Lore: The Syndicate

Introduction

“Have you ever heard a coworker speak disparagingly about NanoTrasen? Have they voiced complaints about wages? Workplace safety? Perhaps they've even made remarks disrespecting Central Command officials? Such talk can often be a sign of growing resentment amongst your neighbors. Sometimes it’s just idle chatter, where a fellow has worked a long shift and the sweat in his eyes has got him all ornery. Sometimes, however, it’s a sign that darker forces are at work! If you see someone acting suspiciously, or gabbing in an uncommon way, report them to your local Security team immediately! NanoTrasen: See Something, Say Something, Save Yourself.” [Excerpt from Warning Signs: The Syndicate and YOU, a NanoTrasen training film recorded in 2532]]

In a galaxy brimming with potential - both scientific and financial - one might expect to find a relatively stable and vibrant ecosystem - not unlike the ocean. However, over time those who are better adapted, more efficient, or simply fortunate will rise to the top of the food chain and grow in strength and sophistication. For decades the Megacorporations expanded throughout the galaxy at roughly the same rate, their influence and ability to outpace the competition in a state of constant fluctuation. When Nanotrasen discovered Phoron, this balance was upset at last, establishing a new apex predator.

Aided by Phoron’s unique viability as a fuel source and its near-boundless research potential, NanoTrasen quickly secured galactic rights to the harvesting and production of the rare material. The enforcement of this policy was made all the more easy due to the fact that Phoron’s availability appeared to extend only to a few select planets already under NT control. With a monopoly on what was quickly becoming the most vital resource in the galaxy, NanoTrasen decided which corporations survived, and which would slowly languish and collapse in on themselves.

Yet, no entity is invincible, no matter their dominance over an ecosystem. Since the dawn of time, smaller entities have learned to band together to overwhelm a larger opponent. So it was that three of the corporations spurned by NanoTrasen and denied access to Phoron banded together to try and combat their monolithic foe. Although none of the Triumvirate’s member Corporations exist today in their original fashion, the precedent they established led to the unofficial formation of the Syndicate. The Syndicated Corporations - as they privately preferred to refer to themselves - ranged from successors of the original Triumvirate to smaller criminal enterprises who sought to make a name for themselves in the galaxy.

Lacking in individual resources and technology, Syndicated Corporations maintained uneasy alliances and varying degrees of cooperation with their partners, for although every member of the Syndicate espoused a desire to return the galaxy to its original state of equilibrium and capitalistic competition, each of them truly desired to supplant NanoTrasen as the dominant force in the galaxy. Indeed, oftentimes the biggest enemy Syndicate operatives faced on assignment were other agents pursuing the same target, or those executing an agenda running counter to their own.

Desperate to reclaim their power, and expand it, Syndicated Corporations eventually saw their common goal come to fruition. As more sources of Phoron were uncovered and the long-running campaign of corporate espionage and open military action took its toll, Syndicated corporations began to secure their own sources of the coveted material. True to form, as soon as the companies became able to focus on their own interests, they turned against each other with the same ferocity they had directed towards NanoTrasen, bringing an end to the tumultuous period known as The Phoron War. Many of the Megacorporations behind the Syndicate still exist on the galactic stage, though many others have since dissolved or rebranded.

Although its stranglehold on the Phoron market has been broken, NanoTrasen remains the hegemon of the Frontier, and thus the company's employees and Central Command officials must remain ever vigilant, lest those less deserving of the mantle find it within their grasp. The pervasive attitude of paranoia and suspicion adopted by veterans of the Phoron War may still be felt today, and many senior NanoTrasen staff and Officials carry sharp instincts cultivated over many decades of hardship. The newer crop of NanoTrasen employees, by comparison, may not remember the true ferocity of the Phoron War, and are often regarded as too trusting or naive by their more weathered peers.

