14
Dispatch → Factbook → Economy
by 
The Republic of Sunset.
.
727 reads.
Sex Sells...
Intellectual Property - Unique Products - The Biggest and Best - Commercial Notables
SEXYE
Sunset are female, and attractive females at
that. Well, no - but due to widespread sales of the
SEXYE (Selected Expression (X>Y Emphasis))
'health supplement' by the brilliant madman,
Dr. Stephen Ambrose, many species which
previously did not have human/humanoid female
sexual characteristics have developed them. This
is both the Doctor's primary source of income
and one of the more commonly-known products
of the Republic economy, whether sold openly or
available through the black market. Where it is
sold, it is usually offered under the regulation-
dodging category of a 'nutritional supplement.'
To stay ahead of both the law and his competition,
new versions are frequently introduced; NuSEXYE,
SEXYEu, and the latest update to the Ambrose
Pharmaceuticals product line; SEXYE¡, which
appends a long, sensual tail and expressive
fur-covered ears to the regular user.
Taking Care of Business
'Different' is the easy way to describe the Republic's economy. As a post-Singularity civilization wrapped in the thin veneer of a space-age utopia, there are some important things for both the visitor and the potential businessperson to know. The first and most important is that the post-Singularity part is essentially an 'open secret' - there's no real limit on the resources available to both the government and the everyday citizen. This means that attempts to import regular goods are going to run straight into a rock wall where they can be made faster, cheaper, and in most cases better here. Even in those cases where an outside entity might be able to make better, it is again unlikely that they will be able to make them faster or cheaper - the Republic's industrial infrastructure triangle is simply that much larger than even what it publicly admits to.
For those who do have some revolutionary product to pitch or sell, the best option is to set up shop in the Republic and this is to their distinct advantage. Firstly, the economy itself is extremely well-connected and very mobile. Goods manufactured on one station or planet can easily reach trillions of individuals in the Republic and beyond in hours if not minutes. Second, the labor pool is very well educated; with most of its citizens possessing effective immortality, there is no reason for anyone not to be highly educated. Thirdly, the economy is... Well...
Different.
There is very little cost for the material resources needed to manufacture or craft whatever product might be sold - with few exceptions. Even advanced engineered elements and materials can be had as easily as turning the tap on the kitchen sink. There are some political restrictions on exports but by and large anything one can imagine can be made and sold. However that word 'imagine' is important. Regular consumer goods are effectively as cheap as the resources required to produce them - there is very little profit to be made in selling millions or billions of toasters. Where companies can expect to make their most profit is again in the 'different'.
Because the cost of generic consumer goods is so low, most consumers look to put their earned surplus towards purchases with more personal value. These are those goods and services that have been customized to the individual; their needs, their usage. These are also goods or services with some kind of a story behind them; a set of dishes made by hand by a native artisan on a frontier colony. Which - thanks to automation - is also where most people are employed or what they choose to have as their employment.
Which takes us to another detail of the Republic economy; Universal Basic Resources - or UBR. Every citizen receives a UBR stipend every month from the moment they sign the paperwork. Even a citizen who lives in some other nation somewhere else in the galaxy is entitled to and receives it. Essentially the UBR is an amount of physical resources that will allow them to acquire and maintain an average lifestyle within the Republic. This is then translated into an amount of DiCoins, thus the DiCoin can effectively be redeemed for a fixed amount of resources - 1 kilogram, to be exact. Any additional income past this is the responsibility of the individual to earn and most choose to supplement this through work.
Did You Know?
You - Yes: You! - are potentially eligible
for the Republic's Universal Basic
Resource program? Because citizenship
is often as simple as signing on the
dotted line it is just as easy to receive
the monthly stipend. However, only
those who work inside the Republic are
eligible for Personal Employment
Income - those who work elsewhere
are subject to local labor laws, if any.
It is important to note that as a matter of government policy no one's time is worth more than someone else's and so the amount each individual receives for their work is based on the amount of time spent - not what we might call the market value of their product. The craftswoman receives as much as the adventuring companion for the same amount of time. That also means that by-and-large most people work to the amount of additional UBR they want - though there are plenty of workaholics in the Republic as well.
Where this changes is when dealing with imports. Someone who is bringing a painting from the Italian Renaissance into the Republic can ask - and get - whatever they want for it. Here the notion of perceived value and the story attached to an item becomes of importance. Again, attempting to import a cargo of toasters or a tanker of helium-3 won't earn the importer any profit. Where they would be able to earn a profit is if that helium-3 was sealed away in the lift sacks of the Trionesse Butterfly, a rare pseudo-insect caught on a distant world by lone hunters stalking the woods at night, net in hand. There are a few other exceptions but like the painting, they are rarities that cannot be reproduced - the painting itself can be, but the story of the original cannot.
