But hear me out, here is my suggestion.
New sub-department - Exploratory core
Initially, this is unique in which it is a job department with no slots, people have to volunteer with the HOP to get in or latejoin when slots have been opened manually by the HOP's position (which is also on cool-down to prevent a flood of explorers)
On the exploratory core initial access are
> The garage (a new area out of a combined/chopped up disposals, maint and vacant office where the white ship is docked for basil anyway, alternative spaces can be considered for other maps)
> The gateway
> EVA access
> Teleporter access
And nothing else for balancing reasons without HOP intervention, naturally, command staff are not permitted to take dedicated trips (to a ahelpable extent) but do have access to those areas, minor command staff such as the RD and the CMO may be permitted to go along if they sign up through the required command channels and issue a valid reason and are of use on the trip.
The white ship, the vessel and space travel
Instead of being a random chance to be docked, the white ship after 'being bought out' becomes a staple fixture of this faux department and receives some minor upgrades such as a new unique shuttle console (that can't be deconned fully but has alternative means to be fixed)
To stop the white ship being abused as before, without a emag to override the ID restrictions (requiring fixing by cutting wires of the custom monitor which is actually a machine) or hacking with a toolset people without the minimum requirement of exploratory core access cannot use the console. This is to stop shitters jumping in the saddle and rushing towards the sunset as fast as they can, while having it a option for people crafty enough to get inside (one such suggested method is a teleport beacon, though if you dont have the access/tools to hack the doors too you might get stuck)
In the case that it is stolen or otherwise needs to be reclaimed, there is a console in command/garage (alternatively the communication console) to issue it back to the station, in which it'll return in about three minutes, giving explorers/shitters/antagonists time to get back on board or be marooned at their own risk, a station announcement will ring to inform them. Alternatively the security/command staff can board by overriding the teleporter beacon lock on the shuttle, imposed by the main console but this is non-advisable in the case of a trap.
As to flying the ship around, the choice of where you want to fly is open ended and all the ruins are jumbled up, however actual major locations are usually at the end of a route located in deep space, so...
> Empty space starsector 1a might connect to system 1b2 which may or may not have anything and split up from there, because it takes time to jump the shuttle, naturally jumping from the start to the finish will take time so it'll take a hour or so to 'map' everything you encounter out of the possiblities, even on seemingly empty maps there might be something lurking in a particular corner or outside typical view, so scouting is recommended.
> Once you know where to go after it's been charted, label it in the ship computers and jump from the station to that location for a duration of time, upgrading the ships console with parts (and summarily the ship as a whole) will make it travel faster.
> Events can happen whilst on the ship while in transit, things do go wrong (taking preparations to upgrade the ship console and therefore raise reliability is a must)
Garage
The garage area itself is a mixture of the gateway room on metastation, and a semi-cosy corporate showroom, on one hand it has the dock with the ship but it also has windows to look into a similar showroom of things they have found (reusing the vacant offices wood floors) with display cases, there is a small staffroom inside this 'museum' which is connected by a door to the main garage. The room itself is opposite the security checkpoint in arrivals.
Gateway improvements
The gateway itself summarily gets a facelift, with being dropped into a select few of the space ruins directly at random, as well as the typical lineup of planetary/location based additions to explore with some easy ones for warm-ups and more advanced ones.
In true stargate fashion there is a dialup system that entering random sequences will yield different results to any number of places, either summoning you at a similar gateway, or a open teleportation wormhole for a short period in time until you confirm your decision and proceed onward or go back (though the wormhole is much like a jaunter in which you'll be battered without protection), using the ship is more direct as you can determine which area of space you want to go to, but often the gateway will land you right in the thick of the action/inside where you want to go if you configure it right.
Perks of the job
- Employ shitters who want to space travel anyway, show them your wardrobe full of immaculate ironed red shirts to a creepy level, laugh as they get horribly mauled by space horrors and act as bait, and sacrificed in terrible rituals. They might do their job and be helpful (might)
- Indulge in visiting different varied z level sites, tombs, pirate fleets and good old open space dotted with derpy asteroids.
- Plunder wealth and questionably dangerous riches (are you sure that cursed sarcophagus of a spess pharaoh is safe?)
- Solve puzzles made by map-makers
> Sizzle sexual tension as admins intervene with posing toughness advanced demi-gods of fitness and masculinity to stop your progress with your egyptian themed holo-stand loot in temple, before commiting to a pose-off to determine the winner
- Fight monsters, bosses and pirates in space
- Potentially even become a spooky mummy skeleton yourself
- Stop the lavaland ruin bloat and raise ruin standards in the community. (looking at you vetinary hospital)
If you're not yet sold...
Spoiler:
