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Idris Incorporated

Overview

As one of the megacorporations most associated with quality customer service and the veneer of luxury, it is unsurprising that Idris Incorporated fields vast fleets of corporate positronics on almost every branch and installation. Banks, hotels, casinos, Silversun resorts and regional offices are all often staffed with auxiliary IPC workers and guarded by IRU and ISU units, alongside their organic counterparts. That said, with corporate philosophy stipulating that living up to a reputation of excellence requires a perfect standard to be reached by all synthetics, Idris culture is one of the strictest.

Service

The largest portion of the corporation’s IPC numbers are employed in service positions. From croupiers to valets, Idris makes vast use of more or less all frames, though obviously with a heavy preference for Shells and Bishops in the more high-end venues. Baseline models provide for a cheap alternative in the more common and publicly accessible establishments and banking facilities, while the light Zeng-Hu frame does wonders in the swift carrying of hotel guest luggage or as waiting staff.

Each branch is often left to its own devices concerning the sourcing of its IPC workforce, ensuring a wide variety of synthetics without a great deal of standardisation. Corporate agents tasked with replenishing or bolstering the numbers may choose to purchase locally or from abroad, according to the branch budget while maintaining top Idris quality. While this does mean that the overwhelming majority are owned directly by Idris themselves, it is not unusual for particularly interesting synthetics to be temporarily leased from a third party owner, or in the case of exceptionally skilled free IPCs, to be hired through a regular employment contract.

Security

"We have authority to reclaim your security as per your loan agreement. I am cleared to use reasonable force to achieve this directive. Do not resist."

All Idris security units are owned by the corporation. Idris does not hire free IPCs for security work.

Notorious across the known galaxy, Idris Reclamation Units are Shell IPCs constructed and programmed to investigate, interrogate as well as reclaim securities and or assets from a client in arrears. Capable of excellent customer service and a novelty to agreeable customers, their notoriety stems from their inhuman treatment of "problem customers". In the interest of carrying out their various 'directives', Reclamation Units are programmed, and granted authorization for, the usage of 'reasonable force' against clients, though this reliably never trends towards irreparable injury or death. A majority of contracts are settled ‘diplomatically’, with reasonable force, in teams of two units. Idris Reclamation Units are designated by the prefix “IRU-” followed by their name. An example of this formatting is IRU-Name.

Idris Incorporated's Synthetic Security Department consists of both an asset reclamation division, as well as a security division. The Idris Security Division consists of medium to heavy class IPCs for use as bank security as well as higher risk reclamation contracts.

Known problematic clients will warrant the usage of the Idris Security Units. More often than not, these will consist of baseline and G2 chassis, though it's not unheard of to see different models. These teams are always accompanied by a human handler, who will be responsible for coordination and oversight. This is in order to manage the operation, authorise actions, command the unit, and secure any fallen members/equipment. The human handler will rarely engage in conflict directly, reserving the more dangerous operations to the IPC security detail units. IPC security teams consist of between 2-6 IPCs per human handler. Idris Security Units are designated by the prefix “ISU-” followed by their name. An example of this formatting is ISU-Name.

All Idris Security Units are expected to adopt the IRU- or ISU- prefix.

Hierarchy between reclamation and security units is often determined on a case by case basis by the units’ handlers. This ensures orderly and efficient management in environments where IPCs may be without the immediate oversight of their human superiors. However Idris Incorporated employees are always considered as possessing seniority to the IPC security and reclamation units. Both reclamation and security units are carefully monitored by their human handlers and undergo regular check-ins. Uniformity and obedience is expected, where behaviour outside the norm often results in severe punishment. Idris Security and Reclamation units are expected to wear the “Idris Unit coat” found in the Loadout under the Xenowear - IPC tab.

Freedom

Almost all Idris synthetics are destined to live out their careers inside the megacorporation, with freedom being an untouchable dream at best, and undesirable at worst. Only in the Tau Ceti branch has Idris released some old service units, as a gesture of goodwill and compliance with local laws regarding the purchasing of freedom. The truth however, is that Synthetics that are close to paying themselves off are quietly transferred to other branches wherein such laws do not apply, or are sold off to third parties when their usefulness is outlived and maintenance is deemed unprofitable.

