Today's lesson in economics is brought to you by Dirty Mike and the Rolion Boys.
In the textbook version of Imperial textiles and the seamstresses of Vjun, the Empire provides connectivity of markets, the seamstresses are able to increase supply, and the Emperor gets a cut of each step along the way. But you might ask - "Where does the Droid Gentleman (RNA D-T), former Imperial Ace (Egon Reyam), a distinguished Weequay gentleman, a Ishi Tib brute, their fully follicled captain, or the Keredian (Dirty Mike himself) fit into this economy?"
All production will have unforeseen externalities and inefficiencies. In the case of a farmer, plowing that extra field may seem like an obvious conquest, but maybe he doesn't realize the small predators living in that field were keeping the local rodent population at bay. The crumbs from a farmer's table may not mean much to the family, but a very local mouse may grow his family on it.
When an economic system does not account for every externality (and how could any designed by man omnipotently know all the outcomes?), corrections, sometimes harsh, must be made. The Empire pushed production too far on Vjun and disrupted the delicate balance between the seamstresses, their local protection, and the vibrance of the local economy. As an unstable entity, the Empire's inevitable fall led to a correction.
The inefficiencies created by the Empire's forced increase in production meant crumbs accumulating on Vjun. Enter Dirty Mike and the Rolion Boys. Instead of being wasted, or even in the way of future production, the unused products could be gathered and put to more efficient use through other buyers. The Boys are extremely adept at the valuation of materials and know their buyers needs well enough to pick out the best of what Vjun now has to offer.
The shaping of the build is very nice, and the technic panels are used very ingeniously. Even if I were a hardened pirate, I don't know if I'd be able to keep my composure while spiders run amok all over me! Props to Dirty Mike and the Rolion Boys!
30xp