The Underground
History
The underground traces its origins to Beylix. Which is why its sometimes called 'The Beylix Underground". Beylix being the 'Garbage dump" of the verse as its known, is almost ignored by the Alliance and other patrols making it perfect smugglers hideaway. While no one can exactly trace who started what, it is generally agreed on that a small group of traders, miners, Junkyard workers and Browncoats after the war looking to get away from the core came together and started a organization that would one day grow into one of the most successful and accomplished smuggling organizations in the known verse.
The organization has been known to transport anything and everything from food to firearms. Ships to scrap heaps. People to stolen cargo and not so stolen Cargo. Though its agreed among many that salve trade is frowned upon but not banned. It all depends who your working with were and when in the Verse.
Whats made and has continued to make the Underground so successful is a combination of several factors. The basics, the secrecy, the leadership, the independence, and the size... The controlled Chaos
Creed
The basics: are what the rules are known as if you work with the group a lot.
"Get it there" being deliver the cargo.
"Stay loyal" To your crew, your group, your station, your job. What ever youve agreed to do carry it out.
"Stay quiet" Try to conduct all work as quietly and without notice to the Feds as possable.
"Dont screw over each other gorramit" DONT SCREW OVER EACH OTHER GORRAMIT!!
"Keep the peace" Try to resolve with out force.
"Knock 'em down" If your going to fight..you better win"
Organization
The independence of the groups is there strongest asset. Each sect is free to operate as they please in regards to the planet operations, so no one person knows all the details were all the eggs are kept as it is. Or who works with whom, or ever who is who. With every organization operating loosely together towards a common goal of making money, moving cargo, and remain NOT in jail, its that fact that unites the entire underground into a massive single entity, that and the Basics.
The Leadership of the underground is another factor in the success of the organization. Each smuggling crew that is either apart or associated with the underground is there own boss. They can take or leave jobs work together or not at all. Each planet though has several high ranking bosses that keep tabs operation on a certain planet. Storage, manpower, ships, fuel, ammo, equipment, tools, etc. They all report to a ranking member on the planet that serves as that planets representative. Every planet that has a decent sized operation on it has a leader like this. Which is why when these men meet it can range from many to few depending on business on particular planet. When these people to meet it is not ever face to face or all at once. On the VERY rare occurrence that they meet at the same time its is usually a very random point in space or abandoned planet with no other ships or people for a LONG LONG LONG way off. Even then most of these people will not show at even a hint of trouble. The group usually comes together when there is trouble on a verse wide scale. Other than that, smaller matters are dealt with between each others respective group, sometimes violent but most times without noticeable issue to the public.
The size of the Underground is actually unknown. Its said its as large as the Verse or limited to the border and rim worlds, though there have been scattered reports of small operations on Osiris and Bernadette. But else were in the verse operations range from massive storage house and smuggling hideaways to simple house operations that pass along messages and word and small goods into local neighborhoods or the rich mans fancy. A common occurrence is to have several different sects of the organization working on a planet or region of space all at the same time. Working sometimes together or independently to accomplish the job put out before them or were hired for. While a crew might work for the underground or a certain area or sect of the underground, the crews are free to work any other jobs at there leisure as well not tying them down.
The secrecy of the organization extends beyond the simple talk and mutter of the Underground. The underground isn't unheard of in a lot of less reputable circles. Its known that the group operates all over the Verse. The secrecy comes from the how, were, and when. Smuggling groups may stay to a particular area or travel all over the verse depending on what there instructed, or when they get word of a job. This makes tracking any one group very difficult, and as each group operates differently you never know what your going to get in means of operating procedure. Also with this apparent randomness no one smuggler or crew can do irreparable damage to the organization as a whole. What is common is that they try to remain in plan sight or work in the shadows. They don't come looking for a fight but most groups are armed and will defend themselves and the local area they work out of, especially on the rim worlds. As terrified citizens aren't good for a business trying to hide in plan sight and work with the people. What you can be sure is that your good will get there one way or the other.
The controlled chaos of the group is the second best asset the group has. With as massive as the group is, it stands to reason that like a massive army there may be a rule book but not everyone follows it. No two groups are alike and the crew next to one may fight its way while the other might sneak. This makes the Underground almost impossible to pin down and lets them continue to operate as well as they do in the verse.
