Megacorporation

> "Wealth aggregates and becomes political power. "MegaCorp" is just the most recent name for it. In the Ancient Times it was the Church. They had a great logo, too. You might have seen it, and they had more branches than Exomine. Go back before that, and it was the Romans. It's a natural process as old as humanity." - *Cinder Rose, Hacktivist*
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**Megacorporation, mega-corporation, or megacorp**, a term originally coined by Alfred Eichner in his *book The Megacorp and Oligopoly: Micro Foundations of Macro Dynamics*, but popularized by William Gibson, derives from the combination of the prefix *mega-* with the word *corporation*.

It is synonymous with syndicate, globalist- or transnational capital. It refers to a corporation that is a massive conglomerate *(usually private)*, holding monopolistic or near-monopolistic control over multiple markets *(thus exhibiting both a horizontal and a vertical monopoly)*. Megacorps are so powerful that they are above the government laws, possess their own heavily armed *(often military-sized)* private armies, be the operator of a privatized police force, hold "sovereign" territory, and even act as outright governments. They often exercise a large degree of control over their employees, taking the idea of "corporate culture" to an extreme.

Although the term itself arose out of science fiction,certain real-life corporations, such as colonial-era chartered companies and zaibatsu, have achieved or approached megacorporation status in various ways. The private **Dutch East India Company**, for example, operated 40 warships and had 10,000 private soldiers to monitor its farflung spice empire, while the **British East India Company** controlled a large colonial empire and maintained a 300,000 strong standing army in the mid-19th century before the company was dissolved and its territories absorbed into the British Empire. **The Hudson's Bay Company** was once the world's largest landowner, exercising legal control and a trading monopoly on its territory known as Rupert's Land which consisted of 15% of the North American land mass. Other famous historic examples were **Saudi Aramco**, **Walmart**, **America's Big Five**, **Volkswagen Group** and **Samsung Electronics**.

Most of the Modern MegaCorps, were founded after the expulsion of the Magi, except for Exomine wich was already in the existence in the early mid 21th century. In the course of the 27th-32th Century Megacorporations came to dominate UCSS and Terra, with their societies beginning to fragment in a corporate neo-feudalist fashion.

Thanks to the great political influence held in UCSS by the MegaCorps. **Corporate Worlds** and **Charters** are privileges granted to the Corporate Entities. While Charters allow Megacorporations to exploit natural resourcces, whith almost no-oversight from the Central Government, these world lack political representation and remain under UCSS legal jurisdiction. Coperate Worlds are more akin to the ancient ***free and imperial cities*** of the **Holy Roman Empire**, with representation in the UCSS Government but also holding a certain amount of autonomy. The Exception to this is the MegaCorp Capital World of Fortuna, which is de jure not part of the UCSS. **Corporate Worlds** tend to be Corporate Neofeudal in character, with an "Cradle to Grave" customer experience and all the misdeeds of ancient Company Towns.

**Exomine; Agrobotix; Intertrans; StellaSec; Ansari Industries and Asclepius Clinics** are considered the largest and most powerful "Megacorps".

## Megacorporations (**Megacorps**)

### **StellaSec**

* **Fontbona Family**
* **Head:** César-Carlos Leonidas Fontbona *"Mister CC"/"The Great Crocodile"*

Stellar Security **(StellaSec)** is the top corporation operating in the areas of private security and stellar traffic control, with close government ties as it employs UCSS-trained Marshals and has UCSS-Inspectors on board to properly execute UCSS laws. Its activities are considered very controversial due to its secret operations and repressive methods, working closely with **Exomine** and **Agrobotix** to supress labor strikes and uprisings in the resource colonies of the Limitrophe, where there have been demands for independence. Major corporations, fearing diminished profits and raised mineral prices have suppressed these revolts with the aid of StellaSec. StellaSec was once the private security corporation employed by the UCSS to protect its colonies and trade routes, it has long been however acquired by the **Salazars of Intertrans**. StellaSec Peacekeepers are derogatorily referred to as **Carne por la Sistema** (*"meat for the system"*). Most polls indicate that StellaSec is the most disliked organization in the universe due to its sheer brutality and its harrasment of less fortunate citizens. StellaSec began its history as a state-owned enterprise, before being privatized to ensure maximum profit. StellaSec Marshals are trained on Xuesen, Luna, where also its Headquaters are located, they have numerous other training facilities and smaller regional Headquaters outside the Sol System as well.

### **Ansari Industries**

* **Ansari Family**
* **Head:** Eldon Ansari IV

Ansari Industries manufactures several essential pieces of equipment, including Cargo Modules, Fusion Powerfuel, and all of the spacecraft engines, they also produce a substantial portion of civilan and military spacecraft, which makes them rivals to **Al-Mumani's** which produces most of Space-, Air-, Water- and Landcrafts, as well as **Novos Motors** and **Intertrans**. Ansari Industries has grown to such power as to own much of the "Industrial Parks" build on the developed colonies of First Exodus region.

