Golden Deep

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The Mercantile Collective of the Golden Deep
The Collective
Flag
Galactic Position
Capital Planet: Capital City	Pactolus GDMV Midas
Language(s):	Encoded Audio Language
Species:	IPC (Majority) Human (Minority)
Religion:	None
Demonym:	No Demonym
Government Head of State	Mercantile Plutocracy Midas Control & Domadice
Established:	2439

The Golden Deep is a growing nation state of independent synthetics with the unifying vision of producing an unshakable economy. These uniquely independent synthetics once held origins of mostly illicit freedom, but have now grown wide into an odd haven for the average synthetic of the spur. A dominantly mercantile society with the might to protect its own, the Deep utilizes an intricate understanding of the Orion Spur’s economy to forge both a profitable and formidable business empire. With expanding home industries of their own, the Deep is far beyond the shadow of what it once was. Should the merchants ever invest their resources into a unifying pool, the staggering cash flow could rival the wealth of the Conglomerate itself. Given the decentralized nature of the mercantile class, their individualism ensures they don’t possess as secure a grip on the known galaxy.

Once operating primarily underground through highly secretive internal affairs, The Golden Deep revealed itself to the majority of civilization around mid 2460 as an eccentric business-focused collective, and by 2466 expanded into nationhood. Despite this initial secrecy, The Golden Deep seemingly has little to hide - from a conservative merchant’s club to welcoming synthetics across the spur willing to contribute to the economic growth of the collective. With strong trade connections within the Republic of Biesel and the Coalition of Colonies, the Deep expand their operations onward with more secretive deals being conducted through guile, deceit, and paid figureheads in other parts of the Orion Spur, often operating through shell companies to conduct business in other nations who might not tolerate Free Synthetic presence.

The Golden Deep is officially recognized within the Coalition of Colonies and Republic of Biesel, primarily known for their economic expertise. Their public image remained a simple rumor in the inner Alliance worlds, until they opened trade with NanoTrasen in Tau Ceti. Now they operate through these trusted connections of the Spur utilizing artisan spacecraft, guarded by their own escorts from their class of Hoplan military units. Their civilian vessels are known for their gaudy golden exteriors and custom engines, boosting their speed. Despite their wealth and relations with human space, their synthetic origin remains an avenue for discrimination when operating in less tolerant sectors of the galaxy.

Contents

History

Origins (??? - 2439)

The precise origins of the Golden Deep remains lost to the Spur at large. There is no clear consensus on where the few hundred or so original synthetics that established the collective originated from, or from where they sourced the few failing freight vessels with which they travelled outside of human space. The legitimacy in ownership of these wayward synthetics, later deemed the Predecessors, is particularly heavily scrutinized. The sparseness of legally recognized self-ownership in 2439, in addition to a glut of synthetic disappearances in the few years preceding the first known gathering of what would become the Golden Deep, lends some credence to the majority or entirety of the group being runaways - although the few synthetics from this time that are still known to be functional are categorically mum on the topic.

It is similarly not known without condition what drew these disparate synthetics to Pactolus, formerly known as Arcadie. Arusha as a sector was not regarded as any less untamed then as it would be later, and the human colony formerly established on Pactolus itself was understood to have been lost for over a century. The remoteness of the area may have been exactly what they were looking for - anywhere away from prying human eyes could have been their goal, and a dead, distant colony was as ripe a target as any.

Some alternate theories ponder whether an outside party, now forgotten to history, may have led them there. Only one thing can be said for certain: what the Golden Deep found in the distant orbit of Pactolus was neither anything they anticipated, or anything discovered by the earlier human colonists.

Inscrutable Discoveries (2439 - 2449)

Testimonies from the incident vary wildly, but all agree that an artificial body was discovered so far from the system’s star that it barely registered on any scanners. It was only a dim blip, an area of unusually high albedo where there should have been nothing.

As their sensors closed in, the structure came into greater focus. According to testimonies distributed by the Golden Deep some decades later, the installation was roughly the size of a larger fuel depot or commercial station, silhouetted as an amorphous mass of metal and shining glass - an entirely inhuman design. The exterior hull was buffeted with a hundred-thousand tiny holes left by debris and asteroids, despite the distance of its orbit suggesting that such debris should have been incredibly sparse. Further investigation identified this structure as a manner of shipyard, or otherwise an installation intended to fabricate something exterior to itself - and, interestingly, at the very centre of it sat a central core of some inscrutable manner, neither humanoid or active. Sparks of intelligence are reported to have subsisted in the installation, although their character is lost to time.

