Portfolio: Rest & Relax

Writer’s Note: Portfolio: Rest & Relax was published originally as a Subscriber Exclusive on August 15, 2018.
“I’m seriously beginning to wonder whether space has more stars or R&R stations.” – Esen Landari
It’s incredible to consider that in under fifty years, Rest & Relax has gone from a single station in Baker to the star-spanning empire it is today. Almost everywhere ships can fly, R&R, as it’s commonly called, can be found providing pilots the chance to refuel and resupply or just rest and relax. Thanks to its wide range of amenities and dependable service, R&R is as ubiquitous to travel as the quantum drive and a mainstay of modern life.

While studying to get her degree, famed economist Sally Hemsall wrote a paper supposing the direct correlation between a system’s economic health and the amount of coffee consumed at Rest & Relax stations. Noted Humanist, Gore Nikori, once said that visiting an R&R is as close to a universal experience as can be found among people today. Suffice to say, when engineer Johann Alejandre and hauler Kelley ‘Teak’ Sabatino were building the first Rest & Relax, they had little idea the impact their company would eventually have in the UEE.

Mythical Beginnings
The story of Rest & Relax begins with ambitious engineer Johann Alejandre proposing a daring deal to an investor — he would convert a decommissioned station into an active refueling depot in half the time and cost it would take to build a new one, but to the same quality. If Alejandre’s work didn’t match his words, then the upgrades done to the station would be free. His gambit worked. The investor purchased a decrepit scientific station in Baker, and Alejandre’s team soon began putting his innovative construction techniques into practice, turning the station into a sprawling rest stop for haulers.

A few weeks into the project, Alejandre met a brazen Baker-based hauler named Kelley ‘Teak’ Sabatino. He quickly noted that her shipping concern never made a late delivery, but Sabatino truly distinguished herself when another company lost a critical shipment within the system that put his timeline and budget in serious jeopardy. Upon hearing the news, she dispatched a Terrapin, located the lost ship, and even sent repair services to expedite its arrival at the station. Alejandre was amazed by her dedication. By the time construction concluded, Sabatino had been contracted to handle most shipments to the station.

Alejandre’s team completed the first Rest & Relax station faster and cheaper than even he predicted. This allowed him to exercise a clause in the contract and take an ownership stake in the company in lieu of payment for his services. Once an official owner, his first executive decision was to buy out Sabatino’s shipping concern and integrate it into their infrastructure. Sabatino only accepted the offer after being offered an ownership stake in the company, thus cementing one of the most significant business relationships of the last century.

While Alejandre and Sabatino have become industry icons, their business partner who provided the capital for the project has remained relatively unknown. Recently however, it has come to light that R&R’s success may owe more to this investor than previously believed.

The Secret Partner
Simply, Rest & Relax would not exist if not for Mahir Eriksen, the initially unnamed investor who purchased the outdated scientific station that became the first R&R. Eriksen already had a long and distinguished career investing in start-ups when Alejandre approached him with that daring offer. Eriksen’s lawyers drew up the initial contract, which included two clauses that proved to be prescient. One was the option that allowed Alejandre to take an ownership stake in the company, and the other stipulated that Eriksen’s involvement would remain a secret.

Chung Kristoff’s The Secret History of Rest & Relax first revealed Eriksen’s involvement in the company after years of extensive research and interviews. In the book, Kristoff claims Eriksen wanted to get involved in the day-to-day operations of a business but avoid the intense public criticism that often came with it. For years, he wearily watched others mismanage his investments and believed he could do better. But his incredible business acumen could only be matched by his desire to stay out of the public eye. Even as one of the Empire’s most successful investors, Eriksen’s name was virtually unknown outside of certain, well-connected circles.

With his anonymity guaranteed, Eriksen was the driving force behind many of the company’s first decisions. He handpicked the old scientific station as the one to be refurbished. He thought that its location would be ideal thanks to haulers constantly streaming through Baker to Xenia, a massive Covalex shipping hub, and the close proximity of two large jump points into Xi’an space. Eriksen even gets credit for recommending that Alejandre hire Sabatino to supply his construction operation, knowing that a well-built station was worthless unless properly supplied. He also went ahead and, unbeknownst to Alejandre, purchased a second station while the first one was still under construction. He had seen the progress they had been making and wanted to ensure that the talented crew had a second project to roll directly on to.

It is said that without Erikson, Alejandre and Sabatino would have been able to build a good rest stop, but with Erikson’s guidance, they were able to build an empire.

