Population: Probably a few thousand.
Not a faction in a sense of centralized rule, rather a faction in the sense of similar aspects shared among many space pirates. They tend to make small groups of up to 50 members, generally sharing profits from looting and other illegal operations. Sometimes they even do legal mining operations, when they seem profitable. But generally speaking, they prefer leaving the dirty job to someone else. Pirate groups occupy either a small asteroid base (hidden inside the asteroid to keep the prying eyes of their enemies out of their treasures) or within a small cruiser spaceship, equipped with weapon factories, chemical labs and other facilities designed to supply them with warfare tools or valuable goods. One pirate group may accept a contract against other pirate groups, unless there is some loyalty bond between them. For example, someone from the other group may have saved the life of the first group’s leader etc. Pirate leaders (called Captains) tend to dress in a fancy way, resemble the old pirates of yore.

Population: Probably a few hundred.
Somewhat similar to miners, but the range of their activities is the most vast and somewhat more dangerous. Apart of mining operations, freelancers trade with various other (sometimes including illegal contraband and weaponry) and frequently perform contract assignments for influential factions. Some of them have a sense of honor and choose work according to personal creed, so they may refuse to do certain kinds of “jobs” or may refuse to work with pirates or some factions. For example, upon personal background they may refuse to work with China, EAC, OmniCorp or other big powerful factions. Freelancers are generally the most experienced miners or pilots for, due to surviving several clashes with pirates or some inter-faction disputes. For this reason, they tend to be the best pilots in the entire known space; lonely wolves treading their own paths of fame, glory, profit, achievement and adventure.

Freelancers carry with them a reputation and seem to know each other after some time, since there aren’t that many veteran space pilots in the known space. They either work individually or in groups, for certain assignments they may temporarily band into larger squads. All of their ships are outfitted with hard-core modifications and tuned according to the freelancers’ taste and preferences, both visually and functionally.

Population: Probably between a few hundred to a few thousand.
Many peaceful, but courageous individuals are walking the path of space miners and explorers. Mining operations in space require advanced education in the fields of engineering and astrogeology, since the technology in 2081 still can’t substitute for an individual’s personal qualities, abilities and experience. Independent miners tend to avoid fights and disputes, however. Many of them bear heavy weaponry aboard their ships to ensure protection from pirates and other various rouges wandering in the post-solar event space. Miners may perform solo mining operations or may form small groups of friends and companions.

Population: A few hundred.
Originating from strictly military organizations, typical mercenaries will work for any faction that pays them as long as the operation is not illegal or criminal and in cases where they are not asked to attack their own Raven companions. They offer escort of trade vessels and protection of mining ships in open space and during mining operations, aid during rescue operations and they even accept contracts for frontal assault between two major factions. Some governments regard them as enemies, some as a neutral workforce, who work for those who pay. They refuse dirty jobs involving drugs, slaves, prostitution and raids on civil population. When not on contract job, they typically raid pirate bases and hunt for the heads of wanted criminals or criminal groups. Technically, Black Raven pilots are quite similar to freelancers with one major difference – they regard all of their fellow Ravens as brothers and will not fight or betray them. In contrast, freelancers don’t form any specific allegiance of their own and work only for themselves or in small groups of companions. While freelancers may join both sides of the conflict and fight against each other, Ravens would leave the fight if they met other Ravens on the opposite side. Raven HQ keeps a watchful eye on Raven fighters working in the open space, so it is highly unusual that a contract involving Ravens on both sides would occur.

Number: Over a thousand.

Population: Ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand.
A kind of modern space mafia group; although there are several minor criminal and illegal groups, the Syndicate are the most notorious. Perhaps by design, not much is known about their numbers, rules of conduct or important leaders and personalities. What is known are the results of their actions and their activities: blackmailing, extortion and protection rackets, prostitution and slave trade, drugs and corruption are among the politics of major factions. The Syndicate members carry a vial of special inflammable poison with them, so in case there are caught alive, they consume the poison to immolate their bodies within seconds. There is no record of a Syndicate member being successfully captured alive. The Syndicate has no bases or ships of their own; they instead infiltrate their people among all other factions, leaving outwardly normal lives of citizens, scientists, politicians and even military leaders.