This came to my mind and I'm pretty sure this is all wheel invention again, but here goes.
Basic idea: A faction representing a big house could hire a trading company to supply certain amount of supplies, like here's the shopping list, go get them.
To make this better than a regular fetch-the-stick stuff I was thinking that this would have to be done in good RP. Three parties are needed. The employer, the trading faction and the party that does not want the supplies delivered.
Example scenario. Can really be applied to any house with modifications.
The Bretonian goverment is forced to get quick help from the shipping companies since the huge shipment vital to the war effort they were expecting didn't make it (someone can write the backstory why). It hires a good and respectable company to come up with the supplies in a certain amount of time (like a week). But alas, the word leaks to parties bent on seeing the goverment/trading companies toppled. Plus that greedy desk jockey sold the info to pirates as well hinting that there will be massive quantities of valuable cargo being moved in the near future. And thus the game begins.
Couple of ideas to make this really interesting. I'd thnk the main point is not to make a lotsa money, but rather get good RP out of the thing.
1) The goods must be delivered to the emplyoer party and to the place they point. Could be defined before-hand or in real time. So no selling it on planets/stations. The goods are paid after the event by the customer IF the trading company has fulfilled the whole contract, so the company is operating on a risk here also. Or pay for goods only that meet the quota.
2) Employer gives a fixed amount of cash for fulfilling the contract. It's upto the trading company how it decides to divide up the money. It might be a reasonable for the employer to have a transport where the goods are being delivered to. Then the employer can sell the stuff and in this way finance the event.
3) Make a thread where the employer updates the goods delivered. The obtaining price should be lower than the price paid by the employer. Also make the traders report where they got the stuff and for what price. This makes the game even more fun and people can use the knowledge to their advantage.
4) Very important: The employer must not pay the top price per unit for the stuff. The prices have to be reasonable but not easily obtainable for the price they pay. In case of Bretonians being the employers it would be interesting to see commodities that are obtainable for the required price in Kusari. This would lead to using middle men to get the stuff.
5) Why not require also small amounts of contraband?
Anyway. I think this could be a very interesting event if done right. I'm open to suggestions how to make this better.
I was thinking a premilinary list like this:
Commodity quantity / price per piece (lower than the selling price anywhere in Bretonia for example)
Engine Components 15000 pieces / 250
Diamonds 10000 pieces / ???
Boron 10000 pieces /
Light Arms 10000 pieces /
Plutonium
Food
Water
Ship hull panels
Optronics (the ones needed to be bought from Kusari to meet the price limit)
