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Cuidightheach REC

Cuidightheach REC is a giant industrial hub that orbits a star along with the asteroid belt in Pyrite Mons, and is known as 'Couldhe' or 'Cudee' for short. It came online in 2148 and has drones that collect small asteroids and gasses from gas giants for processing. The metals it refines are used to build mining ships to sell to investors who arrive on a REC transport. Its highest executive authority is known as a ‘Governor’ and it also has 'listed' status as a HA delegated authority for Pyrite Mons. As at 2215 this person is Governor Megan Edris.

All parts it manufactures it keeps in 'live storage' so it has the potential use of them. In the centre of mass, the space station has its own Merlin Engine used for power, breaking and acceleration, and encircling it are the manufactured engines. Apart from testing, Cudee doesn't use these engines but they are usable in an emergency. The engines themselves are kept in housing that can be rotated to point the engines in any direction. The fusion drills from these engines can also be used as a defence system.

The only component used in ship building that Cudee cannot produce is the REC Impossibility Engines and Imp Engines that are sourced from REC HQ on the planet Elysia. It stores these devices below the double diamond food dome so they can be used to accelerate food production but Cudee itself does not have IE time acceleration capability. Engineers discussed using them to get more out of the automatic manufacturing plant but it was decided to not use them as ship buyers don't like 'used' parts, even if no 'wear and tear' is ever experienced.

Seen as a flat plain, Cudee is 'side on' to the star with the food dome on the star side. Between the domes is a rarefied gas mix that works like a fluorescent lightbulb producing a sky blue light. All sunlight (that is not filtered out) goes through the food dome before shining on the rest of the station so the light is filtered to be safe to humans. The result is that natural white light shines into rooms through windows and when people look out they see a patch of blue sky. The food dome is large enough to feel like an outdoor space, where employees are free to enjoy themselves. Also full UV light filtering is only achieved through light passing in and out (across) the dome, so people within the dome can get an Earth like suntan. Although the double diamond is more expensive than many other methods, REC uses it on its largest, most valuable stations as 'cabin fever' is effectively removed by this. The best staff in the industry are gained for and retained by these such facilities.

Market Maker

With the desire to make it rich, gain independence and generally improve, thousands of people and small organisations want to move their operations into the rich mining of Pyrite Mons. There is however the massive physical barrier to entry in getting there, and in selling the materials mined, into the markets of other systems. REC, the company, saw an opportunity to take the risk from the small independent miners, and turn it into an investment, using Cuidightheach REC as a key. The station will always offer to buy metals on physical delivery to the station at market rates from all miners in the system, thus creating the market. Knowing this market is available, guaranteed by the mega corporation REC, investors can take loans to come to the system to mine. REC themselves actually offer transport and setup loans for the small businesses effectively at cost, so in not taking a margin, the vast majority of miners taking debt chose to work with REC. Even the larger organisations worked good deals making REC the de facto government in the system.

Defences

Technically, Cuidightheach REC has pirate risk but the Astry has all but wiped out piracy, apart from those linked to organised crime. In holding a lot of valuable resources, from refined metals to new ships, Cudee needs a strong defensive system. Sol Tzu was consulted in the design and as a result Cudee has the following defences.

  • 32 Astry Missiles. Not enough to really affect a determined military effort, but enough to put off any pirates who are each expected to value their own lives the most. As that is the nature of pirates, the missiles are likely to never be fired but will act as a deterrent.
  • At least 1 Fusion Drill and probably more depending on how many engines are stored. These can cut a ship in half but only at very close range.
  • All the laser cutters around the station are designed to be immediately repurposed to act as missile defence.
  • 2 Industrial Fligs that can be used to rapidly accelerate missiles or just throw boulder size lumps of metal like a modern trebuchet. The metal treasury is stored between the upper and lower fligs and designed to be readily available to be fired (the cheapest metal first).

Sol Tzu also setup a miners militia where the miners can band together to defend each other, and the station. REC has chosen to underwrite any costs incurred and free repairs, so the militia won’t hesitate take damage in a coordinated effort. Additionally, bonuses are paid to all who act to protect the station.

Economic Risks

As Cuidightheach REC used the Entangled Network to offer live Aetherial Exchange prices to the miners, based on physical delivery of the commodities, REC carries the risk of losing value during the time taken to actually transport the commodity to the Aetherial Exchange. The risk is largely wiped out however, by the fact that Cuidightheach REC uses the metals to make new mining ships to sell to its increasing client base. The other main risk is the credit risk on loans to clients who might not be able to pay back their debt, however the loans are secured against the ship, which is used as collateral.

REC also offers free transport back to Aetherial and free transport Cuidightheach to anyone who has a work contract with an existing miner, or who has entered into a business relationship with REC. The purpose of this is to remove barriers to entry and exit, keeping the Pyrite Mons economy healthy.

Future Plans

REC’s model for Pyrite Mons is setup to work as long as new miners come along to buy the ships, where the value added is on the metal mined by the existing miners. It requires a continually expanding economy, which it currently has. Ultimately, REC is betting on a service sector springing up, followed by a static population, to make a local market large enough to no longer quote the Aetherial Exchange.