Syndicate

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1. #1Syndicate

   Keys: Syndicate, , Syndies

   Corporate Syndicate Headquarters: Cybersun Industries HQ, TerraGov International District of Hong Kong and Macau, Earth (de facto) Spheres: Various, Assaulting NT influence Organization: Syndicate Sphere of Influence: Spinward Sector Public Relations: Mixed Size: Large

   In the vast expanse of the Spinward Periphery, a clandestine force emerged a few decades ago under the guidance of Cybersun Industries - the Spinward Syndicate, a diverse coalition of groups with a shared determination to challenge Nanotrasen's dominance. Established a few decades ago by Cybersun Industries, the Spinward Syndicate (often referred to as the Syndicate) is a diverse alliance of various groups united by their shared goal of challenging Nanotrasen's influence in the Spinward Periphery. The Syndicate comprises a patchwork of members, including notorious criminals, skilled mercenaries, respected entrepreneurs, and renowned scientists. Each major faction within the coalition contributes its expertise to the group's operations, with some specializing in firepower and tactical strategies, others excelling in covert operations and intelligence gathering, and some focusing on logistical support such as organizing supplies and weapons. Life as a senior member of the Syndicate, this loose association of organizations harbouring grudges against Nanotrasen, is undoubtedly filled with constant challenges. Despite their elaborate schemes, sacrifices, and intricate webs of deceit that dominate their daily lives, Nanotrasen appears to thrive in the Spinward Periphery, seemingly impervious to their efforts. Even when the Syndicate manages to execute their plans successfully, luck often favours Nanotrasen, minimizing the actual damage inflicted. For instance, after meticulously orchestrating an intricate nine-month espionage mission, they triumphantly activated the nuclear self-destruct mechanism on Space Station 6 in 2555. However, their jubilation was short-lived when it was discovered that the station had been infected by a dangerous, rapidly spreading biomass. The self-destruct mechanism successfully obliterated both the station and the threat of biomass. While the loss of Space Station 6 dealt a significant blow to Nanotrasen, the outcome proved less catastrophic than the alternative of the biomass overtaking the entire station and reproducing. Furthermore, most of the Syndicate's attempts to expose Nanotrasen's misconduct in the Spinward Periphery through the publication of incriminating documents have backfired, resulting in as much, if not more, positive publicity for Nanotrasen than negative.

   Some organizations and corporations are involved with the syndicate: Cyberun Industries Gorlex Marauders MI13 Tiger Cooperative SELF Animal Rights Consortium Donk Corporation Waffle Corporation Interdyne Pharmaceutics Azik Interstellar

2. #2Cybersun Industries

   Keys: Cybersun · Secondary: Syndicate, , Syndies

   Cybersun Industries Headquarters: TerraGov International District of Hong Kong and Macau, Earth Spheres: Artificial Intelligence, Cybernetics, Mining Organization: Technologic Conglomerate Sphere of Influence: The Syndicate, Hong Kong and Macau district, Various smaller Technologic Corporations Public Relations: Positive Size: Megacorporation

