Pirates

Given the extreme levels of poverty in certain parts of the Solar System, both ground-based organised crime and space-based piracy has always been endemic.

The situation grew much worse in the aftermath of the 2340-2341 war, as the collapse of Terran civilisation, and the tying up of Mars in an undending war on its surface, created both system-wide chaos, and plenty of opportunities for the most ruthless.

The uncountable number of asteroids in the Belt, plus those in the far-off Kuiper Belt, provide safe havens for small pirate fleets, as do the increasingly lawless cities of Earth, at least those that have functioning spaceports.  These pirate fleets generally number a half-dozen vessels at most, although much larger fleets have been seen operating together for short periods.

To these must be added the fleets of the different OPA factions, which are semi-independant except in the case of Marco Inaros' Free Navy.  They are all akin to the corsairs of earlier days, preying on any vessels that are not from their faction or one of its temporary allies.  Last of all, the small flotillas which some UNN admirals have taken with them after splitting with Luna, are sometimes nothing better than pirates.