Zero Space : Das Szenario

AncientDie HistoryVergangenheit

TheDas OldAlte Imperium

ForFür millennia,Jahrtausende thewar centerdas of the civilized universe was the OldAlte Imperium (referred todamals aseinfach simplyals "thedas Imperium" atbekannt) thedas time).zentrum Atdes itsZivilisierten height,Universums. theAuf dem höhepunkt seiner Entwicklung umfasste das Imperium encompassedmehrere millionsmillionen ofan populatedbewohnten worlds.welten. HistoryDie tellsGeschichte uslehrt thatuns, thisdas dies Goldene Zeiten waren. Lebenserwartungen wurnden in Jahrhunderten gemessen, krankheit und verletzungen waren faktisch unbekannt und wenn sie auftauchten schnell und effizient geheilt. Alle Materiellen wünsche wurden erfüllt und körperliche Arbeit höchstens ein Zeitvertreib und keine Notwendigkeit.

Drei Schlüsseltechnologieen erlaubten dem Alten Imperium zu seiner damaligen Größe und Einheit anzuwachsen: Elektrogravitation, Warpantriebe und Transeprische Tore.

Die entdeckung der Elektrogravitation veränderte die Gesellschaft wie es seinerzeit die entdeckung des Elektromagnetismus tat. Innerhalb einer Generation waren Elektrogravitatische Geräte alltag. Von Gravitationsplattformen, die Reisen in den Weltraum sicher, comfortabel und gesundheitlich unbedenklich machten, über kinetische Dämpfungsschilde, die kinetische Waffen faktisch nutzlosmachten, bis hin zu Gravitativen Generatoren, die saubere Energie lieferten, veränderte die Elektrogravitation die Landschaft der Technologie quasie übernacht.

Negative energiedichten und Lorentz Mannigfaltigkeiten wurden jahrhunderte vor der Elektrogravitation entdeckt, doch nur durch die Elektrogravitation war es möglich, Triebwerke zu entwickeln die auf der Lorentzmannigfaltigkeit basierten, und welche auch als Warpantrieb bekannt sind. Diese Triebwekre platzieren ein Fahrzeug in einem Gravitationsfeld, welches den Raum vor dem Fahrzeug zusammenfaltet und hinter ihm streckt. Da sich das Fahrzeug selbst dabei, relativ zu seinem Bezugssystem nicht bewegt, erlaubte diese Technologie etwas, was anwie idyllicüberlichtschnelle time.Fortbewegung Lifespanserscheint. wereDie measuredZeit indie centuries:es sicknessBenötigt andeine physicalStrecke injuryzurückzulegen werenimmt virtuallydabei unknown,logarithmisch andzu, easilywährend remedieddie whenDistanz theylinear didanwächst. occur.So Alldauert materiales needsvielleicht wereeinige satisfied,Stunden andeine physicalStrecke laborzwischen waszwei simplySternensystemen forzurückzulegen, entertainment.während es von einer seite der Galaxis zur anderen nur einige Tage und von einer Galaxis zur nächsten nur einen Monat dauert. Die Reise mit einem Warpantrieb entfernt dabei ein Fahrzeug nicht aus dem bekannten Universum, aber durch die beschaffenheit der Lorentzmannigfaltigkeit (oder Warp Blase, wie sie von Raumfahrern genannt wird) ist es dem Fahrzeug für die Dauer seiner Reise nicht möglich mit der Außenwelt zu Kommunizieren oder diese Wahrzunehmen.

ThreeDie technologicalgrößte advancestechnische madeEntwicklung thedes expansionalten andImperiums unitywar ofjedoch thezweifelsfrei Olddas ImperiumTraseprische possible:Tor. electrogravitics,Ein warpTranseprisches engines,Tor andist transepriceine gates.

Anordnung

TheQuantenverschränkter inventionPartikel, ofdie electrograviticsihren revolutionizedzustand societymit ineiner muchgegenstation theTeilen. sameDies wayerlaubte thatquasi electromagnetismInstantane hadKommunikation aüber millenniumbeliebige earlier.strecken Withinmöglich aunter generation,erlaubten electrogravitices, devicesPlaneten wereund ubiquitous.Computersysteme Fromzu theeinem gravGewaltigen platesnetzwerk thatzu madeverbinden. spaceIronischerweise travelwar healthydiese andTechnologie, comfortable,welche toeiner theder kineticGrundsteine dampersdes thatImperiums renderedwar, projectileauch weaponsder obsolete,Grund tofür generatorsseinen whichniedergang. providedEs awar safedas andTranseprische cleanTor sourcewelches ofden power,Instrumentalen electrograviticCrash technology changed life virtually overnight.

Negative energy density and Lorentzian manifolds were conceived hundreds of years before electrogravitics, but it was only with the advent of electrogravitic technology that Lorentzian manifold generators (known colloquially as "warp engines") became feasible. The Lorentzian manifold generator suspends a vehicle in a gravitic bubble, contracting space in front of the craft and expanding space behind it. Because the craft itself is not actually moving relative to its frame of reference, this permits what appears to be superluminal travel. The time required to travel a distance increases logarithmically as the distance itself increases linearly. For example, a journey between two star systems in the same region of a galaxy typically takes from a few hours to a few days, traveling from one edge of a galaxy to the other takes a week or two, and traveling from one galaxy to the next takes a month or two. Travel using warp engines does not remove a vessel from our universe. However, due to the Lorentzian manifold (or "warp bubble") around it, the vessel is effectively blind, deaf, and incommunicado for the duration of its journey.

