The Courier
19 Apr 2022Iridium Nova
We've had a visitor today. They are one Du Dun, a 'net courier whose ship was disabled in orbit by a pirate interdiction. They crash landed nearby and some of the monks went to render aid. The courier is resting here now though it looks like his ship is totalled. While Galnet dispatches a replacement, he'll be living with us. For those of you who don't know, the 'net couriers, aka Galnet Courier Network, handle the day to day data couriering for Galnet. This is the kind of stuff Galnet handles internally via the GNCN, too low profile to warrant involving the Pilots Federation. This network is made up of thousands, possibly tens of thousands of pilots moving data all over populated space. It's because of these unsung heroes that networks like INARA can function and you can get the latest news from Galnet hot off the presses, so to speak. After all, without Quirium, the only way to send data from one system to another without a ship is to beam it directly through space, which subjects it to interference from cosmic particles and electromagnetic fields in the interstellar medium, and takes literally years. Because of the nature of their work, they are often underappreciated, rarely noticed, and always in demand. It's extremely unusual for pirates to bother them, or anyone for that matter. Without them, there'd be no interstellar communication, aside from that provided by Pilot's Federation members doing data courier missions, which I can guarantee you does not even come close to the sheer volume of data these guys shift on a daily basis. You may never encounter one, aside from seeing them briefly in frameshift. They tend to keep a low profile. It's a good job for a loner. You get to see the galaxy, have all your expenses covered, and don't really ever have to deal with people. You can make a lot of money (not commander levels of dosh, but good pay for a commoner), and the job's relatively easy. Thus, most of us commander types don't even know they exist. The only reason I know anything about them is because I tend to make data my livelihood. If you work with information on a regular basis, it's inevitable that you'll eventually encounter or hear about the 'net couriers, the shy lifeblood of galactic communication. I always try to help these guys out when I can, as dependent as I am on the service they provide for the galaxy. Of course, I still think Galnet is a tool of the superpowers and engages in historical revisionism, but that's not the fault of the couriers. I'm a firm believer in the idea that politics is generally the responsibility of those in charge, not their subordinates. And these guys are just doing their job, an important job at that.