Syndicated Corporations

“DDO Recovery Team Salamander has since confirmed that, based on the debris dispersal and radiation readings, Covert Research Station Weeping Buffer 12 was indeed successfully infiltrated by a Syndicate Nuclear Operations team. A lack of correspondence with the local Central Command relay prior to the Delta Alert suggests the Syndicate team infiltrated and executed their assignment covertly. Casualty projections to follow.” [Intercepted report on alleged Syndicate operations in a neighboring sector. The timestamp and header have been heavily encrypted.]

By most estimations, the Phoron War raged across the Frontier for just under seventy four years. Over the nearly three quarters of a century of fighting and defending its dominance, NanoTrasen engaged in both open and covert hostilities against Corporations all across Frontier space. Not every faction or element that took part in the Phoron War may be listed below, as multitudes of smaller companies, contractors, and organizations rallied to the Syndicate's cause to try and further their own interests.

Gorlex Manufacturing Corporation / Gorlex Marauders (Defunct)

History

Widely considered by most authorities on the matter to be the primary force behind the formation of the Syndicate, GMC began its long and rocky career as an arms and war materiel manufacturer. Favoring ballistics to the growing trend of laser weaponry, Gorlex did its best to keep NanoTrasen’s own weapons development programs off the market. As the face and nature of combat progressed, Gorlex found itself to be dealing less in armaments and more in manpower. When the Phoron boom struck, Gorlex quickly found itself swept off of the galactic stage. Supplanted by Hephaestus Industries, a corporation conveniently possessing a much friendlier trade relationship with NanoTrasen, the Gorlex Manufacturing Corporation rebranded as the Gorlex Marauders.

Forming a coalition with the equally disenfranchised remnants of Donk Co. and Waffle Co. - formerly bitter corporate rivals - the Gorlex Marauders would go on to launch a decades-long campaign of corporate espionage and direct terrorism both against NanoTrasen and its allies; especially Hephaestus Industries. Many questions have been raised regarding the mechanism by which the Gorlex Marauders were able to maintain their war on NanoTrasen in the face of overwhelming attrition. Speculation that NanoTrasen themselves were secretly providing partial funding the Gorlex Marauders has been suggested, but has historically been roundly rejected.

It is widely accepted that the Marauders’ partnership with Waffle Co. provided the Syndicate with access to a steady flow of pliable and eager manpower. Regardless of wherever else the Gorlex Marauders received funding from, ultimately their primary source of funding came to be Cybersun Industries. Cybersun Industries, itself a former competitor of the now ubiquitous Ward-Takahashi GMC, provided more and more raw funding to the Gorlex Marauders as time went on, until at last the larger corporation bought out or otherwise displaced Gorlex’s original leadership and assumed control of the Syndicate.

Modern Day

Their purchase by Cybersun Industries formally dissolved the Gorlex Marauders, but loyalists of the Syndicate’s founder may still be encountered to this day. Gorlex Marauders Loyalists are a dying breed, having been almost entirely eradicated both by NanoTrasen and her allies, or their group’s own successors.

Though the Gorlex Marauders used to operate throughout most of known space, today the largest evidence of their presence is the odd incident of extreme violence or the worn-over stamp of their original factories on hardy Syndicate gear.

Ethos

The Gorlex Marauders espoused focused and explosive violence as their core approach. The original Marauders were proud and heavily armored, often utilizing combat mechs and heavy artillery to cause irreparable damage to their foe’s factories and ships. This ethos, while effective in the short term, almost certainly contributed to their eventual downfall as their victims quickly adapted and responded with equal aggression and zeal.

Early Gorlex Marauders were known for their bombastic approach; often utilizing illegal ballistic weapons such as the infamous Syndicate Revolver, specialized explosives like C4 bricks, or the trademark red Energy Sword. Marauders wanted to be seen and recognized for what they were. This precedent for wanton violence generated greater resistance, but the Marauders never adapted. To this day, Gorlex Marauder loyalists may still be seen rampaging through the halls in pursuit of their self-assigned goals, howling madly as they throw bombs and assault their victims with any implement on hand.