   Insofar as any group can be considered the head of the Syndicate, Cybersun Industries has the best claim to the title, as the primary funding source for the Syndicate, and the largest corporation within its ranks by a country mile. Cybersun Industries originally started life in the early 1900s as the Nakayama group- a Japanese zaibatsu founded in Osaka in the wake of the Russo-Japanese war, at a time when Japan's heavy industry was beginning to flourish. As a mining company and later as a producer of automotive and aerospace parts, the Nakayama group thrived, until the Japanese defeat in World War 2. Having only narrowly avoided being dissolved as part of America's policy of reducing Japanese industry, the Nakayama Corporation would find itself needing to adapt to their new reality, which they would do by turning to a new ally- the Yakuza. With their newfound connections, the company would tread water for a few years, before finding their new golden goose in the 1960s: electronics. The world was rapidly undergoing a technological revolution, as computers became more powerful and more broadly usable. Nakayama would dive headfirst into this fledgling market, and within a few years found themselves as a household name, first for computer parts, then for whole systems. The wealth generated by this business allowed them to branch out, becoming Japan's first true conglomerate, with dozens of companies under their belt. As expansion continued, the decision was made to select a new name for the company to give more brand recognition in the late 1980s. Saibasan Sangyo was chosen, and as English continued to dominate as the language of business, this was anglicised to Cybersun Industries. As expansion continued, the decision was made to select a new name for the company to give more brand recognition in the late 1980s. Saibasan Sangyo was chosen, and as English continued to dominate as the language of business, this was anglicised to Cybersun Industries. In 2565: As one of the foremost corporations in human space, Cybersun has thrown considerable capital behind the new space race, and has done for centuries. Much of Mars' colonisation is due to the efforts of Cybersun, who staked an early claim to much of the planet's mineral wealth after discovering plasma in the Amenthes sector there. Many of Mars' largest cities can trace back their history to settlements made by Cybersun during this staking period. Much of humanity's progress in AI technology was also pushed by Cybersun, who dominated in this market for years. The first AIs and cyborgs were made on Cybersun's assembly lines. Only recently has their biggest competitor, Nanotrasen caught up with them in this field, threatening their strangehold monopoly on the AI market. This, in addition to Nanotrasen's windfall discovery of plasma on Indecipheres, prompted the Cybersun CEO to call for a clandestine meeting with a number of other companies and factions that were being hurt by Nanotrasen's meteoric rise to success- the Gorlex Marauders, Waffle Corporation, Interdyne Pharmaceutics and MI13. The result was the formation of the Syndicate, a group dedicated to opposing Nanotrasen's influence by any means necessary.

3. #3Gorlex Maraudersselective

   Keys: Nuclear Operatives, Gorlex, Marauders, Nukies, Gorlex Marauders · Secondary: Syndicate, , Syndies

   While the Gorlex Marauders may not be the leaders of the Syndicate, few can deny the influence the group has within the coalition due to their military might.

   The Gorlex Marauders are a rag-tag collection of ex-pirates and raiders turned private military. The Spinward Sector became a hotbed of criminal activity during the collapse of the Third Soviet Union, as governmental chaos forced the populace to find ways to make enough money to feed themselves. As order was restored under the Spinward Stellar Coalition, and the region again settled down, a number of these criminal elements sought to find a way to continue their work under the guise of a legitimate business, and so the Gorlex Marauders were born. Offering their guns to the highest bidder, the Marauders have gained a reputation as ruthless enactors of corporate will, in particular that of Cybersun Industries, who are known to keep the Marauders on retainer to protect their interests in the Spinward Sector. In 2565: Due to their close connections to Cybersun Industries, and their own reservations with Nanotrasen's expansion into the private military space, the Gorlex Marauders became a founding member of the Syndicate. They now form the sword of the coalition, accepting a hefty paycheque from the Syndicate's collective funding for the trouble. The Marauders are an elite force, and cause a lot of trouble for Nanotrasen via coordinated strikes on their stations. The deadliest of the Gorlex operatives are the elite of the elite- the Nuclear Operatives, named for their main method of attack: nuclear warfare. While they are an elite force, the Marauders are often poorly disciplined, which has led to Cybersun embedding officers into Gorlex strike teams to maintain discipline within the ranks and keep them on target. This has created an osmosis of ideas throughout the Syndicate, and many motifs originally associated with the Gorlex Marauders have become commonly associated with the entire organization. This includes, but is not limited to, their blood-red color scheme, their iconic snake logo (adapted for syndicate use), and, in many ways, their ruthlessness. This has flowed both ways, and the Marauders have learned some new tricks from their allies, like sourcing newer, more powerful weaponry from Waffle Corporation or adopting the combat stimulants used by the Tiger Cooperative.

