Niobium run passes: Outcasts in T23 (8K from Cali base on the way to the jumphole). 3 Kusari core systems in which Hogosha have free reign. Sigma 13 which can have junkers, dragons, GC, Outcasts and Corsairs. Finally Frankfurt which is reasonably safe as long as Rorry ain't there;)I've never been pirated in New Berlin so I assume few people try that.
Diamond run passes: Omega 11 with a heavy Hessian presence. Stuttgart with as much a single lane bottleneck as Kyushu, so no difference there. Rest of the route is identical to the niobium run, so I'm not sure why you deeming it a whole lot safer... it about evens out. Outcasts for Hessians, basically. So a price roughly equal to the silver and Niobium run makes sense.
[Edit] And I know what you're going to say about the radiation - but the faster fill balances that out. Repair costs in respect to commodity value mined shouldn't even need to be mentioned. I will grant you that it'd make sense for Solarius to keep spare mining lasers on-hand, if you feel they should be added there, that can be done.
Wide awake in a world that sleeps, enduring thoughts, enduring scenes. The knowledge of what is yet to come.
From a time when all seems lost, from a dead man to a world, without restraint, unafraid and free.
Mostly retired Discovery member. May still visit from time to time.