Yesterday I thought about the Order and got some facts: The Order has a tiny planet, Toledo. The Order has limited resources. The Order has two powerful enemies right next to Toledo: the BHG Core and the Nomads.
I've never seen any Order traders around, so... how the heck gains this secret organization all the needed resources for their fight against the Nomads? I doubt that the greedy Zoners alone can support all their high-tech vessels with components, fuel, food fro the crew, ammunition, oxygen and so on...
I doubt that. As far as I understand the Order, they keep their hands very close on their technology and do not give it to anybody. And the logical problem is: first it needs to be produced... from what? If we would follow your suggestion, the Order would produce the technology only for others... their receive resources and deliver the product to somebody else.
This has been brought up many times on our private forums. There are about... 1-2 traders that I know of.
The following methods are what I know of:
Trading
Mining (operation now closed)
Selling technology - If I remember correctly, most of the advanced civ weapons/armor have something relating to the order...
Support from the Zoners, Hogosha and Corsairs (mainly zoner, we do... actually never mind, confidential:D, we also relieve supplies from the Hogosha every now and then)
but most of our current money comes from a support fund from the Zoners, if my RP memory serves me correctly.
Well,in RP we are funding ourself with donations from rich anonymous businessman's from whole Sirius,don't forget that we have spies and agents all over Universe,which helps us to control those people.
Ohh,and offcourse,our Allies,they support us also,mostly Zoners.
It is hard to get resources for such Organization,but we are trying.
i thought the order shared technology with the corsairs?
from Corsair Praefect description on the wiki
Quote:The first and only Cruiser design to have been used by the Corsairs, the Praefect was first produced after necessary engine and core-reactor technologies were obtained from the Order shortly after the establishment of the Corsair-Order alliance.
also from wiki they sold Osiris's to corsairs before corsairs had their own battleships.
so there's a bit of income.
and i hear nomad bits sell pretty well
how do ghost busters pay for their expensive equipment?