What this means is that for an outsider who can bring something new and interesting to the economy there is a lot of money to be made - again, it should be noted that the Republic doesn't really care about someone taking home hundreds or thousands of bulk freighters full of gold bullion because whatever they make is in demand here. It is their problem if they crash their home economy - not ours. It is also highly unlikely that an outside economy will have any significant impact on the Republic economy; its industrial triangle is simply too large, if seemingly invisible, and the UBR guarantees that everyone will have the basics. They should be ready to innovate, create, and differentiate though - rent-seekers and other forms of economic parasites need not apply.
Officially, Sunset practices what the government calls 'Renewable Capitalism' which is where Science meets Capitalism; An emphasis on using solid, well-researched practices to make each worker as productive as possible with things like easy access to healthcare, continuing education, a universal income, profit sharing, childcare, job rotation, and more. All of these 'intangibles' lead to a happy, stable workforce and real increases in productivity. Add in highly advanced information technology systems and an extremely flexible manufacturing base and you have an economy where the average worker can out-produce nearly everyone else - often by multiple factors! Oddly, this is often done more by putting a friendly face on a process rather than by expertise in the process itself; Expert computer systems can undertake the more technical aspects of a job with more precision and speed while the biological worker is there to talk the consumer through it and help them communicate their needs.
And yes; Sex Sells. While not as over-the-top and all pervasive as in other places - largely thanks to near-universal Augmented Reality cybernetics and their ability to filter it out - marketing and advertising is still a force to be reckoned with in the Republic. Carefully crafted media campaigns will use sex, power, greed, and drama to try and sell their wares or those of their clients. Image is everything and both the scruffy-bearded engineer and the nearly-naked nurse are both trying to drive potential sales. What is mostly gone are the billboards and mass-mailings (and their associated trash and garbage) as well as internet advertising of the past. These have been replaced with product placement in all the various forms of media; A character might shop at a certain business or buy a certain beverage and how that character and thus the product is then perceived by the viewing audience is vital to the marketing campaign.
Expanding Your Market
Relying on intellectual property? If your product is truly new and innovative you've got a year. If it is merely iterative you don't have any time at all. Sunset recognizes patents from friendly NationStates, but again, only for the year when they were patented and only then in a NationState that engages in free trade with the Republic. In most cases what you have patented in your home country likely wouldn't have survived the much more intellectually rigorous Sunset patent process and the government will not recognize patents on the obvious and trivial. However, for those who do arrive with some fantastic new device, the speed at which that device can reach market means that that single year can be more than enough to set one up for multiple lifetimes if managed correctly. Thanks to infrastructure that spans the galaxy, getting your new doodad to market across a hundred and twenty thousand light-years can take hours from manufacture to end consumer.
Keeping your competition out through burdensome regulation? Again, hard to do and you might not like it anyway. Sunset's environmental and liability regulations come down to 'If you messed it up, you clean it up. Yes, you.' That also applies to things like product liability. If you sell applesauce with razor blades in it and someone sues, the courts will have carte blanche to go through your company and your records. If you've destroyed them the law then defaults to 'Highest Level of Responsibility'. Which means the highest level individual that could make the decision will be personally responsible for any damages. In the Republic a corporation is not a person - period - even in the case of single individuals or hive minds. People are responsible for their actions and while a corporation might have an insurance policy that covers all of their employees against certain actions, it is a contract between the corporation and its provider not the corporation and the government.
As noted above, it is not you-the-employer but the system itself that pays your workers - everyone receives the same income for the same time put in regardless of position. The exception is with products that cannot be reproduced easily and thus tend to have a higher value. Even then workers are paid the basic rate - there's no getting out of that one - but how the profit derived on such (very rare) unique items is divided is up to the owner of said item. That said, an owner who does not 'share the wealth' may quickly find themselves without employees, or worse with said employees attempting to cut out the middleman. Yes, non-disclosure agreements do exist but...
What do you get for setting up shop in the Republic? Well, a big advantage to doing business in Sunset is that you get essentially unfettered access to the rampaging Sunset economy and more every day. The Republic is a member of a lot of free trade zones, not least of which are the Triumvirate of Yut's Free Trade Zone and the VERITAS Free Trade Pact. Add in all the nations that are somehow connected to those nations through their own free trade agreements and a successful business in Sunset can have a potential customer base in the with-a-Q quadrillions.