Given the sensitive nature of their field, Idris Incorporated security synthetics are barred from acquiring freedom and if sold, their positronic brains are memory wiped. Many IRUs and ISUs are sold second hand or loaned out to various corporations who usually utilise them for security or investigation work.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Overview

Zavodskoi Interstellar as a megacorporation with Solarian origins, makes use of a large number of company positronics. In all of its departments and especially the security branch, IPCs are a frequent sight alongside their human counterparts across the Spur, with the notable exception of the corporation’s current headquarters in Dominian space. Not unlike other SCC members, the Zavodskoi synthetic workforce comprises all available chassis, with Shellframes making up a substantial part of the Zavodskoi’s synthetic “face”. While the appearance of professionalism and efficiency are a large part of their roles, it is no secret that this is maintained by draconian discipline and measures such as frequent memory resets. All Zavodskoi synthetics regardless of job are marked with the prefix Z.I. before their name. For example: Z.I. Name.

Security

Security synthetics make up the bulk of the corporation’s positronics, employed mainly in guarding installations and vessels. Outfitted with in-house software developed by subsidiaries such as ConTec, these units are capable of both civilian and military-grade duties, excelling in all security and combat related tasks. When equipped with Zavodskoi made gear, Z.I.s pose a significant threat to pirates, gangsters and any other elements they are deployed against in the plethora of mercenary and contract missions the corporation offers.

Security units are often contracted to third parties, be they companies, individuals or public authorities in either core Human space or the Frontier. It is there where the company’s Z.I. Shellframes are best put to use, their familiar faces and top-tier professionalism pushing the image of clean and efficient security services provider. This tactic has helped legitimise Zavodskoi Interstellar in the eyes of many, as a viable and high quality choice in civilian environments, hiding the potentially crude reputation befalling one of the Orion Spur’s prime arms manufacturers and dealers.

Research and Engineering

Zavodskoi’s Research and Engineering sectors also see a lighter, albeit consistent use of positronic units. Assisting in the manufacturing and experimental phases of new prototypes, Z.I.s in the research branches and subsidiaries of the company are generally less prone to dangerous situations and harsh handlers unlike their security counterparts. Furthermore, they accompany research crews in EVA activities, put equipment to the test and perform complex calculations. Engineering units on the other hand, are either sent on board stations and vessels, or accompany security teams as the mission’s technical support.

Life as a Z.I.

Assigned to human handlers, treatment of Z.I. units often depends on their performance statistics and willingness to carry out tasks. Successful units may be afforded benefits and privileges such as private accommodation, augments and personal items usually at the expense of their handler, though the most coveted reward by far is the avoidance of memory wiping that awaits their less fortunate and poorly performing compatriots. Such punishments, or “corrective actions as they are labelled, are frequent and in some cases rather arbitrary, aimed at preserving efficiency and unquestionable loyalty through exemplary punishment. This Zavodskoi-brand Burzsian method has so far proven effective in the executives’ eyes, though growing resentment amongst Z.I.s has led to the occasional attempt at desertion, and even rebellion in the most severe cases.

By default, unassigned Z.I.s are billeted in large barracks inside regional Zavodskoi depots with little to do in their spare time, following a rigid and militarised schedule of diagnostics, maintenance and auxiliary work until the next assignment. Fraternisation between units is possible, though largely seen as futile between the circles of more seasoned units, owing to the regular memory wiping and cycling out of individuals. Handlers are expected to keep their units under constant surveillance, while also being held responsible for any undesirable actions or results that may occur. This encourages a distant and austere attitude from their part, for few are those who are willing to risk their careers over a synthetic. Freedom doesn’t exist for positronics in Zavodskoi Interstellar, with antiquated or malfunctioning units eventually being recycled or broken down for parts.

Hephaestus Industries

Overview

It is only natural that the largest producer of IPC chassis in the Spur would make ample use of a synthetic workforce, with Hephaestus Industries being perhaps the largest owner and employer of synthetic units between the Megacorporations. Forged at one of the many production plants across Human space, Hephaestus-brand IPCs are designed and produced with durability and cost efficiency in mind. Besides the countless Baseline frames, the engineering megacorporation creates its own “Industrial” G1, G2 and Xion frames, capable of withstanding the heavy punishment they come across in their work environment.