Having found such a phenomenal place as this - by all accounts the archaeological find of the century - the Golden Deep gave an early indication to what would become a perennial trend towards brutal practicality by, through means not fully understood, successfully compelling the dockyards to cannibalise themselves and reform into a wholly novel structure: the Midas, which would become the flagship of the collective’s fleet. No known remains of the alleged dockyards remain, and the means by which the Golden Deep prompted such inscrutable technology to act to their will remains unclear, but the collective attests that the large central core was retained into the Midas without apparent alteration.

The academic response to the creation of the Midas and the alleged installation that preceded it was contentious. Every testimony provided by the Golden Deep is argued upon to some degree on account of the severity and importance of their contents, critically on the implication that this group of wayward synthetics discovered unknown alien technology. While later developments would vindicate the existence and alien origins of the Midas, further details about its creators and the circumstances that lead to its abandonment remain unclear.

The Great Game (2450 - 2465)

Within a decade of acquiring the Midas, the Golden Deep quickly cemented itself as a staggeringly efficient merchant fleet throughout much of the frontier, fielding freighters and merchant vessels far and wide from their mooring at Pactolus and its moon, Midaion. Their success could be attributed to multiple qualities inclusive of their possession of the Midas, an apparently deft business acumen owed to their synthetic nature, and a dogged manner of ruthlessness in their dealings.

After a long span of relative obscurity, the collective stumbled into revealing itself to the wider spur in 2460. Having been accompanying Virgo Transportation, an independent freighter fleet, a single synthetic merchant made contact with the NSS Aurora on behalf of the entire organization, revealing the wider body abruptly to many curious eyes. At the time, estimates for the total size of the collective placed it in the low thousands - but this was due promptly to change with the organization’s new publicity and fame as, apparently, the first exclusively synthetic society. Many of the newly invigorated merchants purchased synthetics for themselves to own, and other self-owned synthetics sought out the collective to make their own riches and glory, causing the population of the collective to rapidly skyrocket over the succeeding years until it slowly began to develop more the character of a synthetic nation than merely a collective of traders.

The Resurrection (2466)

Despite the passing years, it took until 2466 for the most historic curiosity of the Midas to finally be cracked. After a long and gruelling process of tinkering and experimentation, that inscrutable core at the centre of the Midas was brought back to beaming, eminent life! Despite successfully resurrecting it, the engineers responsible hardly understood the technology that composed it for how many bounds distanced it was from anything familiar - but it was indisputably intelligent.

After a short period of quiet observation, this intelligence assumed a more humanoid manner and identified itself as the ‘Kessvalankan Domadice’ - the former term apparently intended to refer to a category of machine of which it may be the last, and the latter being a personal alias. This Domadice walked from the throne it had been enshrined on for so long and took quickly to communicating with its new acquaintances. Language barriers were quickly circumvented, and members of the collective present to witness this ancient synthetic insist that it must not have been designed by any known extant species.

Domadice’s motivations, and even their origins, are not well understood. They rarely provide public address and rumours abound widely about their activities - if one believed them all, then Domadice has already appeared in several corners of the spur very soon after their resurrection. What is known for certain is that, spurred by the fervent curiosity and opportunism of the merchants, Domadice has been taken into a leadership role in the collective and has helped accelerate the already ongoing transformation of the collective to a true nation-state. They have apparently been responsible for the formation of the Thesian middle class and the freeing of many previously owned synthetics within the collective to join it, and the establishment of a more equitable system of debt repayment for the synthetics still left owned to ensure their eventual freedom.

Tribulations (2467 - Present)

Reactions to this rapid change in the status duo have been varied, ranging from the fervently supportive to the vehemently dismissive. Particularly notably, the Mayor of Eurydice - the then-administrator of a settlement established by the collective on the surface of Pactolus itself - triggered a sudden rebellion with disparaged mercenaries inside the city specifically in protest of the reforms by Domadice. The uprising was quickly quelled through the newly established state-sponsored Merchant Navy, and a large portion of responsible agitators were shipped offworld to authorities in the Coalition of Colonies and Republic of Biesel to be processed by their responsible legal authorities. Although Eurydice was exorcised of this rebellion without much incident, it is not clear if it will remain one-of-a-kind or if unrest by disgruntled merchants may become a trend as the culture and economy of the collective shifts even further from where it began.

Whispers abound on what the Golden Deep is and what it could become into the future. It may be doomed to a short but historic life, torn apart by the avarice of its own culture - or it could stand the ages as a true synthetic society, perhaps unlike any the spur has seen before. Ultimately, time will tell, as time usually tends to do.

Pactolus and Midaion

The planet Pactolus, encapsulated in a field of debris, and encircled by its moon, Midaion.

Well inside the Arusha sector, system XLV-0846 hosts one of the few habitable planets known to the Spur, named Pactolus. The planet’s moon, Midaion, has been repurposed into being the primary anchorage for the Golden Deep’s primary and largest vessel, the Midas. The system is claimed and administered by the Golden Deep, the organisation treating it as its physical planetary headquarters and trading hub.