Individual Transactions
- Transaction Tax:
Anytime you make a transaction with a customer you need to collect the Transaction Tax. There isn't an income tax in Sunset, but rather a tax that applies to all transactions that involve an exchange. That can be goods for currency, services, and the like and is calculated as a percentage of the value exchanged. This is the only tax you should ever have to pay and should be listed separately on your receipt and will always be the same percentage, no matter what locality you find yourself in. Tax fraud is a serious offense in the Republic as it is the only source of government income; There are numerous large companies that specialize in tracking down tax cheats and because turning someone in is only a click away even that lone customer could be a private tax cheat investigator. ~This no longer applies. There are no corporate or individual taxes in the Republic of Sunset. Anyone who tells you otherwise is attempting to commit fraud. The government is self-funding all the way from the Federal level down to the individual city and neighborhood.
Business License:
In general a business license is only required when you have a complex business; A business that involves more than one employee, investors, or shares. Exactly when a business license is required is determined by your local government but it cannot prevent you from conducting business as a single individual. However, as is noted slightly further down, most if not all of the corporations that own the buildings and the land that an individual conduct business on will have their own regulations to ensure the value and continued viability of their property. These are typically reasonable but they often include very specific language baring the production or sale in part or in whole of dangerous goods or services such as chemical or viral weapons. Individuals wishing to do business in these areas will often be required to either purchase their own property - up to and including space access facilities - or comply with a large number of insurance regulations as contracted.
Product Regulations:
There aren't any, and there are a lot. Most people live in large cities or arcologies and these in turn are owned and managed by very large corporations. As one aspect of an effort to retain tenants as well as ensure the continuing value of their property, they will typically require goods entering their property and being sold there to comply with the product safety regulations and guidelines issued by the Federated Segment's Science Section Consumer Product Safety Service. These rules and regulations are available online as are numerous reviews of nearly any product being sold. Companies who fall afoul of these typically find their product very hard to sell very quickly thanks to the viral nature of the Internet. Further, it should be noted that most if not all of the property management corporations will not allow explicitly dangerous products onto their property; There are no door-to-door nuclear weapons dealers in the Republic - though it is possible to technically (though not realistically) own one.
Potential Opportunities:
Limitless. You could, if you have the skills, design your own product, produce a small run on a rapid prototyper or 3D printer, sell it through your own website, and ship it from your home. That's not very common though. In most cases, people who run their own business are engaged in some kind of service. It might be specialty maintenance, contracted design work, teaching or tutoring, hair stylist, sex trade worker, or security consultant. As long as you work for yourself you can do what you like. One of the most common individual employment opportunities is that of a teacher or tutor. In fact, demand for instructors of various kinds is so high in Sunset that most every adult has worked as a part-time teacher or instructor at some point.
Currency
These cards are issued by financial institutions who are then accredited to issue currency by the government. They are considered to be disposable and losing one is the same thing as losing physical currency. In Sunset many individuals have elected to replace the card with a cybernetic implant that interacts with their augmented reality system or with an account system held inside the Eien. This makes paying for something as simple as swiping your hand across a terminal or, in many cases, walking through the door of a store with the candy bar in your hand. In addition to personal currency cards there are also universal or anonymous cards. Unlike the personal cards, which conform to the Triumvirate InterNation Electronic Currency Standard, these cards allow anyone who activates them to transfer the contained currency out (but not in). These are used for transactions where anonymity may be important or for things like gifts and such where preparing the cards for individual owners is unfeasible. Federal law requires that any lawfully issued DiCoin be recognized and redeemable as such - even by a foreign or hostile power.
Intellectual Property
Copyrights for works such as books, plays, and television shows operate under the same general scheme. The owner of that work has one year to squeeze as much out of it as possible before it becomes public domain. This date is set by first release or first viewing. This often means that potential hits will have massive merchandising campaigns lined up and ready to take advantage the moment the show hits the air. It should be noted that copyright does apply to software. While you cannot copyright an algorithm, just as you cannot copyright a word, you can copyright the complete body of a piece of software. For one year. It is technically possible to patent software as well but it must be significantly transformative. It cannot simply make the computer in question do something it was already doing. Generally these patents are only granted when the software in question is driving a new computer component.
This patent and intellectual property scheme answers the often-asked question of why more of the Republic's workers don't work from home; That answer is 'Security'. A new product under development is easy for an opponent to capitalize on if it's being tossed back and forth across the Internet for all to (potentially) see. If you don't want someone stealing your new design don't put it online; Once it is in the wild, proving who owns it is exceptionally difficult. That being said there are a lot of people who make their living taking existing products, re-working them for a niche market, and selling small runs made using small-run manufacturing. While not as cost efficient as full manufacturing facilities, these products are often targeted at a few hundred to a few thousand individuals and often include things like use-customization for various species.
