of tantalum and a small space-going fleet, Indonesia has yet to establish a successful colony in space.

Once the syndicate is established, its first move is to create some sort of front company or organization to display to the public. If the sponsors are linked to a colonial government, they usually operate as a freight company with a license to carry government stores. Independent sponsors will set up a trading house, or merchant banking arrangement, usually located in the business section of the main spaceport facility. This allows them easy access to their vessels, while keeping a lookout for potential targets, and monitoring the presence of revenue cutters or pirate suppression forces from the local navy.

AREAS OF OPERATION

Once established, the business of the syndicate can be broken down into three areas of operation - the acquisition of goods, their transfer and sale, and the support of the ships in the field.

Catch and Carry

The means most favored by syndicates today is the use of two vessels assigned to support one another. Called "catch and carry" teams, the vessels are assigned specific roles in the process of running down a target and getting its cargo to a friendly port.

The "catch" vessel is a small, well armed vessel, usually a modified courier capable of atmospheric landing. These vessels display the characteristics of maneuverability, speed, and low detection profile. With the addition of a high-intensity laser, they are usually more than capable of handling the average unarmed freighter. Contrary to modern military doctrine, most catch vessels do not opt for a missile system as their primary weapon: The objective of the catch vessel is not to destroy the target vessel, but to capture it and its cargo intact. The more damage done to a cargo ship, the greater the chance of the cargo being damaged or destroyed, and the less profit that will be made. Pirate captains will try to target the cargo ship's power plant or stutterwarp unit. Missile systems are too powerful and are launched from too great a distance to allow for such precise firing. Some catch vessel captains do, however, equip themselves with two or three detonation laser missiles to help them escape in the event of pursuit by the authorities. Even then it is usually seen as a last act of defiance, as most naval vessels assigned to piracy suppression patrol are far better equipped, and their crews far better trained, for the pirate vessel to have much of a chance of victory in an even fight. Catch ships will have enlarged remote pilot stations to handle the control of additional sensor drones. These are used to help the catch ship spot potential targets and monitor the activity of local naval patrols.

The "carry" vessel is a standard light freighter. The Maiduguiri-class freighter is one favorite among the pirate syndicates. Its quickness allows it to close with a subdued vessel, remove the cargo, and leave the system in a relatively short amount of time. In addition, its ability to support up to 51 persons allows for extra personnel needed to board and control the target vessel. Carry ships are usually provided with a larger power plant and/or stutterwarp unit. Other common modifications are extra masking to the hull to lower its signature, the addition of hydrogen cracking gear and extra fuel storage space, and the carrying of spare parts and portable repair frames to act as a make-shift tender to the catch vessel. The last is an important aspect of the carry vessel's job, as the catch vessel is usually limited in the number of port facilities it can visit safely. Carry vessels will have a semiregular trade route to run and will often carry legitimate cargo. Their primary function is to be able to move in when the catch vessel has acquired a target, remove the captured cargo, and quickly return to assigned space lanes before any aid can come to the pirated ship.

Dividing the work load between two such vessels has several advantages. The catch vessel doesn't have to allow for excess room for stolen goods. Nor does it need to worry about the loss in drive efficiency when such goods have been taken, and the need for a fast getaway is paramount. The carry vessel, with its larger storage space, can carry a much greater portion of a captured vessel's cargo, thereby increasing the profit margin on an expedition. If operated with care, the carry vessel can also spy out potential targets while in port.

Spikers

Another means by which syndicates will bring a target vessel under control is by putting their own personnel on-board before the ship leaves port. Called "spikers," after the much-used tactic of "spiking" the target vessel's life support system to render all on-board unconscious, these individuals will infiltrate the target vessel and attempt to disable the ship and/or crew in order to make the intercept much easier.

They are the most specialized members of a pirate syndicate, having few space crew skills beyond some basic training in ship drive and power plant engineering, while specializing in various forms of armed and unarmed combat, forgery, and infiltration. Arrest reports indicate that there is a growing trend among spikers to have their nervous systems "hardened" by implanting computer interface ports in their system and micro processors in their cerebral cortex. These chips will have a variety of programs used to override security programs guarding access to more sensitive parts of the ship and to prevent drive monitoring computers from detecting unauthorized access. Areas of their bodies have also been modified to carry some of the tools and devices needed for their job.

The purpose of all this is to combat the growing trend among ship operators to have any material which could be used in such a fashion held in storage for the duration of the flight.

How spikers get on-board the target vessel usually depends on the situation at hand. Posing as a passenger is a standard approach. Hiring on as a ship hand is another option, although new crewmembers are normally kept under close scrutiny. However, if a ship finds itself short due to the sudden disappearance or injury of a shipmate, an event all too easily arranged from the syndicate's point of view, it is possible for a spiker to get close to sensitive areas of the ship. Stowing away in a prepared cargo canister, even attaching themselves to the outside of the hull, are also means spikers have used at one time or another.