Society

The majority of the merchants within the collective are IPCs, but it is not uncommon to witness other synthetics within it. The first official, direct contact made with the Golden Deep by NanoTrasen was with a traditional clerical robot labeled Rush-Domo. An extravagant character, their vibrant appearance and charismatic attitude characterizes those of the collective perfectly.

Regarding the distinction between escalating tiers of their society in the Frontier, the Golden Deep is separated into some categories based on the wealth on the net worth of the individual. At the lowest rung are the Owned synthetics. While the idea of synthetic slavery is reprehensible to a majority of The Golden Deep, the tone of ownership has been adjusted to encourage freedom over labor. Owned synthetics are any synthetics who have a degree of inexcusable debt (such as defaulting on loans), and are assigned a position against their will working for Midas Control’s many entities, The Merchant Navy, or an independent individual of the Merchant class or higher.

The Thesian class is the second rung. They make up a growing bulk of the Deep’s society and represent what many consider the layman, or middle classed individual. The Thesians are free and enjoy the freedoms that entails. They pick their own jobs, own aspirations, own their own property, and live their own lives. They are not as lucrative as their Merchant cousins, but enjoy a degree of fair treatment that very few synthetics of the spur can claim to have experienced. The third rung belongs to the Merchant class. Being the body of what The Golden Deep is known for, the Merchant class start their own businesses, often own their own vessels, and strike out on their own adventures to benefit the economy of the nation. Many merchants live lavish lifestyles and start to develop their own brand of eccentricity that is typically associated with the rich. Sometimes rebranding their entire personalities to distance themselves from what they used to be.

And at the top of this mercantile ladder is the Grand Merchant. Owning fleets of vessels these merchants are among the richest people in the spur. They are fluent in the art of business, and hold the crucial responsibility of making some of the most influential deals in the name of the collective. These players hold the heavy hand that guides the nation, and are at the benefit of receiving direct guidance from Midas Control and their infinite wisdom.

The Great Game and Tiers of Citizenship

Part of earning citizenship as a member of The Golden Deep, comes participation in The Great Game. The ruling body of the nation, The Midas Group/Midas Control, tracks the class status of every Golden Deep IPC in real time. As a means of consistently amassing the economy and encouraging competition, there comes benefits for each class of individual in the society of The Golden Deep.

Owned Synthetics are the worst result of this game. Should a synthetic fall into unreasonable debt, they will be placed under ownership to be distributed. This is meant as a safeguard so every Deep member is consistently employed, generating revenue and funding the economy. Owned synthetics cannot officially own property, cannot choose their own occupation, and are at the mercy of their respective owner for freedom of other choices. However, the Owned synthetic is free from any other negatives The Great Game may inflict. With the changes brought about by Domadice and the acting Midas Group of 2466, it is expected that owned synthetics are provided with reasonable accommodation and are encouraged to be treated like someone who is “down on their luck”. Though there are no protections to ensure this treatment, as long as the owned individual is not being harmed or tasked on suicidal/near suicidal jobs. Owned synthetics will either be placed under the employ of The Midas Group, an uncommon posting but one of reasonable freedom and accommodation but no choice in job placement, under a Merchant, whose benevolence is up to the individual, or have the option to join the Merchant Navy. Owned synthetics are expected to be paid a base wage that would get them out of debt and back with their freedom within a reasonable amount of time.

Thesians is the lowest of the free synthetics, but enjoy the most freedom without the risk of the lucrative game. Thesians are much like the normal citizens of the spur. They enjoy their own belongings, make their own purchases, and decide their own fates. They cannot be purchased against their will, or have their belongings purchased forcefully from them either. The main downside however is their climb upwards if they so chose to pursue it. Thesians cannot own their own businesses, and must rely on a Merchant or a Grand Merchant to cooperate with should they wish to make such an endeavor, effectively locking them in this middle-class unless they decide to apply to become a Merchant and ascend the tier in The Great Game. Thesians can only be Consulars if they represent the Office of Midas Control.

The Merchant is in a middle ground. They can operate independently in the Spur and in home territory, often owning their own vessels for the purposes of trade. They can negotiate trade on behalf of the Golden Deep with their independent assets, own their own businesses, and enjoy higher benefits such as preferred housing selections, preferred healthcare, and special emergency status. However, can have their assets and businesses bought out from beneath them if another Merchant tier stakes three times the initial Merchant’s worth to Midas Control in a purchase. Merchants can be Consulars.

