Character: Vincent
Location: Vincent's stateroom on the Miishakaal, parked at the
Larkarda Starport
1125.6.5 - 08:30 / 12:30 local time (18 1/2 hr day)
After the morning meeting, Vincent returns to his stateroom to use his computer
terminal there in peace and quiet. He's aware that the Makhidkarun is one of the
oldest megacorporations. It's been around since the 1st Imperium, thousands of
years ago. Beyond that, Vincent really haven't paid much interest in it. So
he did a library data search on them. Here's what Vincent learned.
The 1st Imperium needed administrators to maintain control over low tech
cultures in a sphere of influence that was growing larger and larger each year.
Three fundamental groups in vilani society felt threatened. If foreign cultures
were not kept in line, vilani society could unravel. The vilani government
established three bureaus to alleviate these concerns and maintain order. These
bureau were the Naasirka, Sharurshid, and Makhidkarun.
Naasirka originated with the shugilii, the food preparers or
cooks. Sharurshid originated with the merchant class. Makhidkarun
originated with the aristocracy.
Makhidkarun stressed interstellar government. Its coreward territories were the
sectors of Merhan, Mendan, and Amdukan. Although these sectors have been ruled
by vargr states for the last 3,000 years, 50%-75% of these sectors were under
Imperial rule during the 1st & 2nd Imperiums.
Each bureau was a complete interstellar government operated for a profit, but
responsible for its citizens' welfare, law enforcement, and defense of its
territory. The bureau had rights of taxation, defense, and legislation in its
erritory. Bureau fleets protected its shipping and trade: bureau armies defended
its installations and conquered new worlds, if necessary. Mutual aid agreements
allowed them to call upon each other for help or reinforcement. Each bureau
was responsible for enforcing technology patents on an interstellar level, to
guarantee that no one would innovate on newly acquired technology without
approval.
A central ruling council, known as the Igsiirdi, nominally ruled Vland,
but in practical terms, it only served as a coordinating body for the three
bureau. It received tribute payments from the bureau and used them to administer
public works on Vland. It also allocated new territories to the bureau as they
were discovered. The fairness of such assignments was maintained because the
three bureaux themselves appointed the members of the Igsiirdi.
All three bureau played a major role in the Consolidation Wars. Many
client races were connected to Vland only economically. They were not governed
or occupied. These clients contacted other races and traded technology with them.
The Vilani high command accused them of violating their technology patents and
using new technology without proper vilani cultural indoctrination. As such, the
bureau were instructed to use force to bring these violators of vilani trade
law into the vilani sphere of cultural influence. Resistance was not tolerated.
When the Consolidation Wars came to an end, the Ziru Sirka, or Grand
Empire of Stars, began. It later became known as the 1st Imperium.
Exploration, which had ended when the Consolidation Wars began, was permitted to
begin anew but only by permit. And to prevent further technology leakage, no
new technology patents were to be granted. Current technological levels were
sufficient to meet the needs of the citizenry. Any further advancement without
governmental permission was illegal.
Makhidkarun and the other Bureaux prospered for the next several thousand years.
When the First Imperium gave way to the Second, the Bureaux went into decline.
Vilani Patent Law continued to exist until -2173. The Second Imperium came to
believe that Vilani Patent Law stifled innovation. Each Bureaux was declawed and
defanged. Their monopolies ceased to exist and revenues shrank.
When the Second Imperium unraveled and the Long Night took hold, the
heads of the bureaus returned to Vland, shutting down all offworld operations.
Just before the Third Imperium was founded, Makhidkarun and other
megacorporations began to grow again. None of them were permitted their
all-powerful bureaux status, but they did renew trade along the spacelanes
again. Under the Third Imperium they returned to prosperity and began to
dominate certain markets and their reach extended from one corner of the new
Imperium to the next.
Makhidarun specializes in the communications, entertainment, and software
industries. The entertainment division covers music, movies, books, zines, and
art reproductions. The communications division produces hardware and software to
cover data storage, retrieval, and processing. The software division has made
advances in AI robots using synaptic brains. A gourmet foods division trades in
rare and expensive food, wine, and delicacies.
Stock Ownership as of 1120: Imperial Family 5%, Noble Families 28%,
Hortalez et Cie 28%, investment trusts and mutual funds 25%, private ownership
14%.
News Updates In Recent Years (Articles that can be read)
1119.25.3 - Vland Secedes From the Imperium. Cites Vargr Corsair
Invasion Concerns.
1120.5.4 - Vland Government Looks to Re-Institute Patent Law.
1120.5.6 - Vilani Megacorporations Announce Support of Vilani
Government's Intent to Re-Institute Patent Law.
1121.13.6 - Hortalez et Cie Agrees to Exchange Assets With Sharurshid
And Naasirka.
1121.21.2 - Emperor Expels Vilani Peace Envoy From Capital.
1121.39.5 - Hortalez et Cie Agrees to Exchange Assets With Makhidkarun
and Zirunkariish.
1122.47.7 - Vilani Megacorporations to Suspend Paying Dividends to
Imperial Family.
1123.4.2 - Makhidkarun Reports Earnings Up 15%
1124.4.2 - Makhidkarun Reports Revenue Down 8%
Once he has this all together, he tracks down the
captain.