The Corsair and Order alliance is basically the major reason I won't be creating an Order character. It simply has too many gaping holes in its logic. Gronath's analysis is dead on.
When my BH runs into an Order vessel, the rp-banter often includes a critique of faction ideology. The Order pilot has, on occasion, accused the BH faction of prioritizing profits over the security of the human race. Ok, he has a point. The BH doesn't hide this fact - they actively seek to acquire Nomad technology, while selling information and materials to the highest (lawful) bidder.
But. When I point out that the Order has essentially sold itself out to vicious, Nomad artifact-smuggling pirates (normally the Order opposes pirates, piracy and criminal activities), the Order guy often gets flustered and starts calling me a money-grubbing poopyhead. All in rp, of course.
Jinx's response on the matter of the artifact trade is well thought out, but a bit belabored. If I were in the Order, I would be constantly worried about that handful of potentially dangerous artifacts entering the black market. Yes, most of the artifacts are inert junk, but you only need 1 or 2 functional artifacts to unleash chaos upon an unsuspecting populace. Caution dictates, that all artifacts must be considered to be potentially hazardous and subject to intense scrutiny. And I seriously doubt that the Corsairs would care much for some "big brother" paying too much scrutiny to a trade that has literally lifted the Corsair people from abject poverty. How far would I trust the Corsairs and their abilities to keep an eye on the few dangerous artifacts?
If anything, the Order should be at war with the Corsairs. To me it would make more sense to leave the Nomad-fighting strictly to the Order and the BH could concentrate on, well, hunting bounties. If this kind of rp paradigm existed, I'd "jump ship" and join the Order in a heartbeat. Altruism wins out over the pursuit of profits any day. The Order would be gaining one more enemy, but I think the ingame situation would balance itself out. The matter of the Corsair and Order tech exchange would have to be sorted out, but that wouldn't be a inexorable problem. The Corsairs could keep their current line of capships, but would have to stick with Corsair weps.