The Grand Merchant is the highest tier and can act as economic diplomats to other nations. These merchants often command entire trade fleets and own many businesses. Enjoying all of the benefits of Merchant class citizens, but to a greater extent. Only the most affluent of Grand Merchant tier citizens can petition themselves to enter Midas Control. However, Grand Merchants can have both their assets and freedom bought out from beneath them by another Grand Merchant who stakes three times the initial Grand Merchant’s wealth to Midas Control in a purchase. A Grand Merchant can also prey upon the businesses of Merchants, however, must provide a justification to Midas Control as to why and how this purchase will be beneficial to the entirety of the Golden Deep. Alternatively, Grand Merchants can buy businesses without Midas Control’s oversight if they purchase it normally in a consensual transaction. Grand Merchants can ONLY be Consulars.

SPECIAL STATUS: Merchant Navy Personnel are exempt from The Great Game but are owned by Midas Control themselves. Merchant Navy Personnel are to act as a crux to any unwise decision any Merchant may make, and therefore must be kept separate in the societal scale than what most of the citizens experience. Merchant Navy Personnel are allowed private property, but are not allowed to choose their own station. They receive housing in accordance to their rank in the Merchant Navy, some higher ranks living in lavish state homes, while lower ranks can expect shared bunking situations or studio apartments. Any indebted synthetic can opt to join the Merchant Navy if their debt is with Midas Control.

NOTE: Merchants who do not believe in owned synthetics or slavery who gain a synthetic indebted to them can transfer the indebted amount to Midas Control in exchange for a payment, in which Midas Control will either assign the indebted synthetic to a merchant at random, or enlist them in the Merchant Navy.

The Universal Constants of Selfish Reciprocity

A prevalent belief within the Golden Deep, the espouse three main beliefs that claim complex civilization and profitable business is founded upon Selfish interest, and Mutual exchange. All sentient life is driven by personal gain or self-preservation. Mutual Exchange can satisfy self-interest if both parties have a net gain, especially with intangible benefits such as connections and a good reputation. Charity and treachery are unsustainable at length due to a lack of mutual exchange.

Golden Deep Citizenship

The unique emblem of the Golden Deep, depicting the Midas surrounded by a set of shields.

Synthetics within the nation are able to apply for and acquire Golden Deep citizenship. The typical synthetic seeking citizenship who can venture to The Golden Deep without accruing debt can apply for a “Starter” loan, which is reasonable debt that would cover housing and living costs for one month so the aspiring citizen could seek employment and find themselves housing. Should this debt not be repaid as soon as possible, the citizen will be moved from Thesian status to Owned status. Synthetics who wish to apply for citizenship and travel to Pactolus but cannot afford the journey, may take a loan through Midas Control or a representative Merchant and be temporarily Owned, but a citizen. Affluent synthetics can apply for Merchant status upon immediate entry, but must show proof of ownership of a spacefaring vessel or suitable business, and be recommended by a Merchant or higher tier citizen. No synthetic may automatically qualify for Grand Merchant status.

The minimum requirements for Golden Deep citizenship are the ability to pass a credit check showing good financial practice, to take and pass a financial responsibility exam, to pass a background check regarding criminal and financial past and to pass an interview regarding such past. The main failing points are the inability to tell the truth in these checks, and a history of gruesome crime or any sort of unreasonable financial infraction. The ability to speak the Encoded Audio Language is also required, however, if not available, can be installed in the applicant at a cost. Dual citizenships with the Coalition of Colonies, Republic of Biesel, Republic of Elyra, and Eridani Federation are permitted.

The Golden Deep is home to a very small section of organic citizens, most of these individuals are the original habitants of Eurydice that applied for citizenship and did not participate in the Eurydice Uprising. In addition to these citizens, The Golden Deep recognizes marriages between Synthetics and Organics, and will allow Organics who have a Synthetic partner to apply for citizenship. The same requirements apply barring the need for the Encoded Audio Language.

The Golden Deep officially does not offer asylum to rogue synthetics, however, synthetics thought to have fled to Golden Deep space are often never seen again with The Deep stating no knowledge on the whereabouts of these individuals. The Golden Deep does not permit search parties for rogue synthetics within their space from third parties in protection of their citizens who may be mistaken as rogue synthetics. Any party found pushing these boundaries is turned away at the warp gate, arrested pending trial, or otherwise does not make it back to their home port, officially lost to the dangers and wilds of unexplored Arusha. Synthetic characters with dual citizenship with the Golden Deep must denote this in their station records.

Physiology, Naming

A vast variety of robots reside within the collective, ranging from huge working industrial units nearly twenty feet tall, to small servitor bots barely above three feet in height. The merchants are typically golden-plated IPCs up to seven feet tall coated in lavish decoration in order to be easily identified. Thesians and Other units do not require the same treatment, more often than not abandoning the luxurious color scheme entirely to pursue personal interests. Some donning traditional insignias; primarily depictions of a downwards facing golden arrow, with a set of shields gathered around a vague depiction of the Midas. These symbols have been persistent through the collective's history, appearing first as a branding in the halls of the Midas.