Accelerated Expansion
Baker’s first Rest & Relax station found immediate success and quickly became a one-stop shop for haulers. The facility was modern, well-designed and featured a wide variety of food options, amenities, and supply stores. Few people would have guessed that an old depressurized wreck was its foundation. Two more stations in Baker opened in quick succession, with Eriksen wanting to expand into nearby systems. This prompted Sabatino to suggest stations in every system within the ‘Terra Loop’, a term used by haulers to describe a series of large jump points connecting Baker, Kiel, Hadrian, Terra, Tayac, Goss, and Osiris.

Eriksen loved the ambition but ran into a major issue. There weren’t enough old stations to go around. Eriksen asked Alejandre to engineer a solution, and the result was the standard Rest & Relax station now seen across the universe. Taking the advanced techniques he had developed refurbishing stations, the design divided the station into standard pieces that were all easily shipped and assembled. They could also be put together in numerous ways to provide variety to the interior layouts. One of the old stations Eriksen had purchased was converted into a fabrication center and was soon set to producing station pieces. The mass production of these pieces fueled Rest & Relax’s rapid expansion through the Terra Loop and eventually across the Empire. As the company’s footprint expanded, they added additional production facilities to keep up with demand and reduce delivery times.

The expanding Rest & Relax empire forced Sabatino to constantly refine the logistics of keeping all the stations supplied. Their massive size meant there was a lot of store space to fill and maintain. Initially, Eriksen wanted to vertically integrate the stations with stores stocked with official R&R products and themed restaurants. Sabatino quickly nixed the idea and showed that the logistics of it would outweigh the benefits. She correctly argued that R&R’s stellar reputation among haulers meant businesses would want to rent spaces in their stations. This not only placed the onus of keeping store shelves stocked on someone else, but it also allowed each R&R station to develop its own character and better reflect the system it served. Today, each station can feature any combination of a dozen franchises specializing in everything from stylish body mods to fresh-fried fish rings, and many travelers will happily argue with you about which system is home to the best R&R.

“Haulers like going to an R&R because it’s not the same thing every time,” Sabatino told the Terra Gazette. “I know this because I’ve been a hauler all my life. There’s a certain calming monotony that comes with cruising through the stars. That’s why our stations are always a little different. If all our stations were the same, I’m sure haulers would walk through them with that same glazed look in their eyes. We want to break them out of that mindset so they can take a few minutes for themselves to rest and relax.”

Triumphant Triumvirate
When the first Rest & Relax opened in Baker, no one, not even its founders, could’ve predicted its reach would soon stretch across the empire. The unlikely trio of an inventive engineer, industrious hauler, and reclusive entrepreneur created a perfect storm that combined technological innovation, impeccable timing, and the means and motivation to make it all happen.

Even with these advantages, the company couldn’t have succeeded without haulers and everyday travelers flocking to their stations. Industry analysts kept betting against the company, convinced there was no place for it in the saturated marketplace. Yet, Rest & Relax proved that putting a new spin on an old idea can elevate it to previously unknown levels.

"Ich frage mich langsam, ob der Weltraum mehr Sterne oder R&R-Stationen hat." - Esen Landari
Es ist unglaublich zu bedenken, dass Rest & Relax in weniger als fünfzig Jahren von einer einzigen Station in Baker zu dem sternenumspannenden Imperium geworden ist, das es heute ist. Fast überall, wo Schiffe fliegen können, findet man R&R, wie es allgemein genannt wird, und bietet Piloten die Möglichkeit, aufzutanken und wieder zu versorgen oder sich einfach auszuruhen und zu entspannen. Dank seiner vielfältigen Annehmlichkeiten und seines zuverlässigen Service ist R&R genauso allgegenwärtig wie der Quantenantrieb und eine tragende Säule des modernen Lebens.

Während des Studiums schrieb die berühmte Ökonomin Sally Hemsall ein Papier, in dem sie den direkten Zusammenhang zwischen der wirtschaftlichen Gesundheit eines Systems und der Kaffeemenge an den Rest & Relax-Stationen annahm. Der bekannte Humanist Gore Nikori sagte einmal, dass der Besuch eines R&Rs einer universellen Erfahrung so nahe kommt, wie man sie heute unter den Menschen findet. Als der Ingenieur Johann Alejandre und der Spediteur Kelley 'Teak' Sabatino die erste Rest & Relax bauten, hatten sie wenig Ahnung, welche Auswirkungen ihr Unternehmen schließlich in der UEE haben würde.

Mythische Anfänge
Die Geschichte von Rest & Relax beginnt damit, dass der ehrgeizige Ingenieur Johann Alejandre einem Investor einen kühnen Deal vorschlägt - er würde eine stillgelegte Station in der Hälfte der Zeit in ein aktives Tanklager umwandeln und die Kosten für den Bau eines neuen, aber in gleicher Qualität. Wenn Alejandre's Arbeit nicht zu seinen Worten passen würde, dann wären die Upgrades für die Station kostenlos. Sein Gambit funktionierte. Der Investor kaufte eine veraltete wissenschaftliche Station in Baker, und Alejandre's Team begann bald damit, seine innovativen Bautechniken in die Praxis umzusetzen, wodurch die Station zu einer weitläufigen Raststätte für Schlepper wurde.

Einige Wochen nach Beginn des Projekts traf Alejandre einen dreisten Bäcker mit dem Namen Kelley 'Teak' Sabatino. Er bemerkte schnell, dass ihr Speditionsunternehmen nie zu spät geliefert wurde, aber Sabatino unterschied sich wirklich dadurch, dass ein anderes Unternehmen eine kritische Sendung innerhalb des Systems verlor, was seinen Zeitplan und sein Budget ernsthaft gefährdete. Als sie die Nachricht hörte, schickte sie eine Schildkröte, lokalisierte das verlorene Schiff und schickte sogar Reparaturdienste, um die Ankunft am Bahnhof zu beschleunigen. Alejandre war erstaunt über ihre Hingabe. Bis zum Abschluss der Bauarbeiten war Sabatino mit der Abwicklung der meisten Sendungen zum Bahnhof beauftragt.

Alejandre's Team hat die erste Rest & Relax Station schneller und billiger fertig gestellt, als er es selbst vorhergesagt hatte. Dies ermöglichte es ihm, eine Vertragsklausel auszuüben und anstelle der Bezahlung seiner Leistungen eine Beteiligung an der Gesellschaft zu erwerben. Als offizieller Eigentümer entschied er sich zunächst, den Schifffahrtskonzern Sabatino aufzukaufen und in seine Infrastruktur zu integrieren. Sabatino nahm das Angebot erst an, nachdem ihm eine Beteiligung an dem Unternehmen angeboten wurde, was eine der bedeutendsten Geschäftsbeziehungen des letzten Jahrhunderts festigte.

Während Alejandre und Sabatino zu Branchenikonen geworden sind, ist ihr Geschäftspartner, der das Kapital für das Projekt bereitgestellt hat, relativ unbekannt geblieben. In jüngster Zeit hat sich jedoch herausgestellt, dass der Erfolg von R&R diesem Investor mehr zu verdanken ist, als bisher angenommen.

Der geheime Partner
Rest & Relax gäbe es einfach nicht, wenn es nicht Mahir Eriksen gäbe, den zunächst ungenannten Investor, der die veraltete Wissenschaftsstation kaufte, die die erste R&R wurde. Eriksen hatte bereits eine lange und erfolgreiche Karriere als Investor in Start-ups, als Alejandre mit diesem gewagten Angebot auf ihn zukam. Die Anwälte von Eriksen entwarfen den ersten Vertrag, der zwei Klauseln enthielt, die sich als vorausschauend erwiesen. Die eine war die Option, die Alejandre erlaubte, eine Beteiligung an dem Unternehmen zu übernehmen, und die andere sah vor, dass die Beteiligung von Eriksen geheim bleibt.

Chung Kristoffs The Secret History of Rest & Relax enthüllte erstmals das Engagement von Eriksen im Unternehmen nach jahrelanger intensiver Recherche und Interviews. In dem Buch behauptet Kristoff, dass Eriksen sich in den täglichen Betrieb eines Unternehmens einmischen wollte, aber die damit verbundene intensive öffentliche Kritik vermeiden wollte. Jahrelang beobachtete er müde, wie andere seine Investitionen falsch verwalteten und glaubte, dass er es besser machen könnte. Aber sein unglaublicher Geschäftssinn konnte nur von seinem Wunsch übertroffen werden, sich aus der Öffentlichkeit herauszuhalten. Selbst als einer der erfolgreichsten Investoren des Imperiums war Eriksens Name außerhalb bestimmter, gut vernetzter Kreise praktisch unbekannt.