Three-Armed Trade

Popular holo-vid representations aside, the common pirate is not terribly interested in the deeds of derring-do or the thrill of tweaking the nose of the local colonial governor. He is interested in profit; and that involves getting the stolen goods to a market where he can sell them with little or no questions asked.

The most pressing obstacle the pirate syndicate faces in addressing this problem is one of time. The first response of local authority, once a freighter has reported a hijacking, is to send copies of the cargo canister shipping labels to neighboring systems via fast stutterwarp drone. These labels, which identify the contents, purchasing agent, destination, and insurance carrier of a presealed cargo canister, make it easy to trace stolen goods. They are very difficult to either forge or remove. To avoid the problem of these control ships, the syndicate will often be forced to go outside the local stellar neighborhood to sell its goods. This, however, brings up the problem of the basic instability of pirate syndicates. Unlike legitimate trading concerns, syndicates cannot afford any delay in receiving compensation for their work; more importantly, the longer the stolen cargo is kept on hand, the greater the likelihood of the law catching up.

In response to these problems, most syndicates have used the solution that has come to be known as three-armed trade. A prearranged network is set up with another syndicate or agents of one's own organization, with buyers in another arm of explored space. The carry vessel, with its hold with stolen goods, will rendezvous with another vessel in a relatively untraveled portion of space. They will then transfer the stolen goods for some predetermined form of payment. Most often this comes in the form of computerized money chips, guaranteed at an established banking location, or some other form of goods. The "legitimate" carrier will then return to its portion of space, transferring the stolen goods into "updated" canisters. The carry vessel will then proceed to port and deposit the money chips, or dispense with whatever it gained in the transfer. The pickup vessel will then continue on its regular cargo run, or act as a carry vessel for one of its syndicate's catch ships, or go make another pickup in some other system.

In such a fashion a considerable profit can be made. For example, a pirate syndicate in the Chinese Arm will transfer its goods via pickup ships to ports in the French or American Arm. The profits can be used to manufacture and/or purchase drugs, weapons, illegal bio-mods, or whatever the syndicate finds itself dealing in, which can then be smuggled and sold to the proper buyers. Money made here is used to purchase legitimate, high-tech items much in demand on frontier colony worlds. Once the freighters have emptied their holds of their legitimate goods, they then proceed to rendezvous with carry vessels for another hold of hijacked cargo, and the whole process begins anew.

Dock Rocks

The most pressing problem facing pirate syndicates is that of supporting their vessels in space. This problem is especially difficult for the catch vessel. A carry vessel, when it needs servicing, and if it has kept a suitably low profile, can usually enter the dock facilities of any orbital station. It is much harder to explain a fast, highly armed, and often unregistered vessel requiring service. If a pirate syndicate is being sponsored by one of the colonial governments, then arrangements can be made at naval facilities; however, even this creates problems as colonial governors must at least pay lip service to the idea of fighting piracy.

Pirate syndicates alleviate this problem through the use of "dock rocks." Essentially, these are repair and sensor units placed on small asteroids orbiting either in the target system or in a system on a minor travel route. The biggest advantage of using dock rocks is their low profile. Placed on floating bits of debris common to most star systems, they are very difficult to spot by law enforcement authorities. Barely big enough to be placed on navigation charts and without sufficient mass for stutterwarp discharge, these asteroids are large enough to provide adequate sensor cover for a vessel lying doggo.

Dock rocks come in a variety of configurations, depending on the primary use they serve for the syndicate pirate teams. The most common is the emplacement of an automated passive sensor cluster. Left for long periods of time, they basically fill the role of slow-moving sensor drones, collecting information on the patterns of in-system traffic to help the pirate team assess the possibility of target acquisition and of determining the search pattern of local picket ships.

Another common use of dock rocks is to provide long-term fuel cracking stations. This becomes necessary if the catch vessel doesn't have any inherent refueling capabilities. Placed on floating chunks of ice, the stations slowly reduce the hydrogen and water into useable fuel for MHD turbines. Before leaving the system the catch vessel will place the mechanism on another chunk of ice.

Other configurations include hidden caches of spare parts and ordnance, repair equipment and supplies; even survival canisters have been discovered. These allow the crew to stretch out, and they lessen the strain on the vessel's life support system. Though cramped and uncomfortable, they do allow for a small change of scenery. More importantly to the syndicate, they allow the catch vessel to lie in wait for a greatly extended period of time, thereby increasing the opportunity for lucrative targets. One rather impressive example was captured by the Manchurian Space Navy last year. Discovered in the Qinguyuan system, it was found to have two portable repair frames, living quarters for 20 crewmembers, passive sensor array, a cargo area partially dug into the surface of the asteroid, used for the storage of spare parts, and empty space for the holding of captured cargo. Though not confirmed by Manchurian officials, there was at least one report that the syndicate which controlled the dock rock had begun construction of a point defense laser system!