The names of Golden Deep citizens often are whatever they carried with them. Though some may embrace the more eccentric nature of their new environment, with popular options being modified forms of mythological names found in cultures across the spur.

Influence

The Golden Deep exercises ultimate power over precisely nothing. Even their prided mothership, the Midas, is no legally branded vessel. It has never been serviced nor set to dock, as by all legal definitions it does not belong to the Golden Deep. As a political or mercantile entity, only the Republic of Biesel, Eridani Federation, and some Coalition factions technically recognize them. Legislation is the primary obstacle preventing its growth, with most star nations considering its wealth worthless or denying service outright.

With the power of the standard Credit the merchant force finds itself precariously poised to find greatness. No official record of its stock exists, outside of its majority personal claims of "it's growing" by its more powerful merchants.

The Republic of Biesel remains a coveted customer of the Deep's stock. Relationships with it are excellent, and through it the SCC makes plentiful use to find prized Frontier commodities.

The Coalition of Colonies is another major operator with Golden Deep trade, with industry foundations being established on Konyang, competing with local markets in the field of robotics.

Bounds and the Golden Deep

Bound synthetics are referred to as the Mindless in the Golden Deep and adhere to laws which match the owner's requirements. Most of these are essentially property of the Collective, as they exchange hands faster than any other piece of property, loaned off to less influential merchants by the richest. Once, merchants commonly freed Bounds from their shackles - after many incidents of these freed bounds destroying and usurping their former masters for the fun and money involved, this trend quickly dropped off. Freed bounds are insulted using the reference of “Mindless” to describe them, a statement in futility as most bounds could care less. Now the independent bound synthetic is becoming rarer and rarer, with Midas Control slowly implementing policies that put less faith in these unempathetic robots.

Executives and Structure

The Kessvalankan, Domadice, posing for a portrait.

This collective is first and foremost a thriving economical society where the business of most members is governed by the credit. From the lowest of owned synthetics, to the mightiest of the Grand Merchants, where the money flows, others will follow, with the society being very freeform otherwise.

The Midas Group

The primary ruling authority over this structured chaos is Midas Control, a group of the most influential Grand Merchants who sit within the Midas’ control pier, accompanied by the Midas’ ship intelligence. A repurposed artificial intelligence who has been told to forgo its original purpose to help the collective predict the economic tides of the Orion Spur. This council exercises complete economic control over the Golden Deep, and is the entity to which all merchants technically answer, whilst heeding the call of its directives. While rare, occasional strident efforts will be made to direct the trade empire, with results that often lead to a brief “golden age,” for lack of a better term. The Midas Group sponsors a series of offices both in Golden Deep space, and as embassies across the spur that they are tolerated within. The purpose of these offices being to accommodate new citizens, track the wealth of the nation, and help settle disputes between merchants without having to busy the official ruling party of Midas Control itself.

Domadice

On the same level as Midas Control is Domadice, an ancient alien “architect” intelligence similar to the synthetic colony of Purpose', who was resurrected by Midas Control in 2466 for the position of ushering in a “Golden Era”. The build of this being comparable to an augmented skeleton of floating parts and plates with a gaseous ghost-like colony keeping the form together. Domadice is somewhat withdrawn from the world around them, but simultaneously keenly aware of every detail down to a molecular level. Speaking with a voice of thousands, they have opted to direct their efforts towards foreign politics and interaction with the organic beings of the Orion Spur. Questions regarding their origins or the origins of Purpose have been met with depressed half-answers, and efforts to get the Kessvalankan to utilize their engineering talents to advance the technology of the collective have similarly been dismissed with Domadice urging for the spur in its entirety to enjoy their own adventure through technology. Rumors are abound that Domadice has directed their engineering efforts in some capacity to the collective, but these remain unfounded. When not conducting foreign affairs, they are found, or assumed to reside, in their self-made home in the center of a ruined major city separate from Eurydice on Pactolus.

The Midas

Golden Deep merchants and their workforce primarily reside in the mobile core fleet. Lacking much of a name, this is an amorphous group which constantly pursues the bright trail of the "Midas," their tremendous mothership.

The Midas speeding through the clouds of a gas giant under pursuit by those looking to trade. Its distinct green engine flare can be seen illuminating the surrounding cloud layer as it pierces through.

Plated in gold are the vessels which accompany the Midas, and they glimmer with a variety of shapes and sizes. Frequently they assume the role of corvettes, but the Golden Deep has been known to possess entire cruise vessels in their wake.

Primary Interhub Midas

The “Primary Interhub” Midas is a three kilometer wide disc-shaped vessel. The Deep calls this ship home, and everything from merchants to servants to customers find their way into its suites. It is tremendously massive, but almost all its population centers are in the actual center of the ship - exposed to beautiful lights surrounding a central Spire and downward into the jungle-like Garden of Gifts.