Mit seiner garantierten Anonymität war Eriksen die treibende Kraft hinter vielen der ersten Entscheidungen des Unternehmens. Er wählte die alte wissenschaftliche Station als die zu renovierende aus. Er dachte, dass seine Lage ideal wäre, dank der Schlepper, die ständig durch Baker nach Xenia, einem riesigen Covalex-Schifffahrtszentrum, strömen, und der Nähe von zwei großen Sprungbrettern in den Raum Xi'an. Eriksen erhält sogar Anerkennung dafür, dass er Alejandre empfohlen hat, Sabatino mit der Lieferung seines Baubetriebs zu beauftragen, da er weiß, dass eine gut gebaute Station ohne ausreichende Versorgung wertlos war. Er ging auch weiter und kaufte, ohne es Alejandre zu wissen, eine zweite Station, während die erste noch im Bau war. Er hatte die Fortschritte gesehen und wollte sicherstellen, dass die talentierte Crew ein zweites Projekt hatte, an dem sie direkt weiterarbeiten konnte.

Es wird gesagt, dass Alejandre und Sabatino ohne Erikson einen guten Rastplatz hätten bauen können, aber unter Eriksons Führung konnten sie ein Imperium aufbauen.

Beschleunigte Expansion
Bakers erste Ruhe- und Entspannungsstation war sofort erfolgreich und entwickelte sich schnell zu einem One-Stop-Shop für Spediteure. Die Anlage war modern, gut gestaltet und verfügte über eine Vielzahl von Lebensmittelmöglichkeiten, Annehmlichkeiten und Verbrauchermärkten. Nur wenige Leute hätten geahnt, dass ein altes, druckloses Wrack die Grundlage war. Zwei weitere Stationen in Baker wurden in kurzer Zeit eröffnet, wobei Eriksen in nahegelegene Systeme expandieren wollte. Dies veranlasste Sabatino, Stationen in jedem System innerhalb des "Terra Loop" vorzuschlagen, einem Begriff, mit dem Schlepper eine Reihe von großen Sprungbrettpunkten beschreiben, die Baker, Kiel, Hadrian, Terra, Tayac, Goss und Osiris miteinander verbinden.

Eriksen liebte den Ehrgeiz, stieß aber auf ein großes Problem. Es gab nicht genug alte Stationen, um herumzufahren. Eriksen bat Alejandre, eine Lösung zu entwickeln, und das Ergebnis war die Standard-Ruhe & Relax-Station, die heute im ganzen Universum zu sehen ist. Unter Verwendung der fortschrittlichen Techniken, die er entwickelt hatte, teilte das Design die Station in Standardteile auf, die alle leicht versandt und montiert werden konnten. Sie können auch auf vielfältige Weise kombiniert werden, um den Innenausbau zu variieren. Eine der alten Stationen, die Eriksen gekauft hatte, wurde in ein Fertigungszentrum umgewandelt und bald in die Produktion von Stationsteilen überführt. Die Massenproduktion dieser Stücke förderte die rasante Expansion von Rest & Relax durch den Terra Loop und schließlich durch das ganze Reich. Als sich die Präsenz des Unternehmens vergrößerte, kamen zusätzliche Produktionsanlagen hinzu, um die Nachfrage zu decken und die Lieferzeiten zu verkürzen.

Das expandierende Rest & Relax-Imperium zwang Sabatino, die Logistik zur Versorgung aller Stationen ständig zu optimieren. Aufgrund ihrer enormen Größe gab es viel Platz zum Füllen und Warten. Zunächst wollte Eriksen die Stationen vertikal mit Geschäften mit offiziellen R&R-Produkten und Themenrestaurants integrieren. Sabatino entdeckte die Idee schnell und zeigte, dass die Logistik die Vorteile überwiegen würde. Sie argumentierte zu Recht, dass der hervorragende Ruf von R&R bei Spediteuren dazu führte, dass Unternehmen Flächen in ihren Bahnhöfen mieten wollten. Dadurch wurde nicht nur die Pflicht auferlegt, die Regale in einem anderen Betrieb zu lagern, sondern jede R&R-Station konnte auch ihren eigenen Charakter entwickeln und das von ihr bediente System besser wiedergeben. Heute kann jeder Sender eine beliebige Kombination aus einem Dutzend Franchises anbieten, die sich auf alles spezialisiert haben, von stylischen Body Mods bis hin zu frisch gebratenen Fischringen, und viele Reisende werden sich gerne mit Ihnen darüber streiten, welches System die Heimat der besten R&R ist.

