[@PerfectThought] If you can, try to marry the two vibes you're describing for the setting. The galaxy is a really big place, and we are basically the small fries trying to survive in the midst of all of this crazy shit going on in the background.

Huge teams of personnel maintain the rings, and usually trading hubs rapidly grow around the rings. The action operation, repair, etc of the portal mechanism is the purview of the SCL Sector 1 Hyperspace Engineers, and while they are to a degree cultlike, their god is business. They effectively invented the Galactic Standard Credit. They operate more like a secret society, you have be hand-selected to join the inner circle from the rank and file.

I'll check your DM in a minute.

[@Nyxella] Seems like a perfectly functional character, though I'm sure it can develop more. What would have driven her to try and free (?) Crux slaves?

[@AmaranthWolf] I think with your interest I will probably close up applications to yea many. 

Given the cast at hand, while I work on a CS and an OOC, perhaps you could discuss potential crew roles or an overall mission/specification for the ship?