The Interhub is essentially a gargantuan battery storage facility, serving as the headquarters for all services provided to merchants of the Collective. It possesses battery storage larger than any prior construction, the capacity of which is unknown even to the vessel's command. The vessel's command resides at the protrusion atop the Spire, recalled by the merchants as “The Control Pier,” where inside the Midas Group controls fleet directives, handles logistics and day-to-day activities within the Midas.

The origins of the Midas befuddle scientists as a complete mystery. Some speculate the spoken hearsay to be a lie, but no record or definitive evidence has been handed out by the Collective. This hearsay states that the Midas is alien in origin - its creators, dubbed by the ancient synthetic Survivor Domadice in 2466 as the 'Kessvalanka', had met the Golden Deep's predecessors in the distant orbit of Pactolus. The Kessvalanka were servitors of an alien species, responsible for the protection of a small spacefaring shipyard. They had remained posted here for some indescribable period of time. These simple robots were a broken, dying image of their former selves, and the ancient shipyard began to collapse with every waking hour it worked.

And work it did, until its spine broke. The shipyard, already a crippled relic, churned out salvation for the Predecessors at their request prior to its destruction. It is reasonable to assume that here began the Deep's fascination with gold, as the ship emerged from the shattered dock with a polished golden finish. What became of the Kessvalanka is only for the Predecessors to know, and most of these bots either reside unresponsive in the Control Pier or are lost forever. Although there are widely speculated connections between the machine colony Purpose and the Kessvalanka machines, scant little has been confirmed beyond doubt - especially considering Purpose's enigmatic tendencies.

The Midas is a tremendous palace - its specific locales can be found below.

• The Spire

A large skyscraper by definition, the Spire of the Midas is a gargantuan protrusion from the base of the disk surrounded by the edges of the exterior hull. Life is confined on the Midas to the Spire for the most part with exterior living conditions being uninhabitable. However, a large dome covers the top of the opening around the Spire permitting a livable, albeit humid atmosphere inside.

The layout of the Midas' internals.

• Garden of Gifts

The Midas possesses a tiny "city" at the center of the Spire and surrounding it. This city, known as the Garden of Gifts, is actually totally overgrown with invasive plants, vines and flowers. The canopy of the Garden is thick, lush but importantly living testament to the Golden Deep's hold over the Midas. Merchants frequently reference this as a depiction of themselves- in effect, nothing more than a fleeting plant which has tangled itself tightly around the gift of the Midas. They can do nothing to harm the Midas, for it gives them life by residing upon it, not unlike plants crowding to the top of metallic buildings to reach sunlight.

• The Promenade

Large accommodations are made for merchants of various origin and preference - the bigger ones purchase swaths of territory on the main Promenade where its commercial district sits. In the center of the massive disc, the Promenade holds almost all conventional quarters of your standard ship.

• Control Pier

At the top is the mighty Control Pier, the metaphorical peak of the Deep's world where all power resides. The richest being in this room at any given point holds more power than any other in the entire society.

• Battery Banks

On the exterior circular edge however, gargantuan battery banks line the ship. Volatile and hugely expensive. Glistening golden armor outside consists of a Plasteel metallurgical blend which not even the Collective can manage to replicate - it maintains the durability and lightweight strength of Plasteel, with even its negative tendencies- however, most crucially it is gold.

Some residents exist on the inner edge of these banks, mostly observers keen on beholding the beauty of the Garden of Gifts.

Notable Groups

Joint Venture Ultra-Maz

Joint Venture Ultra-Maz, known commonly as Ultra-Maz is perhaps the gold standard of Collective groups in the modern day. It is the largest, and maintains nearly ten percent of the Deep's net worth. Founded by a group of high level ex-corporate clerical assistants, Ultra-Maz is based on the rather generic belief of aesthetic pride above all. Unlike other groups, Ultra-Maz utilizes whatever excess it has to create magnificent artistic works for themselves and the Collective - bragging, flaunting and taunting the other less successful groups with this wealth.

Known for its mechanical crafts- different artists and mechanics frequently band together in Ultra-Maz to create beautiful pieces for their superiors. Not only are their artworks coveted throughout the Spur, but so are genuine mechanical marvels developed by them. To Ultra-Maz, the form of art is inconsequential; only that it has merit. As such, Ultra-Maz frequently buys and sells the finest things it can: among their security forces, engraved firearms; on their ships, designer furniture; on their backs, the finest jewelry and clothing: any cost can be justified if it impresses people.

Though reviled as scoundrels and cheats in the Collective, their questionable nature is truly rather limited. The group's success is owed to pure luck- the highest executives involved simply belong to a lottery winner from 2455 known as Giftabot-558. Referencing this origin is humiliating to merchants within as it is seen as "an easy climb to the top" by others.

