Smugglers' Strip

Smuggler's Strip was an illegal landing field on the planet of Elrood that was constructed by the crime lord Lud Chud. It was a small, isolated landing stalion deep in one of the mountain valleys located about 1,500 kilometers northeast of Elrooden.

Description
The Smuggler's Strip facility itself was a simple level patch of ground with several memory-plastic "temporary" shelters on the mountainside which could be confused for a homestead or small farm from a distance. Instead, below ground level, there were vast underground storehouses for keeping contraband weapons, spice, medicines and any other materials that were smuggled onto Elrood, many to simply avoid the high tariffs. The area around the facility had carefully placed sensor bafflers to disguise the presence of the underground hangars and any trace emissions left from the comings and goings of starships. The field itself always had half a dozen mob musclemen, and usually a more "refined" repre- sentative of the mob, who provided payment and otherwise ensured that deals were completed. Landspeeders were available to bring cargo into the cities, where it was sold on the black market.

Only a few ships per month were allowed to land at Smuggler's Strip in order to avoid tipping off the Elrooden authorities. As a result, black market prices were five times higher than standard cost. A ship could be unloaded of contraband, be refueled and be back on its flight plan within the span of a few minutes. With careful high speed flying, a ship could arrive at a spaceport on schedule so that the automated flighl system or flight controllers had no idea that the ship even stopped.