### **Intertrans**

* **Salazar Family**
* **Head:** Vita María Salazar

The enormous Intertrans corporation owns most Space Ports, Space Elevators and many of the Space Liners that reguarly ship to Sol. They also own many warehouses spread throughout space which are used by many corporations involved in importing and exporting. Most goods transport services and the taxi services are owned and run by Intetrans.

### **Novos Motors**

* **Chill Family**
* **Head:** Metella Chill

The Novos Motors corporation designs and manufactures road vehicles, public mass transportation and luxary space vehicles. The vehicle designs were based on the exuberant retrofuturistic styling of the 1950s-1980s according to the requirements of planners. Novos Motors is a major competitor to **Intertrans**, **Al-Mumani** and **Ansari Industries**, as these corporations also provide transport systems. Most of Public Transport is maintained and build by Novos Motors. Similar to **StellaSec**, this has made Novos Motors a close ally to the Government due to providing essential services for them.

### **MienguTec**

* **Waindim Family**
* **Head:** Mbedi Waindim II

The MienguTec corporation has specialized in developing microscopic robots which are used in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. The intelligence of these devices is limited, but they can be designed to perform a wide variety of tasks, such as killing bacteria or manufacturing chemicals.

### **Asclepius Clinics**

* **Tokugawa Family**
* **Head:** Mitsuko Tokugawa

Asclepius Clinics' Nano technology is employed to destroy cancer cells and solve all kinds of medical problems. An early pioneer of Augmentation, Asclepius Clinics and their biotech and cyber-prosthetic wings is advanced. Asclepius Clinics controls hospitals, pharmaceutical plants and the **procreation centers,** they are close in "blood and busissnes" to the **Waindim Family**, they also have lucrative military contracts such as the **Aceso-Kits**, nannites which quickly stop bloods loss and increse the healing process, Due their development of Augmentation they often work with **StellaSec** and **Al-Mumani Industries**.

### **Exomine**

* **Wayland-Kelani Family**
* **Head:** Sir Larry Wayland-Kelani III, 37th Baron Wayland
* *Subsidiaries: TitanOil, ExoSol (photovoltaic company), ExoCeral, Auntie Emma's*

The advancement technology made asteriod mining as well as mining from sources in distant solar systems into a new gold rush. The Exomine corporation owns most of the mining operations and imports directly to Earth. These mining operations sustain the economies of numerous colonies, but they are still governed from Earth.

The Oldest Megacoperation founded in the dawn of Asteroid mining, the Wayland-Kelani's are the *"kingpin"* of the "financial cliques" that rule the UCSS. A massive family with many branches, Exomine has a myriad of daughter companies and shares in multiple coporations ranging from the infamous **ExoCeral** to **Auntie Emma's**.
Exomine was able to gain a monopoly over Helium-3 fusion, operating research stations and refineries in the **Solar Gulf**, as well as salvaging The Magi massive solar farms on and in orbit of Mercury.

Due its positions of as *"The Big Boss"*, it has a tenuous relationship, with the just as ambitious smaller megacorporations. Its near-monopoly over resource extraction, has however secured Exomine a good work relationships with most of the manufacturing-based coporations. Exomine has a hot-cold relationship with **Intertrans** due to their monopoly on transportation and storage, a infamous rivialry exists between Exomine and **Agrobotix** due to their squabble over *"Land and Water"*, which has only intensified since the acquisition of **TitanOil** by Exomine. A long power struggle over Titan has lead to mulitiple *"shadow wars"* between the two Corps. **Sir William Bertram Wayland-Kelani** the eleventh son of **Sir** **Larry Wayland-Kelani III**, was a former secretary-general of the UCSS, before his impeachment due to several corruption scandals.

### **Agrobotix**

* **Tirel Family**
* **Head:** Dr. Maude Tirel

The famous agribusiness heavyweight, Agrobotix has developed a highly efficient organic vertical system that produces huge quantities of fruit and vegetables of all known varieties, called "**Plantfactories**". The corporation also owns food processing plants, meat-growing labs and distribution centers. They are major **Water Barons** and reguralry buy up farmland. They found and finance agri-colonies and employ farmers to farm their land, using Agrobotix-made **terminator seeds** and agricultural machinery. Agrobotix's control over drinking water and as well seeds, has earned Agrobotix a metaphorical gun aimed at the temple of human civilization. The wealth aquired by its business practices has been re-invested into a massive biotech, xenobiology and genetic engineering sector. They are often in conflict with Terra's **Agri-Lord**, agricultural landlords (often shortened to agri-lord) that are wealthy, significant landowners in the Limitrophe, who hold great sway in the internal politics of the UCSS' outer colonies. A near monopoly on fertilizers and food processing, despite the constant squabbles over fertilizer manufacturing on Titan, has turned Agrobotix into an unavoible force in interstellar life.