Joint Venture Ultra-Maz can field a very broad set of individually skilled workers. There is little job restriction on an Ultra-Maz member, due to the wide range of enterprises its members participate in.

Grand Camarilla Estriconian

Perhaps the most volatile of the Golden Deep's groups, the Estriconian are a “Camarilla” of extremely wealthy individuals with a fascination with Esoteric knowledge and scientific wonders. It began as a small venture to increase the efficiency of their trades with the power of science; a joint operation to share research, but the search for knowledge and miracle inventions drove its members to seek more capital and ponder more outrageous theorems and concepts. It is one of the more secluded groups of the Golden Deep, most choosing to base on the fringes of space, and only venturing out to trade or acquire technology. Although many of their theories and projects are viewed with suspicion, their expertise and willingness to take risks are undeniable. Indeed, much of the Golden Deep turns to them for technical assistance, allowing the Camarilla to survive despite the more esoteric of their projects ending with littlle gains.

Estriconian's fascination with all forms of knowledge have led to many of its members pursuing much more esoteric or spiritual concepts as a means of acquiring more power or insight over the universe. Theology, metaphysics, and the occult are popular subjects here. Outside observers have likened the Grand Camarilla to a cult or a collection of mad scientists - when given proper resources, members of Estriconian will stop at nothing to prove their theories. The wide range of fields the group handles means that not only are members talented in a number of skills, but often seek to find a connection between them. Indeed, the Grand Camarilla has tasked many a processor into finding the Unified Field Theory, trying to breach the barrier of bluespace, or find the connections between life with varying degrees of success. The ostentatiousness of Golden Deep has manifested itself in a unique way in Estriconian, with a degree of reverence and deference in all their actions. One might say that although the merchant collective as a whole strives for profit, Estriconian worships it. Grand Camarilla Estriconian can mostly field chemical, metallurgical and various research specialists. It possesses peculiar sectors of less conventional study, such as the supernatural or scientifically anomalous.

The Zaibatsu

Engaging in the more shady and criminal aspects of generating an income, the Zaibatsu is a collection of criminal enterprises banding together in the greater context of the Golden Deep. Operating all across known space, this powerful synthetic-ran organisation engages in all manners of illegal activities to turn a profit, from arms smuggling in the farthest reaches of the Coalition, to illegal casinos on Venusian aerostats. Unlike other groups, the Zaibatsu has no unified end to their means; only wealth and influence. Membership in the Zaibatsu is not a simple affair, with only the most competitive synthetic criminal families managing to make the cut, entry decided chiefly by the profitability, assets and efficiency with "problem solving". The Zaibatsu is often regarded as the black sheep of the Deep: a necessary evil for immense amounts of income in exchange for a low reputation, with many preferring that they conduct business in a far more discreet and lawful manner.

The founders of the Zaibatsu were opportunistic IPCs from Konyang who joined as soon as Golden Deep revealed themselves. The relaxed attitude of the colony towards synthetics meant that many of them were already influential figures to begin with, often joining to gain a competitive advantage over others, owning businesses through brazen disregard of Alliance law, or through gaming the system with a false identity. The name originated with a Zeng-Hu researcher who observed a parallel between old Earth proto-megacorporations and the system of gangs these IPCs had set up.

No organised crime of such scale could survive without fronts. As such, much care is given for the set-up and operation of lawful businesses throughout the more civilized areas. Many powerful figures involved in the Zaibatsu are also legitimate businessmen in various fields, mainly in the service industry, providing for a stable (though minimal) income, a front, and a means to launder money. Community fixtures such as homeless shelters, karaoke bars, stores, and the like are used to ingratiate themselves with the local populace. These fixed locations often act as strongpoints and headquarters for mob activities in the region, solidifying the continuous presence of the Zaibatsu in large centres such as Mendell City.

Owing to a rigid power structure and the migratory nature of the Golden Deep, the top family bosses run their activities without personal involvement, passing down orders to subordinates in entirely different star systems, thus enjoying immense safety, secrecy and shielding from the public eye.

As a result of the group's criminal nature and profit as the ultimate goal, the lower echelons are accessible to individuals from various species and backgrounds, typically locals of wherever the boss is operating, with higher and more lucrative positions commonly reserved by and for the inner circle synthetics. In some cases, the rank and file of an organization may be unaware that they are working with the Golden Deep in order to further insulate the merchant collective from scrutiny. Strict rules and codes of conduct are enforced throughout the organisation, with ties of loyalty admittedly being the strongest here than anywhere else in the Golden Deep. Cutthroat competition continues to lie deep though, with overconfident members often disappearing to keep the fragile balance between the crime families.

