Cannon- I like your idea (understatement.) If the possible abuses are countered.
I'd also like to throw in my support for Unseelie, Rudo, and Hawk. No sane player enjoys a game where they have no chance to win. That's where ragequit comes from. That's also why trading is only ever a means to an end. Money, for a ship that can fight. Or survive, at least. If you're not meant to be able to compete while making money, why the ptrans? Why does "right place right time" reward more than time consuming work? Fun and profit at another's expense more rewarding than grind that harms no one? (Worlds less risky, too.)
I'm truncating my post because I'm too tired to be concise.