Services are also a way many businesses make money on their products if they even have a product to begin with. They may run an entire chain where they manufacture a device, sell it to another company, train workers in the optimum usage of that device, and then contract those workers to that business. In the fast-paced Sunset economy having the best of the best on day one is often the difference between selling a billion units or sending them back for recycling - thought that is another interesting point to make. Because of the UBR and the free physical resources required to make a product, product failures are much more common and acceptable. In the end the workers still get paid even if the product or customization itself is a bust.
Unique Products
Kenj - Beverage, Twycross Farms, N'Xypndiltn
A beverage with a devoted following, Kenj is brewed from the fur of the Kenjal, a small dog-like animal found on the planet N'Xypndiltn. The fur is carefully cleaned and then steeped in water stored inside a specially crafted wooden barrel made from a local hardwood. It has a spicy flavor that is built on a savory base that intensifies as it ages. Most followers enjoy it hot and served in carved wooden cups that give it additional flavor notes.
Tyrant Stone - Gemstone, A'iruka Industries, Hansen's Kneecap
A rare gemstone of unknown origins, the Tyrant Stone comes in a variety of colors from pink to purple with the rarest being the milky white opalescent Shifting Tyrant. Tapping or otherwise imparting some measure of kinetic force to the stone will cause it to flash brilliantly for a short period and display a stark gradation in the opalescence. These gemstones are one of the exceptional circumstances mentioned earlier - there is absolutely *zero* way to reproduce them and thus the genuine article is worth a considerable amount.
Pauwyr Fur - Fur, Maric Family Furs, Kayv
These furs are both very soft and comfortably insulating. Up to a certain temperature, they will keep the wearer warm but as they get hot, the hair changes shape to allow more heat to escape and keep the wearer from overheating. Thus they can be worn in both cold and hot weather without discomfort.
Decap-A-Donut - Medical Device, Various, Major Worlds
A common emergency device, the Decap-A-Donut is an arm-length tube that fastens around the neck of a trauma victim, cuts their head off, and then keeps it alive through a build-in life support system. In widespread use with emergency responders, they are also popular with intelligence operatives and special operations forces.
Syn - Spice, A'iruka Industries, Chains of Jade
Syn is a prepared spice that induces synesthesia - that is, the reversal or mixing of the senses (seeing sounds, hearing textures) - in most humanoid species. Sometimes added to a gourmet meal, it typically invokes the sensations of the source of the food and lasts for the duration of the meal.
NuSEXYE - Nutritional Supplement, Ambrose Holdings LLC, Major Worlds
Built around a generic nutritional supplement and a retro-viral delivery system, NuSEXYE will slowly change a female humanoid into a hourglass-sexy version of themselves with continued usage. They will also acquire full eyelashes, thick wavy hair, and large breasts, even if their species normally did not have these features before.
NuMANLI - Nutritional Supplement, Xyandze Holdings, Major Worlds
An underground version of NuSEXYE, NuMANLI changes a male who takes it into a near-perfect mirror of Magnus Hesche.
Ster-X - Medicine, Saint Medical Systems, Notch
Ster-X is a potent antibiotic that requires no special treatment or storage. A white powder, it can be applied directly to a wound or ingested with identical effects. It has effectively replaced most existing antibiotics in Sunset, most of which require special storage or preparation.
The Biggest and Best
Liquid Design is an excellent example of how commerce
often works in Sunset. While Liquid itself is a major
corporation with offices on nearly every world in the
Republic, much of what it accomplishes ends up as a
multinational result. Frequently contracted to design
warships for other Triumvirate nations, Liquid has
access to the many thousands of different weapon,
armor, sensor, and other military systems produced
by the hundreds of different defense-oriented
companies inside the Triumvirate. It can then pick the
best of these to fill out the needs of the customer in
question. This often results in a design that has
components from six to seven to ten different nations,
thus distributing the effects of any new construction
to not just the Sunset economy but to the wider
Triumvirate as well.
Liquid Design LLC (TYSSIA: LIQDE (▲ 1⅘))
Sectors: Information Technology, Retail
Executives: President Edward Haas III, CEO Famika Hu
Headquarters: Mars
Liquid has long been the major design and engineering firm for the Sunset Defense Force. They are also a designer of civilian and corporate ships and military designs for allied states. While they don't produce the designs themselves they maintain close ties to the various manufacturers and can sub-contract the manufacturing as part of an existing contract. Liquid is an employee-owned company that has offices on nearly every world in the Republic as well as offices located in those allied nations where many of the systems used in its designs originate.
