GRINNER'S OUTER RIM OPPORTUNITIES
The Outer Rim is a smuggler's paradise. The sheer number and variety of worlds and species means that
somebody somewhere needs something all the time. There is always somewhere you can acquire manufac-
tured goods, and always a place in desperate need of them. To top it off, government and officials are often
ineffective, corrupt, or just plain lazy. A lot of places barely even have a government to deal with.
Of course, that means you'll have to rely on yourself and your friends a lot more. You have to be able to
repair your ship, fend off pirates, and talk your way out of tight |ams with criminals, constables, paramilitary
defenders or whatever law might be around. You have to make do with what you have, and know how to
scrape together enough credits to get you to the next starport.
You just won't believe the number of species you'll see out in the Outer Rim. I'll bet that at any given star-
port, you'll only be able to name a quarter of the aliens you see. You'll have to raise your diplomacy and
bargaining skills several notches, just to be able to deal with the unusual clientele you'll run across. You're
bound to make cultural mistakes along the way. You'll accidentally insult somebody, or inadvertently cross
someone else. It just happens. You'll have to learn how to talk your way out of it, and when to give up and run.
Now, don't think that just because you're in the Outer Rim, that the Empire doesn't exist. It might seem
that way sometimes, and it may as well be true in some systems. However, every major system has some
kind of Imperial presence, and there are worlds more dedicated to the New Order than you'll find closer to
Coruscant. Sorry, Imperial Center. Old habits die hard.
Another tip. You never know when an Imperial ship will show up and ruin your day. You're just as likely to run
across a Star Destroyer as a customs vessel out here. Don't be stupid. Most of the time you are not going
to outrun or outgun them. If you're lucky, you might outsmart them occasionally. Just remember though, you
might get away once, but if they get you on file, your chances plummet the next time around. You're going
to be boarded in-flight or on the ground, so you better learn how to deal with it. Better to play the part of a
good citizen than end up in detention with your ship impounded.
Remember, also, the Imperials take their anti-piracy operations very seriously. In fact, pirates are the only
thing that gets their attention even more than the Rebels. Don't give them any reason to believe you're
either one. I like having you as a client. I need to get these jobs out to someone. Okay, enough rambling
advice, let's see if any of these interest you.
The Hutts? Jumping right to the top, huh? Let's talk about Hutt Space in a few minutes. Outside of there,
you could always try to get work out of the infamous Jabba the Hutt on Tatooine. He doesn't like failure,
and tends to send trigger-happy bounty hunters after those who disappoint him. You're welcome to try, of
course, but I would wait until you have a bit more experience and a lot more of a reputation first.
Tatooine isn't a bad choice though; there is always some scum up to something out there. If nothing else,
it's a good starting point to something bigger and always somewhere better. It might not have the greatest
paying gigs or the best clients, but it is busy.Now, Rodia is a decent place to get some experience. The Rodian clans are always looking to gain an ad-
vantage over their enemies and neighbors. The lesser clans smuggle goods into their lands, usually to keep
from tipping off the powerhouses that they're up to something. They're used to this sort of operation, so
it's usually very organized. Good secret landing zones, speedy offloading, and even relatively good pay. Of
course, once you throw in with one clan, it's awfully hard to work for any of their enemies without suddenly
making a lot of Rodians mad at you on all sides. Think of them as good training for dealing with Hutts,
except they're likely to hunt you down themselves if things go wrong.- <