However, the single greatest advance of the Old Imperium was the transepric gate. A transepric gate is an array of subatomic particles which share their state with a matching gate located elsewhere. Transepric gates made instantaneous communication possible, linking distant planets and computer systems into one vast interconnected network. Ironically, the technology which created the Old Imperium was also responsible for its doom: it was the invention of the transepric gate which made the Instrumentality possible.ermöglichte.

TheDer FallNiedergang Ofdes TheAlten Old ImperiumImperiums

HistoryGeschichtsbücher statesschreiben, thatdas theder InstrumentalityInstrumentale beganCrash asvom verwobenen Netzwerk der Computersysteme der Kernwelten des Alten Imperiums ausging. Mit dem Fortgang der Jahrhunderte wurde mehr und mehr des Alltäglichen Lebens automatisiert, bis sogar die erinnerung an interconnectedeine networkZeit, ofin computerder systemsdas acrossBiologische theLeben Corenicht Worldsvon ofden theAutomaten Oldabhing Imperium.verblasst Aswar. centuriesJeder passed,Lebensbereich morewar ofdurch everydayIntelligente lifeSysteme wasgesteuert, automated,die untildurch evenandere, thefrühere memoryIntelligente ofSysteme aentwickelt timewurden whenund biologicaldies lifeüber wasmehrere notIterationen dependentund onmehr automatousals technologytausend wasjahre forgotten. Every facet of life was supported by intelligent systems which had been created by earlier intelligent systems, and so on back for a thousand years.lang.

OneDann day,eines withoutTages, warning,ohne thevorwarnung, systemsschalteten whichsich providedalle food,systeme, air,welche andEssen, warmthLuft shutund down.Klima StarshipsRegelten ventedab. theirRaumschiffe atmospheresbliesen intoihre space.interne Simultaneously,Atmosphere acrossins theall Coreund Worldsin andden beyond,Kernwelten entirebegannen planetaryganze populationsPlanetenbevölkerungen begandurch toHunger, Durst und Umwelteinflüsse zu sterben. Der Instrumenatale Crash war eingetreten.

In Panik Zerstörten die ofTeile thirst,des exposure,alten andImperiums, starvation.welche Thenoch Instrumentalitynicht wasbetroffen born.waren alle Systeme die mit der Instantanen Kommunikation zusammenhingen und überluden die Transeprischen Tore in der Hoffnung dem Crash etwas entgegenzusetzen. Interplanetare Kommunikation kam zum erliegen und sogar auf dem Planetaren Level brachen die Netzwerke zusammen und Kommunikation ging einen weg zurück in die Steinzeit.

InDas desperation,Universum the portions of the Old Imperium which had not yet been been affected by the Instrumentality shut down all systems which depended on instantaneous communication. Transepric gates were overloaded in the hope that it would cause damage to the Instrumentality itself. Interplanetary communication was cut off. Even on a planetary level, the loss of the transepric network meant all world-wide communication was dead.

The universe went dark.verstummte.

FromAus Theder AshesAsche

ItHunderte wasJahre hundredsnach ofdem yearsInstrumentalen afterCrash theund falldem ofFall thedes Oldalten ImperiumImperiums thatbegannen thedie worldswelten ofdes thealten OldImperiums Imperiumdie beganIntergalaktische toZivilisation rebuildwieder intergalacticaufzubauen. civilization.Einige SomeWelten ofzogen thesees worldsVor havevon chosenden toAnderen remainAbgeschnitten zu bleiben, aber die meisten organisierten sich neu in isolation,Intergalaktischen butRepubliken

most

Da havedie joinedReisezeiten togethermithilfe von Warpantrieben Logarithmisch sind, kann man sich die meisten dieser Neuen Intergalaktischen zivilisationen nicht als einen Zusammenhängenden Einfluss und Herrschaftsbereich vorstellen. Eine Karte des neuen Imperiums beispielsweise würde wie ein Flickenteppich an Gebeiten und Einflussblasen verstreut über mehrere Galaxien aussehen. Ähnlich wäre es mit der Union, welche eine deutlich Kleinere Anzahl an Einflussspheren auf der Karte darstellen würde, von denen einige an die des Imperiums grenzen, die meisten aber Isoliert im Unerforschten bereich des Universums liegen. Die Große Ausnahme bildet das Dominion, es breitet sich methodisch aus und bildet ein nahezu kontinuierliches Einflussgebiet. Alle diese Erforschten, besiedelten und miteinander in intergalacticKontakt republics.

stehenden

BecauseRegionen travelwerden time using warp engines is logarithmic, very few of these new interstellar civilizations are physically contiguous. A map representing the influence of the New Imperium, for example, would resemble a scattering of specks and bubbles spread across numerous galaxies. The influence of the Union represented on the same map would be a much smaller number of specks and bubbles, some of which adjoin those of the Imperium, but most of which are physically isolated in the vast unexplored reaches all around them. The Shadow Dominion is an exception: the Dominion spreads deliberately, forming a nearly contiguous region of influence. All of these explored and contacted regions are referred to asals "civilizedZivilisierte space":gegenden" abezeichnet, tinyein fractionverschwindend ofkleiner theanteil physicalam universe.Gesamtuniversum.

TheDie PresentGegenwart

TheDas NewNeue Imperium

InIm theJahrtausend millenniumseit sincedem theFall Fall,des thealten NewImperiums, hat sich das neue Imperium (usuallyjetzt referredauch tomeistens aseinfach simplyals "the Imperium") has once again spread across the universe, tying together fragments of what had once been part of the Old Imperium. Thedas Imperium encompassesbezeichnet) tenserneut ofim thousandsUniversum ofausgebreitet, populateddie worlds,fragmente anddes italten holdsImperiums significantwieder influencevereindend. overDas manyImperium thousandsumfasst more.Zehntausende von Bewohnten welten und hat bedeutenden einfluss über tausende weitere.