Most notably, Liquid has a hand-in-hand relationship with both the Planetary Command - responsible for resupply and requisition - and the Special Projects Division. As long as it continues to provide the best service and highest quality designs, it will continue to be the primary systems design and engineering firm for the Defense Forces with regards to any military system above the personal level. Only occasionally has the firm lost a design contract and in several of these cases it has then bought out the winning firm in order to bring their staff in-house. Aside from the Republic, Liquid also does military design work for the Akashan Union, Mangala, and several of the now-Federal States such as Khenala and Imnsvale.
Silaco Electronics (TYSSIA: SILEL (▲ 3⅑))
Sectors: Retail, Arms Manufacturing
Executives: President Erika Silaco
Headquarters: Chuh-Yu
Silaco Electronics is the advanced robotics manufacturing and design firm owned by Erika Silaco. Silaco, as it's commonly known, produces everything from animatronic children’s toys to advanced robots for manufacturing to full humanoid construction robots and giant robotic construction facilities that can then make other robots. Most of their products are available throughout the Sol system though the most advanced systems are only available to Triumvirate corporate and government entities. Their most notable street-level product is the ForeverPet, a hyper-realistic cybernetic animal that mimics (most) of the behaviors of the real thing except that it never dies, never claws the furniture, and never hunts your pet canary. Less-realistic versions are available that can also teach children (including ballet), guard the house, or act as a personal valet.
Due to her position as Secretary-General, Mrs. Silaco has taken a mostly hands-off role in the governance of her company, instead leaving it to the executive team. This isn't to say she still doesn't get her hands dirty; From time to time, she acts as both an adviser to the various product design teams and as her own team. Most recently she has coupled with Dr. Mona Wilt and Saint Medical Systems to design and introduce a capsule-sized version (InvitroX) of the Baby-in-a-Box technology that will allow two non-reproductive individuals - one of whom must be capable of giving birth - to reproduce naturally.
McGrader-Dougal, Inc (TYSSIA: MCGDO (▲ 2⅚))
Sectors: Manufacturing
Executives: President Ateyf al Saleef, CEO Tatyna Kilrovia
Headquarters: Mars
McGrader-Dougal is a leading fashion designer and clothing manufacturing company. They are well-known for their up-to-date fashions that also incorporate the latest in technology. They are also known for the antics of President al Saleef, who is well-known as a libertine socialite. This does keep their fashions and clothing in the public eye even when she isn't wearing much of them. The current supplier and designer for the Defense Force's uniforms, they have a close relationship with SolarLabs and with several other high-tech companies that create the components for their clothing lines.
As mentioned, Ms. al Saleef is well-noted for her personal life and these are aided by her own efforts; She is the lead designer for the company's lingerie and underwear line and can often be spotted visibly sporting some of it. To keep herself and her clothing high in the public eye, she has recruited a talented team from all over Triumvirate space with designers from the Dominion, Menelmacar, and Sunset figuring high on her staff. Currently the company is exploring the possibilities of polymorphic solar cloth, which could change their business and the fashion-face of Sunset in dramatic ways.
Saint Medical Systems (TYSSIA: SAIME (▲ 1⅐))
Sectors: Retail, Manufacturing, Mining
Executives: CEO Dr. Mona Wilt
Headquarters: Notch
Saint Medical Systems is a leading manufacturer of medical supplies and a major research and development company, creating dozens of new drugs every year and selling them directly to the public and through major retailers. Its latest big hit is Ster-X, an antibiotic compound that needs no special storage or other treatment and is fully effective against nearly all bacterial infections. This compound is extracted from a mineral formation on the planet Notch, which has become the new corporate headquarters for the company as well as the Republic's major presence in the Beta Quadrant.
Because of its presence on the frontier of explored space, and because of its links to the Defense Forces through their procurement of its products, Saint Medical has also become something of the go-to for medical problems involving new and unknown intelligent species. This ties in nicely with its product development business and is seen as a positive publicity campaign by the CEO, Dr. Wilt. Recently it has also entered into a joint agreement with Silaco Electronics to supply components and cross-compatibility with new medical systems coming out of the robotics giant.
Commercial Notables
Across the vast galaxy, trade can be broadly
divided into national and interstellar trade
and within these two categories there is a
distinct separation between what is being
traded. For the most part, trade within a
single star system and a NationState that
completely dominates that system is based
on the large-scale movement of commodities;
Finished consumer-level goods and raw
materials from somewhere they are cheap or
easy to manufacture, harvest, or grow to
places where they are not. As long as it is
properly managed, a single system will
contain all the resources needed to satisfy
nearly all the needs of the local economy.
Nearly all.
That is where interstellar trade comes in.
