Looking over the lore, commodities lists, player experiences with Fleet Carrier refuelling and availability of resources out in the black, one of the big elephants in the room is the issue of Commanders not being able to synthesize tritium from lithium and hydrogen. With all the worlds containing lithia and tritiated water, why not have players vie for mining contracts from NPC-only factions to survey regions in the black for mining hotspots? We wouldn't be able to keep the stuff ourselves, but the markets back in the bubble (or along the Colonia Council regions) could reflect the larger supply of fuel stocks as necessary. We would be like the prospectors and surveyors who wouldn't own the wells or the gas stations, but would help plot out the maps for refineries and offices.