The inspection thing is completely realistic, not just customs and import
duties, but also the introduction of non-native biological organisms. We
have that problem here on Earth all the time, and there would be some
"garden worlds" in Traveller with celebrated ecosystems that could make
much of their money on tourism that would be very careful about not
letting in critters that would wipe out their local fauna. (We'll set
aside some of the illogic about how Traveller has Hi-pop marginal worlds
next to low-pop garden spots.) A lot of this would be solved by simply
having all incoming starships tie up at the highport and never be allowed
to land on the surface. We had an Orbital Quarantine Command for Earth in
2300.
This could work the other way, too, where a breeding pair of Tree Krakens
poisonous to local life got loose in the Empress Marava National Park and
the players are hired to get them back before they have babies or get
eaten and cause the death of the local Cutlass-Toothed Murderers. The
problem would be that the local Cutlass-Toothed Murderers would be far
more dangerous to the players than the Tree Krakens they are trying to
round up. To make it more personal, the Tree Krakens escaped from the
players' ship, and their ship is impounded until they return with proof
that they have recovered all of the Tree Krakens, even if they're in the
stomachs of the local Cutlass-Toothed Murderers.
> I'm sorry sir, you cannot restart your ship's power plant and maneuver
> drive
> until you fill in this environmental impact survey.
>
>
>
> Now how did you decontaminate your vessel to ensure you did not carry
> anything from (last destination)...
> ...
> Now sir let's check you and your crew/passenger medical records..
>
> Antony
>
>
duties, but also the introduction of non-native biological organisms. We
have that problem here on Earth all the time, and there would be some
"garden worlds" in Traveller with celebrated ecosystems that could make
much of their money on tourism that would be very careful about not
letting in critters that would wipe out their local fauna. (We'll set
aside some of the illogic about how Traveller has Hi-pop marginal worlds
next to low-pop garden spots.) A lot of this would be solved by simply
having all incoming starships tie up at the highport and never be allowed
to land on the surface. We had an Orbital Quarantine Command for Earth in
2300.
This could work the other way, too, where a breeding pair of Tree Krakens
poisonous to local life got loose in the Empress Marava National Park and
the players are hired to get them back before they have babies or get
eaten and cause the death of the local Cutlass-Toothed Murderers. The
problem would be that the local Cutlass-Toothed Murderers would be far
more dangerous to the players than the Tree Krakens they are trying to
round up. To make it more personal, the Tree Krakens escaped from the
players' ship, and their ship is impounded until they return with proof
that they have recovered all of the Tree Krakens, even if they're in the
stomachs of the local Cutlass-Toothed Murderers.
> I'm sorry sir, you cannot restart your ship's power plant and maneuver
> drive
> until you fill in this environmental impact survey.
>
>
>
> Now how did you decontaminate your vessel to ensure you did not carry
> anything from (last destination)...
> ...
> Now sir let's check you and your crew/passenger medical records..
>
> Antony
>
>