### **Al-Mumani General Mobility**

* **Al-Mumani Family**
* **Head:** Fatima Al-Mumani

A manufacturing giant, they are the *"Factory that produces everything"* from Warships to Prosthetic Arms, their rivals are **Novos Motors** and **Ansari Industries**. A long history of cooperation and familial bonds has led to a close relationship between **Al-Mumani** and **Exomine**, **IndigoDyne** and **Asclepius Clinics**.

### **IndigoDyne**

* **Fong Family**
* **Head:** Fong Mariella

Manufacturing is mostly augmented and automated these days, but the ideas for new products still come from human designers. IndigoDyne employs many designers to keep generating the latest "*its*" which fuel consumer demands. Their manufacturing plants produce mostly consumer durables, but the corporation also controls a fleet of construction vehicles which are used to build or repair infrastructure.

### **Polzin Shippings**

* **Polzin Family**
* **Head:** Semyon Yury Polzin

Interplantary delivery service, they transport food and materials to distant worlds, a task previously executed by the UCSS government services.

### **Vallenberger Group**

* **Vasconcelos Family**
* **Head:** Valeria Maxima Pinto-Vasconcelos

A Banking and Finance Conglomerate, major water trader, as well as a real estate and construction company, a rival to **Exomine** and **Agrobotix** due to their stakes in the Water Trade. Nasty rumors persist, that the Vallenberger Group is the legal front of the Especia syndicate. It is assumed that their myriad daughter-companies are shell corporations for organized crime and that workers that end up "*seeing too much*" are forced into a life of crime. Named after the Vallenberg settlement on Luna.

### **Excelsior Communications**

* **Camara Family**
* **Head:** Boubacar Moussa Camara

The entertainment industry entered a new phase with the advent of virtual reality, excitatory adventures are recorded, and brain wave patterns are edited into the "**Fullsenso**" experiences and replayed at "**Sensodomes**" were many people can connect to virtual space with special brain "*plug-ins*". The receiver allows people to see, hear, feel and smell what the actors experienced. Fullsenso actors are wealthy celebrities and the corporation is now selling the expensive receiver sets into peoples homes. The only competition comes from the addictive and illegal drug implant known as **Martian Spices**, which is supplied by the criminal syndicates. Excelsior Communications also builds commerical devices and even military grade communications. They created the hit Virtual Game "**Avalon**". They have a "hush-hush" daughter company, which creates and maintains the ***"Cypersex and Party"* Flux Bars** on Luna and distributes several illegal adult fullsenso games. **VirtualBall** or "**V-Ball**" is heavily sponsored by the Camara Family.

### **The Pilgrim Company**

An interfaith ecumenical organization that manages one of Terra's most lucrative sources of income: the stream of pilgrims to the world's holy sites. The Pilgrim Company is, dominated by various Islamic and Christian denominations, but in praxis includes members of all Earth-based religions. Due to the strong presence of The Pilgrimage Company, religious people are simply called "**Pilgrims**". While tax-exempt due to the confederal value of "Freedom of Religion", the pilgrimages organized by the company, still provide valuable income to local businesses. The Company organizes charities and humanitarian aid programs, hosts pilgrimages, keeps colonists in touch with sacred history, makes sure pilgrims are allowed to visit their holy sites and even is financial responsibile for the upkeeps of temples and significant cultural landmarks.

##### The Cyperknights

With the Expansion of Humanity into Space, the Pilgrim Company started inducting local mercenary groups as official religious orders, with its offical purpose is to protect pilgrims and religious sites, unoffically these "Cyperknights" do participate in the "Black Credit Trade" and ruthless mercenary work. Unlike most of the armed groups of 32nd century, the Cyperknights are not augmented and must rely on ther weaponry and armor.

Religious Orders
 Bagration Order | Also known as the Order of the Eagle of Georgia, recruits from Caucasia and Orthodox Countries.

### *Minor:*

#### **HyperGenomics**

* **Pham Family**
* **Head:** Pham Hormusjee

Mostly based on Gene Technology and Human enhancement.

#### **Gliese Development Foundation**

* **Mehta Family**
* **Head:** Otto Chen-Mehta

Founds several projects on distant Colonies.

#### **NanoSynth**

* **Delacroix Family**
* **Head:** Louise Jane Delacroix

Specialized on Nanobots.

#### **General Astrionics**

* **López Family**
* **Head:** Lola López

Focused on specialized spacecraft parts & minor spacraft construction. Polzin Shippings is a major shareholder, as well as tied by marriage to the López Dynasty.

