Before Conn a lot of training was done in the Home or Guard systems, made the players be more inrp because you might always have a visitor, or also is fun when you have to go against a wing with depleted gear. Switches were done mostly faction member to faction member with the help of Treasury ship (always sitting docked or near the mooring point) or for deals you had to mount, go on the long trek and do the deal. It was more fun, yet more salt, but overall forced the players to do something around their respective areas and actually looking each other for a spar or anything. So yeah, in a way, disco can survive without Conn, might even flourish.