Criminal Activities

The Gorlex Marauders were notorious pirates, and would often hijack vehicles for salvage or reassignment. To fund their operations, the Marauders would sell arms and ammunition produced in high volumes by their factories. As time wore on, the Marauders’ loss of these assets saw them driven to slave dealing and chemical production just to keep numbers up and coffers full. By the time of their dissolution, the Marauders were little more than roving gangs of mercenaries and raiders.

Cybersun Industries (Defunct)

History

In the time before Phoron, Cybersun Industries operated along much the same guidelines as it would afterwards. Known across the galaxy for their cutting edge cybernetic enhancements and their formidable research and development teams, Cybersun was one of the go to manufacturers for organic to silicon interface tech. Famously dismissive of NanoTrasen’s experiments with Mind Machine Interfaces and their plans to develop Artificial Intelligence, Cybersun Industries had more than enough funding to stand toe to toe with its corporate rival. In fact, Cybersun only barely lost the bid on the exploration rights for the system where NanoTrasen would discover Phoron.

When NanoTrasen skyrocketed to the top of the market, it violently upset the galactic status quo. Of those affected, Cybersun was struck hardest of all. Cybernetic patents and promising new minds were bought up by NanoTrasen, or the corporations more closely aligned with its ideals. Although Vey-Med and Ward-Takahashi were already giants in their own right, their power increased even further as NanoTrasen funneled assets away from Cybersun and to its competitors.

With their back to the wall, Cybersun was forced to begin studying more unorthodox applications for their technology. Corporate research had always been a morally grey field, but with little choice but to begin dabbling in black tech, Cybersun’s R&D departments dove headfirst into ostensibly forbidden areas of study; mind manipulation, illegal nanotech, and black market cybernetic modification. Through the sale of both its goods and services to other unsavory elements, Cybersun gained a position within the hierarchy of the Syndicated corporations. Intent on training the elite corps of shock troops that would avenge their losses at the hands of NanoTrasen, Cybersun eventually bought out the Gorlex Marauders and absorbed them into their own hierarchy.

Unfortunately, even these acquisitions were not enough to secure Cybersun’s return to glory. NanoTrasen had picked its allies well, and without clean lines on Phoron for research and development of its own, Cybersun remained beneath the heel of the galactic juggernaut. At long last, with Gorlex’s manufacturing capabilities long crippled and Waffle Co’s own dwindling resources drastically reducing the number of recruits, Cybersun was whittled down to nothing by NanoTrasen’s own covert response teams.

Modern Day

Cybersun’s gradual dissolution was a messy and complicated affair. Although NanoTrasen never officially commented on the matter, it is evident that forces intent on ending Syndicate interference in galactic proceedings sealed the company’s fate. The remains of Cybersun were bought up by a number of different companies, most notably Vey-Med, Ward-Takahashi, and NanoTrasen. As far as the galaxy is concerned, Cybersun as an entity is now dead and gone. However, the company was infamous for its ability to brainwash and enhance. The likelihood that Cybersun sleeper agents are still alive and free, unknowingly awaiting activation, is a reality that NanoTrasen has yet to acknowledge.

Although they have disappeared from the galactic stage, many old cybernetics still bear the Cybersun logo and brand name. For corporate entities who once engaged in subversive combat with the company, Cybersun exists today as a boogeyman creeping around every corner, just waiting for its chance to strike.

Ethos

Agents trained by Cybersun were masters of infiltration and covert action. Although some of this may be attributed to the intense cycles of brainwashing and cybernetic programming agents were subjected to, it cannot be disputed that Cybersun Industries had a talent for selecting its operatives. Cybersun’s covert employees were trained to maintain a low profile at all costs, and to complete their objective using covert means. Often, beyond whatever implants or enhancements the agents already possessed, Cybersun would even advise against the use of Syndicate gear.