TheIm Imperium herrscht eine lockere form ofdes governmentFeudalismus ofvor. theJedes erweiterte Sternensystem ( in der Regel eine bewohnte welt und mehrere Außenposten im System oder in der näher, so wie die brauchbaren Ressourcen im einflussbereich) wird von einem Imperialen Gouverneur regiert. Jeder Gouverneur ist dem Imperator theoretisch direkt rechenschaft schuldig, in der praxis jedoch wird der großteil der Täglich anfallenden Arbeit von der Imperialen Bürokratie abgewickelt. Jeder Welt unter einem Imperialen Gouverneur  steht es frei sich selbst eine Form von Regierung zu geben, ein Militär für die Regionale Sicherheit zu unterhalten und geringere Dinge, wie Lokale Handelsverträge selbstätig auszuhandeln. In Jedem Fall geht Imperiales Recht immer über Lokales Recht, doch in der Regel interessiert es die Bürokratie nicht, wenn es sich um Geringfügige Übertretungen handelt, die nicht das Wohl und die Sicherheit des Imperiums als ganzes gefärden. Sollte dies einmal der Fall sein, ist die Antwort des Imperiums in der Regel Schnell und durch absolute Militärische Macht geprägt.

Welten, welche nicht direkt dem Imperium isunterstehen, aaber loosedie formeine ofRegelmäßige feudalism.interaktion Eachmit extendedImperialen starWelten systemhaben, (usuallywerden oneals habitableRandwelten worldbezeichnet. andDiese aRandwelten numbererhalten ofoft smalleriher outpostsAutonomie withinim thegegenzug systemzur orErlaubnis closefür by,das asImperium welldort asMilitär- anyoder exploitableHandelsposten resourceszu erreichten. Bis sich ein Strategisch oder Ökonomisch signifikanter Wert erweist, ist das Imperium in theder vicinity)Regel isbereit ruleddiesen byStatus an Imperial Governor. Each Imperial Governor is responsible directly to the Imperator, although in practice the bulk of day-to-day governance is dealt with through the Imperial bureaucracy. Each populated world under an Imperial Governor is permitted to choose its own form of government, to raise and maintain military forces for regional security, and to regulate minor matters such as local commerce and so on. In every case, the Imperial Code supersedes any regional legislation, but in practice the Imperial bureaucracy looks the other way unless the local deviation is perceived to pose a threat to the Imperial economy or security. When this happens, the Imperium responds promptly and with overwhelming force.

Worlds which do not fall under direct Imperial control, but which have frequent interactions with Imperial worlds, are referred to as the "rim worlds". Rim worlds are often granted autonomy in exchange for permitting the Imperium to establish military or commercial bases in their systems. Until a rim world has strategic or economic value, the Imperium is usually content to allow it to retain its autonomy indefinitely.beizubehalten.

TheDie InfiniteUnendliche DominionDominanz Ofdes HisGöttlichen Divine ShadowSchattens

ForFür thousandstausende ofvon years,Jahren anhat immortalein tyrantUnsterblicher hasTyrann ruledein atotalitäres theocratictheokratisches totalitarianImperium empire:beherrscht: theDie InfiniteUnendliche Dominanz des Göttlichen Schattens (oft auch einfach als das Dominion Of His Divine Shadow (often referred to as simply "the Dominion")bezeichnet). TheDas Dominion iswird ruledvon byeiner aPriesterbürokratie bureaucraticbeherrscht, priesthood,mit withDem HisGöttlichen DivineSchatten Shadowals asGott itsund deityspirituellem andAnführer. spiritualDie leader.Gesellschaft Thedes societyDominions ofist theextrem konservativ, mit drakonischen strafen für die die sich der Traditionellen rolle ihrer Rasse, Sozialen Klasse oder ihres geschlechtes widersetzen wollen. Der konservativismus erstrektsich jedoch nicht auf Technologischen Fortschritt, solange die Technologie dem willen des Göttlichen Schattens dient. Automation, Cybernetische anpassung und Genmanipulation sind alltäglich, werden aber benutzt um die Kontrolle des Dominions auszuweiten anstatt dem Individuum zugute zu kommen. Verbrecher, Mutanten und Heretiker werden einer genetischen und neuralen umprogrammierung unterzogen, was sie zu fanatischen Dienern des Dominions und der Priesterschaft macht.

Der Instrumentale Crash war ein gewaltiger Vorteil für das Dominion, welches lange durch das Alte Imperium im Zaum gehalten wurde. Im gegensatz zu den Welten des alten Imperiums war die Kommunikation zwischen den Welten des Dominions streng kontrolliert und eingeschränkt, und das Leben auf den Welten des Dominions war kein automatisiertes Paradies. Das alte Imperium wurde durch die Zerstörung des Transeprischen Netzwerk verwüstet, aber das Dominion isgelangte extremelyzu conservative,neuer withStärke. harshNach penaltiesdem forNiedergang, thosehatten whodie attemptehemaligen towelten deviatedes fromImperiums theprobleme traditionalihre rolesBevölkerung ofzu theirernähren species,und gender,die orOrdnugn socialaufrecht class.zu Thishalten, conservatismwas doessie notzu applyeinfachen toOpfern technology,der asFanatischen longKräfte atdes thatDominons technologymachte. servesLangsam theaber willSicher ofbegann thesich Divine Shadow. Robotics, cybernetics, and genetic engineering are ubiquitous, but are used to enhance the power and control of the Dominion, rather than for the good of the individual. Lawbreakers, deviants, and heretics are subjected to genetic redesign and neural reprogramming, becoming fanatical servants of thedas Dominion andauszubreiten, theund priesthoodals ofdas Hisneue DivineImperium Shadow.schließlich und endlich entstanden war, hatte sich das Dominon von einer unwichtigen störung zu einer erheblichen Macht entwickelt. Das neue Imperium zog die zrückhaltung einer aggressiven Strategie vor und einigte sich mit dem Dominion auf ein Abkommen, die gegenseitigen Grenzen zu respektieren und Friedlich zu Koexistieren.

