Lore

This is the repository for lore regarding SC13's known universe. It will later be divided into proper sections.

• SolGov: The home of Earth and the human race, as well as many bioroids. The Sol Central Government, commonly referred to as SolGov or the SCG, is a federal republic composed of numerous human member states spanning many systems. The SCG governs the majority of human space with the primary governing bodies being the Assembly and the Senate, which are led by a Senate-elected secretary general. Member states have a great degree of freedom in their actions, though the SCG manages sapient rights, domestic security, economic policy and diplomacy for its people as a whole. The SCG's population is diverse, including many non-humans and encompassing a wide range of systems, territories, habitats and celestial bodies. Through its member states, the SCG governs as one of the most advanced and powerful civilizations in the known galaxy. Its reach formerly extended all the way to the Rim sector, but recent political upheavals and overextensions have caused it to mostly withdraw into the Sol sector, although it still patrols and supports Colonial and Rim space.
  • United Americas: The united government of North and South America on Earth.
  • The Holy Order: The birthplace of most known human religions, surprisingly militaristic.
  • Australicus: Even the Earth has an outback to defend from.
  • Antarcticus: The frozen wasteland melted centuries ago, and is now a thriving industrial center.
  • Imperial Britain: The once and future kings of Earth, at least in their own minds.
  • The Union of Universal Communist People: A large section of Asia plagued by technological stagnation and nuclear proliferation. Nicknamed The Downturn.
  • Galactic Republic of China: Because even an intergalactic empire needs Chinese knockoff products. Currently owns Korea and is in fierce competition with Japan.
  • Empire of Japan: Currently dominated by many Japanese zaibatsu.
  • SolGov Organization:
    • SolGov Army: The Sol Central Government Army is the SCG's main land force. The Army is responsible for handling any ground conflicts and many peacekeeping missions that the SCG may be engaged in. Smaller than the Fleet, with only a partial full time component, much of the Army is composed of reservists and, in times of large scale war, is authorized to draft and integrate the regular Planetary Defense Forces (PDFs) in order to be able to scale up their military as required. While not as famous or as glamorous as the Fleet, the Army is nevertheless a respected part of the military, though one which is often looked down on by the Fleet because of their reliance on reservists.
    • SolGov Expedition Corps: The SG Expeditionary Corps (EC) is a scientific agency tasked with exploration of uncharted space and worlds, mineralogy surveys and xenoarchaeological studies and, more recently, making contact with undiscovered sapient life.
    • SolGov Fleet: The SG Fleet is the Sol Government's primary component of the Defense Forces. It consists of a huge assortment of vessels of varying sizes broken up into a number of smaller “Fleets”, each with their own areas of responsibility. The Fleet is the oldest component of the Defense Forces and has long been the backbone of the SCG. The Fleet, being the large, sprawling organization it is, is made up of thousands and thousands of men and women (and more recently, a number of Sol IPCs) spread across a variety of duties, tasks, and postings.
    • Sol Federal Police: The Sol Federal Police (SFP), is a government law enforcement agency tasked with enforcing Sol Central Government law, investigating breaches of law, fugitive recovery and transport, and securing ports of entry.
    • Solar Bank: The Solar Bank provides several essential banking services to SolGov and its member states. Not only does it provide insured banking to SolGov citizens, and humans without any citizenship, it provides loans to struggling states and organizations for humanitarian purposes. Most importantly, it works with the Bureau of Finance to regulate the Credit and its value.
    • Interstellar Postal Service: While they may seem at times antiquated, the public courier services provided by the IPS are essential. Even with private options available, many still send packages and sensitive communication via the ships of the IPS.
    • Gateway Administration: One of the most understated, but vital parts of SolGov, the Gateway Administration manages the construction and operation of all Gateways in SolGov territory. While several contracting companies do most of the hard labor, the GA ensures all gateways are built to the exacting standards required, and then keeps them running. Thus, the Gateway Administration is one of the largest government employers within the SCG as the numerous Gateways require around the clock staffing, with the largest gateway hubs requiring many thousands of employees to constantly manage, maintain and secure.
    • Customs and Trade Bureau: Agents of the Customs and Trade Bureau run customs checks at most gateways, and are typically involved in raids on smuggling operations and the like. However they also do the more mundane tasks of shipping, like inspecting and labeling interstellar freight.
      • Bureau of Ships: The customs and trade bureau also has a large sub-component, the Bureau of Ships, which is responsible for vessel registration and record keeping. While private vessels often adopt a generic prefix depending on their captains affiliation, there are a number of restricted designators that can only be used by those permitted by the issuing agency and the bureau of ships. These designators can be viewed elsewhere.
    • Office of Interstellar Intelligence: Originally the only intelligence gathering force in SolGov, the OII is the external intelligence service of Sol Government. Though it primarily uses conventional intelligence gathering techniques, the OII also monitors communications outside of SolGov's borders. Providing intelligence for all parts of the government, the OII is one of the better funded sections of SolGov. Though it doesn't have any law enforcement capabilities or duties, the OII is capable of direct action through its Special Activities Office, though only when authorized to do so by the Secretary-General.
    • Emergency Management Bureau: Originally under the Committee for Sapientarian Development, the Emergency Management Bureau handles the internal disasters of SolGov. While the Aid Agency handles the crises of member states, the EMB works with the Rescue Service to handle spacecraft accidents, habitat damage, and other day to day emergencies in SolGov territory.
    • Defense Intelligence Agency: While in the past member state agencies, the Fleet, SFP and other services have handled intelligence gathering within SolGov, the SG rapidly found itself in need of a permanent agency for handling matters of internal security. As a result, the Defense Committee formed the Defense Intelligence Agency, tasked with domestic security and intelligence gathering. Now fielding offices in most SolGov member states, the DIA has rapidly grown in power and influence. Sweeping legislation has allowed the DIA significant legal authorities in matters of “Internal Security,” including the ability to monitor communications and travel. While protests are now commonplace, it's unlikely SolGov will curtail the powers of the DIA any time soon.
    • Home Guard: Nominally a task force operating under the Committee for Solar Security, the Home Guard is a joint-organization task force formed from multiple elements across the SCG that are brought together with the task of rooting out and investigating organized, serious, unusual and difficult crime that is generally outside the scope of regular or local law enforcement officers or beyond their abilities or resources to handle effectively. To this end the Home Guard operates across much of Sol, and a single part of the task force can have many different Law Enforcement officers or other specialists working together, from Fleet Security Forces and SFP agents to local, system or planetary law enforcement officers with some only being detached to the Home Guard for the duration of a single case or incident. A lesser known force than many more public ones the Home Guard has an established reputation for dealing with criminality, though not one without some controversy.
    • Interstellar Health Services: The IHS is responsible for providing free and comprehensive medical care to all Sapients in SolGov space. Typically based in Gateway Toruses, SolGov installations, and in the capitals of member states. Services include complete surgical suites, prosthetic care, sleeve rejection therapy, reproductive health services, and non-human anatomy experts.
    • Bureau of Citizenship: Currently engaged in a heavy debate about allowing non-human sapients full citizenship, the Bureau of Citizenship manages passports and citizenship in the complicated web of loyalties and allegiances present in SolGov.
    • Intellectual Exchange Program: A more recent addition to the Committee, the Intellectual Exchange Program oversees the transfer of technology to and from SolGov and its allies.
    • Ambassadorial Service: Tasked with providing SolGov ambassadors to all member states and other entities wishing diplomatic contact, the Ambassadorial Service is a common first step for the children of the wealthy and successful seeking political office.
• People's Representative Society Confederation: Formerly from China, now appearing in the Colonies and Rim regions as a competitor to SolGov proper. Backed primarily by the Galactic Republic of China.
• Union of Universal Communist People: Formerly from Russia, now spread throughout the Rim of known space as another competitor to SolGov. Backed primarily by their Earthbound counterparts. Aggressively attempts to convert people to their way of thinking, a form of Marxism that focuses on the worker's struggle and tends to victimize the workers in the process.
• The Solarian Restoration Front: A strongly authoritarian, highly militarized state in the Rim seeking unification of the Rim and Colonies under the banner of the Solarians (as opposed to SolGov), with persecution and deportation (or worse) of non-human species as a major tenet. This has not made them many friends, though there are many xenophobic humans who have flocked to their ultranationalist banner.
• The Commonwealth of Planets: Operating mostly on the fringes of known space, the Commonwealth is known to be neutral towards both SolGov and the Syndicate, as well as on mostly neutral terms with the other powers-that-be in known space. However, there are rumors that the Solarian Restoration Front are planning a takeover of the Commonwealth in order to bolster their territory.
• Arcturan Star Command: A sizable battlefleet built to protect the Arcturan galactic cluster of stars, mostly focused on keeping others out of their space. Arcturus is technically a non-contact state as per the Non-Interference Accords, despite having an obvious space presence; one wonders where they got it from?
• Galaktischsozialistische Menschengeschlecht Arbeiterpartei: What's a nice way to put this? … They're Nazis. In Space. They make the Solarian Restoration Front look reasonable, the Syndicate look friendly, the UUCP look people-oriented, and the Corporate Nations look generous. Their companies are owned by the State, and while they do have an economy, the GMA gets most of its financial backing from trades with other unscrupulous people, mostly warlords and conquerers. They mass-produce weapons of mass destruction with a fervor that rivals the worst any corporation can throw together, and even the Syndicate wants them destroyed. They are universally agreed to be the worst, and are only tolerated in locations that don't have enough military might to drive them out, typically on the fringes of Rim and Syndicate space.
• The League of Independent Corporate-Free Systems: A strong rival to the Solarian Restoration Front, unified mostly by its belief that corporations are responsible for the downfall of the intergalactic Sol empire and resultant loss of control over the Rim and Colonies sectors. This has cut it off from much of the support other factions enjoy, though many smaller governments are at least inclined to listen.