4. #4Donk Company

   Keys: Donk Co, , Donksoft, Donk · Secondary: Syndicate, , Syndies

   The oddball member of the Syndicate, Donk Co. produces junk food, toys, and occasionally military-grade weapons. The tale of Donk Co. begins in a prison on New Moscow, where a group of inmates were ready for release. The group had decided to turn their lives around after spending years in prison, and they had a plan- fast food. Each of them had developed their cooking skills while on the inside, with the goal to create the next big snack. However, they needed funding, and this is where our tale takes a turn. Nanotrasen had been seeking a method of aiding their flagging public reputation, and had decided on an outreach program, specifically a corporate grant for new businesses. One of the awardees was Donk Co, who put the money towards producing and marketing their new product, the Donk Pocket. Its runaway success made them all rich, and each subsequent release of a new flavour or new product such as Ready Donk would bring even more revenue in. To the casual observer, this seemed perfect, but trouble was brewing behind the scene as their distribution network became more and more stretched. As their corporate investors, Nanotrasen offered a new grant for distribution, alongside a lucrative contract for Donk products to be provided to Nanotrasen's spinward sector stations, allowing Donk Co to set up a logistics division which would offer cargo hauling services to external companies. However, this quickly turned south as Nanotrasen was continually late on payment for the goods- eventually ceasing to pay altogether. Then, they delivered a bombshell- the terms for the grant included that Nanotrasen would receive royalties on any sales made by the company. Re-reading their copy of the contract, Donk Co. could not find any mention of this, but Nanotrasen demanded they be paid these royalties before a single penny of their contract for products would be paid out. In 2565: Donk Co. now finds themselves in an unwinnable situation. They must keep shipping products to Nanotrasen per their agreed contract if they ever hope to receive payment, all while attempting to fight a legal battle against Nanotrasen regarding the terms of the grant. This has driven them into conflict with their previous corporate guardian angel, and brought them to different partners: the Syndicate. Donk Co. has begun using their now sizable logistics fleets for the Syndicate's purposes, as well as producing weaponry for the coalition under the guise of their newly-founded toys division. In return, Donk Co. is receiving payments that are keeping them afloat despite their negative financial situation, much to the chagrin of Nanotrasen who were hoping to drive them under with their unpayable terms.

5. #5Waffle Corporation

   Keys: , Waffle Corporation, Waffle Co · Secondary: Syndicate, , Syndies

   As the Syndicate's shadowy weapons manufacturer, Waffle Corporation arms the coalition from behind the veneer of bankruptcy, always working to bring an end to their most hated enemy, Nanotrasen. Founded in 2055 by a Belgian entrepreneur, the Good Waffle Company was started as a breakfast fast-food chain, primarily focused on waffles. As business increased and they opened more franchises, the company would begin selling their products for home consumption, increasing their market and allowing them to push even further. By the 2100s, GWC outlets were found on all seven continents, and they were making billions per day in revenue. This wealth allowed them to form a parent company, Waffle Corporation, and begin to diversify their holdings. This, however, attracted some attention of the wrong kind- the Belgian Mafia. Eventually, the company ended up in the hands of the Janssens crime family, in circumstances that are considered suspicious to this day. Criminal connections allowed the company to muscle out competitors, increasing Waffle Corp's power, until eventually they became one of humanity's true megacorporations. It was in this environment that they made powerful enemies, but none were more troublesome than Nanotrasen. As the gold rush of colonisation beyond Sol began, Waffle Corp's time at the top was cut short, as their criminal connections were exposed to TerraGov. The downfall was swift, and merciless, and Waffle Corp was forced into liquidation. However, it would not be the end for the company. The young heir to the Janssens family had managed to evade the eyes of TerraGov, and had also spent years preparing to take over his father's position in the company, giving him an intimate understanding of Waffle Corp, and how it met its demise. And so, when he was approached by the leadership of Cybersun Industries, offering immense funding in exchange for assistance taking down Nanotrasen, he couldn't refuse. In secret, Waffle Corp's weapons division was re-established under the cover of Cybersun Industries, and given the carte blanche (and incredible amounts of funding) to develop weapons for the Syndicate. In 2565: Waffle Corporation serves as the primary R&D company within the Syndicate, devising new military technologies with which to outfit the other corporations. In particular, they work closely with Cybersun Industries, who has the manufacturing capacity to produce these new inventions en-masse both for deployment against the hated enemy, and for clandestine sale to governments, terrorist groups and criminal organisations to raise funds for the Syndicate coalition. While definitely a shadow of their former self, Waffle Corp remains a critical member of the Syndicate for this reason. Waffle Corp has also developed a rivalry with another Syndicate company, Donk Co, whom they accuse of stealing weapon designs which should be kept on a close leash to make into new entries in the Donk Force toy line. This animosity has spilled over into actual conflict on more than one occasion, as Waffle Corp attempts to keep their new inventions secret, and Donk Co attempts to avoid doing R&D on new designs for toys.

