Galleon Luxury Lines ("Offering the finest voyages to the galaxy's finest sentients") is a semi-famous fleet of ships which operates as a sort of moderately-expensive luxury cruise line. Galleon's ships operate into numerous mundane ports, as well as flying past some of the galaxy's most picturesque sights. Galleon is somewhat unusual in that, rather than stopping at ports of call, the ships will simply slow down to sub-light speeds inside a system, and shuttles will come to pick up and drop off passengers and cargo. Private vessels are also allowed to transfer guests, but Galleon operates a shuttle service at most ports.
Their cruises tend to be expensive, but not so much as to be firmly outside the price of the middle class. Prices run from about 200 credits per day (7 day minimum) to about 4000 credits per day, per being. Prices are based on accomodation and level of service.
Cruises are all at least 7 days long, lingering past galactic sights and passing through systems on a somewhat random-appearing schedule. Some cruises extend out to month-long jaunts through the Outer Rim or more. The ship is usually in-system for one or two days, long enough to get from one safe jump point to another at about 2/3 speed.
A Galleon ship passes through the Ortlimar system about once every two standard months. Tickets are available through travel agents, and directly from the Galleon shuttle service (when one exists in-system).
Galleon offers a shipping service for small cargo (smaller than about one cubic meter), charging based on both size and weight. Rates are roughly comparable to other shipping services, tending toward the high side of the spectrum. Galleon doesn't offer any kind of time guarantee, but they do promise that packages will be well-handled, and stories indicate that they do as promised. Galleon is the shipper of choice for sensitive material as well as living material which can't stand the rigors of regular spaceflight.
Although Galleon doesn't advertise this fact, you are aware that their ships are particularly well-defended. Each ship usually packs at least one turbo-laser battery (normally prohibited by the Empire -- no one's sure how that came about, and Galleon isn't saying), numerous smaller laser cannons, and formidable shields. You have heard at least one second- or third-hand account of someone who tried to board one of the ships with an eye toward the bounty available, and was sent packing in a damaged escape pod, their ship spinning in thousands of pieces behind them.
There are numerous rumors circulating about Galleon. One has it that Galleon is run by the Empire as a means of transporting VIPs and/or criminals in secrecy. Another maintains that it's run by the Rebellion for the same reason. Yet a third holds forth that Galleon is a symbiotic relationship between a criminal syndicate and the Rebellion, and the ships are a front for a money laundering scheme, at the same time transporting armaments for both parties. Some have even speculated that Galleon just takes its customers' safety seriously, although no one really likes that theory.
Created by Ian Johnston. Questions? Please mail me.