Cybersun Operatives are known to eschew overt Syndicate technology, often foregoing access to any illicit technology at all. Intent on maintaining their cover, Cybersun agents will stage distractions, plant false leads to implicate others, and engage in careful and deliberate strikes on their targets. Most Cybersun operations are meticulously planned for hours or days, and executed within minutes.

Criminal Activities

Naturally, Cybersun operatives were prone to engaging in corporate espionage. Their targets would range from assassination and kidnapping, to sabotage, to simple theft. In all regards, Cybersun were the ultimate covert operatives. Often a Cybersun agent could kidnap their target, bring them in for programming, and return them unnoticed. The efficacy of the company on this front has lead to a lasting sense of paranoia amongst NanoTrasen’s Central Command branches that although the company is dead, many of its victims may still lay waiting.

Waffle Co. (Defunct)

History

The Waffle Company, typically shortened to the catchier Waffle Co in their advertisements, used to be a household name across space. Their products could be found in homes, corporate breakrooms, factories, and even on battlefields. Waffle Co, as the name suggests, focused heavily on food manufacturing, stocking shelves with various mixes and pastries, the most famous being their titular waffles, widely considered to be one of the best-tasting waffles in the whole Galaxy.

Originally founded on Earth sometime in the early 22nd century, it's believed that Waffle Co was an amalgamation of various different pastry companies from around the globe. With humanity's rapid expansion into the stars and Waffle Co's massive presence spanning the Sol System, the corporation had plenty of funds to propel its products onto the wider galactic stage. The many colonies forming among the stars saw a boom for Waffle Co, taking it from a prominent food company to a bonafide megacorporation, servicing hundreds of stations and colonies, if not more.

This is where they encountered what would become their long-time rival: Donk Co. The invention of the Donk Pocket and its overnight success brought plenty of worry to Waffle Co executives who saw Donk Co as a genuine threat to their share of the food market. The growing rivalry between the two corporations led to what would eventually be known among some circles as the "Waffle War." The exact beginning of the conflict is unknown, but simultaneously several production facilities and key corporate offices across space belonging to both Donk and Waffle Co were struck by private military companies and proxy armies hired by the two sides themselves. The tactics seen in the Waffle War were not dissimilar to what Nanotrasen employees would become familiar with years later in the Phoron War, albeit with larger groups of PMC troops assaulting locations often held by an equally substantial garrison augmenting Donk or Waffle Co security forces. The rare raid on ships belonging to both companies likewise occurred as it became clear both corporations had hired pirates to strike the other's cargo.

As the Waffle War stagnated with neither side quite able to decisively cripple the other's production capabilities, Waffle turned to new tactics in an attempt to secure success. Various unusual labor riots were reported in Donk Co factories, and it has been suggested that the brainwashing technology that Waffle Co would later become infamous for in the Syndicate had its early origins here. Waffle Co agents began performing corporate espionage in search of Donk Co recipies, hoping that any one of them could become Waffle Co's next big break. At the same time, Waffle Co turned to underhand measures to compete with Donk Co's marketing department, opening up experimental projects that were hidden from the public eye. This began with addictive chemicals being placed in their batches, in such an amount that consumers would keep coming back to Waffle Co products for its distinctive taste. The second step in this campaign saw subliminal messages be placed into Waffle Co advertisements and commericals, with further experimentation on the eve of the Phoron War exploring the possibility of inserting hypnotic programming into adverts.

Much like Donk Co, the exact reasons behind why Waffle Co joined forces with their arch-enemy Donk Co and the seemingly unrelated Gorlex Manufacturing remain unknown. Whatever the case may be, Waffle Co filled several niches for the Syndicate. The first was shared with Donk Co: providing food for Syndicate operatives, whether for their personal use or to be utilized against select targets. However, Waffle Co had their own specialized equipment that they supplied to their operatives, differentiating them from Gorlex or Cybersun agents. Their second role was to provide manpower for Syndicate operations, with the majority of their recruits donning the bright-red voidsuits that would become associated with the Syndicate, acting as auxiliaries for Gorlex-led operations. Waffle Co's own corporate espionage operatives, seasoned through conflict with Donk Co, were likewise employed in Cybersun service, putting their unique skills to use in sabotaging Nanotrasen installations.