"Schlepper gehen gerne zu einem R&R, weil es nicht jedes Mal dasselbe ist", sagte Sabatino der Terra Gazette. "Ich weiß das, weil ich mein ganzes Leben lang ein Schlepper war. Es gibt eine gewisse beruhigende Monotonie, die mit dem Kreuzen durch die Sterne einhergeht. Deshalb sind unsere Stationen immer etwas anders. Wenn alle unsere Stationen gleich wären, würden die Schlepper sicher mit dem gleichen glasigen Blick in den Augen durch sie hindurchgehen. Wir wollen sie aus dieser Denkweise herausholen, damit sie sich ein paar Minuten Zeit nehmen können, um sich zu entspannen."

Triumphales Triumvirat
Als die erste Rest & Relax in Baker eröffnet wurde, konnte niemand, nicht einmal die Gründer, vorhersagen, dass sich die Reichweite bald über das ganze Reich erstrecken würde. Das unwahrscheinliche Trio aus einem erfinderischen Ingenieur, einem fleißigen Spediteur und einem einsamen Unternehmer schuf einen perfekten Sturm, der technologische Innovation, perfektes Timing sowie die Mittel und die Motivation, alles zu verwirklichen, miteinander verband.

Trotz dieser Vorteile wäre das Unternehmen ohne Schlepper und Alltagsreisende, die auf ihre Stationen strömen, nicht erfolgreich gewesen. Branchenanalysten wetteten weiter gegen das Unternehmen und waren überzeugt, dass es auf dem gesättigten Marktplatz keinen Platz dafür gäbe. Doch Rest & Relax bewies, dass ein neuer Spin für eine alte Idee sie auf ein bisher unbekanntes Niveau heben kann.

Writer’s Note: Portfolio: Rest & Relax was published originally as a Subscriber Exclusive on August 15, 2018.
“I’m seriously beginning to wonder whether space has more stars or R&R stations.” – Esen Landari
It’s incredible to consider that in under fifty years, Rest & Relax has gone from a single station in Baker to the star-spanning empire it is today. Almost everywhere ships can fly, R&R, as it’s commonly called, can be found providing pilots the chance to refuel and resupply or just rest and relax. Thanks to its wide range of amenities and dependable service, R&R is as ubiquitous to travel as the quantum drive and a mainstay of modern life.

While studying to get her degree, famed economist Sally Hemsall wrote a paper supposing the direct correlation between a system’s economic health and the amount of coffee consumed at Rest & Relax stations. Noted Humanist, Gore Nikori, once said that visiting an R&R is as close to a universal experience as can be found among people today. Suffice to say, when engineer Johann Alejandre and hauler Kelley ‘Teak’ Sabatino were building the first Rest & Relax, they had little idea the impact their company would eventually have in the UEE.

Mythical Beginnings
The story of Rest & Relax begins with ambitious engineer Johann Alejandre proposing a daring deal to an investor — he would convert a decommissioned station into an active refueling depot in half the time and cost it would take to build a new one, but to the same quality. If Alejandre’s work didn’t match his words, then the upgrades done to the station would be free. His gambit worked. The investor purchased a decrepit scientific station in Baker, and Alejandre’s team soon began putting his innovative construction techniques into practice, turning the station into a sprawling rest stop for haulers.

A few weeks into the project, Alejandre met a brazen Baker-based hauler named Kelley ‘Teak’ Sabatino. He quickly noted that her shipping concern never made a late delivery, but Sabatino truly distinguished herself when another company lost a critical shipment within the system that put his timeline and budget in serious jeopardy. Upon hearing the news, she dispatched a Terrapin, located the lost ship, and even sent repair services to expedite its arrival at the station. Alejandre was amazed by her dedication. By the time construction concluded, Sabatino had been contracted to handle most shipments to the station.

Alejandre’s team completed the first Rest & Relax station faster and cheaper than even he predicted. This allowed him to exercise a clause in the contract and take an ownership stake in the company in lieu of payment for his services. Once an official owner, his first executive decision was to buy out Sabatino’s shipping concern and integrate it into their infrastructure. Sabatino only accepted the offer after being offered an ownership stake in the company, thus cementing one of the most significant business relationships of the last century.

While Alejandre and Sabatino have become industry icons, their business partner who provided the capital for the project has remained relatively unknown. Recently however, it has come to light that R&R’s success may owe more to this investor than previously believed.

The Secret Partner
Simply, Rest & Relax would not exist if not for Mahir Eriksen, the initially unnamed investor who purchased the outdated scientific station that became the first R&R. Eriksen already had a long and distinguished career investing in start-ups when Alejandre approached him with that daring offer. Eriksen’s lawyers drew up the initial contract, which included two clauses that proved to be prescient. One was the option that allowed Alejandre to take an ownership stake in the company, and the other stipulated that Eriksen’s involvement would remain a secret.