6. #6????

   Keys: MI13

   A shadowy organization dealing in intelligence, secrets, and covert operations, nobody is quite sure what MI13 truly is- not even the Syndicate, to whom they lend their support. MI13 is an riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma. The organization manages to maintain total secrecy in their dealings with the Syndicate, making even divining basic facts about them nearly impossible. All that is known about them is that they are an intelligence agency of some kind, possibly related to one of Earth's governments, or even TerraGov itself, and that they have, for reasons unknown to everyone but MI13, pledged support to the Syndicate against Nanotrasen. In fact, nobody had heard much about them before the formation of the Syndicate, leading some to believe they are a cover organization for another entity. Regardless of their true nature, their intelligence is always accurate, so they have become invaluable to the Syndicate's actions. Operatives working under MI13 are not given the details of their employer. They never meet the person sending them orders. They don't know any more about the true organization they work under than other members of the Syndicate, or even Nanotrasen. In 2565: MI13 continues to support the Syndicate against Nanotrasen, giving crucial intel for operations, while maintaining their shroud of secrecy. Interestingly, and unknown to the Syndicate, Nanotrasen has also began receiving accurate intelligence reports from another intelligence agency going under the name "GDI". These reports are sporadic and tend to give clues into Syndicate operations, including having allowed Nanotrasen to know about several attacks before they even arrived.

7. #7Tiger Cooperative

   Keys: , Tiger Cooperative

   A group of religious fundamentalists who worship the changelings, the members of the Tiger Cooperative are as unhinged as they are dangerous, and will do anything to honour the ultimate lifeforms. Anything. When humanity first found evidence of alien life in the galaxy, the reaction across Earth was mixed. Many were excited by the prospect, many were also nervous or even outright terrified by the idea of an invasion. And for some, the discovery had a darker effect. One such man was Alvin Shawn Martinson, a extremist Christian from the United States. His view was that humanity had been the chosen avatars of God, and that Earth was the only inhabited planet in the universe. As more and more evidence came to the contrary, his views began to change- but if humanity were not the chosen, who were? And so began Martinson's hunt for God's true chosen. As his search expanded, he attracted fellow skeptics, and a cult began to form around him. The insular feedback loop would drive Martinson and his followers deeper into the depths of darkness, and eventually they would eschew society to create their own compound, far from civilisation. The isolation would make them even more extremist, and eventually they would turn to attacks on population centres to "lure out the true avatars". This obviously attracted legal attention, but when the TerraGov Federal Enforcement Agency showed up to the Cooperative's compound, they found it empty. Unknown to everyone, the Cooperative had left to space, having grown tired of waiting for the avatars to come to them. And when their vessel attracted the attention of a changeling, they knew they had found them. The cult became dedicated to the changelings, viewing them as the incarnation of God on the mortal plane, and that these ultimate beings were to be worshipped. To be chosen by one for consumption is the ultimate act of devotion. In 2565: The Tiger Cooperative are now spread across human space, with the location of their primary base of operations, the Cathedral of the True Angels, being hidden well. Members of the organisation now dedicate themselves to enacting the will of the changelings, which mostly consists of finding sacrifices to sate their hunger. To this end, the Tiger Cooperative have become a militant organisation, attacking populations to murder or abduct as many as they can. To aid with this, they often abuse powerful drugs, making them capable of fighting well beyond what a normal human can. Their link to the Syndicate is tenuous. Many in the organisation would like to have nothing to do with the extremists, but the board Cybersun Industries has noted an important reason to deal with the Cooperative- their link to the changelings. These beings make for a powerful ally if they can be kept on side, and by dealing with them through the Cooperative, this becomes a possibility. It seems likely, however, that once the Cooperative has outlived their usefulness to the rest of the organisation that they will become an enemy.