When Donk Co abandoned the Syndicate near the end of the Phoron War, Waffle Co was emboldened to stay even as the Syndicate crumbled. While they were willing to stick by Cybersun after they bought out Gorlex Manufacturing, Waffle Co eventually realized the fight against Nanotrasen was untenable and unnecessary as more phoron deposits were discovered, eroding the monopoly that Nanotrasen formerly possessed on the element. They soon made their quiet exit from the Syndicate, sparing themselves the fates of Gorlex and Cybersun as both companies collapsed beneath Nanotrasen's pressure.

Modern Day

Following their departure from the Syndicate, Waffle Co was faced with a new problem: bankruptcy. Funding a multitude of brainwashing and biotechnical projects left Waffle Co barely capable of sustaining itself, let alone exploiting phoron, which its executives believed would have allowed the company to revitalize itself following the end of the conflict. Perhaps not having learned from the fate of Gorlex Manufacturing, Waffle Co accepted help from its one-time-friend Donk Co as they offered to keep their former enemy afloat…albeit, at the cost of their food manufacturing infrastructure, effectively crippling Waffle Co.

With what they had gained from Donk Co purchasing the means of making their titular products, Waffle Co underwent a heavy reorganization. Instead of shying away from the advances in biotechnology made during their time in the Syndicate, Waffle Co, now branding themselves as Kynde Group Pharmaceuticals, instead began to market their more palatable discoveries to the public, hoping to carve themselves a niche in the already crowded pharmaceutical market. Even so, darker secrets still lurk beneath the surface of Kynde, as if the former Waffle Co hasn't fully abandoned its former Syndicate ways.

Ethos

Similar to Cybersun, Waffle Co's infiltrators operated through stealth and subterfuge. Waffle Co agents typically utilized various items created through different scientific and chemical research, allowing them to create distractions or improve themselves through different injections and medicinal solutions. Said infiltrators could either be Waffle Co's own agents or kidnapped Nanotrasen employees who had undergone brainwashing and hypnotic programming to turn them into loyal agents of the Syndicate.

An infamous speciality of these agents was sparking full revolts aboard Nanotrasen stations, turning the employees against command staff before seizing the entire station for themselves. Typically, these agents only saw mixed success in creating temporary chaos aboard a Nanotrasen station before they were rooted out and their fellow "revolutionaries" were killed. However, a small number of stations were successfully converted in full, costing Nanotrasen large amounts of employees as they were forced to practically purge the station of life to prevent their technology and secrets from falling into Syndicate hands.

Criminal Activities

Waffle Co naturally had to find out if their brainwashing and medical technology actually worked prior to use in the field, and so embarked on a large amount of experimentation on captured Nanotrasen employees and whoever was unfortunate enough to be delivered by them by the Gorlex Marauders in later years. They also aided the Marauders in their own slave trading, offering a particular type of slave that could be "programmed" to perfectly fit the owner's needs through their aforementioned brainwashing.

Local Syndicate Sympathizers

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Author: Captain277

Lore
Corporations	NanoTrasen, Frontier Megacorporations, Minor Corporations, The Syndicate
NanoTrasen Specific	NDV Marksman, Paracausal Monitoring Division
Other Organizations	ITV Talon, System Defense Force, The Orion Confederation
Worldbuilding	Extradimensional Mechanics, FTL Travel, Galactic Landmarks, Legends, Mysteries, and Rumors, Metaphysics and Paracausality, Technology of the 2500's, The Timeline
Contribution Data	Lore Submission Templates, Roadmap for Lore Development