Chung Kristoff’s The Secret History of Rest & Relax first revealed Eriksen’s involvement in the company after years of extensive research and interviews. In the book, Kristoff claims Eriksen wanted to get involved in the day-to-day operations of a business but avoid the intense public criticism that often came with it. For years, he wearily watched others mismanage his investments and believed he could do better. But his incredible business acumen could only be matched by his desire to stay out of the public eye. Even as one of the Empire’s most successful investors, Eriksen’s name was virtually unknown outside of certain, well-connected circles.

With his anonymity guaranteed, Eriksen was the driving force behind many of the company’s first decisions. He handpicked the old scientific station as the one to be refurbished. He thought that its location would be ideal thanks to haulers constantly streaming through Baker to Xenia, a massive Covalex shipping hub, and the close proximity of two large jump points into Xi’an space. Eriksen even gets credit for recommending that Alejandre hire Sabatino to supply his construction operation, knowing that a well-built station was worthless unless properly supplied. He also went ahead and, unbeknownst to Alejandre, purchased a second station while the first one was still under construction. He had seen the progress they had been making and wanted to ensure that the talented crew had a second project to roll directly on to.

It is said that without Erikson, Alejandre and Sabatino would have been able to build a good rest stop, but with Erikson’s guidance, they were able to build an empire.

Accelerated Expansion
Baker’s first Rest & Relax station found immediate success and quickly became a one-stop shop for haulers. The facility was modern, well-designed and featured a wide variety of food options, amenities, and supply stores. Few people would have guessed that an old depressurized wreck was its foundation. Two more stations in Baker opened in quick succession, with Eriksen wanting to expand into nearby systems. This prompted Sabatino to suggest stations in every system within the ‘Terra Loop’, a term used by haulers to describe a series of large jump points connecting Baker, Kiel, Hadrian, Terra, Tayac, Goss, and Osiris.

Eriksen loved the ambition but ran into a major issue. There weren’t enough old stations to go around. Eriksen asked Alejandre to engineer a solution, and the result was the standard Rest & Relax station now seen across the universe. Taking the advanced techniques he had developed refurbishing stations, the design divided the station into standard pieces that were all easily shipped and assembled. They could also be put together in numerous ways to provide variety to the interior layouts. One of the old stations Eriksen had purchased was converted into a fabrication center and was soon set to producing station pieces. The mass production of these pieces fueled Rest & Relax’s rapid expansion through the Terra Loop and eventually across the Empire. As the company’s footprint expanded, they added additional production facilities to keep up with demand and reduce delivery times.

The expanding Rest & Relax empire forced Sabatino to constantly refine the logistics of keeping all the stations supplied. Their massive size meant there was a lot of store space to fill and maintain. Initially, Eriksen wanted to vertically integrate the stations with stores stocked with official R&R products and themed restaurants. Sabatino quickly nixed the idea and showed that the logistics of it would outweigh the benefits. She correctly argued that R&R’s stellar reputation among haulers meant businesses would want to rent spaces in their stations. This not only placed the onus of keeping store shelves stocked on someone else, but it also allowed each R&R station to develop its own character and better reflect the system it served. Today, each station can feature any combination of a dozen franchises specializing in everything from stylish body mods to fresh-fried fish rings, and many travelers will happily argue with you about which system is home to the best R&R.

“Haulers like going to an R&R because it’s not the same thing every time,” Sabatino told the Terra Gazette. “I know this because I’ve been a hauler all my life. There’s a certain calming monotony that comes with cruising through the stars. That’s why our stations are always a little different. If all our stations were the same, I’m sure haulers would walk through them with that same glazed look in their eyes. We want to break them out of that mindset so they can take a few minutes for themselves to rest and relax.”

Triumphant Triumvirate
When the first Rest & Relax opened in Baker, no one, not even its founders, could’ve predicted its reach would soon stretch across the empire. The unlikely trio of an inventive engineer, industrious hauler, and reclusive entrepreneur created a perfect storm that combined technological innovation, impeccable timing, and the means and motivation to make it all happen.

Even with these advantages, the company couldn’t have succeeded without haulers and everyday travelers flocking to their stations. Industry analysts kept betting against the company, convinced there was no place for it in the saturated marketplace. Yet, Rest & Relax proved that putting a new spin on an old idea can elevate it to previously unknown levels.