In the 23rd century, no power can survive long without both physical resources (access to space, metals, water, organic base chemicals) and human resources. Though highly efficient in extracting physical wealth, the corporations are not as well equipped as Earth’s territorial powers with a population base. Skilled and loyal people are the most precious and costly resource of any corporation.

Virgin Space Enterprises

Virgin Space runs the Interweb of Old Sol and provides entertainment, computer applications, luxury travel and advanced management consulting. Software products include the industry-standard Angelic Hyperword, Angelic Image Sculpt and Brittanica II. Virgin provides the system-wide free news service Virgin Update. As the Interweb network provider, Virgin Space supports the Flexible Transfer Organisations which maintain the universal ecu currency. Some distrust Virgin’s hold on the networks and data of human space, fearing that the corporation can spy on and manipulate almost anything it chooses.

Virgin Space owns the Virgin system, a binary star system which contains humanity’s oldest extra-solar colony. Virgin management refuses to provide current or complete descriptions of the Virgin system, though some alternative news sources have highly unreliable information. Early UN records show Virgin II as a small, arid world with dangerous arthropod lifeforms. Virgin Space has numerous communication bases in Old Sol such as the asteroid Icarus, Virgin Farside on Luna, the Earth Leading and Earth Trailing Stations, and the Saturn Repeater.

Unlike the other corporations, Virgin Space has a cordial and cooperative relationship with the UN. Virgin Space is the only corporation permitted to send study teams to Tau Ceti.

Bio-Types: Human Groundling, Human Spacer, Human Unique Mutant, Emergent (Shanghai), Emergent (Europa), Emergent (Nemesid), Emergent (Fellahin), Sesheyan (Tau Ceti)

Special Rules: Memetic Engineering

Coca-Cola Lockheed

Coca-Cola supplies food and other organic chemicals throughout Old Sol, mines ice and exotic substances, provides economy travel and general freight service, and runs the Flexible Health Plan, the major public health provider in the UN. Coca-Cola is often suspected as the backbone of illegal trade in drugs, controlled weapons and sports videos.

The Oasis system, completely owned by Coca-Cola, contains the rugged jungle world of Oasis III and the frigid planet Kurg, inhabited by the weren. Reportedly, weren are common labourers in Oasis space. Some are even found in Old Sol, especially as Coca-Cola security forces. Within Old Sol, Coca-Cola owns Oberon Base and Triton Station in the Outer System.

Bio-Types: Human Groundling, Human Spacer, Human Unique Mutant, Emergent (Shanghai), Emergent (Europa), Emergent (Nemesid), Emergent (Fellahin), Weren (any)

Special Rules:

Sony Ford Microsoft

Microsoft focuses on advanced research and technology, and gathers royalties from the industry-standard Windows 2090 operating system. Among other things, Microsoft provides AI computers, advanced military spaceships and weapons to many different buyers. Microsoft’s enemies accuse the corporation of a cold, inhuman lust for dangerous knowledge and unbridled power.

The homeworld of Microsoft is Jupiter’s moon Europa, which has great cities burrowed through the ice crust into the sulphurous, life-filled ocean below. Microsoft has a scientific station on Venus and a station in the remote, radiation-filled star system of Gehenna. Microsoft has a profitable trade with the t’sa and is the only corporation with a significant presence in Ketann.

Bio-Types: Human Spacer, Human Unique Mutant Spacer, Emergent (Shanghai) Spacer, Emergent (Europa), Emergent (Nemesid), Emergent (Fellahin) Spacer, T'sa

Special Rules: Cybergear Acceptance

Muhammadiyah

The Muhammadiyah is expert in metal mining and high-volume freight hauling. In a drive to independence from other space powers, Muhammadiyah constructs its own rough but efficient spaceships and mounts mining expeditions in search of ice and organics. The movement is suspected of inciting unrest among the lower ranks of other corporations, stockpiling nuclear weapons, and harbouring pirates.

The Inner Belt is strewn with small and large bases, home to loyal Muhammadiyah members. The youngest of the corporations has a research station in the barren star system of Ash.

Bio-Types: Human Spacer, Human Unique Mutant Spacer, Emergent (Shanghai) Spacer, Emergent (Europa), Emergent (Nemesid), Emergent (Fellahin) Spacer

Special Rules: