Pondering, Space Trucking, One ship crew small MU?

Ominous

Another possibility is to borrow a bit from the Battletech universe. Jumpships are rare, specialized craft that don't venture away from the jump points in a system. Instead, smaller ships that do the trading and transportation dock with it and jump to the next system. Those smaller ships then undock and head out into the system to do their thing, while the jumpship recharges its batteries. At a set time, you better be back to the jumpship, because it's moving on with or without you and you'll have to catch a ride with the next jumpship that comes through.

With this you get a central hub that everyone congregates at - the jumpship. you have space truckin' as the little ships haul stuff around a system. You don't have too much sprawl to worry about, because the activities are contained in one system. Finally, you have the opportunity for Bob and alice to go do their own things.

Lotherio

@ominous This is indeed a part of the system and something I imagine being used.

Ships are customizable. Class I is fighter, class V is super dreadnaught/star destroyer/etc. Class II is good hauler/explorer, Class III is good start for housing hangers to hold ships. There are mechanics for hangers (like one hanger can hold 2 ships of lesser class, or 16 of class-2; class 3 can hold a hanger of 16 fighters).

I literally put an asterisk on the discord development discussion chan behind one ship to say it can include hangers of lesser ships so players can do away missions. Class III and above would jump to a system and do exactly what you're describing, send off Class II and I smaller ships to go do the deals in the system at hand due to travel times on larger ships.

ETA: Its modules, so many modules by class to include weapons and defense and other systems. A crew can have a ship that uses modules on hanger(s).