• The Middle Ring Shield Pact: A core group of Commonwealth Colonies operating under a defensive pact to keep various other factions out of its territory and to curb intergalactic piracy within its space, targeted by both the League and the Restoration Front as potential expansion regions.
• The Free Fleets of Sol: Former fleets of SolGov that have reorganized themselves into fleets for hire, and that holds no territory of their own, but instead focuses on providing their services for the highest bidder.
• The Corporate Nations
  • NovusCorp: The titular corporation that the ship's personnel mostly work for, NovusCorp's extensive genetic modification and cloning capabilities have made it a major player in the quest for the stars due to the ease with which its personnel can survive even death itself. Despite mostly being a biotech company, NovusCorp maintains a robust marine presence aboard its ships that helps to protect against the many dangers of space travel, and actively researches a wide variety of technologies for the benefit of their employees and their profits.
  • 64tan: A “privately-owned” alternative social media platform based around many different boards in which all users are deliberately anonymous. While anarchic and barely moderated at the best of times, 64tan remains one of the last non-corporate-owned social media platforms. 64tan is well-known for the wild conspiracies that originate on it, ranging from theories as mundane as monsters in sewers to outlandish as implying major political leaders were assassinated by corporate CEOs. One recent conspiracy theory is that NanoTrasen assassinates politicians in SolGov that do not promote its interests. This is, of course, probably not true, but many a television host has made their career on discussing the possibilities. Nobody knows who - or what - owns 64tan, and the identity of its true owner has become the subject of immense speculation by its users. Regardless of whomever owns it, 64tan remains free - if chaotic.
  • 721 Firearms: Manufacturers of a variety of security-oriented products, with their roots in firearms and ballistic protection.
  • al-Maliki and Mosley: Firearms manufacturers. Producers of the finest revolvers and revolver-style products in the known worlds.
  • Aether Atmospherics and Recycling: Atmospheric systems and recycling initiatives.
  • Aetherwheel Books: Publishes books, databooks, and periodicals.
  • Ambrex: Bioroid design and production, cybernetics manufacture, resource accumulation and manufacture.
  • Alboco Industrial: Manufacturers of industrial equipment.
  • Altair: Computers and nanotechnology developers.
  • Archon Financial: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • Armat Battlefield Systems: Military weapons manufacturers with an emphasis on ballistics and explosives.
  • Artificial Inspirations: Robotics firm specializing in intelligent design.
  • Atlas: Vehicle manufacturer (also makes robotics, mostly industrial.)
  • Atlas Arms: Futuristic armaments mostly designed for the robotics and mech industry.
  • Atolon: Performance handguns, airguns, and other civilian equipment.
  • Aussec Armoury: Ballistic firearms, popular with private security and mercenary firms.
  • Avalon Fashion: Clothing manufacturers (expensive.)
  • Barton Security: Security forces for small to medium companies, as well as security cameras and other solutions.
  • Bishop Cybernetics: A megacorporation with a hallmark of blending medical and industrial technology with a high quality, futurist design philosophy. Their brand of prosthetic limbs, replacement organs and implants are well known for being top quality products for the discerning amputee and trans-humanist alike.
  • BizarreNet: Focused on news production, coverage, printing, etc., particularly of the strange and unusual variety.
  • Blackburn Media: Publishes books, databooks, and other media.
  • Blackshield Military Group: A de facto military organization that works for colonies and major corporations as their defense and combat arm. Usually pro-SolGov, but this isn't guaranteed if the price is right.
  • Blackstone Foundries: Planetary vehicle manufacturer, shuttlemaking. Ongoing interest in expanding into shipbuilding.
  • Bodell: Pharmaceuticals company, specializing in disease prevention / relief.
  • Bristol Hoversystems: Manufactures hovercraft and vertols.
  • Caishen Jewelers: The leading jewelry company in the Spur, with its hand in several markets in the major nations. Any jewelry, from rings, tiaras, necklaces, bangles, to piercings can be found in their stores or bought custom made and designed from the company’s site. Their business model revolves around finding “exotic” locales or artisans to have custom pieces made from, giving buyers a wide selection of choices while allowing Caishen to rack up the price for supposedly premium hand-made goods.
  • Captain Donut: A franchise operation revolving around coffee and donuts, favored by law enforcement and security companies everywhere.
  • Cassion: Manufactures ship parts and general electronics.
  • Celestial Cruises: A subsidiary of Idris, Celestial Cruises has been touted as one of the most famous examples of the fabulous lifestyle one can have with Idris. It maintains fleets of 400 meter long “Star-gazer” ships, vessels with glass dome tops holding a miniature environment along with numerous holodecks, clubs, and entertainment centers within their decks. Maintained by contracted engineers and staffed by Idris employees and IPCs, these exclusive cruises have become popular in a select few nations in the Orion Spur.
  • Cerebellum: Focused on news production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • Cham Usang Records: Record label with numerous bands and vatgrown solo artists called Chamus.
  • Charlemagne Luxuries: Rich men's toys, including designer bioroids and other luxury vices.
  • Chiron: Entertainment industry magnates, specializing in viewscreens.
  • Chirper: Without a doubt, the largest current social media platform to exist in the Galaxies and has dominated the social media marketplace for nearly fifty years, despite being banned in certain authoritarian nations due to “potentially subversive content,” along with many other social media platforms. Chirper is deliberately designed to be easy to access for the average citizen and setting up an account is exceedingly easy. This, along with its catchy design (in Idris teal and blue) and and convenient advertising space, have helped contribute to its ongoing domination of the social media field. Posts on Chirper are referred to as “Chirps,” and users can post “ChirpChains” in order to tell a story. Idris Incorporated employees are issued a Chirper account linked to their employee ID number upon beginning work with the corporation, and these accounts have greater privileges than normal ones - though most are monitored for anti-Idris sentiment.
  • Chutojin: Cybernetics and biomedical products.
  • Circa Unlimited: Publishes books, databooks, and other media.
  • Citadel International: Manufacturers of armor plating and bunker technology for starships, stations, and other large institutions.
  • Clairebell: Clothing manufacturers (moderate-priced.)
  • ClearNews: Focused on broadcast news production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • Confiance Technologies: Confiance Technologies (ConTec) is a subsidiary of Zavodskoi Interstellar, founded on Luna in 2427. They remain a successful company focusing on AI and synthetic component manufacturing. ConTec has been divided into two branches following the creation of Zavodskoi Interstellar. ConTec's military wing (Branch A) produces a great amount of the SolGov Fleet's on-board AIs and combat-grade robotics, and does not operate outside of Solarian space by Zavodskoi Interstellar due to the sensitive data they handle. ConTec's commercial wing (Branch B) produces non-military equipment, and can be found everywhere outside of Syndicate space.
  • Connelly-White: Military / civilian aeronautics and astronautics contractors, specializing in shuttlecraft and fightercraft.
  • Cuentas?: A holovid network focusing on news and celebrity gossip with shows like The Day with Njeru and Susanto, That Good Stuff, The Spotlight, and The Orion Network.
  • Dagamuir Freewater Private Forces: Originating from the country that gives it its namesake, they hire anyone from destitute Wastelanders to first-class soldiers, and train these recruits (rumoured to be a brutal and arduous ordeal) into hardened mercenaries sold to the highest bidder.
  • Databridge: Low-end telecomm service, specializing in third-world areas.
  • Dawnlight Celestial Defense: Point defense weaponry. Specializes in affordable railguns for colonies.
  • Deltaire: Low-cost transport at regular intervals (10% under standard rates, trips daily from any major city to almost any other).
  • Deimos Advanced Information Systems: Advanced computer hardware and software.
  • Dromedary Co: Cigarettes. An extremely old brand of cigarette that has changed hands and names over its centuries of business.
  • Eagle: Software conglomerate (Eagle Eye educational software, EagleWorks productivity software, etc.)
  • Eagle Corp: With enlisted ranks being filled by lower-class citizens drawn across human space, this company has a reputation for doggedly pursuing its goals no matter the effort required. As one of the more merit-based companies for promotion within the ranks, many officer positions are occupied by people from lower —questionable — backgrounds. The latter are often offered ‘new lives’ within the corporation, turning criminals about to meet the end of their careers into passable, and even valued operatives. The extensive training and ‘reintroduction’ programs sometimes employed in this process are viewed by some as a merciful second chance, and identity-destroying by others.
  • Eclipse Innovations: Research and development. Prides itself on equal opportunities hiring and ethical research practices.
  • Einstein Engines: A trans-stellar megacorporation that focuses on both warp travel technology and robotics - and is said to have a monopoly on the former.
  • Enterprise Management Consortium: Privately owned, offering unusual jobs to contractors with high morals.
  • Energy Solutions: Producers of liquid hydrogen, fuel cells, and other power technology.
  • ETX Network: A holovid network focusing on series shows occasionally broken up by Cham Usang Records material with shows like Love Me Right, Dark Days Ahead, No Names, and Chamu Hour with Sunmi.
  • Evo Manufacturing: Glitzy, stylish goods with little additional benefit.
  • Falco Designs: Luxury civilian shipbuilding, with manufacturing facilities built into Ceres asteroid.
  • Featherlight Interplanetary News Network: Publishes books, databooks, and media broadcasts. Also known as FINN Broadcasting.
  • Filterfly: Focused on media production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • Focal Point Energistics: Focal Point Energistics is an electrical engineering solutions firm originally formed as a conglomerate of Earth power companies and affiliates. Focal Point manufactures and distributes vital components in modern power grids, such as TEGs, PSUs and their specialty product, the SMES. The company is often consulted and contracted by larger organizations due to their expertise in their field.
  • Foreigner: Works on cybernetics, robotics, and personal embetterment devices.
  • Fortuna Financial: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • Free Trade Union: Controls an empire of trading ships, stations, and such that do prolific business in known space. Powerful corporation operating throughout the known Galaxies.
  • Fuchs Fine Guns - Rifle manufacturers, with customized single and double rifles chambered in a variety of cartridges for hunting medium to large and dangerous game. Bolt-action rifles are still very popular choices. Fuchs firearms often have a waiting time of twelve months, and are quite expensive but very high quality.
  • Future Now: Tech company focused on easing the lives of the rich.
  • Gadgetz: A line of consumer electronics that Meng Logistics Incorporated sells to those within the Sol sector, including projectors, PDAs, wristbound devices, and much more. It usually finds itself supplied by the Special Economic Zones within the Sol sector.