Most of what is traded on an interstellar level
involves knowledge, information, or goods
with a specific narrative; Art and other
luxuries are one of the largest portions of this
category. Occasionally rare but necessary
resources will be included but in most cases
the costs involved in shipping low-margin
consumer goods will make interstellar shipping
unprofitable. The routine exception to this is
when a new colony is established; Until local
manufacturing and resource extraction is up
to speed these colonies are the frequent
stops for opportunity traders and merchants.
GravShipCity - Sectors: Retail Executives: President Brent Radcliff, CEO Karli Radcliff Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: GRAVS (▼ 1⅔))
GravShipCity sells GravShips at factory prices direct to you! They have a variety of locations to serve you better and are well known for their wide selection by top manufacturers. Just Remember: Buy Nine GravShips and Get the Tenth for Just One Penny!
PenguinTek - Sectors: Retail, Arms Manufacturing Executives: CEO Wendel Yang, Jr. Headquarters: Ares (TYSSIA: PENGU (■ 0))
PenguinTek is one of the most popular small arms manufacturers in Sunset. They make an extremely wide range of weapons from disposable handguns and sub-machine guns to military grade long arms and support weapons. Notably they provide the SDF with their ever-evolving personal weapon systems. While these are not generally available to non-allied governments or even in the Sol system knock-offs with half the features are frequently passed off as the real thing in Sol and elsewhere.
Heran Land Holdings - Sectors: Retail Executives: CEO Ybeish Haod, President Qumond Ni Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: HERLA (▼ 3⅚))
National and corporate groups looking to purchase land with existing infrastructure have long relied on HLH to provide that. Heran specializes in the sale of whole arcologies to small and medium sized groups who want to establish a diplomatic or trade presence without undergoing a long negotiation process. Heran has been the company behind most of the sovereign territory transfers involving Sunset territory. Due to its government association it is only authorized to deal with entities allied or friendly to the Sunset government. Interested parties should check their affiliation and direct any inquiries directly to Heran for initial consultation.
CityDome - Sectors: Management Executives: President Vehy Sayah Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: CITYD (▼ 1⅗))
CityDome is the single largest arcology government corporation in Sunset and perhaps on Mars. Unlike Heran they specialize in the ownership and government of occupied arcologies instead of construction and sales. CityDome is also the first and only Sunset mega corporation to 'own' an entire country. When the corporate sovereignty of New ArAreBee was in economic crisis CityDome seized the initiative and initiated a takeover bid. In a brief proxy war it gained control of CentGovCo, the central government corporation that ran New ArAreBee. It has since spun off several of CentGovCo's subsidiaries or sold them to other interests but it retains control over the primary portions of CentGovCo and especially its formerly notoriously mercenary military branch.
Hendrick Brothers - Sectors: Mining, Manufacturing Executives: Chairman Karl Hendrick Headquarters: Ares (TYSSIA: HENBR (▲ 3⅗))
Hendrik Bros. is the single largest privately held company in Sunset. Owned and operated by the direct descendants of the original Hendrick brothers, the company focuses on resource extraction, refining, and large scale manufacturing using those same resources. Most of its direct products are the freighters, large and small, that move most of the manufactured goods and resources between the out-system worlds.
ZonkCo - Sectors: Retail, Manufacturing Executives: Doctor Zonk Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: ZONKC (▲ 2⅑))
ZonkCo, or Dr. Zonk's as its commonly known thanks to its chain of popular Dr. Zonk's Novelty Shoppe's, is a leading manufacturer and purveyor of novelty goods, props, gag gifts, and similar humor and entertainment consumer goods. One of it's newest items is Dr. Zonk's Edible Flavorful Animated String which targets the felinoid market. ZonkCo also wholly owns PlushCo which is a popular manufacturer of plushie dolls. These are typically made to resemble the latest fade cartoon or the like with the plushie AirHippo being currently popular in Sunset.
Climax, Inc - Sectors: Retail, Beverage Sales Executives: CEO Li Chirasa Headquarters: Chuh-Yu (TYSSIA: CLIIN (▲ 5⅗))
Climax Incorporated is the largest adult services company in Sunset. They operate hundreds of their self-branded Climax Nightclubs throughout Sunset and beyond. Each nightclub is a combination of dance club, bar, grill, and brothel. The services they offer vary by local ordinances but they strive to include as much exotic entertainment as possible as well as live shows by DJ's, bands, dancers both exotic and erotic, and other adult-oriented events.
Distraction Holdings - Sectors: Gambling, Retail, Beverage Sales Executives: CEO Digo Cherili, Chairman Traotha Berif Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: DISHO (▼ 2⅑))
Distraction Holdings is the premier gambling establishment company in Sunset. It owns a huge number of companies that each own and operate several casinos. These different brands typically operate a chain of themed casinos with popular examples being the kid-friendly FunZ Own, adult-themed Lucky Night, and high-stakes Trillionaire. It also operates the 'Billion Balls' lottery that creates one new Billionaire in Sunset every day.