TheDoch rise of the Instrumentality was a boon to the Dominion, which had long been kept in check by the Old Imperium. Unlike the worlds of the Old Imperium, communication between the worlds of thedas Dominion wasbreites tightlysich controlled,weiter andaus, lifeein forSystem thenach peopledem ofanderen theihrer DominionDoktrin was not the automated paradise of Imperial citizens. The Old Imperium was devastated by the destruction of the transepric network, but the Dominion survived -- and thrived. After the fall, the former worlds of the Old Imperium struggled to feed their populations and maintain civil order, making them easy prey for the fanatical forces of the Dominion. Slowly but inexorably the Dominion spread, and by the time the New Imperium had finally struggled into existence, the Dominion had grown from a minor annoyance into a significant power. The New Imperium chose discretion over valour and ratified a treaty with the Dominion, wherein they recognized each other's borders and agreed to coexist peacefully.

But the Dominion continues to spread, consuming system after system.unterwerfend.

TheDie PlanetaryPlanetare Union

WhatWas isheute nowals knowndie as the PlanetaryPlanetare Union beganbekannt asist, abegann looseals alliancelockere ofAllianz severaleiniger hundredhundert populatedbewohnter worlds on the fringes of Imperial space. Afterwelten an extendedden warGrenzen ofdes attrition,Imperialen theeinflussbereiches. Nach einem ausgedehnten Krieg mit beachtlichen Materialschlachten einigten sich das Imperium andund thedie Union agreedauf toein aAbkommen, treatynach whichWelchem recognizeddas Imperium die unabhängigkeit der Union sovereignty.anerkennt. Today,Heute thousandsbehaupten oftausende worldsvon claimWelten membershipzur inUnion thezu Union,gehören, althoughauch itwenn ises stillnoch aimmer minoreine powerKleine whenMacht comparedim toVergleich thezum Imperium.Imperium darstellt.

TheDie governmentRegierung of theder Union isist aeine confederacyKonföderation ofvon hundredshunderten ofMitlgliedsstaaten, membervon states,denen eachjeder ofdie whichDirekte iskontrolle inüber directihre controleigenen ofWelten theirund ownkolonien worldshaben, andund colonies,von anddenen manyeinige oftatsächlich whichsignifikante areInterplanetare significantZivilisationen interplanetarysind. civilizationsIm inPrinzip theirist ownjedes right.mitglied In principle, each member state of theder Union participatesdazu inverpflichtet the defense of thedie Union asals aganzes whole,zu andverteidigen memberund worldseine sharegemeinsame aWährung singleund currencygemeinsame andRegeln abidezu byverwenden. thePraktisch samegesehen tradewird regulations.dieses Inabkommen practice,jedoch thesehäufiger agreementsignoriert, amongals memberdas worldses areeingehalten violated more often than they are observed.wird.

InterstellarDas SecurityInterstellare CommandSicherheitskommando

OneEiner ofder thegröß´ten greaterfolge successes of theder Union waswar thedie creationschaffung ofder anunabhängigen independentPolizei policeOrganisation, organization,die Interstellarauch Securityals Commanddas Inerstellare Sicherheitskommando (commonlyauch referredals toISK asoder "ISC"InterSek orbezeichnet "InterSec")wird). InterSec'sDas budgetISK andwird assetsdurch aredie providedmitglieder byder theUnion membersfinanziert ofund theausgerüstet, Planetaryaber Union,es butunterliegt InterSecnicht itselfder iskontrolle notiregendeines subjecteinzelnen toMitgliedsstaates. theDas authorityISK ofunterhält anyseine individualeigene memberFlotte, state.eigene InterSecRaumstationen, hasGerichte itsund own fleet, its own space stations, its own courts, and its own prisons.Gefängnisse.

TheDie LeagueLiga Ofunabhängiger Non-aligned WorldsWelten

SomeEinige regionalregionale governmentsRegierungen havewiedersetzen resistedsich thedem overbearingEinfluss influencedurch of thedas Imperium andund thedie Union, butaber theysie seeerkennen thedie benefitVorteile ofvon collectiveGemeinsamem action.vorgehen. TheseDiese governmentsRegierungen formedhaben thedie LeagueLiga Ofder Non-alignedunabhängigen Worlds.Welten Thegegründet. oneIhr andeinziger onlyzweck purposeist ofes thedie Leagueunabhängigkeit isihrer toMitglieder maintainzu thewarhen. sovereigntyIm ofgegensatz its members states. Unlike thezum Imperium, theder Union,Union andund evensogar thedem Directorate,Direktorium thehat Leaguedie OfLiga Non-alignedkeine Worldseigene hasFlotte nooder policePolizei, orjede fleetmilitärische ofAktion itswird own.durch Anydie militaryFlotten actionder isMitglieder carrieddurchgeführt, outfalls bysie thedavon fleetsüberzeugt ofwerden itskönnen memberihre governmentsressourcen --der ifAktion they can be convinced to contribute their forces to the effort.beizusteutern.