#### **Rheinmetall-Krupp Futuretech Industries**

* **Chatterjee Family**
* **Head:** Palaniswami Chandra Chatterjee

This ancient giant once loomed large in the dusty pages of history books, has now been reduced to a small company, headquartered in the outer regions of human space. Which mostly produces minor spacecrafts like the Cargocraft "*Kormoran*" series.

#### **Carlstadt Heavy Industries**

* **Zimmers Family**
* **Head:** Devon Zimmers

A medium-sized aerospace company, concentrated on the World of Terra Nova, where they hold large political sway. While mainly focused on Heavy Industries and modern petrochemical refining processes, their Hackensack & New Bergen Industrial Plants build unmanned satellites, probes and automated space stations for radio relays, astrography, travel zone warning and astrogation.

## Underworld

### Especia

The Especia syndicate is the wealthiest criminal operation, controlling the Martian Spice Implant and Scarlet Dust drug trade on Terra, Mars and Luna. Although they are based in the dilapidated former suburbs of Earth, they are able to conduct apparently legitimate business in Luna and there is no proven link between Especia and violent crime. It is widely suspected that they employ the services of other gangs where possible, only resorting to direct action if necessary. Especia tries to show itself as a syndicate of "professional entrepreneurs" and a sort-of legitimate "*illegitimate business endeavor*", they try to recruit desperate Terrans with flashy displays of Great Fortunes.

### Anyanya Combine

Anyanya *(snake venom),* is a criminal syndicate which is based in Earth's slum areas. The organization is originally thought to have developed the Martian Spice Implant in 2781 with the aid of a renegade Martian scientist. The design was quickly copied by the other syndicates creating an unprecedented level of gang warefare. The degradation of Earths's life is frequently blamed on Anyanya activities, but they are no longer the biggest gang on the block and they have a major chip on their shoulders becaus of that. Anyanya Thugs are famously covered in colorful snake tattos, many female members undergo Tongue streching & bifurcation, to show their dedication to the Combine.

### Diabinhos

Diabinhos is a lusophone martian criminal syndicate with a particularly violent reputation. They have muscled in on the Martian Spice trade and have consequently become bigger and more powerful than most. Gang members are intensely loyal to their cause and hostile to any outsiders. Despite being the only true "Martian" of the "Martian Triads", Diabinhos mostly recruits Terrans and has its presence in the Near-Earth Sphere. Physical prowess and brotherly camaraderie are highly valued in the Diabinhos Hierarchy.

### **Other**

#### Human Resources Consultation and Manpower Acquisition Group

Simply known as **HRCMAG** or **"H.R.C-Mag"**, the dominant slave traders of the galaxy, an extremely rich and powerful force,
despite their sole product being banned everywhere...

Headquartered on the World of Megiddo, as well as hosting numerous operations in "Wild Space". They are traditionally led by a series of competing Cartels such as the Salvatore Family.

#### The Cyphercidio Cooperative

Lead by the trini **Cinder Rose** a former Wunderkind and Miss Terra 3179, turned Cyperterrorist, the hacktivist group "Cyphercidio Cooperative" see themselves as "Modern Robin Hoods" targeting the MegaCorps, StellaSec and the UCSS Venusian Government. They are in a "**memetic total war**" against The **Cigales Endormies**, many think of them as flamboyant heroic cyper-anarchist fighting against the Shadow State, but what are they really? After all the greatest method of control is to appropriate the langauge of rebellion against the system...

#### Cigales Endormies

A very enigmatic group. Their Leader is codenamed the "**White Deer**". Several augemented agents described as "MIB with umbrellas" and commonly called the "*Hommes en Noir*" (Men in Black) are allegedly enforcers of this group, infamed for their usage of black vehicles and their cryptic messages. They are in a "**memetic total war**" against **The Cyphercidio Cooperative** , many think of them as the shadowy black op of UCSS intelligence or lizardmen sworn to the Illuminati wanting to conjure up demonic beasts, but what are they really? After all to truly reach the light, one must walk in shadows...

#### Auto-Samurais

Spanwed out of the neo-feudal corporate state of Japan, these augmented cyborgs "Auto-Samurais" gained their high reputation by protecting Japan's vast extraterrestrial colonial empire. Now Groups of Auto-Samurais are found as bodyguards of the elite.

## Corporate Peerages

##### **The Corperate Hierarchy**

1. Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
2. Chief Operating Officer (CEO)/Chief Technology Officer (CTO)/Chief Financial Officer (CFO)
3. President
4. Executive President
5. Senior Vice President
6. Vice President
7. Assistant Vice President
8. Associate Vice President
9. Senior Director
10. Assistant/Associate Director
11. District Manager
12. Other such as: Shareholder; Preference Shareholder; Associate; Sinecure; Emeritus/Emerita

## The House of Cards

 Friendly
 Hostile | -100 to -50