the Zoners

[Derkylos]

Also, can someone with more knowledge than me let me know where Zoner NPCs are spotted? Would I be right in saying that next to zero convoys actually fly through House space?

Zoner NPCs are found in the systems with freeports, as well as (to a small extent) in the adjacent systems. Quite interestngly, if the system containing the freeport contains a trade lane, they will use that rather than resorting to the jumpholes.

EDIT: Ok, a small survey of NPC activity was conducted, the results of which show: Zoner trade convoys operate in house space bordering systems that contain freeports. Most of the runs are to/from their bases. However, they do origionate from house planets (encountered 2 trade convoys from planet Hamburg), but all end on a Zoner base.

Only one anomaly was detected: a convoy hauling consumer goods from Shikoku to Colorado (via Aimes). Unfortunately, solid data on these convoys' start/end points is hard to come by they will only reveal a base on their trade route if it is in the same system.

However, I think we can safely assume that the freeports in the border worlds depend on the houses for at least a portion of their basic needs.

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