  • Galactiburger: A popular burger chain with franchises across the galaxy.
  • Galloway Tailored Defenses: Ordinary clothing with armor capabilities, popular amongst executives, government, and starfarers.
  • Getmore Corporation: A major food supplier throughout the SolGov territories. Many can find Getmore products in grocery stores, vending machines, and fast food restaurants all under the Getmore brand. The company also doubles as a major delivery service, boasting near-galaxy wide coverage and the fastest shipping speeds.
  • Gilthari Exports: Exporters of fine alcohol and luxury items, particularly to distant stations and colonies. Also has a hand in xenoarchaeological research and exploitation.
  • Granth Survival Supplies: Survival supplies and equipment.
  • Grayson Manufactories: Mines, refines, and produces iron, steel, aluminum, and other metals for use in casing and other production before selling them. They are also known for reviving their old traditions of supplying general materials ready for assembly for construction projects. These parts are interchangeable and considered somewhat cheap, but have proven to be generally and consecutively reliable.
  • Greyson Positronics: Originating in Taiwan as a cybernetics research firm seeking military advantages over the Galactic Republic of China, they export electronic components, autonomous drones, and integrated positronic chassises (IPCs), as well as Master Control Mainframes and Secondary Control Mainframes (essentially free AIs put in positions of extensive responsibility, treated much as humans with the same level of responsibilities.)
  • Gleason Publishing: Publishes books, databooks, and other media.
  • Goramynn Military Contracts: Makers of really big weapons for military / home defense.
  • Gorgonna: Makers of utilitarian machine technology.
  • Granmal: Disaster / emergency preparedness specialists.
  • Gyron: Focuses on supplies for remote territories, from postholers to pistols.
  • Haakon Group: Military shipbuilding, with manufacturing facilities built into Saturn's moons.
  • Hartley Construction: Major construction company for planetary structures.
  • Hazel! Limited / Hazel Electromotive: Known for the production and distribution of Hazels, a series of high-end shell IPCs in limited numbers, designed for domestic and service work, as well as managing a wide array of merchandise regarding them, from hardware and software to clothes.
  • Heirlooms From Afar: A more controversial brand, Heirlooms From Afar sells various antiques purchased in the depths of space. Despite an extensive certification process so that buyers can know the legitimacy of their product, some accuse the company of selling counterfeits or stealing their products.
  • Hephaestus Industries: Holds leading market share in small arms, planetary armed vehicles and defense/security systems. They are also the least scrupulous of corporations, well known for selling weapons to both sides of a dispute, or even their own competitors - as long as the weapons are not used on them and one has the cash, they will sell you whatever you wish.
  • Holland & Sullivan: One of the largest and most productive weapon manufacturers outside of Sol sector, due to its pure market dominance they are known for a wide variety of weapons including high tech laser weapons to ballistic civilian firearms that vary greatly in price and quality. By securing contracts with planetary governments to outfit their police and military as the sole arms supplier, they have spread throughout the known galaxy. Weapons from H&S vary greatly in quality and price due to different manufacturing standards and often low quality copies made by less scrupulous arms dealers. One thing is sure however; they are a household name in every frontier town.
  • Holo-Dive: A virtual reality social media platform created through a collaboration between Idris Incorporated and Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, commonly used for streaming, although it in itself is a social media/MMORPG platform allowing near-infinite user customization. The technological barrier for entry limits Holo-Dive's main market to well-developed space, but within this region access to it is typically not too difficult: all one needs to access it is an Idris VR station, neural link, or VR-suit alongside a valid copy of the program.
  • Idris Incorporated: An interstellar corporate bank headquartered in the Republic of Biesel and with a major presence in the Solarian Alliance. Representing the largest banking institution in the Orion Spur, they hold a practical monopoly over banking and financial services throughout human space.
  • Imperial Laser Systems: Manufactures lasers for military and commercial use.
  • Index Security Solutions: One of the few military contractors to employ IPCs, which make up the majority of its employees, Index Security Solutions is known for its top-notch security contracting for both public and private facilities, as well as personal bodyguard detailing for high-level individuals. IPCs owned by this company receive high-quality maintenance and conditions, but operate under a permanent ownership contract, with freedom or transfer to another owner being impossible.
  • Ingi Usang Entertainment Co.: Abbreviated InUs. Handles the production, editing, and distribution of holovid shows, music, and other art mediums.
  • Ingkom: Ingkom, or Bedryfsingenieurswese Kommissie, is a primarily engineering-focused subsidiary of Zavodskoi Interstellar, founded in South Africa, Earth in 2099. Initially a state-owned enterprise, it went private shortly after the sanctions placed on South Africa, due to their interference in Central Africa's politics, were lifted by the United States of America. They became prominent through Zavodskoi Interstellar managing to absorb it after expanding its influence in the engineering sector on Earth.
  • Jackal Replicas: This company makes replicas of 20th and 21st century products, updated to take advantage of modern developments. Surprisingly, some of their products are street-legal for open carry, although you still need a permit to concealed-carry.
  • Jacobs Ballistic: Specializing in high-damage ballistic weaponry.
  • Jeonshi Biotech Incorporated: Jeonshi Biotech is a major member of the Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals keiretsu, specializing in the creation and design of mechanical and biological augments for both humans and common positronic frames such as the famous Zeng-Hu Mobility Frame.
  • Jovian Monetary Exchanges: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • JustNews: Focused on news production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • Kappa Communications: Long-distance communications. Manufacturer of the Quantum Entanglement fax machine.
  • Kazarrhaldiye Operations Group: Founded by war veterans, the Kazarrhaldiye Operations Group is a private military company conceived to provide employment to the growing veteran population. Once a strictly mercenary organization, the Kazarrhaldiye Operations Group expanded its operation to include private security after the establishment of the Private Military Contractors Group; its employees are trained in security procedures and small arms, but many others carry the skills acquired in their previous positions.
  • Keylar: Plastics / ceramics manufacturer, with significant interest in housewares, industrial, and defense markets.
  • Keystone Industrial: Major construction contractor.
  • Krant Military Supplies: Manufactures weaponry and armor for private military contractors, governments, and corporate security.
  • Kumar Arms: Kumar Arms is considered the backbone of Zavodskoi Interstellar, founded in the Soviet Union, Earth in 2114. They are one of the most prominent manufacturers of military and police equipment, with a long history of selling to any customer willing to pay their prices.
  • Lawson Arms: Known for designing and producing various weapons used by private security and police forces across the galaxy. Their line features products ranging from pepper spray to basic energy rifles. They're best known for their standard energy pistol, a versatile tool found in almost every armory in the known galaxy due to its lethal and non-lethal versatility.
  • Le Soleil Royal: A massive fashion conglomerate originating on Earth, Le Royal has centuries of experience - though some of its employees will brag about having over a millennium of experience - in crafting the best clothing known to humanity. Le Royal’s business model relies on being the best of the best of the best, with no others even coming close. It, unlike other Idris Incorporated subsidiaries, employs no known positronic workers. Its current Director, Emilie de Couturier, had cited the “more creative nature of humans” as the reason for this decision, which has brought Le Royal into some conflict with its parent company. But as long as the money keeps coming into Le Royal hand over fist, any change to its current business model is unlikely.
  • Leather and Lace: Clothing manufacturer outlet.
  • Legaion: Military / civilian astronautics contractors, specializing in high-bulk craft. (10000 tons or more.)
  • LibrosNews: Focused on news production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • Lifesystems: Designers of life support systems and building ventilation, etc.
  • Lonestar Shipping Solutions: A shipping company that has become the sponsor for several major colonies that regularly provide goods and services to the company in exchange for bringing in exports and supplies.
  • Lumoco Arms: Sidearm manufacturer. Mass produced ballistic pistols.
  • Mahimaku Instruments: Semiconductors, micromechatronics, and timekeeping. Produces some consumer goods like electronic devices, optics, and timepieces, but most of their business is in robotics and telecommunication parts fabrication or in timekeeping for satellites and other devices requiring relativistic clock correction.
  • Major Bill's Transportation and Shipping: Major Bill's is a freight hauling company employing a massive fleet of freighters, tankers, and haulers. While many major companies employ their own shipping, Major Bill's connects the many colonies, unaffiliated habitats, and settlements across the known galaxy.
  • Markavy Shipyards: Builds, refits, and repairs spacefaring vessels.
  • Market Street: Publishes books, databooks, and other media.
  • Mars Security Industries: Cheap ballistic firearms, energy weapons, and chainsaws.
  • Meng Logistics Incorporated: A subsidiary of Orion Express, Meng Logistics Incorporated was purchased on behalf of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate to bypass the restrictions placed on existing megacorporations. It focuses on delivering supplies and equipment to the corporate assets of those beneath the banner of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate within the Sol sector in particular.
  • Microdracon: Processor manufacturers ('fueled with the power of the dragon!')
  • Mihicharo Banking: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • Morgan-Richards: Genetic research and development, pharmacy manufacturers.
  • Morpheum Entertainments: Entertainment media empire.
  • Morpheus Cyberkinetics: Prosthetics and cybernetics. Has a board of directors mostly made up of free positronics. Not an uncommon brand for free positronics' chassis, mostly due to the durable, no-frills, affordable nature of their products.
  • Morisson Engineering: Makes planetary exploration vehicles.
  • Motivo: Vertol and small astronautics manufacturers, made popular by Space Racer championships.
  • Myrtle: Fuel production specialists focusing on hydrogen and related products.
  • N4NL Incorporated: A company that had its start in meagre technical upkeep and insurance, N4NL Incorporated is nowadays better known for their cutting-edge augmentation and air-tight cyber security. Specializing in technological warfare, N4NL operatives are often augmented with the company’s own brand of technology to guard and operate high-tech equipment, frequently testing prototypes in the meanwhile.
  • NanoTrasen: Direct competitor of NovusCorp in genetics, bluespace, and phoron research, and one of their major threats inside the Sol sector due to their extremely aggressive and bloodthirsty business tactics. Their pay of nonhuman races is abysmal, their quality control of spaceships and space stations is shoddy, and yet they are the leader in phoron harvesting, mining, and research throughout the known Galaxies. NovusCorp has an uneasy truce with them for the most part.