El Hefe Fabricación Corporación - Sectors: Arms Manufacturing, Manufacturing, Automobile Manufacturing Executives: CEO Gabriella Sinco Florez, President Vincenti Alvarez Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: ELHEF (▲▲ 11⅖))
EHFC and its subsidiary EHMI (El Hefe Militar Industria) is one of the largest manufacturing concerns in Sunset. It specializes in rapid deployment of new products. Using industrial scale rapid-manufacturing techniques it can turn a prototype product into a street sensation in a few hours with full deployment possible in a matter of days. In the fast moving Sunset economy this is a key advantage for a new product and EHFC is an expert.
EHMI is the specialized military subsidiary of the rapid manufacturing giant. While EHFC produces mostly small consumer items, EHMI builds massive amounts of military hardware that can be categorized as 'cheap and fast.' It's perfect for those with an immediate need and who don't care that certain quality corners have been lopped off.
Hao AgriCorp - Sectors: Agriculture, Cheese Exports Executives: President Wim Wen Headquarters: Anuke (TYSSIA: HAOAG (▲ ⅖))
Hao AgriCorp was one of the first mega-corporations to arise from the Ares Mega-Colony. Originally headquartered on Ares, it moved to Anuke when that world was terraformed into the breadbasket of the system. With nearly a quarter of the arable land under it's control, Hao has produced bumper crops year after year. It is also one of the largest benefactors of the University of Anuke and most if not all of the developments that come out of it's laboratories go right into the fields.
Bangkok Express - Sectors: Pizza Delivery Executives: CEO Sepure Ryuki Headquarters: Chuh-Yu (TYSSIA: BANEX (▼ 2⅒))
Bangkok Express is one of the premier small-footprint take-out and delivery chains in Sunset. It specializes in the mostly vegetarian dishes of South-East Asia. BangEx operates hundreds of thousands of small, kiosk-sized micro-restaurants that prepare fresh, hot meals from commodity ingredients for either take-out or delivery by drone.
Preconception - Sectors: Retail, Basket Weaving Executives: Employee-Owned Cooperative Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: PRECO (▼ 4⅙))
Preconception is a chain of popular art and culture storefronts. They specialize in selling art and cultural items from civilizations that Sunset or its allies have just made contact with. It is extremely popular with designers, socialites, and trend setters who are looking for that one, exact, perfect item to inspire a new fashion line, set the tone for a party, or just give them another reason to keep their show on the air for another day.
The Bergeron Group - Sectors: Furniture Restoration, Basket Weaving, Retail Executives: Curator Angelina Picard Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: BERGO (▼ 1⅖))
The Bergeron Group is the majority owner of the Bergeron Centre chain of art houses. These locations offer a curated combination of museum, theatre, performance hall, and retail location. Their locations are typically considered 'high class', with art exhibits in the lobby and hallways, small audience halls, and old world facilities. Touring theatre troupes, classic movies, performance art groups, and classic music performances can be found in regular rotation nightly. During the day old-fashioned movies, both classics and cult favorites, are typically shown in the main theatre.
Fidelity Publishing - Sectors: Book Publishing, Information Technology, Retail Executives: President VonCarlos Zix Headquarters: Chuh-Yu (TYSSIA: FIDPU (▲▲ 13⅖))
Fidelity is a leading publisher of adult entertainment products. They produce and market everything from still images to graphic novels to full-length feature films with a distinctly adult edge. While the industry in general is known for low production values and shady practices, Fidelity is very much the opposite. Several of it's films have been nominated for Best Director and Best Actor awards. It is also known for avoiding the more extreme edges of the industry and for the reasonably mainstream nature of it's advertising.
LiveWell Health Insurance, Ltd - Sectors: Insurance Executives: President Elizabeth Staniston, CEO Maria Pentecost Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: LIVHE (▲ 3⅔))
LiveWell is one of the largest providers of various kinds of personal insurance in Sunset. It operates as a mutual cooperative; That is, the subscribers are also the owners and any 'profit' the company makes is converted back to equity and distributed back to the subscribers. Any suggestions that LiveWell is also a front for a cult-like religious organization are frankly ludicrous.
Excursions Unlimited - Sectors: Trout Fishing, Book Publishing, Retail Executives: President Gloria Hunter Headquarters:Monolith Station (TYSSIA: EXCUN (▼ 5⅚))
Excursions Unlimited operates a national chain of storefront travel and retail agencies that specialize in exotic locations with a focus on outdoor sports. They organize big game safaris, fishing expeditions, photography tours, and other similar events. They also sell their own lines of branded clothing and outdoor equipment through these same storefronts and other major retailers.