CorporationsKonzerne

OneEine ofder theMächtigsten mostOrganisationen powerfuldie organizationsaus todem have arisen out of the Oldalten Imperium isentstanden thesind Advisoryist Councildas OnKonzil Interstellarfür Commerce.Interstellaren Thehandel. AdvisoryDas CouncilKonzil Onist Interstellareine CommerceOrganisation ishunderter anInterstellarer organizationKonzerne, ofgeführt hundredsdurch ofdie interstellarRepräsentanten corporations,der governedmächtigsten bydieser representativesKonzerne, ofdem theDirektorium. mostDie powerfulHauptaufgabe corporations:des theKonzils Directorate.ist Thees maineine purposevereinigte ofPosition thegegen Advisoryden CouncilEinfluss Onvon InterstellarPlanetarischen Commerceund isInterplanetarischen toRegierungen presentdarzustellen. aZusätzlich unifiedzur frontLobbyarbeit againstbei theden influenceRegierungen ofund planetarydem andVerhandeln interplanetaryvon governments.Verträgen Inzwischen additionden toKonzernen lobbyingund regionalRegierungen, governmentsdient anddas negotiatingKonzil treatiesauch betweenals memberSchiedsrichter corporationsbei andmeinungsverschiedenheiten governments,zwischen theden AdvisoryKonzernen. CouncilDas OnKonzil Interstellarist Commerceim alsoGroßen actsund asganzen anerfolgreich: arbitratordie inmacht disputesder betweenKonzerne corporations.unterliegt Thenur Advisorygeringen CouncilBeschränkungen Ondurch InterstellarRegionale Commercegesetze hasund generallyoffene beenKämpfe successfulzwischen inKonzernen itssind efforts:eine corporate power is largely unchecked by regional governments, and open warfare between corporations is relatively rare.Seltenheit.

Dante LaboratoriesLaboratorien

Die Dante LaboratoriesLaboratorien issind aein majorgroßes medicalKonglomerat andfür pharmaceuticalForschung researchim conglomerate.Medizin Itsund pharmaceuticalPharma andbereich. consumerIhre goodsProduktionsstätten manufacturingfür companiesPharmazeutische andProdukte itsund subsidiariesAlltagsgegenstände areund engagedihre Tochterfirmen haben sich auf  die erforschung, entwicklung, herstellung und den Verkauf von Pharmazeutischen Produkten, Medizinischen Geräten und Gesundheitsprodukten spezialisiert. Im Portfolie des Konzerns finden sich auch innovative Biotherapien und Pharmaprodukte in theverschiedenen research,beriechen development,wie manufacture,Onkologie, andNeurologie, salesImmuntherapie ofund pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and consumer health products. The company's portfolio includes innovative biological therapies and pharmaceuticals in several disease areas, including oncology, neurology, immunology, biopharmaceuticals, and nanotech treatments.Nanotechnologie.

Black Sun Industries

Black Sun Industries isist aeine legitimateHolding, corporationdie thatsich focusesauf primarilyden onZivilen civilianMarkt retailfokussiert markets.hat. Black Sun Industries employsselbst verybeschäftigt fewnur peoplesehr directly,wenige andPersonen itsdirekt directund assetsseine arehauptanlagen mainlyliegen inim thebereich formvon ofMarkenrechten, brands,Patenten productund specifications, and scientific expertise. However,Wissensmustern. Black Sun Industriesist ownsallerdings thousandsder ofMehrheiteigner othereiner interstellarVielzahl corporationsanderer Konzerne (oftenoft throughauch severaldurch intermediaries)weitere inZwischenschritte) theim transportation,bereich recycling,der gambling,Befördrungs, entertainment,Recycling, andUnterhaltungs, constructionSpiel sectors.und Bauunternehmen.

d'Anconia Technologies

d'Anconia Technologies isist aeine majorführende powerkraft inim interstellarInterstellaren commerce,Handel, ruthlesslydie exploitingorganische organicund androbotische androidarbeit laborgnadenlos toausbeutet extractum maximumdas resourcesMaximum withan minimumRessourcen cost.für Theden company'sgeringsten primaryPreis focuszu iserhalten. onDas geologicalHaupttätigkeitsfeld andder biologicalFirma mass-extraction,liegt butim theyBereich alsoder haveGeologischen aund veryBiologischen successfulmassenextraktion, lineaber ofsie "skilledhabend labor"auch andeine "subjectLinie mattervon expert"Androiden androids.im Angebot die besonders gute Facharbeiter abgeben.

Farnsworth-Yutani

Farnsworth-Yutani manufacturesstellt mostdie ofmeisten theder LorentzianGeneratoren manifoldfür generatorsLorentzmannigfaltigkeiten her ("warpauch engines")bekannt usedals Warpantriebe), die in commercialKommerzieller andund privatePrivater transportation.beförderung Theyeingesetzt havewerden. numerousSie competitors,haben butin ihrem Marktsegment viele konkurenten, doch Farnsworth-Yutani isist largergrößer thanals theirdie twoZwei nearestNachfolgenden competitorsKonkurenten combined.zusammen.

Koninklijke Hoogovens

Koninklijke Hoogovens (oftenoft referred to as simplynur "Hoogovens") operatesgenannt) numerousbetreibt miningeine colonies,Vielzahl whichvon provideMinienkolonien, thewelche bulkden ofGroßteil itsdes revenue.Einkommens des Konzernz erzeugen. In theder coursebemühung ofEnergiequellen findingfür sourcesseine ofKolonien powerzu forfinden, its colonies,entwickelte Koninklijke Hoogovens developedfortgeschrittene advancedKraftwerke powerfür plantsviele suitableverschiedene for the many varied environmentsUmwelten, in whichdenen itssich minesdie areMinenen located.befinden. KoninklijkeDaher stellt Hoogovens nownun producesauch aeine widevielzahl arrayvon ofProdukten powerim generationberech equipment,der fromEnergieerzeugung, thevom ubiquitousZivilen civilianElektrogravitativen electrograviticGenerator, generators,die whichalles powermögliche everythingantreiben frombis airhin speederszu toHybriden lightingFusions-Singularitäts inEnergieeinheiten homes,für toMilitärische theGroßkampfschiffe hybrid fusion-singularity power plants used in military starships.her.