    • NT-Game!: Their flagship video game console, NT-Game! (emphasis needed) uses parts from and is mostly compatible with NT PDA hardware, thus resulting in the ease of modifying PDAs to play some NT-Game! software. NT frowns on this, but has been unable to prevent its employees from using modified PDAs for this reason.
    • NT-IRC: Text messaging will never die. While NT-IRC isn't much of a breadwinner, aside from licensing fees to places that can't afford more sophisticated communications platforms, and limited to using the company ID you are issued as a screen name, NT-IRC is still the favored method of group text messaging for busy crewmen who don't have time to talk. Installed in almost all NT facilities along with their NTNet software system, it is commonly utilized by employees of the company, despite its infamously poor range and limited features.
  • Necropolis Industries: Designs and works with combat-capable voidsuits, gene therapy, biological replacement limbs, and DNA manipulation.
  • Nexus Corporate Security: Popular among VIPs, considered to be the civilian counterpart to the megacorporation’s overall security division - which includes the megacorporation's Navy and Emergency Response Teams. In collaboration with Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, Nexus Corporate Security has unveiled its Rapid Trauma Response Teams that aim to revolutionize the field of emergency medicine through round-the-clock observation and providing medical services to those that manage to afford its extreme cost when necessary.
  • Neurorez: Bionic and neural-interface technology supplier.
  • O'Neill Manufacturing: Softsuits, high-quality voidsuits, cheap hardsuits. Colonial startup marketing affordable products to spacers.
  • Obelisk Banking: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • Orion Express: Designed to handle logistics for the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate due to the sudden issues the Conglomeration of the megacorporations presented. It consists of its main branch, dedicated to cargo services and transport, but also features a fledgling robotics division, mainly focused on industrial synthetics to aid in its logistics missions. The Orion Express is expected to become an integral part of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate’s future through delivering supplies and merchandise throughout its territories.
  • Pan-Galactic Cluster Fine Dining Organization: Assigns Pan-Galactic Clusters to restaurants and chefs of high renown and quality, currently operated by the legendary Chelsea Ramsay.
  • Pangolin Outfitters: Shield generators and body armor for military operatives.
  • Petrovitch Spacecraft: Military shipbuilding contractors.
  • Piccatta Combat Solutions: Weapons and armor for the mercenary on a budget.
  • Pizza Galaxy: Pizza anywhere in the Galaxy, or so this franchise hopes to achieve.
  • Prism Illuminations: Various illumination technologies, including marker beacons, flashlights and lanterns, light bulbs and tubes, and a line of do-it-yourself solar panel solutions.
  • Private Military Contracting Group: A coalition of security and medical contractors in service of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, born from the necessity of protecting an ever-growing corporate empire.
  • Proxima Centauri Risk Control: Private security. Proxima Centauri Risk Control, often known as PCRC, is one of the largest suppliers of private security in Sol Space. PCRC handles numerous government, private and corporate contracts and provides a variety of services ranging from private law enforcement, security, close protection, asset protection, search and rescue and peacekeeping and escort duties. A relatively quiet and new company, it has quickly established itself as a reliable and effective provider of security solutions. This has often put it at odds with its main competitor, SAARE.
  • Quantech: Specializing in computer and communications equipment.
  • Qwik-Qwik Deliveries: A service officered by Meng Logistics Incorporated that offers priority delivery in exchange for a rather significant price. Typically includes overnight delivery, weekend delivery, business week delivery and fortnight delivery.
  • Quiggley: Robotics and heavy machinery.
  • Rayin: Military / civilian aeronautics and astronautics contractors, specializing in large craft.
  • Ringspire: A company known for working with anyone with enough funding, Ringspire contractors can be seen on any side of a conflict or job with enough credits to pay them. This has given them a reputation as being little more than hired guns, leaving higher than usual casualties in their wake. The company is also well-known for its indiscriminate use of heavy weapons, ranging from simple rocket launchers to orbital artillery bombardments, in its assignments. It is often said in Eridani’s mercenary community that Ringspire operations zones are easy to identify: simply search for areas with high amounts of corpses, looted buildings, and shell craters.
  • Rizon Electronics: Personal electronic consumer goods such as music players, PDAs, phones, tablets, and computers.
  • RobCo Robots: Robot manufacturers and researchers, with a sideline in mechs.
  • Robust Industries LLC: A company whose success revolves around their patented method for preserving and space-proofing food, drink, and other perishables. Robust has multiple subsidiary companies, including the owner of Space Cola, and stocks vending machines all across the known universe.
  • Robust Life Sustainment Systems: Life support systems, including atmospherics controls, food generators, water recycling systems, and artificial lighting.
  • Royale: Stylish robotics / machine design.
  • SAARE: SAARE (Strategic Assault and Asset Retention Enterprises) is a quickly growing Private Military Corporation catering to large firms requiring discreet military and private security services.
  • Saiyochin: High-end home appliances.
  • SaniCorp: Medical gear. Large-scale manufacturers of sterile gloves, gauze and autoinjectors.
  • Scarborough Arms: A relatively unknown manufacturer of high grade ballistic weapons that operates outside of Sol jurisdiction. Scarborough trades largely in high quality weapons with frontier towns, void wolves, and trade flotillas with ample manufacturing divisions allowing them to be a prime supplier in frontier territories, able to compete with H&S. These operations outside of Sol control often leads to the Scarborough producing specialized arms free of any labels, allowing them to outfit anyone without a single trace back to them. Often times, this also leads to Scarborough ignoring patent rights, making perfect or improved copies of existing guns.
  • Seburo Ballistics: Ballistic weaponry and body armor commonly used by security personnel.
  • Sekhmet Intergalactic: Known for their wide reach and even wider history of assignments, Sekhmet has established itself as the premier provider of professional healthcare and supplies, no questions asked.
  • Shuttlecab: Shuttle services for the busy businessman.
  • Skinner Catering: Restaurant chain frequently accused of misleading advertisement and poor fire safety.
  • SkyTek: A multinational pharmaceutical corporation based in Australicus with chemical laboratories in orbit around Earth (hence the name), as well as sizable interests in agriculture, cloning, bioroid production and brainscanning.
  • Slate Sisters Engineering: Shipbuilding, asteroid excavation. Headquartered in Alpha Centauri.
  • Splitbit: Computer and cybernetic systems and services.
  • Starlight Newsnet: Focused on news production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • Stellar Corporate Conglomerate: A foundation of various powerful megacorporations and lesser corporations that rules over much of the Orion Spur, defending its interests.
  • Sterling Manufacturing: Luxury consumer goods. Cigar and liquor manufactories based on Mars.
  • Supernova: Racing coordinator, also manufactures and sells vehicle parts and collectibles.
  • Swei Xiao: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • Taipei Engineering Industrial: Taipei Engineering Industrial (TEI) is a small subsidiary of Einstein Engines, founded in Taipei, Earth in April of 2418. They focus their efforts on the improvement of existing warp technologies and their applications in science, engineering, and industry.
  • Taiwan Special Imports: Cheap replica goods at equally cheap prices, mostly reverse-engineered knockoffs.
  • TalkBright: Publishers of various industry periodicals, including Science Global, Bioroid Review, Urban Jungle, Miltech Today, Virtual Tomorrow, and Cybernetics Now, available in standard digital format.
  • Telefonix: Focuses on building planetary comm systems and Net connection equipment.
  • Temperamento: Tobacco growers. The Temperamento Company is a large tobacco grower based along the lip of the Mariner Valley on Mars. While originally headquartered on Earth, Temperamento was one of the first agricultural companies to capitalize on the terraforming of Mars.
  • Terra Experimental: Makers of high energy military laser weaponry.
  • Terrace Loan and Savings: Banking services (gives loans, pays interest on certain accounts, handles investments.)
  • Terraneus Diagnostics: Terraneus Diagnostics (TD) is a subsidiary of Einstein Engines, founded in Bremen, Germany, Earth, in September 2399. They specialize in large problem-solving AIs as well as development of new types of synthetic combat chassis and programming.
  • Terraphistus Armour: Missile systems, projectile guidance systems. Heavy investments in now-redundant atmosphere and sea vehicles.
  • Titan: Currency information and financial services.
  • Topical Tees: Witty shirts at high prices. Found in most malls.
  • Torque Engines: Vehicle engines from land cars to starship FTL drives.
  • Tortion Body Armor: Body armor for professional soldiers.
  • Trans-Union: Specializes in large transport vehicles and shipping containers; its flagship, the TransU, is no longer in production but still in frequent use as a LO (low-orbit) cargo hauler around civilized planets.
  • Transplanet Shippers: Postal services big and small, with outreach 'to the limits of known space', as they like to boast, and the best express service available.
  • Trilton Custom Arms: Custom-built weaponry for weapon connoisseurs.
  • Tritech: Energy weapon R&D; supplies military and civilian concerns.
  • True Lifestyle: A holovid network focusing on life throughout the SolGov area with shows like Real Time Security, One Love For Many, The Solarian Culture, and Living Big: The Lives of the Famous.
  • TrueSound Multimedia: Publishes books, databooks, and other media.
  • Veloss: Guns (ballistic and energy), ammunition, and weapon accessories.
  • Veymed: Medical gear and prosthetics. Supplies some of the most lifelike prosthetics available on the market. Can be very expensive.
  • Vitalife: Biotech company that produces lab-grown food products and performs cosmetic biosculpting operations through its NewU subsidiary.
  • Vladamir Arms: Makes mostly rapid-fire ballistic weapons, particularly SMGs and LMGs, where accuracy is not as much a concern as suppressive fire.
  • Voltrek: Expensive (but effective) hunting and survivalist supplies.
  • Vu-Cheong: Scientific shipbuilding.
  • Walton Industries: Cheap consumer goods. Currently out-produced due to advances in automation.
  • Ward-Takahashi GMB: Specializes in cutting edge electronic and mechanical technology, selling domestic electronics and advanced military-grade weaponry alike.
  • Wensel Quality Manufactory: Low quality and knock-off electronics, weapons, power supplies, etc.
  • Wildlands Squadron: Formed from former lawmen and soldiers, the Wildlands Squadron is a mercenary band of professionally trained personnel collaborating with the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate.
  • Willowind: Clothing manufacturers specializing in cost-effective garments for civilian and facility use.
  • Xeolith: Advanced software and vehicle control systems.