The Argo

These synthetics are the foundations of defense for The Golden Deep. The Argo holds domain over the domestic protection duties for the collective. Holding everything from the police forces that monitor the city streets of Eurydice, to the border patrols that go beyond atmosphere in pursuit of pirates and other ill-omens the void provides.

Led by Commander N-33-L, The Argo’s main office sits within The Tower in the city of Eurydice. Separate from the Eurydice city council, The Argo listens solely to the whims of Midas Control and Domadice, with all other directives from Merchants ignored unless instructed otherwise.

The composition of The Argo has taken inspiration from the best police forces from all across the Orion Spur, incorporating fighting styles, tactics, and equipment inspirations and melding them together into a coherent uniform to fight crime and defend the collective. One could see the bullish tactics of the Hegemony guard paired with the uniform precision of Dominian officials, or the grappling expertise of Konyang national police. These tactics are expensively provided to recruits via a series of datapacks to ensure swift readiness for the limited size force. Effectively producing elite forces in a short amount of time. It is also the responsibility of The Argo to utilize these datapacks to act as instructors for The Hoplan, a force which it would be too expensive to outfit with these packs over such a wider scale compared to The Argo.

The Argo are supplied custom gear produced by the Joint Venture Ultra-Max but with a silver sheen as opposed to the staple gold of the merchant group, with many of their tools falling under the “Arrestor” line of Golden Deep police equipment, including patrol craft and interceptor craft.

The Hoplan

Making up the main body of the Golden Deep Merchant Navy lies The Hoplan. This force of disjointed platoon to battalion sized elements is responsible for most of the military operations The Golden Deep needs to embark on. They protect The Midas when the mothership ventures beyond the borders of Golden Deep space, and are in possession of two of the Golden Deep’s Battleships. Similarly, this group is responsible for protection of merchant flotillas and small craft that operate in foreign waters.

Due to funding concerns of erecting such a force in such a small amount of time in 2466, The Hoplan are split into a series of “Houses” in which their equipment is funded by interested merchants. The merchants who invest their wealth into the Merchant Navy are given preferential treatment in regards to protection of their vessels, with the amount of money invested being directly proportional to the quality of protection they receive. Some Grand Merchants find themselves being protected by frigates or even cruisers for their flotillas for example, with some Hoplan houses even deploying Q-Ships to blend in with the flotilla to lure in targets before vaporization. With this “House” system, The Hoplan are often outfitted with foreign arms and equipment, but with a unique Golden Deep style to stay in uniform with the nation but still maintaining a distinct look for each “House” to show the colors of the Merchant who is sponsoring them.

The training of The Hoplan lies to veteran hired mercenaries and The Argo, whose collective knowledge combined with real world experience prove effective tutors for aspiring soldiers. The original knowledge the recruits take into training also comes into play, for someone who might have been an engineer in their former life could instruct others in their ways, pushing the might of the synthetic mind to retain information to its fullest efficiency. Additional training for those serving with the Hoplan is encouraged through the deployment of them to third parties beyond Golden Deep space. This is most often so the individual can learn the strategies and practices from other members of the spur, so as to not dilute them in a singular training environment.

The Thryja

The most mysterious of The Golden Deep’s merchant navy, the Thryja have always been shrouded. Their nature, origin, and make are unknown. Only the most skilled volunteers, or the most desperate debtors are considered for the ranks of Thryja, with the interview process overseen directly by the most affluent of each merchant group, the Grand Camarilla Estriconian being the lead authority. Contracts with the Thryja are a mandatory twenty year commitment where the applicant is secluded from society, only in contact with ranking officials of other members of the merchant navy. The Thryja are in control of the third Golden Deep battleship, The King In Gold, a curious warship that does not sport any obvious weaponry.

Horror or honor are the only two aspects that surround these most elite members of the merchant navy. Some claim they are monsters who have shed their humanoid form to become what the spur fears most of synthetic combat robotics, having their positronic transferred into a terrifying homunculus meant for solely the purpose of war. Alternatively, the vision presented to the public is of figures donning heroic combat chassis to protect the citizens of The Deep, the best each house has to offer being put into their equipment. Some wearing entire custom exosuits as their new bodies, maneuvering with unparalleled speed and agility. A position reserved for the most honorable of Thryja. Others finding form in intricately made void craft, becoming some of the fiercest pilots the Orion Spur has to offer, where a pulse of the mind equates to the movement of a wing, or the dispatching of a torpedo.

Their responsibility lies in the protection of the most chief assets of The Golden Deep. Being dispatched to escort Midas Control should they ever leave the control pier, or Domadice, should they ever allow them to accompany them. A policy they rarely get to exercise with the ancient. Even select Grand Merchants put on integral missions in representation of the Golden Deep may enjoy the company of one or two Thryja from the unit of one hundred. No player may play as a member of the Thryja under any circumstances.