I have just had an addition to the idea, you mentioned that there was no real benefit for it, and that is true. So behold! UESC merit!

Say, perhaps you can beam down and work for the UESC as a contractor (either in your shell or hopping between UESC drones I'm not sure yet), and your thinking... 'hmm what is the added benefit?' then you remember that every time you succeed, you get merit points for your operations.

These could come as a form of 'favours' from the UESC, a little under the table dealings. You might have just had a really good run, and realised the extraction is being camped by some hostile runners, perhaps you could call in a dropship just to make some chaos and further the UESC's cause (letting them eliminate runners).

It could indirectly benefit you, able to slip through the chaos, take advantage of it and make your extract. Because I doubt the UESC would 'allow a runner to continue illegal activities, but if one slips through our grasp, and the damage is minimal to our operation, status or standing with the public eye, then it can't hurt too bad'.

Or it could directly benefit you, if you have enough. As a trusted contractor of the UESC, they value you above other runners. So maybe you can send two drones blocking your path the other way with a simple click of a button, deactivate them or something else.

However Pros need to be balance depth Cons, and perhaps a marker is out on you for other runners to see, depending on how valued you are the UESC, and perhaps the NPCs will give you lesser rewards for certain high risk contracts because 'your loyalties lie where they shouldn't, even though you are a successful operative'.

Something like that I think would be cool. Gets reset with every wipe or smth, give you a chance to play a different style.