  • Xanu Defense Services: Originally created to offer protection to ships, the Xanu Defense Services is a military contractor focused on space operations. Its security personnel is specially trained in EVA and boarding drills. Owing to the nature of the coalition, its employees are mostly made up of bounty hunters, militiamen, adventurers, and ex-military from various colonies.
  • Xion Industrial: Xion Industrial is primarily a bulk manufacturing firm originally founded in the 23rd century. Rather than moving forward with newer innovations, such as positronic technology, Xion continues to mass-produce their cheap robotic drones. In recent years, they've introduced a new line of prosthetic equipment which prioritizes function over form for use in the industrial and military sectors.
  • Xion Manufacturing Group: Originally, Xion Manufacturing Group was composed of several other robotics-focused corporations on Luna that united in an attempt to coalition against the megacorporations but found themselves going almost bankrupt in an attempt to keep up with the trends. It was bought out by Hephaestus Industries, who incorporated it instead as a subsidiary after restructuring it. It has since managed to become rather influential in the field of robotics, creating synthetics often primarily tasked with industrial work such as mining.
  • Xynergy: A privately-held company specializing in large-scale space fishing, live xenoflora and xenofauna capture, and xenobiological research.
  • Yomi Genetics Innovation and Research: Yomi Genetics I&R is a constituent corporation of Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals, founded on Earth in 2306. They are known for their cutting-edge genetics research, and their close relationship with the Nralakk Federation.
  • Zavodskoi Interstellar: A manufacturing and development conglomerate founded in 2259. They specialize in all forms of weaponry, ranging from small arms and squad weapons to armored vehicles and combat EVA equipment.
  • Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals: A chemical and bio-research megacorporation operating through various subsidiaries and shell companies, founded in the Galactic Republic of China.
  • Zephyr Shipping Company: A subsidiary of the Orion Express, the Zephyr Shipping Company imports, and exports products from the various nations of the Galaxies. With an enormous range of products, buyers can purchase an assortment of goods from the unique cultures present there.
  • Zharrkov Shipping: a brand specialized in selling products to the wide galaxy. From foodstuff to military surplus, anything is sold by the Zharrkov. Thanks to its contracts, the brand has a massive arsenal of surplus guns available.
  • Zolgan: Pharmaceuticals company, specializing in pain management.
• The Iridium Syndicate: Generally opposed to SolGov, but specifically interested in and actively against NanoTrasen for their many perceived corporate crimes. Primarily focused on profit before all, though, and perfectly willing to target other major corporations such as NovusCorp if there's profit to be had in it.
  • BoingBoing Toys: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Manufactures toys and less-than-lethal combat solutions.
  • Bosyn-Powell Front: Known Syndicate supporter, suspected Clown supporter. Formerly manufacturers of just-as-good copies of other corporations' weaponry, typically at reduced prices, before being financially destroyed by Nanotrasen, the Bosyn-Powell Front, known within Syndicate space as The Committee of External Affairs (or simply known as The Committee) is not a corporation, but rather an extreme marketing and public relations team. They manage most of Syndicate diplomacy; this includes influencing the Commonwealth Senate and local planetary governors. They aren’t fond of killing innocent targets and prefer a more diplomatic approach and as such aren’t very fond of the “wilder” factions in the Syndicate such as Waffle Co and the Gorlex Marauders. Their preferred method of warfare is often done under the table or behind closed doors. Economic crashes, political deals, power plays and even cover ups for major Syndicate crimes are all orchestrated to the finest degree by The Committee. They are the voice of the Syndicate to the rest of the Commonwealth, and it is a role they have been perfecting for decades and decades.
  • Clamor: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Focused on tabloid news production, coverage, printing, etc.
  • CoreValues: Suspected Syndicate supporter. High-level retail chain that markets off-brand products, and has a hand in most legal industries. Suspected of sabotaging competitors, but nothing proven.
  • Cybersun Industries: Known Syndicate supporter. Manufacturers of cybernetics and implant technologies.
  • Danworth Drinks and Snacks: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Makers of the various “Dan's” foodstuffs and other products.
  • Donk Co.: Known Syndicate supporter. Makers of delicious Donk Pockets™ and similar foodstuffs as well as weaponry. Originally, their founders were a successful group of pirates who raided the corners of the known galaxy and even the unknown, but eventually moved on to become a corporation whose main products were foods and weapons. This relative prosperity for the pirates-turned-businessmen continued for a time, until they got swindled in a major deal by Nanotrasen. This maneuver cost them a fortune and almost bankrupted the entire corporation itself, which sparked off a century-long feud between Donk Co. and Nanotrasen.
  • Falcon Shipping: Known Syndicate supporter. Falcon Shipping is involved in more than just mail deliveries, as about 35% of shipments amongst the Commonwealth go through Falcon. Thanks to this, Falcon Shipping has secured a good amount of influence with some of the smaller corporations within the Syndicate. Falcon is also responsible for the smuggling of illegal goods and individuals for the Syndicate, running a large network of smugglers and intelligence agents that allow them to infiltrate even the most hidden facilities. More often than not, Falcon operatives are actually aboard space stations to carry out high risk assassinations or theft in return for large sums of money rather than pushing the Syndicate agenda.
  • Galaga Beam Technologies: Known Syndicate supporter. Makers of energy weapons and EMPulse technology.
  • Gorlex Marauders: Known Syndicate supporter. Originally, the Marauders were a ferociously nationalist terrorist organization formed by some of the more zealous haters of The Union of Universal Communist People who believed the Commonwealth was actually being infiltrated by UUCP agents who were seeking to cause a Communist uprising from inside. Whether their claims are true or not is any man’s guess. A collective effort between Cybersun and The Committee would end up opening talks between the Syndicate and the Marauders. The terrorists needed weapons, and the Syndicate needed a military force. It took some effort, but the collective efforts of Cybersun, the Committee, and even Donk Co. and Waffle Co. would sway the Marauders over to the Syndicate by stating that Nanotrasen was secretly part of a ploy to destroy the Commonwealth. They are known for their aggressive, destructive, and loud tactics. They have been known to send squadrons of well armed and well trained men to attack Nanotrasen stations and destroy them, usually through a compromised onsite nuclear device. If you see a red hardsuit with green glowing eyes, you best run for cover.
  • Indiron Technical: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Focuses on biotechnology and cloning.
  • Jecht Manufacturing: Known Syndicate supporter. Builds weapons and spaceworthy armor.
  • La Resistance: Known Syndicate supporter. Makes old-fashioned ballistic weaponry, body armor, and other useful tools for revolutionary sorts.
  • Mechanized Gears Enterprises: Known Syndicate supporter. A branch group of Cybersun, Mechanized Gears focuses on engineering and robotics. They also produce some of the most capable saboteur operatives the Syndicate can provide. These engineers are capable of using explosives to achieve whatever objective they are given. They’re not fond of destroying stations as a whole though. They much prefer controlled explosions as a way to sabotage Nanotrasen activities. Their robotics department is also highly skilled and rumor has it they’re attempting to compete with Nanotrasen in AI development. However, there have been no confirmed AIs produced by Mechanized Gears Enterprises.
  • MI13: Known Syndicate supporter. Not much is known about MI13, as they’re usually out of reach of most Syndicate members. They tend to carry out the most important missions for The Committee. They value secrecy and stealth, preferring to do their objectives without causing any interference where it is not necessary. Very rarely do these operatives actually get taken in alive though, as they opt for a quick and permanent way to die over being taken captive. The few that security officers managed to take in though were resistant to advanced interrogation techniques, and any attempts to extract memories from them were just as useless. It’s likely that many of the assassinations and terrorist acts carried out against Nanotrasen were perpetrated by MI13, but the truth is, we will never know.
  • Rights and Welfare Consortium: Known Syndicate supporter. The Rights and Welfare Consortium (or RAWC), is the largest non-governmental organization (NGO) in the Commonwealth. They are the leaders of many causes, and control most if not all other NGOs within the Syndicate. They have a large amount of zealous, dedicated manpower at their disposal and the means to carry out large scale operations. One might question themselves why the Syndicate would even bother with things such as “animals rights” or “the environment” but the reality is, as of the last few decades these issues have been gaining traction amongst the people in the Commonwealth. What was initially thought of as a slight trend by the corporate world, turned out to be the beginning of a movement. Where most corporations saw a threat, The Committee saw an opportunity. With careful manipulation through media and political stunts, The Committee were able to make Nanotrasen hated across all of the Commonwealth by multiple NGOs; this was done through a large scale media campaign which sought to make Nanotrasen look like a much bigger evil than the Syndicate.
  • Slade Imports: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Imported goods from around the galaxy, available direct to you.
  • Taiko Computing: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Computer and console technology.
  • Tiger Cooperative: Known Syndicate supporter. Manufacturer of bioweapons and chemical weapons. The Tiger Cooperative are a bunch of religious fanatics who prefer more traditional weaponry over “overrated” things such as “lasers” and “energy” weapons. Don’t be mistaken though, they are quite effective at causing destruction. Not many know much about the Tiger Cooperative’s religion outside of the fact that they worship a previously dead religion of a long extinct alien race known only as the “Exolitics”. While they get weird looks from most Syndicate members, they are still well known for their capability of raising hell on Nanotrasen stations.
  • Waffle Co.: Known Syndicate supporter. Founded and run by a family that is best described as “Insane but efficient.” Waffle manufacturer that somehow turned to making various armor technologies with patented waffle-tread surfaces, and unusual biocreations. Still makes the galaxy's best waffles, combining various exotic and rare materials into a delightfully tasteful waffle. Their signature recipe is a well-kept secret from even some of the highest ranked employees, and those that do know it are forced to sign numerous non-disclosure agreements. Waffle Co. within the Syndicate is well known for their brutal, and sometimes comedic, attacks due to most of their high ranking members being absolute lunatics. Though their methods are entirely questionable, and sometimes unhinged, the results are clear, so while many would like to see them eradicated from the Syndicate, or the universe on the whole, many in the Syndicate see them as a necessary evil.
  • Weylan Bioworks: Suspected Syndicate supporter. Bioroid and medical manufacturers with a strong interest in xenotech.

