Downport Administrator of Pagaton

Vance Calloway, better known as “Rusty,” is a grizzled ex-Imperial Navy officer who took this job after being mustered out. Once a commander of a far-flung Imperial refueling station, he was used to working with less-than-ideal resources, making do with whatever was at hand. He left the service under unclear circumstances—some say he punched the wrong admiral, others claim he took the fall for a supply scandal he had little to do with.

Rusty is pragmatic, wry, and blunt to the point of rudeness. He doesn’t tolerate nonsense but has a soft spot for underdogs. He runs Pagaton's downport with the same philosophy he applied in the Navy: keep things working, no matter how improvised or ugly it gets. If that means welding scavenged parts onto the highport’s maneuvering system or blowing apart ice floes with detcord, so be it.

Survivor’s Mentality: Rusty sees Pagaton as a lost cause in the eyes of the galaxy, so he treats his downport as his own little fiefdom, keeping it running through sheer force of will. Jury-Rigging Expert: He has an encyclopedic knowledge of starship and station systems, able to repair or modify nearly anything with spit, wire, and sheer desperation. Rough but Fair: He won't waste time on bureaucratic nonsense but expects people to pull their weight. If someone screws up, he chews them out, then hands them the wrench to fix it. Knows Everyone's Business: Nothing happens in Pagaton high or down ports without Rusty hearing about it. He’s the kind of guy who already knows what you need before you ask.

• Smokes cheap, homemade cigarettes rolled from imported leaf
• Wears a battered Imperial Navy jacket
• Keeps a collection of old mechanical watches, all broken, but insists one day he'll fix them.
• Has a running feud with the ice, treating it like a personal adversary.

Some say he’s sitting on a stash of valuable Imperial surplus parts—lifeline or leverage, depending on who’s asking. There's talk that he still has friends in the Navy and the occasional ship that lands here isn’t just for routine refueling. The last time someone tried to muscle in on his operation, they left in a cargo crate—alive, but only just.