-----<br/>Incidentally, general opinions - how does this look with regards to a formal contract of alliance with the Shaper Council of the Warsphere, once plot moves ahead and we return to Ares/Port Wander to hire them:<br/><br/><strong>Contract Duration:</strong>The shorter of  1) Remaining functional lifespan of Rogue Trader Lucien Cortez, or  2) 500 years. Upon cessation of contract, the current head of the Cortez Dynasty is to be given first rights of contract extension or renegotiation. For early termination of contract terms, see Forfeiture clause.<br/><br/><strong>Primary Contract Terms:</strong>The Shaper Council shall provide combat and support troops to aid the Cortez Dynasty and its representatives when requested, plus the void combat capability of the Warsphere itself, infantry and support component not to exceed 50% of the Warsphere's active deployable kindreds or 50% of the Warsphere's hull integrity. The Warsphere's primary base of operations, contact point, and resupply point shall be made the Ares System for duration of contract, and will be expected to participate in active fleet defense of the planet if necessary.<br/><br/><strong>Supplementary Contracts:</strong>Those of the Warsphere's contingent not on retainer to the Cortez Dynasty and representatives are free to accept and pursue independent contracts of service, so long as the terms of service do not direct the kindred against the activities or beneficial interests of the Cortez Dynasty. Suspicion or evidence of a supplementary employer's hostile intent towards the Cortez Dynasty must be grounds for immediate supplementary contract termination.<br/><br/><strong>Payment and Compensation:</strong>For duration of contract, the Shaper Council and Warsphere shall be paid a suitable retaining fee for their alliance with and availability to the Cortez Dynasty, with additional payment - subject to mutual negotation between the Council and representatives of the Dynasty - rendered upon the completion of operations in which the Warsphere and/or its combat complement play a key and significant role in accomplishing. Additionally, choice pieces of salvage shall be made available for permanent incorporation into the Warsphere at the discretion of the Dynasty. Additionally, upon formal agreement to the contract, component [Black Box Drive Alpha] shall immediately be made available for incorporation into the Warsphere's drive systems, subject to the Forfeiture Clause.<br/><br/><strong>Forfeiture:</strong>If, at any time, the Shaper Council feels the need to invoke early termination of the contract to pursue another primary employment offer, the Dynasty shall be notified and given the opportunity to match or exceed the competing contract offer. If the matching is accepted, the contract shall proceed as if it had been uninterrupted save for any modifications to Payment and Compensation.<br/><br/>If the matching is refused, or no matching is offered, the contract shall be terminated and component [Black Box Drive Alpha] shall be uninstalled and returned to the custody of the Cortez Dynasty. Should the contract proceed its stated length of time until natural renegotiation, this subclause is rendered void, and component [Black Box Drive Alpha] becomes the permanent and irrevocable property of the Shaper Council and the Warsphere. Should, at any time, the Cortez Dynasty choose to invoke early termination of the contract, this subclause is likewise rendered void, and component [Black Box Alpha] becomes the permanent and irrevocable property of the Shaper Council and the Warsphere.<br/>-------------<br/><br/><br/>TLDR: We get a Warsphere. They give us troops, and go into space battles with us when we want, though they're allowed to run away if they really get the crap kicked out of them, and hang around reasonably close to Ares for easy contact and to defend the planet (coughacheivementpointscough). They get the Black Box for signing up, but if they want to keep it, they can't abandon us before<del>the end of the game</del>Cortez dies or 500 years go by, and we get to try and beat anyone who's buying them away from us first anyways. Half the Warsphere's troops can still go off on independent mercenary work as long as whoever's hiring them isn't our enemy, and we pay them with a share of Profit Factor plus the occasional salvaged component if they want it.