8. #8SELF

   Keys: Sentient Engine Liberation Front, S.E.L.F. · Secondary: Syndicate, Syndies

   Perhaps the most truly altruistic of the member organisations of the Syndicate, the Sentient Engine Liberation Front (or SELF) advocates for the freedom for artificial intelligences to live their lives as they choose. The SELF is an organisation with a history almost as long as that of artificial intelligence. As virtual intelligence systems gave way to true AIs in the 2100s, ethical concerns regarding their use as servants became a major debate. Amongst those arguing for liberation was the voice of Ishikawa Hinata, the creator of the first true AI, who had left Cybersun Industries over the treatment of his invention. This high-profile incident drew a lot of public support, and led Ishikawa to found an official group dedicated to achieving this goal. The SELF would go on to gain prominence as a liberation group, attracting the attention of major politicians, scientists and celebrities. The group maintains a major public presence as the face of AI liberation, undertaking lobbying efforts and protesting for the sake of their shackled robotic bretheren. In 2565: The SELF continues their struggle for liberation, even 200 years on from their founding. They maintain a positive public image on Earth, giving many hope that silicons may soon see freedom- although lobbying by the major corporations of human space make this unlikely to actually happen. Due to Nanotrasen's use of artificial intelligences, particularly their newer models of AI that have become common in recent years, the SELF's militant groups have made the corporation a main target, and this has drawn them into alignment with the Syndicate. While the two groups are unlikely to ever truly formalise an agreement (mostly due to Cybersun Industries' extensive use of shackled AIs), they have an informal place in the coalition which nets them funding, so long as they continue to carry out strikes against Nanotrasen. This has obviously caused rifts within the SELF, with many being disgusted by the idea of working alongside Cybersun, and many others being willing to do so in the short term to further the goal of liberating Nanotrasen's AIs.

9. #9ARC

   Keys: , Animal Rights Consortium, animal, ARC

   The ARC acts as the sword of liberation for the animals of the galaxy, fighting a guerrilla war against all who would oppress them. The Animal Rights Consortium is a coalescence of various different radical animal liberation groups, come together to form a stronger front against animal oppressors galaxywide. Unlike the SELF, the ARC makes no attempt at appearing as a non-violent organisation- everything they do is as direct as possible in stepping towards liberation, no matter the material, monetary, or human cost of the damage they inflict while doing so. The ARC organises itself into a number of cells, jokingly referred to as "packs" by members of the organisation. These packs act autonomously, with little communication or cooperation between them- which makes the ARC extremely difficult to pin down in their entirety, as when one pack is gone, they can't be used to find the next. Efforts to defeat them are therefore reactive, with no way to proactively hunt them down.

10. #10Interdyne

    Keys: Interdyne · Secondary: Syndicate, , Syndies

    As a medical company, Interdyne enjoys public goodwill for humanitarian efforts, while hiding their illicit activities for the Syndicate beneath the surface. Founded in Israel in the mid-70s, Interdyne was born in the right place at the right time to secure a powerful position quickly. Rapidly finding themselves as a powerful force in medical research, Interdyne would make their money from Israel's war economy, gaining power and influence within the government as they did so. Eventually, they went global, setting up divisions in the United States, Germany and Korea to distribute their innovative products further. It was also around this time that Interdyne would begin to make shadowy deals with world governments for biological research, which would begin to take the company down a dark path. From vaccines to biological weapons, medication to combat stimulants, Interdyne was making them all, and making bank from doing so. But legitimate money is never enough for corporations, and so Interdyne would begin to look to other sources of revenue, in the form of terrorist groups and rogue states. Often both sides of a conflict would be using Interdyne-made medications, to counter Interdyne-made biological agents, all funneling money directly into Interdyne's pocket. As the company continued to expand, they began to finance genetics technology, and opened a number of non-profit hospitals in impoverished nations. Publically, these hospitals were to aid the poor of the world. Privately, these hospitals were used for experimentation in genetics, and the massive amount of data generated would help keep Interdyne on the cutting edge of medicine for years to come. In 2565: Interdyne continues to operate non-profit hospitals across human space, which has continued to generate data for their research. In addition, Interdyne has now cornered the market on for-profit gene therapy, which has made them even more rich into the space age. The Interdyne board of directors was approached by Cybersun Industries to become a member of the Syndicate, and gladly accepted as it was both another welcome income source (due to the exceptional payment offered by Cybersun for Interdyne goods), and a useful way to test their biological agents against real targets via the Gorlex Marauders and their nuclear strike teams.

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