Smuggling
Some, more nefarious pilots, can choose a life of smuggling. Smuggling comes with high risk and equally high reward. Pilots who happen across the illegal substance, Mothite, will have the option to sell it to faction stores who are currently interested in the item. Since it's an illegal substance, the item can not always be sold. Pilots will only ever see the option to sell Mothite to a faction if they have the item in their cargo hold. Drones can not sell Mothite.
Traveling With Contraband
Transporting illegal items is risky. Security forces from every faction are actively scanning traveling ships for banned cargo.
Security Scan Mechanic
At intervals, a ship in space (but not in the Outlands) will be target for inspection by a faction security ship. The security ship will attempt to intercept (targeting) the pilot's ship. The pilot's ship will automatically attempt to evade (evasion) the security ship. The security ship's ability to intercept the pilot's ship will vary based on the player's pilot level.
Scan Chance Formula
Every five minutes there is a 20% chance a ship will be scanned.
Scan Formula
Security Ship's Targeting Roll = d20 + player's pilot level
Player's Evasion Roll = d20 + RANGE(1, total evasion score)
Cargo Scanning
If the security ship successfully intercepts your ship, it will attempt to scan your cargo bay for illegal wares. The security ship's sensor strength will roll against your ship's cargo shielding. However, if you have illegal wares in your cargo bay, your cargo shielding roll will receive a penalty for each item you're transporting.
Security Ship's Scan Roll = d20 + player's pilot level
Player's Shielding Roll = d20 + cargo shielding - penalty
Smuggling Consequences
If the security ship detects illegal wares on your ship, you will lose 1,000 reputation with the associated faction, and all of your cargo will be hurled into the vacuum of space.
Selling Contraband
Not every faction is looking to purchase illegal wares all the time. Additionally, you will only be able to sell an item to a location if you have the illegal item in your cargo hold. If the item is not stored, and the location is accepting that item, you won't know it.
Obtaining Contraband
The only currently known contraband item is Mothite. For safety reasons, all discovered caches of Mothite are expelled into space. It is also rumored that pirates have been known to transport it as well. Additionally, some pirates have been known to deposit Mothite on unsuspecting ships rather than being caught with it.