Polaris

**Polaris Megacorporation** (sometimes shortened to "Polaris Megacorp" or simply "Polaris") is a major trading-based alien faction in Empyrion.

## History (brief summary)

The Polaris Megacorp was founded by a small group of independent miners and traders - not long after the War of Silence had ended. The initial group, formerly known as the "Galactic Exports, Mining and Logistics Consortium" expanded over several centuries until today into the well known 'Polaris Megacorp'. The term "Polaris" is an abbreviation of the seven mining guilds and trading families, which had established cooperations in wartime already. The Short-handle 'Polaris' emerged quite early on and was widely used by other companies and empries making deals with the 'Big Seven', as they were also called back then.

## Design Philosophy

While in the early days the ship designs were numerous (those are still around in some edges of the sectors), after several decades, a more boxy/ compact and industrial-style type of vessels was developed - just by pure practicability. As a proud captain was cited in a historic document: „What is the point in having all type of fluff added to the hull, when i rip off those exposed thruster gondolas while parking into a tight lot?“

As a result, nearly all of the Polaris vessels are now running a merely modular, utmost efficient and straight forward industrial design, which can easily be utilized (or even be refit „in the field“ by Polaris Tenders) for the companies main tasks with the maximum return per time, money and man power invested: mining, industry, production.

Said simple: the overall design is utilitarian and visually defines the goal of having found a common format, which not only allows to run the vessels at minimum cost (what includes time for docking, up to reducing maintainance cost). Of course these new vessel formats also perfectly fit the Polaris stationary bases docking- and cargo transfer bays.

The achievement in that area was so impressing, that, since the last one and a half century, nearly all of the known races and factions are using the standardized Polaris cargo modules and docking systems.

## Military

The Polaris Megacorp never built their own warships, leasing smaller vessels or hiring mercenaries or troops from the Zirax and other factions as convoy escort.

A few years ago, an entirely new section of Polaris Megacorp has been founded, with the only goal to improve defensive (and, as internal reports indicate, also offensive) capabilities that does not depend on 3rd parties goodwill.

Although only a few Corvettes and Frigates were produced, this already turned up a lot of old dust, fueling the distrust of the Zirax towards the company, not being able to control the Polaris Megacorp or even knowing where the ships are produced and who is involved.

The Polaris war ships are following the same utilitarian approach than their other company vessels, although they are showing new and unprecedented design approaches. They are not really boxy, but more stretched and angular shaped. For an earthling of the 21st century, they might resemble the way water-bound frigates and radar-cloaked marine vessels were styled.