Kosaten GroupGruppe

Die Kosaten GroupGruppe isist primarilyvordringlich knownals asHersteller afür manufacturerAirSpeeder, ofSchweres airgerät, speeders,Luft- heavyund equipment,Raumfahrt aerospaceund andVerteidungs defenseAusrüstung equipment,sowie andkommerzielle commercialRaumschiffe starships.bekannt. ItSie isstellt alsoauch activeIndustrielle inAndieden theund productionAntriebe of industrial androids, engines, and other industrial products.her.

Lastimar

Lastimar isist theder largestGrößte providerhersteller offür geneticallyGenetisch engineeredManipuliertes seedsSaatgut im Ziviliesierten Raum und der führende hersteller für Herbizide und Pestizide. In den letzten Jahren hat Lastimar neuentwicklungen in civilizedNeurotoxinen space,die andnur thegegen leadingBestimmte producerSpezies ofwirken herbicidesund andGenetisch pesticides.Modifiziertem InNutzvieh recent decades, Lastimar has pioneered the fields of species-specific neurotoxins and genetically engineered livestock.vorgestellt.

Das Malrechnen SyndicateSyndikat

TheDas Malrechnen SyndicateSyndikat (formallyFormell known asals "TheMalrechen Brunderschaft für Auftragsarbeiter" bekannt)  hatte seit der Gründung des Direktoriums einen sitz in diesem. Wie die meisten Konzerne im Direktorium hat das Syndikat hunderte Welten unter seiner Kontrolle und hat Einfluss im Imperium, in der Union und im Dominion. Durch Lobbyarbeit und exklusive Verträge, kontrolliert das Malrechnen BrotherhoodSyndikat Ofjede Contractart Workers")von hasArbeit haddie aman seatsich onVorstellen thekann. DirectorateAuf sincevielen theWelten Directoratewerden wasdie founded.Beziehungen Likezu mostseinen corporationsAuftragsnehmern representedals onaußerhalb theder Directorate,Lokalen thegesetze Malrechnenbetrachtet. hasFortschrittlichere hundreds of worlds under its exclusive control, and its influence extends into the New Imperium, the Union, and even the Dominion. Through lobbying and exclusive contracts, the Malrechnen provides every form of labor imaginable, and on many worlds its relations with its "contractors" are considered outside the jurisdiction of regional, Union, or Imperial law. More progressive voicesStimmen in theder Union havehegen attemptedpläne todas shutSyndikat downim thebereich Malrechnen Syndicate underder Union anti-slaveryunter statutes,den butAnti lobbyistsSklaverei forStatuten thezu Malrechnenverbeiten, haveaber successfullydie opposedLobbyisten thesedes efforts.Syndikates konnten das erfolgreich verhindern.

Nexus-McLellan

Nexus-McLellan manufactures and distributes picotechnology cybernetics and provides health information technology and health care management services. Nexus-McLellan is a leader in the field of cybernetic research and design, primarily for military and law-enforcement uses.

Qianfu Corp

Qianfu Corp is a diverse corporation, with holdings in mining, agriculture, communication, and transportation. Qianfu Corp operates a significant number of Hypernet relay stations throughout Union and Imperial space. Note: "Qianfu" is pronounced similar to "chain foo".

Recovery And Apprehension Network

The Recovery And Apprehension Network (often referred to as simply "the Ran") was originally a division of the Malrechnen Syndicate, subordinate to the Malrechnen Security Guild. However, the recovery division (as it was then known) eventually accrued enough favours -- and enough credits -- to free itself from the Malrechnen. The Malrechnen Syndicate has never forgiven this loss. In fact, were it not for the steadfast opposition of the Malrechnen, the Ran probably would have been granted a seat on the Directorate years ago.

Ran agents are licensed and regulated professionals who pursue specific types of warrants throughout civilized space and beyond. They have broad authority within the narrow window of warrant enforcement, including the use of force, but no authority with regard to regional laws. Ran agents are highly competitive, but they are required to abide by a simple code: "the warrant above all". This means that no matter how vicious the competition between agents gets, it must never interfere with the execution of a legitimate warrant issued by the Ran. The penalties for violating this code are severe.

To keep the Ran as politically neutral as possible, its charter forbids it from undertaking interventions or activities of a political or military nature, or involving itself in disputes over such matters. The professional reputation of the Ran is such that both the Imperium and the Union allow Ran agents to operate within their jurisdictions. Treaties between the Ran and various regional governments prohibit local law enforcement from interfering with warrant enforcement, but local law enforcement is not obligated to provide any assistance, either.

Seicosys

Seicosys is the leading manufacturer of customized genetic material, and is the source of genetic designs for a large number of other corporations. There are rumours that Seicosys' genetic engineering technology has surpassed the limits legislated in Imperium and most of the Union. Seicosys does nothing to discourage these rumours.

Shenzhen

Shenzhen is a holding conglomerate whose subsidiaries mainly deal with insurance, banking, and financial services. Through its subsidiaries, Shenzhen is the largest banking institution in civilized space. Note: "Shenzhen" is pronounced similar to "shen jen".

Stromberg Group

Stromberg Group operates as a holding company which engages in the provision of insurance, asset management, and logistical services. Stromberg Group controls the largest fleet of cargo starships in civilized space.