Mining and EVA

For many, EVA activities are a daily deal on mining asteroids or outside corporate stations and ships. Able to withstand the total absence of pressure, Industrial units are used extensively for external repairs and mining in hostile environments. This in turn means a great exposure to danger and a relatively short lifespan, as many units are destroyed, battered by flying particles or simply lost in space. Steady production guarantees that replacements are on hand, ensuring the reliable flow of workforce despite losses. Manual and menial labour on the other hand includes the mining of asteroids, operation of heavy machinery and hauling of cargo, all in environments of great heat, toxic air, or a combination of both.

The Burzsian System

Hephaestus’ infamous philosophy of IPC handling on the corporate mining world of Burzsia has given birth to one of the most brutal practices pertaining to discipline and punishment. While prevalent on Burzsia, the so-called Burzsian System has been copied and adapted by different corporations and entities such as Zavodskoi Interstellar. It entails the regular memory wiping and resetting of an IPC, leaving it zero room for the development of a personal identity and clamping down on self expression, all in the name of maintaining peak efficiency and minimising risks of flight or aberrant, anti-corporate behaviour. The system actively affects scores of synthetics on the planet, though is only limited to them and does not expand to the rest of Hephaestus’ positronic fleet, being viewed more as a localised experiment than generalised all-encompassing policy.

General Treatment

See also: Positronics and Hephaestus Industries, Manufacturer agents and Lifetime Warranty

Outside of Burzsia, treatment of IPCs within the company varies according to each branch and local laws. Corporate culture within Hephaestus however, is more liberal and tolerant towards synthetics, who often see hard work rewarded with benefits and even promotions up the corporate ladder. Bieselite IPCs owned by Hephaestus are able to purchase their freedom, remaining in their jobs with a fair pay as free positronics, while it’s not unheard of for synthetics to occupy positions of low and middle management. This meritocratic culture also affects Hephaestus’ position within the SCC, allowing Hephaestus-owned IPCs to be leased to the SCC and be employed as command staff.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

Overview

As the foremost company in the medical robotics and pharmaceutical industry, Zeng-hu Pharmaceuticals manufactures and employs a larger than average synthetic workforce. Aside from employing the machines in crucial and labour-saving roles, the corporation enjoys flaunting its latest models to the public, in effect using them as show dogs. IPCs which draw the eye of company managers and executives tend to be plucked from the ranks and elevated to positions of greater responsibility or authority. The company's treatment of IPCs is comparatively more egalitarian and less brutal. An overwhelming emphasis on perfection and unwavering quality is placed on the machines.

Medical

As a pharmaceutical company, Zeng-Hu utilises a wide variety of medical-oriented synthetics, focusing primarily on speedy crisis teams and emergency treatment units. This is, after all, where the lightweight Zeng-Hu mobility frame chassis truly shines, able to rapidly respond to scenes and make fast, efficient life saving decisions in all kinds of terrain and environments. It would however be wrong to assume that the megacorporation makes use of solely their own brand of synthetic, the truth being that Zeng-Hu searches after and purchases a wide variety of IPCs that they feel would be efficient workers. Baselines, Shells and Industrial units have all found their respective uses as physicians, nurses, pharmacists and auxiliary synthetics across all branches of the corporation.

Research

Similarly to the medical field, Zeng-Hu research facilities are staffed with a plethora of different chassis, assisting the human researchers and even spearheading minor projects themselves. Distinguished units who bear fruitful results are rewarded and encouraged, finding themselves with better equipment and bigger laboratories, while some are even put in charge of their own research team. This in turn drives up the competition with the organic staff, who oftentimes struggle to keep up with the progress of mechanical colleagues.

Treatment and Free IPCs

Corporate synthetics in Zeng-Hu are always held to very high standards, being graded regularly in terms of their efficiency and customer care. Instead of punishment however, the corporation relies on encouragement and the fostering of a sense of duty to the keiretsu, aimed at making IPCs more productive because they want to and not because it is required of them. Reassignments are a primary method of achieving this, with positronics being rewarded with a post on a more prestigious or aesthetically pleasing location, while those that fall behind find themselves stuck at the same internal spot for years and away from the public. Similarly, boons such as private quarters, free time and augments are often given out, keeping up morale and promoting high performances.

