This subplot deals with the Firekkans’ desire to expand their territory by colonizing additional planets. It assumes that there are still unexplored areas within sectors. (Sounds good. There’s potentially infinite unexplored areas within sectors, if you consider directions up and down off the map.)

Burrows can find an ES fixer in the Epsilon sector. If we transfer Cross out to this sector after Righteous Fire, that would open up some possibilities for making this subplot more interesting.

Better not touch Cross. We'll get plenty of her later in the plot; and I need her to be 
at Rygannon, so I'd have to move her back...

• 1. Do a patrol on two systems in a row to scan them (just a simple starter mission)
• 2. Go to a new system discovered during the previous mission and do a patrol. During this mission, you encounter a planet with a Firekkan vessel above it. They let you know that they have staked a claim on this planet as of a few months ago. The ES fixer notes this information when you report back.
• 3. Escort a drayman that has entered the fixer’s system back to base. This ship has a technician on board that can service the exploration equipment ES uses. There are pirates on the way back

The idea is to get the technician working for us later on?

After running into the Firekkans on the second mission, this sequence becomes available on Firekka. The fixer tells you that the Firekkans are interested in peacefully expanding and have purchased exploration equipment from the Kilrathi. They have encountered problems from humans jumping their claims to a couple of planets and have had ships disappear. This fixer doesn’t particularly trust you with actual exploration work, but needs other help.

• 1. Fly out and rescue a Firekkan exploration ship that is being attacked by hunters.
• 2. You’d better have a tractor beam handy, because you’re asked to capture a hunter while escorting the Firekkan exploration ship through a system.

I need to write more material. I see this subplot going in the direction of finding out that it is a specific corporation that is causing the Firekkans problems. This is actually a company funnelling money to Black Lance. It’s business is laying claim to land and selling or leasing it.

Sounds good up to here.

The subplot could just end with Burrows flying a few missions for the Firekkans and then leaving them with their problems. I’d rather see it that you get to report your discovery back to Confed–perhaps a higher up at ES in Sol, or maybe someone interested in law enforcement.

The ES is totally infiltrated by Retros.
The Confed wouldn't help with a Black Lance related thing; there are 2 kinds of confeds:
those who are agents of Y-12, and those who are afraid of getting killed by agents of Y-12.
"Law enforcement" is you. This is a law-less world, at least enforcement-wise...