Corporate Worlds

For every world which belongs to the Imperium, the Union, the League, or to the myriad of smaller federations, there is a world which is owned by a corporation. Assets who reside on these worlds may live in luxury or in squalor, depending on their value to the corporation and the competence of the planetary administration. Worlds which are near the centers of intergalactic civilization tend to be similar in most respects to their conventionally governed counterparts, while worlds which are on the fringes of civilized space are often indistinguishable from penal colonies. One aspect of life is consistent across all of the corporate worlds, regardless of the living conditions: the assets who live on these worlds have no voice in how they are governed, and their livelihood depends completely on their value to the company that currently controls the planet.

Lost Worlds

Each world that has rejoined the intergalactic community has thousands of counterparts which have yet to be rediscovered. These are known as "lost worlds", although of course that name is Imperium-centric. From the point of view of these isolated worlds, it is the rest of the Old Imperium that is lost.

The Instrumentality

Although the New Imperium, the Union, and the myriad other inheritors of the legacy of the Old Imperium disagree on many points, there is one thing on which they all agree: no one must ever attempt to recreate the lost secret of the transepric gates, or attempt to implement any similar technology. The penalties for violating this injunction vary. In regions controlled by the Malrechnen, the assets of the guilty party are confiscated, and they are forever prohibited from owning property or engaging in any commerce above simple manual labor. In the Union, the penalty ranges from indentured servitude to life imprisonment to execution, depending on the world. In the New Imperium, the guilty party is euthanized and their body is recycled for replacement organs and other medical materials.

The Instrumentality itself still exists. The systems on which the Instrumentality has a presence are marked as such on navigation charts, as soon as they are discovered... if the ship that made the discovery survives to report it.

Technology

What, no teleporters?

There are some staples of science fiction that appear to be missing from the universe of ZeroSpace. For example, wormholes in space do exist, but they are unpredictable, short-lived phenomena. As far as anyone knows, teleportation on an individual level is impossible. Similarly, while it's possible to copy the mind of a living organic being, it's not possible to transfer consciousness from one being to another, nor to transfer one's consciousness into a computer. And while fabricators and nanoassemblers can do remarkable things, they can't build arbitrary atomic structures out of nothing, nor can holograms be made solid. Time travel is right out. Although such technology is not available in the setting, it could be invented by a brilliant researcher, or perhaps discovered in a cache of ancient precursor artifacts. Anyone who discovered or invented such technology would attract the attention of some very powerful people.

Technology in ZeroSpace is static: intergalactic civilization is thousands of years old, and everything that can be invented has been invented. Competent engineers are required to build, modify, and maintain such devices, but engineers in ZeroSpace are artisans, not inventors. True invention is extraordinarily rare. However, whether that technology is widely available depends on the wealth of the society and how that wealth is distributed among the populace.

Androids

On wealthy worlds with progressive societies, androids do most of the jobs that require intensive research and analysis, while nonsentient automata perform those tasks which biological individuals find dangerous, unpleasant, or simply tedious. Wealthy militaristic societies often use androids or automata to fight their wars, as well. On less wealthy worlds, or worlds where the wealth is extremely concentrated, these tasks are the given to biological individuals, and androids are restricted to serving the desires of the wealthy.

Communication

Short range communication -- that which takes place within a single solar system -- is a universal technology. Handheld commlinks, dot-sized dermal transmitters, and the like are widely available and easily obtained. Encryption is commonplace, although regional authorities may have "back doors" to bypass it. As such, most communication can be considered private, at least until someone with the power to invade that privacy takes an interest. Dermal transmitters are usually voice-only, but handheld commlinks have cameras and holoprojectors. The image displayed by a commlink is usually altered to make its artificial nature obvious, but this is a socially-imposed limitation rather than a technical one.

Long range communication -- that which takes place between planets in separate solar systems, or between a ship in interstellar space and a distant star system -- is less reliable. Such communication is only possible when the approximate location of the receiver is known to the sender, give or take an astronomical unit (1.496 × 10⁸ km). The signal degrades depending on the distance and any intervening obstacles, such as dust clouds and neutron stars, so real-time interstellar communication may not always be possible.

Computers

Computers are ubiquitous in the setting of ZeroSpace, such that most people don't comment on them or even really notice them unless they stop working.

The most commonplace interaction is intuitive and automatic, such that the user doesn't even think about it. Much as you and I don't think about the electricity which flows through the dashboards of our automobiles, most people in civilized space do not think about the computers that keep their air clean, cook their food, and keep track of their schedules.

When people interact with a computer intentionally, it's usually a mobile -- a small, hand-held device not too different from a 21st century cell phone. Unlike our modern cell phones, mobiles are virtually indestructible, resembling a translucent rectangle of plastic when not in use. Mobiles are also more secure than 21st century cell phones, using a combination of biometric sensors to determine the user's identity. This security is not impenetrable, but it is good enough that most people never even think about the possibility of someone else accessing their accounts or personal information. These accounts are not tied to the mobile itself, of course: it's simply an interface to data stored in the Hypernet. Many people regard mobiles with the indifference that a 20th century person would regard a disposable pen, to be shared, borrowed, or lost without much thought given.

When the location is remote or mobile, such as a starship, or the research being conducted is sensitive, the computer system may be self-contained and not dependent on the Hypernet for its operation. These computers have interfaces and displays that are similar in purpose to a 21st century workstation or scientific mainframe. Most such discrete computer systems have a voice interface factotum personality, which can be customized for varying levels of accuracy, humour, terseness, and so on.

