Ultrastellar Enterprises

"Desingers of a stronger future"

> *"Life done right"*
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## Overview

The space age saw the rapid expansion of mining industries across the galaxy, raw minerals in quantities numbering a billion tonnes were at the fingertips of those with the tools.

As the age of space exploration paved way into the age of colonisation the upstarting colonies needed reliable food supplies, even as the colonies became self sufficient the space mines still needed food supplies.

And as technology became able to mould the environment, some mining camps in space could benefit massively by terraforming the asteroids they mined into small ecosystems, with an atmosphere and their own farms on the asteroids, the space mines could improve effieciency at extracting resources.

For all these things, Ultrastellar Enterprises was there.

## Mining Industry

The expanding mining industry was entirely state owned in the OCN to avoid corporate interests becoming obstacles in the expansion of the nation, this wasn't one solid block though, corporate expansion was still desireable for the economy; Ultrastellar Enterprises (UE) secured a contract to subsidise the cost of the expanding mining industry in exchange for a return of raw minerals in the future.

Additionally some mines would be ran by UE on behalf of the Commonwealth, all minerals extracted went directly to the state and the monetary cost of the mine was subsidised by UE though still mostly paid by the state, this was in exchange for reduced tax on income and food trade (An upcoming market as the nation expanded)

## Agriculture

With reduced tax secured, the company invested into farms and built many of their own; the large stocks of food would feed the expanding populace which would consume increasing amounts of food, with reduced tax the food could be sold at normal or below average price for larger profit margins. The early foot in the door secured UE the cashflow to double down on agriculture advancements such as GM and more variety, with such a dominance on food the UE did monopolise the food market for a short time; due to market regulation though the monopoly would be short lived, to stop corporate monopoly the state would raise tax and favour smaller companies until the scales were balanced.

UE was aware of this and had no plans to maintain a monopoly, when OCN regulation began to kick in, the UE immediately pulled back their dominance and with the surplus cash moved from short term investment to long term. While UE relinquished its market dominance it secured a marginal foothold in the market for centuries to come, securing income and relevance alongside it.

## Terraforming

As environmental sculpting technology came about the corporate board of directors within Ultrastellar Enterprises saw further market opportunity, by the time this technology came about the corporation owned many subsidiary companies with small holds in other market zones, the money made allowing room for experimentation; Ultrastellar Enterprises began offering environmental construction for those who worked in uninhabitable zones, namely, space mines.

Mining asteroids were upgraded to have working farms and small liveable environments were established; in the long run it would save costs all around, from reduced food transport cost to reduced workplace stress. Payment for the installation of these environments was a monthly payment of credits. The contract would become known as the StellarLife package.

Ultrastellar Enterprises soon had 17% of all mines in the Commonwealth, and at minimum 5% in neighbouring nations, subscribed to the StellarLife package.

## Setbacks

The corporation suffered setbacks as technological innovation made space travel cheaper and reduced food consumption as citizens of the Commonwealth began replacing parts of themselves for mechanical pieces, which had the effect of reducing food consumption. Cheap transportation of goods remove much of the use for additional farms on mining colonies and as mining became more automated there were less people in the mines who needed or even wanted the small natural retreats.

As diplomatic links began to break down between the Commonwealth and its neighbours the corporation was stretched to keep its foot in foreign markets, as anti-commonwealth sentiment grew, Ultrastellar Enterprises became an unwanted corporate fatcat in the eyes of others; slowly it was reduced to tertiary positions in all foreign markets.

That was not the end of it, as The Troubles began and many industries moved to more military orientated production, Ultrastellar Enterprises was stranded in the middle ground. It was neither able to move over to becoming a military supplier nor did it offer the recreational activities other companies did. It seemed all that could be done was to bunker down and invest in other businesses expected to make a profit.

### Criminal investigation

The rug was pulled from under the feet of Ultrastellar Enterprises. An underground criminal organisation of bankers, lawyers and corporate members had created a network throughout the Commonwealth; many prominent shareholder and board directors of Ultrastellar Enterprises were members of this organisation. While the corporation itself was not part of the crime group, many people within it were.

So when The Solarian Syndicate was rooted out, many essential members of UE were pulled from them.

And so the corporation went into administration. Its fate not yet decided.