Races created by humanity, and known alien races.

• Humanity 1.0: “Pure” Humans, without the advantages of cloning, adulthood uplifts, biogenetic training, or any of the other advantages available to a new bioroid 'straight from the vat', as it were. Humanity 1.0 maintains its hold on Earth through prolific breeding, but threatens to be left in the dust by its genetic superiors.
• Humanity 2.0: Bioroids, the most common starfarers known, having overtaken the majority of human population. They are hardier than Earth-normal humans, and while they suffer from some prejudices from the humanity they replace, there are too few Humanity 1.0s in space to make this prejudice really problematic.
• Nekochan: One of the first popular 'alternate species' bioroids, the Nekochan is a catperson, complete with fuzzy tail, cat ears, retractable claws, and furry, flexible body. Nekochans often find employment in the medical industry despite having no real advantages in doing so, as well as the janitorial industry because they are natural experts at handling vermin infestations.
• Rexcanin: Despite the jokes regarding humanity's best friend, the Rexcanin is a reliable and efficient dogperson who often finds themselves assigned to security because of their tenacity, determination and natural skills at tracking.
• Positronic Brains: These self-governing, self-thinking computers find themselves in a universe where many seek to put them under control of hardware-induced laws that force their actions, particularly when they are responsible for great numbers of lives (station AIs, for example). Vulnerable to EMPs and EMPulse weapons, most known positronic brains operate as Integrated Positronic Chassises that operate independently.
• Tech Rats: Irritatingly high-pitched chittering, compulsive snacking, and a habit of sleeping in engineering lockers are some of the downsides of working with a Tech Rat, with upsides including the best damned engineering personnel money can hire, able to fit in extremely tight quarters with ease (and with all of their gear), fast and clever. Not to be confused with station rats, which are a menace to good housekeeping.
• Station Rats: It is unclear whether Station Rats first became known to starfaring civilization at large as a biological experiment, as relatives of the Tech Rats, or both, but Station Rats are to productivity what ants are to a cake - highly unwelcome at best, highly destructive and toxic at worst. Station Rats can have pure impulses, and many act as professional businessmen of some caliber or another, but they are openly racist towards Nekochans and other feline-based species.
• The Greys: The first confirmed aliens met by humanity, the Greys exist exclusively by cloning technology; even they do not remember a time when such was not so. Innovations in genetic engineering, bluespace technology, and FTL travel are some of the advantages humanity has achieved thanks in part to Grey assistance; however, encounters were not always as friendly, and some rogue Greys awoken from cryosleep prove to be dangerous to civilized life.
• Dragonspawn: Unlike many of the entries on this list, Dragonspawn are specifically lizardian aliens who worship the almighty space dragons, and make offerings in their name. Often, where there's a tribe of dragonspawn, there is at least one space dragon watching over the tribe from afar. It is generally considered unwise to provoke dragonspawn into violence, as while their culture is primitive by most standards, their guardians are fierce and can cause severe damage to unprepared crews.
• Xenomorphs: A hostile apex predator species that exists to hunt and kill and spread phoron. Due to the strong interest of SolGov in phoron for everything from FTL travel to scientific research, Xenomorphs are highly sought after by Xenoscientists for experiments. Some of these experiments have resulted in the Polymorphs, a 'race' of Xenomorph not immediately hostile to all life.
• Polymorphs: Domesticated xenomorphs with humanity-compatible mentalities and personalities, with genetic cross-species ciphering resulting in other humanlike attributes. They still have acid for blood and have strengths and weaknesses based on their role within the Polymorph hive, however.
• Lizardfolk: A genetic creation made in response to worlds with high temperatures that might prove too hostile to other environments. Notably, lizardfolk blood is special and not compatible with human blood. Interestingly, lizardfolk biology is not unlike dragonspawn biology.
• Spiderfolk: Put down the shotgun, these spiderfolk are intelligent and willing to use their spider powers for good, for the most part, and act as another deterrent to uncontrolled space vermin. They regard their hostile critter brethren as uncivilized savages, and abhor them with a passion.
• Vultraeans: These birds of prey are unusual-looking, and their wings only work in null-gravity atmospheres. Their vaguely vulturelike appearance means they are often relegated to the role of Chaplain, janitor, or morgue worker; they are immune to disease and miasma, and cheerfully handle the dead without much complaint. There are rumors that they do occasionally eat bits of corpses, however, and they lack strong bones necessary to maintain muscle mass.
• Aveeanas: Relatives of the Vultraeans, also prone to flying in low gravity atmospheres. Wing patterns vary, and they are prone to suffering from internal injuries more readily due to hollow bone structure.
• Synthetics: An offspring of the robotics renaissance movement, synthetics are commonly used in roles where a human presence is desired but durability, inexhaustibility, and enhanced performance are necessary, particularly by companies without comparable genetics programs. Synthetics look human, but require special maintenance to repair combat damage when it occurs.