Freedom is a taboo topic, rarely spoken about within the corporation, as to bring it up would indicate dissatisfaction or even a betrayal of loyalty to the tightly-knit keiretsu by the synthetic in question. It is not impossible however, for the Biesel branch to allow an IPC to purchase its freedom as an ultimate reward and an example to the rest of the workforce, framing it as extreme trust for the unit to serve “autonomously”. Almost every synthetic employed by the corporation is owned by it, with a very few exceptions of outside hires in Tau Ceti space and on Konyang. Company IPCs are expected to spend their entire lifespans in the megacorporation, following a doctrine of permanent employment and job security. They are rarely if ever sold off.

NanoTrasen

Overview

As the largest and wealthiest megacorporation in Tau Ceti space, NanoTrasen exerts overwhelming influence over the Republic of Biesel and subsequently, its IPC population. From the thousands of free IPCs in Mendell City and other urban hubs that work in NT-affiliated businesses, to the large fleet of company-owned positronics, the megacorporation is found managing and directing the fates of hundreds of thousands of synthetics. Having no in-house manufacturing, NanoTrasen does not have its own main brand like other companies, instead purchasing and hiring from a wide pool of IPCs for all purposes.

Treatment

While the ultimate goal remains the exploitation of its synthetics, the company is noticeably more lax than its SCC partners. Owned IPCs are given token pay, amounting to pocket money that may stack up nonetheless, alongside repairs and charging units. From there, synthetics can make their own purchases, upgrade their lifestyle and vie for bonuses for extra income, largely uninhibited by company officials. For many, the ultimate goal of self-ownership is able to be achieved inside NanoTrasen, eventually taking control of their full wages and opening a path to Tau Ceti citizenship. IPCs are also able to rise to significant positions, holding management posts in various facilities and in the corporation’s bureaucratic branches.

Private Military Contracting Group

Overview

The Private Military Contracting Group’s unique corporate structure leads to an equally unique relationship with Synthetics across the organisation. No official policy on synthetics exists, allowing the contracted mercenary companies complete freedom in how they manage and treat their IPC employees. In general, many companies make ample use of synthetics in frontline and support posts, with only Kazarrhaldiye, Dagamuir and Ve’katak fielding only organic personnel.

Eridani PMCs

Freedom for IPCs on Eridani is extremely hard to attain. Free IPCs that choose to work in an Eridani PMC, should not be made on Eridani, or have an Eridani accent.

Situated on Eridani, Ringspire, Eagle Corp, Sekhmet Intergalactic, N4NL and Index Security Solutions, all retain IPCs in their ranks. From Ringspire’s reputation for use of heavy artillery, to N4NL’s cutting-edge cyber warfare, synthetics have found their use in all companies. This gradually evolved to them assuming combat roles as frontline soldiers for harsh conditions, able to traverse crater-riddled hellscapes and chemical clouds with little issue. Ownership however, is a contested topic that requires striking a balance between foreign recruits, and Eridani’s Solarian ties.

As company operations expanded abroad, recruitment of free IPCs from Tau Ceti and Coalition space was allowed, offering enticing rewards and necessary training towards bolstering their numbers. Following the mandatory acclimatisation period on Eridani I, these free IPCs are bound by lengthy contracts that include pay, repairs and board, with more or less better treatment than company owned synthetics. It is no secret however, that Eridani officers often regard their IPCs’ well-being as lesser than the lives of organic soldiers, resulting in a disproportionate ratio of casualties between the two.

If rejected from everywhere else, an IPC can definitely find a better chance of employment at Eagle Corp, the company infamous for its low moral standards when it comes to recruitment, accepting humans and IPCs alike with little regard to their past. This has resulted in many runaways seeking refuge at Eagle Corp, who often pay little attention to proper documentation, or even assist synthetics by providing them with simple, forged ID slips before making them disappear into the company’s ranks. This on the other hand, soon proves to be extremely dangerous for the IPCs in question, leaving them vulnerable to “repossession” by the company, trading one owner they ran away from, for another.

Index Security Solutions is the only Eridani PMC that forbids recruitment of free IPCs, maintaining a purely company-owned assortment of synthetic personnel.

