>What sort of adventures would, in fact, 'appeal' to a merchant mindset?
1) The X system has 2 habitable (or at least marginally so) planets. The system capital is in orbit 4. Orbit 3 is populated, and under Interdiction. Not IN or IISS interdiction, but system gov't interdiction. There's a plague outbreak there, and they want it quarantined.
Except...
X-III is the spot where the local dictator sends all the folks he doesn't want cluttering his world up. It's a massive work camp/death camp.
The Patron knows the real score, and got the hell out of the system as soon as he could.
He has relatives, however, who weren't so lucky.
He wants a 5dton care package delivered to a village on III, and is willing to pay through the nose to make it happen.
By the way, X-III's reason for work camps are certain jewels which are highly prized 5 parsecs away.
Players options are:
a) Sneak in, deliver the package, sneak out, get paid $
b) Sneak in, deliver the package, rescue Grandma,sneak out, get paid $$
c) Come brazenly in, take over the village, slay the guards, drop 25 dtons of care package, arms and ammo, rescue Grandma and take the entire months load of jewels, and score $$$$$
2) The players find out that the IISS will be dropping interdiction on a planet in 2 months, allowing ships to visit there. They have found this out ahead of the pack (source in the Scouts passing word to a buddy). They can get in first and score the best deals... provided the _other_ merchant who heard about this isn't going to shoot them, and that the locals don't get over-antsy and shoot them. Oh ,and the locals aren't real thrilled about the whole thing either. (Think the Perry Expedition to Japan)
3) The Admin office of a Merc company contacts the players. The employers have gone broke and missed payment, activating the reparation clause. The company would like the players to take on the soldiers, gear, etc. ... they're willing to pay a bonus, in that the LZ is not completely cold. (Think helicopters out of Saigon) There is expectation that the players will be _fighting_, since the mercs falling back will protect the ship, but things may get exciting, and thus the bonus
4) The Gluteus brothers, Big Gluteus and Little Gluteus, want some Imperial Crown Cola for the summer solstice party in 10 weeks. It's 8 weeks travel to get there and back. Imperial Crown Cola is not allowed on the planet Maximus, since it's thirst destroying properties are so much more powerful than the domestic drinks and thus the local bottlers got a huge tarriff applied. They'll need to smuggle it in at the end of the trip, as well as through Mormonous where the caffeine level makes it contraband. Further, the Gluteus Bros enemy Shariev Boofort Righteous will follow the player's ship, "In High Speed Pursuit" with the intent to hinder them. (Think "Smokey and the Bandit")
5) The players are contacted by the Right Honorable Sir Newton, who is establishing a multi-disciplinary college on his TL-7 fief-world. He asks them to convey the books, computers, visual aids, tools, etc needed, but further to spend 3 months acting as instructors for his "In System Trade" class, teaching Ship's Boat, Vacc Suit, etc. He wants to build up orbital industry and jump start his new fief in a big way. He's willing to pay normal salary plus the ship's mortgage, PLUS he has a qualified set of engineering instructors who are willing to do the ship's annual overhaul as a class project. (This is potentially something like "Gravity" ...)
6) A gent by the nickname of "Speed" wants to charter the ship for the grav-racing circuit. This is a tour of 11 planets, with a big race on each one. The ship will carry his vehicle, his crew, and various supplies, tools, etc. Some modifications will be made to the cargo area to make it a shop for the vehicle to be fixed up and modified between races. Checking the news nets, though, the players discover that it's traditional for various teams to attempt to hinder the other players, by damaging, sabotaging, or delaying with paperwork or dirty tricks the transport or the vehicle, so there is some danger here...which explains the high pay being offered.
7) The Biogeo expedition to Amazon has been out of contact for far too long. A news reporter wants to charter the ship to visit the world, and attempt to find them The planet is TL2, jungle, and has an odd atmo which makes radio, maser and laser comms work poorly. The reporter has the prior messages which were sent out , and he has a mapped of Dr. Biogeo's planned route, but needs transport. (Biogeo... as in Living Stone... as in "Dr. Livingston, I presume?")