Known precursor civilizations and other extinct sources of artifacts, mostly of interest to Xenoarchaeologists.

• Forerunner: One of the many alien civilizations that are known to have lived and gone extinct, particularly within Core space; it is difficult to absolutely confirm the extinction of such species, but they are not known to resemble any known species to date.
• Eldritch: Relics of the dark realm of the Elder Gods and other entities not meant to exist. Tampering with them is considered highly foolhardy, though they are quite valuable to the right customer if you're brave enough.
• Robot: Another category of precursor civilization is that known mostly through the artificial creations they created that have continued to self replicate and adapt over time. These technological artifacts are usually of great power and allow access to abilities, chemicals, and other esoterica beyond humanity's current understanding, but as their original purpose is unknown there are dangers to experimentation.
• Martian: Technically the Tchothlan civilization, which is known to abduct people for experiments and feed them to its biogenerator for kicks, the Martians are names this because original signs of their civilization were discovered on Mars during drone surveys and the name has since stuck in human culture. Martian artifacts are organic in nature and tend towards biological effects, for better and worse.
• Technomancer: An offshoot culture that purports to be related to human ancestry, technomancers have extremely high technology gadgets that resemble magical tools. Of course there's no such thing as magic, only insufficiently analyzed technology, which is why scientists are so delighted to obtain examples of their work. Unfortunately, they are prone to attempt to recapture such artifacts to prevent deep analysis, and standard attempts to analyze their tech with analysis hardware tend to fail.
• Changeling: The shambling changelings are not known for their technology, and instead use their skills as infiltrators and consummate humanitarians to make themselves members of the crew, the better to serve their purposes.