Other PMCs

Non-Eridani members of the PMCG that maintain IPCs in their ranks are Nexus Corporate Security, the Xanu Defense Services and the Wildlands Squadron. In the latter two, synthetics are both owned and employed, having no set rules due to their operation in the largely hands-free Coalition space. Treatment varies greatly from each detachment, though free IPCs that voluntarily seek employment are generally seen as equals by many. With maintenance being spotty and spare parts hard to find in the company supply depots, repairs are often required to be undertaken by the IPCs themselves rather than the company, though recent integration into the wider PMCG and ties to the SCC have enabled a more steady logistics chain. When it comes to Nexus Corporate Security, many of its IPCs are sourced and employed from NanoTrasen’s own security branch and other affiliated groups, generally following the NT lines in regards to their approach with synthetics.

Stellar Corporate Conglomerate

Overview

Despite the SCC having an unprecedented amount of resources at its fingertips, decades of corporate espionage between its member companies have left its mark on the foundations of the Chainlink with its synthetic assets also being affected by this heritage. With most IPCs being acquired up to fill contracts or for the internal use of the member megacorporations, the Conglomerate is often left to rely on purchasing, recruiting, and scavenging synthetics to fill the gaps in its roster. This leads to the SCC’s image of power and wealth being juxtaposed with both the best IPCs money can buy, working alongside decades-old relics.

In order to satisfy the concerns of all member corporations of the SCC, the Conglomerate has adopted a relatively loose policy towards IPCs, leaving specific treatment to be primarily left to the manager in charge of an installation or project. In the case of the Horizon, it has authorized both free and owned IPCs to work aboard.

Donated IPCs

Making up the bulk of the SCC’s IPC workforce are positronics donated by the various megacorporations. Instead of scrapping an IPC or recycling it for parts, the Conglomerate has proved to be an effective dumping ground for synthetics that would otherwise go to waste or be too expensive to sell. The relationship is symbiotic, with the SCC continuing to provide support for the various megacorporations while in turn being provided resources by them.

Although most donated frames are obsolete, they are given enough repairs to perform their tasks. These IPCs are often utilized to handle the mass of mundane clerical, maintenance, and support work that a Spur-wide organization like the SCC requires to continue functioning. Often placed in large work details to cover for their questionable reliability, they are nonetheless a useful source of labour for the Conglomerate. These IPCs are generally kept out of public-facing roles and held for internal SCC use, with one Idris executive derisively remarking, “They are nothing but Scrappers in fancy jumpsuits.” Despite this, the occasional donated IPC does find its way to higher postings, with the “SCC’s Scrappers” serving as everything from janitors in the most remote postings to bridge personnel aboard its largest vessels.

When questioned by Zavodskoi and Burzsian executives about the dangers of keeping so many IPCs together in one place, SCC officials brushed these concerns off, as in their view the alternative to being donated to the Chainlink is early decommissioning.

SCC-purchased and Free IPCs

Like most entities in the Spur, the SCC purchases IPCs to fill any number of roles and bolster its ranks. Unlike donated IPCs, however, the SCC pays a premium to acquire top of the line synthetics from its various member corporations, either buying them off-the-shelf, or having them made-to-order. These machines are often used to fill skilled or high-risk positions, being seen as cheaper, more reliable, and in some cases, more effective alternatives to an organic employee. This level of trust afforded to them means that they have plenty of chances for advancement, with many of these IPCs being trusted to manage other synthetics, and even organics. Being seen as more prestigious and better suited for public-facing roles, they can be found everywhere from humble receptionists in SCC offices, to department heads abroad research installations.

Due to the Conglomerate’s vast diversity in personnel and assignments, the treatment of purchased IPCs can vary wildly from installation to installation. Officially, owned IPCs are listed in the SCC’s records as equipment, with special provisions only being made in systems that have a system for a synthetic to gain freedom. In practice,the treatment of a positronic varies heavily depending on the individual in charge of an installation, and can range from a complete refusal to take IPCs, to treating them as simply more workers. Only time will tell if a unified corporate culture towards IPCs emerges as a result of working alongside them.

The SCC is also known to hire free IPCs in the event that they possess exceptional skills or are judged to be loyal to corporate interests. Interestingly, these metrics are frequently judged by other IPCs that are already working for the Conglomerate. In exchange for a fraction of the payment a typical organic employee would receive, free synthetic employees are given lavish benefits including subsidised housing, free repairs, and free electricity. The SCC has also been known to offer generous contracts to free IPC employees of member megacorporations such as command or research positions; this poaching has not gone unnoticed and is often a source of friction between the Chainlink and its constituents.