Ectypes And Echoes

Ectypes and echoes are copies of an organic being's consciousness. An ectype is a copy which has been reproduced in organic matter, typically (though not always) placed into a clone of the original person. An echo is a digital copy, typically (though not always) preserved in a virtual reality environment. Although the end product is different, the basic process involved in creating ectypes and echoes is similar: the original being's brain is scanned, and the resulting neurochemical template (or engram) is stored as data. The creation of this engram is a painless process, but it is time consuming and prohibitively expensive. Despite the great cost, some particularly narcissistic individuals have used ectypes to achieve a type of serial immortality, creating copies of themselves to survive their own passing, and leaving their estates to an ectype of themselves in their wills.

In most of civilized space, the legal status of ectypes is the same as that of any other organic being: they may be treated as property on a given world, or not, in much the same way that any other organic being might. The status of echoes is somewhat more variable. On most worlds, echoes are treated similar to androids. The laws pertaining to the creation of ectypes and echoes typically follows the model of laws pertaining to the creation of sentient androids. On worlds where ectypes or echoes are granted the same rights as other sentient creatures, their creation is legally restricted or even prohibited altogether. On worlds where artificial life forms are treated as property, their creation is lightly regulated, if at all.

Energy

There are two main energy sources in use in civilized space: electrogravitic cells (often simply called "power packs"), and hybrid fusion-singularity reactors (often simply called "generators").

Electrogravitic cells are small and durable, making them suitable for a wide range of consumer products. Everything from androids to blasters to handheld communicators contain small electrogravitic cells. Electrogravitic cells are quite safe. When an electrogravitic cell fails or is damaged, it simply stops producing power.

Fusion-singularity reactors are too large and generate too much heat for use in portable devices. However, they produce far more power per cubic centimeter than electrogravitic cells, making them suitable for high-drain applications like starship weapons and warp engines. Fusion-singularity reactors are potentially dangerous when damaged, but they have multiple safeguards in place to prevent catastrophic failure. The "emergency self-destruct" system installed on some starships operates by bypassing these safeguards.

Fabricators

A fabricator is a device which manufactures complex objects from component substances. The component substances are typically in liquid or powder form, and must be replenished periodically. General purpose fabricators typically have reservoirs of metal, ceramic, and synthetic polymer dust, while specialized fabricators use substances specific to their application. Medical fabricators, for example, use reservoirs of protein, calcium, phosphorous, nucleotides, and synthetic biomatter, while food-grade fabricators use reservoirs of carbohydrates, triglycerides, protein, salt, and spices. Fabricators are commonplace throughout most of civilized space.

The Hypernet

In theory, the Hypernet is an information system linking all worlds throughout the Union, the New Imperium, and beyond. In practice, Hypernet data packets are distributed from one star system to another by large hyperwave transmitters, in a "peer to peer" fashion, and every major power intercepts and filters Hypernet data packets. This means that the Hypernet available to a citizen of the Union may be quite different to that available to an asset of the Malrechnen. In fact, there are no two worlds in the known universe with the exact same Hypernet.

In general, starships are able to connect to the local Hypernet as long as they are within an astronomical unit (1.496 × 10⁸ km) of a civilized world.

Despite the nigh-universal availability of the Hypernet, it can sometimes be useful to transport data in a discrete physical medium. Data cards are used for this purpose. A data card is roughly the size of a modern postage stamp (the exact physical size is 26 mm x 37 mm, for historical reasons that no one now remembers). A typical data card can hold approximately a petabyte -- enough room to store a full android personality matrix, or an engram of a living being (see Ectypes And Echoes).

Medicine

The quality of medical care in ZeroSpace is largely dependent on the patient's wealth. On wealthy worlds with progressive societies, genetic manipulation has eliminated most illnesses, while cloning and protein assemblers have made it possible to recover from virtually any injury. On less wealthy worlds, or worlds where that wealth is concentrated in the hands of a small portion of the population, illness and disease may simply be facts of life, and even a minor injury can result in permanent disability. Cybernetics exist, but are uncommon in wealthy societies: why have a mechanical arm or a synthetic eye, when an organic replacement can be grown in a matter of hours?

Warfare

Because automated electrogravitic defenses render most projectile weapons ineffective, combat in ZeroSpace is personal. All combat, even in the depths of space, takes place within visual range.

Initial salvos between military starships typically take place at a range of less then a dozen kilometers (which may seem like a long way, but that's peanuts in outer space). A smaller craft, like a star fighter, typically closes to within a few kilometers of its intended target if the target is a capital ship, or to within a kilometer if the other ship is also small and maneuverable.

Society

Currency

At one time, the Imperial prole, or "luck", was the standard unit of currency through the Old Imperium, and the currency in circulation was controlled directly by the Imperial Treasury. In the centuries since then, other systems of currency have arisen, each controlled by a regional authority, or in rare cases, by an agreed-upon algorithm for generating new currency.

Characters in ZeroSpace don't really need to worry about this. Throughout civilized space, all commonly recognized currency is cryptographically generated, fungible, and universally accepted. Whether it's called a prole, a credit, a dinar, or a bit, it all spends the same.

In practice, currency is just a particular form of data, often transferred from one individual's accounts to another, without any physical objects changing hands. As with all data, it can sometimes be useful to transport currency in a discrete physical medium. Data cards are used for this purpose. Due to its inherent cryptographic nature, currency can be stolen, but forging it isn't feasible.

Language

Universe (an artificial language created thousands of years ago) is the official language of the New Imperium, and is widely used throughout civilized space. Every civilized being understands Universe, although not every species is physically capable of speaking it.

Each alien species has one or more languages which they speak among themselves. Some alien civilizations have hundreds of indigenous languages. No one but an android will even attempt to learn more than a few of the most common languages.

Barring unusual circumstances, characters are assumed to be fluent in Universe, as well as any other languages they could reasonably be expected to know.