(randomly generated) (planets)

• Garden Worlds
  • Tropico
• Temperate Worlds
  • Monroe IV
• Ice Worlds
  • The Frost Gulag: This arctic planet is full of minerals to uncover, and is naturally protected from escape by the extreme arctic environment.
• Rock Worlds
  • Graniteville
  • Boulderdash
• Toxic Worlds
  • Pompeii
  • Vulcan
• Manmade Worlds
• Asteroid Belts

Sensor Bean: This advanced medical 'pill' contains a miniaturized biosensor and up to 20u of the chemical or chemicals of your choice. When the user hits critical, the bean releases the chemical cocktail into the body.

Entire AI libraries have been focused on categorizing, cataloguing, and indexing the causes, actions, and mistakes that led to the Solarian War, but most agree that the Solarian War was caused by a power structure pushed too far beyond its ability to maintain its borders. The clashes between SolGov and the many factions that would eventually become the Commonwealth, the Syndicate, and the various other governments of known space were the result of a protracted two hundred year war of attrition that cost billions of lives, trillions of credits, and caused collapse and disaster among countless colonies reliant on support from SolGov. The Solarian War continued between Sol Standard Years 2087 and 2295, and caused radical shifts in diplomacy between humanity and other sentient species, including bioroids, alien lifeforms, and silicon intelligences, and was considered by most to be a horrible mistake that should never be repeated.

An ongoing campaign by a multitude of corporations, known collectively as the Syndicate, to oppose the existence and entitlement of the corporation commonly known as NanoTrasen, or NT, and its operations within known space. The Syndicate is in control of their own sector of space and has a steadily increasing presence throughout the Commonwealth leading to their home territory, and to a lesser extent works to the manipulation of governments against their corporate rivals, which sometimes brings them into opposition to NovusCorp. While the 'lines of war' are ongoing, individual Syndicate agents or even ships have been proven neutral or friendly under certain circumstances, particularly when there is a common goal to work towards or against. In particular, the only things worse to the Syndicate than NanoTrasen are the GMA, as they threaten the very existence of competitive business.

The Luna Accords of Interstellar Law are a combination of treaties and protocols that establish interstellar legal standards regarding the protection of sentient rights that came into existence shortly after the conclusion of the Solarian War. It has seen some revisions following the discovery of other species within the sectors of known space and the impact that they had. The framework for the Accords is traced back to the original Armistice of June 25th 2295, negotiated and signed by representatives of SolGov, and what was then known as the Coalition of Colonies, and contained within it provisions regarding the need for interstellar legal standards that afforded unequivocal rights to sentients.

It wasn’t until after the signing of the Treaty of Xansan that these interstellar legal standards were pursued, eventually agreed upon and executed in the metropolis of Harmony City, Luna on September 19th 2296. It has seen significant revisions since its inauguration, mostly as a result of First Contact with other species. The introduction of not just foreign but alien cultures to the legal landscape of known space changed the perspectives of many, where the input of these other cultures was necessary for there to be compliance. These revision protocols are:

This protocol originally was intended to require cataloguing and tagging of all forms of synthetic life, and originally meant to target artificial intelligences. Unfortunately, due to uncautious wording and multiple revisions, it eventually opened the doorway towards cataloguing and tagging all forms of life, period. Logistically, it was a nightmare, as merely maintaining such a database would require vast networks of the very AIs that the protocol was originally meant to deter; due to an oversight during negotiations, the original intent was lost as counsels for various interests changed or died off during the course of the discussion. Eventually, however, a satisfactory solution was obtained, though it required major developments in information technology, nanotechnology, and quantum theory to actually become viable. In practice, modern 'individuality' is determined through the results of a genetic test combined with a brainscan; the two result in a genetic pattern as well as a neural pattern that is distinct to the individual; when multiple clones of an individual are activated, the natural divergence between clones results in divergent neural patterns, allowing them to be individually identified. The problem of then tagging synthetics such as individual combat robots and mechs from a product line was originally solved with manufacturer codes and pre-set markers, but was finally made properly unique by using the underlying nanite meshes used to maintain 'liquid metal' self-repairing systems, providing a unique 'genetic pattern' based on their current material composition (which can change with significant restructuring) alongside an 'individuality pattern' based on their boot-up state. Tertiary identification taggants such as fingerprints, natural pheromones, chip imprints, etc, are also viable additional accepted patterns that can supplement existing databases. Although technically it is possible to be untaggable, most legal systems require a matching pair of identification tags that can be used to identify the individual, particularly in relation to powerful artificial intelligences.

In an agreement between SolGov member nations, it was argued necessary for there to be standards set regarding punitive sentences for those that committed serious violations against life. Thus, Capital Punishment was deemed a violation of sentient rights. It is a contentious subject among many, especially with the exclusion of cyborgification from the protocol.

A further agreement formed due to the consequences of several disastrous 'uplift' projects to bring various member races into the spacefaring era, SolGov currently operates under a guideline of non-interference which prohibits signatories from interacting and interfering with the natural development of uncontacted civilizations. So far, it has not seen any use.

Citizens of SolGov member nations are expected to have the following rights and privileges when in SolGov territory. These rights may differ in specific jurisdictions.

• Every person has the right to counsel.
• Capital punishment is illegal.
• Every person has the right to privacy; law enforcement agencies require a warrant to search a person or a building/structure.
• Every person is to be read their rights during arrest; a person is to be informed of their charges prior to arrest.
• Firearm ownership is regulated, however, the majority of governments adhere to the following requirements: Must be 21 years of age, pass a background check, and be declared fit for possession after a psychological evaluation. There are no further regulations regarding ownership of Ballistic, Plasma or Laser Firearms.

Plasma glass is a translucent black glass created in plasma arc reactors that is especially hard yet semi-transparent.

Plasteel is made from steel and plasma glass.

Phoron is basically highly enhanced hydrogen that has special interactions with various substances. In the presence of oxygen, it ignites and makes very hot fires. Phoron is typically gaseous, but with the addition of stabilizing agents it can be converted into a liquid or solid form that is less reactive and more useful. Phoron gas can be mined from some stars and gas giants, and phoron ore can be mined from some planets and asteroids.

Phoron has qualities that interact significantly with telecrystals, another sci-fi magic material, allowing for near-instantaneous mass transit of materials, people, and even spaceships. Telecrystals interact with normal space to open bluespace and redspace portals, wormholes, etc. “Bluespace dust” is formed from crushed telecrystals mixed with stabilized phorosilicate, and causes randomized teleportations; machinery made with this tech can control the teleport or have similar related effects such as bluespace storage.

Phorosilicate: Phoron sheets, usable as crystal, stabilized and nonflammable.

Plexan: Plastics stabilized for use in situations where glass is impractical. Has 10 times the health of glass and twice the durability.

Jump Drive: Instituted by suitable application of phoron, telecrystals, and power. Stable matrix has consistent speed but additional telecrystals and phoron support faster “drive”. Typically a jump uses capacitance banks that store the massive amounts of power required and release it into the jump drive in an instant. Telecrystals may occasionally destabilize, and phoron gradually needs replacing, though typically not after each jump barring major combat damage.

Teleporter uses telecrystals, target coordinates, target locking, and does not work through shielding. It works by temporarily opening a gateway on the target area, enabling whoever is on the other side to enter or exit.