Hunting Grounds

Pirates do not operate everywhere in known space with equal impunity. Basically, piracy occurs where there is a high ratio of available cargo to the number of naval vessels running piracy suppression operations. The Core worlds, with their teeming populations and abundant supply of both goods and capital, have countless tons of free shipping. They are also the home ports of all manner of fighting starships of the space-faring nations. Such a presence can make any passing thought on following the sweet trade a truly passing one.

Newly explored systems usually have a very low military presence but also a high number of places where pirate captains can tuck themselves into hiding. However, they have no commerce to speak of, and newly settled worlds tend to export high-bulk, low-cost goods such as agricultural products and unprocessed ore. With the obvious exception of tantalum, such cargos are not worth the effort required to grab them.

Pirate catch and carry teams usually operate in systems which have made a number of capital improvements and which have a high influx on new colonists. This is indicative of a settlement which is hungry for high-tech, low-bulk, high-cost items which pirates love to capture. And while there is some form of space guard or commerce protection, it is of a much lower density when compared to the volume of space needed to be patrolled.

The relative newness of the system can also mean that a number of safe places can be staked out and used on a continuing basis. Having a high mixture of national and cultural groups in a sector of space also works to the advantage of pirate syndicates-it allows for the exploitation of nationalistic tensions that develop. It is a well known fact that during the War of German Reunification a number of Bavarian colonial officials with unification sympathies looked the other way when known pirates came snooping into their systems, as long as it was understood that they restricted their activities to French commerce.

PIRACY IN THE MAIN ARMS

With these influences in mind, what follows is a general overview of piracy in the three major sectors of human explored space.

American Arm

With the limited access of the space lanes, the basically closed nature of the arm Itself, and the relatively homogenous population, piracy on the American Arm of space is a relatively minor problem. Added to this is the almost wolfish attitude the American Space Fleet and the Royal Australian Space Navy take toward space hijackers. Both governments allow their space fleets to operate under what is called a "freedom to fire" policy.

Any naval commander who believes he has discovered evidence that a vessel is participating and/or assisting a piratical action has complete permission to use whatever means are at his disposal to prevent and/or limit the extent of such action, and bring the perpetrators under control. A number of rather spectacular incidents have already taken place as a result of this policy.

What is a concern is the fact that a growing portion of the smuggling activity that takes place in the American Arm can be traced to the larger pirate syndicates. This is especially true in the area of narcotics, which are manufactured and purchased using money gained from selling cargo stolen from hijacked freighters. With the revelation of the smuggling/pirate connection, both governments have a much stronger resolve to stop all forms of piracy, wherever they may occur. They have even taken the controversial step of sending special flotillas into the other two arms, hunting down those syndicates with known smuggling connections in Australian-American space.

French Arm

With unbridled colonial expansion, coupled with tensions that were fostered in turn by the War of German Reunification, the Central Asian War, and the Joian Rebellion, piracy was a booming business by the end of the century. The advent of the Kafer excursions, along with the increased cooperation and military presence it has brought, has almost completely wiped out the sweet trade in the French Arm. In addition, the Imperial French Navy has announced that any pirate ship which accepts a Letter of Marque to hunt Kafer vessels will receive a full pardon for all previous activity and protection from future prosecution. Although protested by some national governments, especially the Americans and Australians, these raiders have proven so effective, not only in their attacks on Kafer shipping, but in finding ways to circumvent Kafer interdictions of stranded colonies, that the detractors of this policy have been silenced.

Chinese Arm

The Chinese Arm, with various competing national interests and growing economic expansion, and without the burden of the Kafer War, has become the happy hunting grounds for the modern, space-going freebooter. What is especially disturbing is that apparently not all the hijackings have been purely for economic gain. A number of them, small but growing, have been for the sole purpose of taking the people onboard. The most famous incident occurred when a vessel containing members of the Manchurian Olympic Team was seized while on its way to participate in the Paris Games. The damaged flight recorder indicated that the hijackers rounded up the crew and other passengers into space. The cargo, which was found on the ruined vessel, was intact.

There has been some speculation, all of it so far remaining without evidence, linking this growing trend with the recent upswing in terrorist activity along the arm.

A growing influx of pirate ships from the French Arm has changed the nature of pirate activity in another way. Unable to continue operations due to the Kafer War and unwilling to accept a French pardon, these displaced hijackers have come into conflict with already established syndicates. A series of "pirate wars" has broken out as the established syndicates defend what they consider to be their private hunting grounds, along with their attendant safe places, dock rocks, and buying contacts.

- Erick Melton