El Chronico InKorporated - Sectors: Beverage Sales, Pizza Delivery, Retail Executives: President Marvelous Marv, CEO SlackerBot 420 Headquarters: Ares (TYSSIA: ELCHR (▼ 1⅔))
El Chronico is one of the new kids on the block. Utilizing a fleet of AI-controlled drones (Marvelous Marv) they specialize in the rapid delivery of various mood and mind altering substances, the snack foods that often accompany their use, and Chronic branded merchandise. Their drones also function as mobile kiosks and after completing a delivery they can usually be found right outside hawking their wares to passers-by. El Chronico recently renamed itself as part of an ill-conceived marketing campaign dreamed up by the perpetually buzzed Marvelous Marv.
Evergreen Household Products - Sectors: Woodchipping, Retail, Manufacturing Executives: Chairman Wil Everest Headquarters: Anuke (TYSSIA: EVEHO (▲ 4))
EHP makes toilet paper. Even in the future, everyone needs to wipe their butt. They also make any number of other wood and wood-pulp related products, such as packing material, paper, paper towels, disposable clothing, cardboard, and spaceships for really small nations.
SecCor Corporate Security Services - Sectors: Service Executives: CEO NaNahTen Fuwan Headquarters: Mars (TYSSIA: SECCO (▲ 2⅕))
SecCor was one of the final portions of the old New ArAreBee CentGovCo to be spun off by CityDome into it's own separate corporation. Originally the closest thing that CentGovCo had to a police agency, it has re-invented itself into one of the largest providers of corporate security in Sunset. As a fully accredited law enforcement agency, it's employees are charged with both upholding the various laws in Sunset and any regulations for the properties they patrol. Because of their shared history, their largest contract is CityDome, which means they are the law enforcement agency for nearly seventy percent of Martian Sunset.
SunLabs Inc - Sectors: Retail, Manufacturing Executives: CEO Kand Mirep Headquarters: Casablanca (TYSSIA: SUNIN (▲ 3⅒))
SunLabs is a prominent manufacturer, designer, and researcher of solar cloth; Cloth that acts as a flexible solar cell. It makes everything from tents and sporting goods to clothing and curtains. It also makes cloth for use by other manufacturers. It's current claim to fame is a polymorphic solar cloth. This cloth can reshape itself, using the power provided by the sun, into any number of shapes depending on the available volume of fabric. Trendy fashion designers are using it to create outfits that literally go from work to evening wear with a thought.
HindSight Corporation - Sectors: Information Technology, Publishing Executives: CEO Ottawa Davis, President Elsa Wread Headquarters: Ares (TYSSIA: HINCO (▲ ⅒))
If the Internet never forgets, HindSight is its eccentric Uncle who has a bookshelf full of dusty tomes where it can do some fact checking. Much of what the company does is nothing more complex than scooping up massive amounts of freely available data from the public networks and storing it away for later. It then makes money off that data by running it through parallel fact-checking and data analysis systems to verify the accuracy of the information (thought not always the accuracy of the content). Other companies then use this data to help them determine market trends, make forecasts, and discover new internet hot spots that show where the next money-making trend might emerge from.
A'iruka Industries - Sectors: Mining, Agriculture Executives: President & CEO Alwyra Maric Headquarters: Hanson's Kneecap (TYSSIA: AIRIN (▲ 9⅚))
Specializing in the truly rare, A'iruka is the only source of the unique Shifting and Tyrant gemstones as well as the synethisia-inducing spice Syn. Operating out of the third world of the Parson's Shoal system - Hanson's Kneecap - it is also known for employing a large percentage of debt-labor and for its fair treatment of the same.
Eternity Incorporated - Sectors: Information Technology, Health Care Executives: President Alton Olayk-Abardo Headquarters: Nirgal (TYSSIA: ETEIN (▲ ⅒))
Specializing in the hot new sector of long-term ExoCortex storage, security, and connectivity, Eternity Inc offers a moderate line-up of contracted services where an individual can have their conciousness - in the form of a cybernetic ExoCortex - stored at a secure facility and then connected to the outside galaxy through a variety of different connections. Many individuals utilize Eternity's services to allow them to use their biological appendage in what would normally be high-risk endeavors such as extreme sports, para-military and mercenary work, and extreme sexual fetishes. It is also a favored resting place for those who already spend the vast majority of their time in virtual environments and have no use for a biological body.
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Intellectual Property - Unique Products - The Biggest and Best - Commercial Notables