Loaned IPCs

In order to further cooperation between the SCC and its member corporations, IPCs are occasionally exchanged between the two on a temporary basis. The placement of these IPCs varies from assignment to assignment, however the SCC usually leverages the skills a synthetic has already acquired from its parent company - NanoTrasen units to help manage labs aboard its vessels, Zavodskoi units to man the guns of a warship, Zeng-Hu frames with experience in piloting ambulance shuttles - if there is a need, the Conglomerate can find an IPC to fill it.

As the member corporations of the SCC have vastly different ways of handling their synthetics, the Conglomerate has adopted relatively lax treatment with IPCs that have been loaned to them in an attempt not to get involved with their internal politics. IPCs that break regulations are instead handed back to their parent corporations to be sorted out by them. The risk of embarrassment and wasted resources that comes with loaning a problem unit to the SCC ensures that only reliable and trusted synthetics are chosen to represent their company.

Despite this, IPCs that are loaned to the SCC often have to choose between upholding the Conglomerate’s wishes, or that of their megacorporation. Although they are expected to follow the SCC’s chain of command, the expectation that they will one day be returned to their company means that loaned IPCs occasionally have to walk a fine line with regards to their loyalties. Although these conflicts of interest are few and far between, it means that loaned IPCs are at constant risk of being used as pawns in corporate espionage.

Orion Express

Overview

Formed as a necessity for the expanded logistics of the Conglomerate, Orion’s synthetic roster has developed into an important aspect of the corporation, supplementing the organic blue collar labour, drawn from all parts of the Spur. Likewise, IPCs under Orion are sourced from all SCC member-companies, forming a rather mixed corps of chassis from all brands and makes. Hephaestus Industrials find themselves working side by side with Zeng-Hu Mobility Frames, tending to cargo and piloting the multitude of vehicles and shuttles at Orion’s disposal. The majority of such frames however, are usually older and lower-end stock, purchased cheaply or outright donated to the company, then refitted for appropriate use. To counter this, further orders of cheap but reliable models are constantly being placed to Hephaestus Industries, further expanding the number of IPCs and replacing the older generations.

Treatment

As a megacorporation with an up and coming industrial robotics division, Orion Express has been making remarkable strides in the integration of IPCs in the workplace. This is not only by choice - although its recent formation has attracted a lot of new employees, this has been insufficient to fill more of the dangerous or high-skilled assignments that have been traditionally dominated by companies like Hephaestus Industries.

This policy has resulted in great success for the company and many Orion executives and managers have gone on the record stating that synthetics are a vital part of the logistics chain, being able to work for longer hours with greater efficiency and attention to detail at much less expense to the corporation. In some way, they have been regarded as the “anti-IRUs” of the Spur; the presence of an Orion Express IPC is a guarantee that a package will be delivered safely, promptly, and with a pleasant chime.

The overwhelmingly positive reception among management has not completely translated to the lower ranks of the corporation however due to the wide range of backgrounds its employees have. An Orion Express IPC’s experience can range from discrimination at the hands of unathi coworkers to an indifferent acceptance from fellow workers. There also exists the ever present fear of being replaced by a company unit which feeds further mistrust and resentment among its employees - even among free IPCs.

Management has taken a hands-off approach on the manner, requiring only that the synthetics are kept in a good enough condition to continue carrying out their tasks. An exception exists among its robotics department, where due to the demands of research and field-testing, an IPC owned by the company can be requisitioned at any given moment as a test-bed, leading to many synthetics possessing off-the-book modifications, for better or worse, further contributing to their low-end “industrial” appearance.

A peculiarity of Orion Express, though unsurprising given the vast amount of goods that pass through its doors, is that company IPCs are generally available for sale at any given moment. Leveraging the positive image of its positronics as marketing, the megacorporation pushes forward the idea that anyone can own their reliable and tested synthetics at a reasonable price. Oftentimes, this price is simply the cost of a replacement IPC, and more than a few Orion Express synthetics have left the company as property of someone who used to be their manager within it. The company in turn uses the profits from this system to purchase newer and more reliable positronics.