XiC: Corporate Econosphere

 

High Kosmosis

High Kosmosis was a corporate colony started in 812 VE. The organization started as an unremarkable toy factory, but had a major influence over tech development in Xi, particularly in the area of nanotech. In 812 VE they invented some groundbreaking materials in the form of microprocessors and other related data-dense nanoassemblies. For a time, High Kosmosis was the largest economic enterprise in Xi, although this wasn’t a hard bar to clear in the anarchy Void Era at the time, and through the use of innovative production techniques, they were able to manufacture a large amount of goods in the 820’s, including the world’s first mass-produced 3D-printed Datalyte objects after acquiring the process from Harvest. But the colony was far from humble beginnings, and in 834 VE, they created their first model of an artificial Bioroid human, or inorganic entity, codenamed ‘Theta’. Created through a complicated cloning process, Theta was a ‘perfect’ clone of its CEO, possessing the same DNA, brain function and cognitive memory as a human being, as well as an AI operating system. But in the end, Theta was lost when a storm of Cascade activity sucked her into the Tower.*

While losing a valuable asset and revolutionary prototype, the process for creating bio-synthetic life became known as ‘The Theta Factor’. High Kosmosis started using the Theta Factor in their production of inorganic matter, but due to the nature of the technology and its unique properties, High Kosmosis became interested in remaking Theta’s Bioroid technology as a tool to improve Xi’an society, allowing for more complex productions and a rapid increase of sales. The specificity of their models skirted AI regulation and allowed them to produce models of custom-made assistants, engineers and entertainers. Their colorful bioroids were marketed as a ‘tour de force of slapstick silliness, colorful joy and a hootenanny of zany fun’ and their various media channels lead to numerous animated properties for the sake of promoting their products. This allowed them to rapidly grow their influence over Xi, and in the late 836’s, the High Kosmosis company had over 20 billion registered employees, most not identifiable through their latex gasmasks and suits except by their barcodes.

At the end of the 15th century, High Kosmosis underwent an incident at the height of their power. Two unidentified figures, believed to be agents of space pirates from Galactic regions beyond Xi appeared in the colorful planetary Themepark ‘Kosmo World’ and the incursion broke into some manner of fight or conflict. The engagement between the two tore cities asunder and cracked the mantle of the entire planet, The planet was declared uninhabitable in the wake of the incident and High Kosmosis lost face in its public reputation, stocks crashing virtually overnight. The corporation was put under investigation, meaning they were not permitted to do business in Xi for the foreseeable future. It’s CEO, Lady Kosmo who’d lead it since its founding would step down as head and sell the entire company to species known as the Vortiga. Due to their restrictions, the new owners would be forced to take their business to other galaxies, eventually venturing into the galaxy of Harvest. It would be the first time High Kosmosis would find itself outside of their empire since the creation of their toy factory, a period known as the ‘Quarantine era’. Only upon Sandra’s return would they be allowed to return and conduct operations in Xi once more.

Presently in Xi, High Kosmosis is known for their vast merchandise line of Kosmo products- including Inflatastic furniture, chairs, vehicles, toys, sippy cups, construction, party supplies, ‘Fun weaponry’, ballistics, electronic microchips, oil refinery equipment, children’s media, wigs, artificial textiles, Omni-plastic and many many more. All High Kosmosis products are made to the strictest standards of quality, safety and durability, and all newly hired employees are freshly suited, mentally re-minted, oiled, modified, stretched, paint coated and reprogrammed for 100% excellence assurance.

In the factories of High Kosmosis, the employees are required to wear full-body rubber suits as a safety precaution. These suits are designed to protect the workers from the harmful nanomaterials used in the production process. The suits come in a variety of colors and patterns, with the most popular being the High Kosmosis logo emblazoned in bold black and neon green. The rubber suits are custom-made for each worker, ensuring a comfortable and snug fit that does not hinder movement or productivity. The suits are also designed to be breathable and lightweight, so that workers can wear them for extended periods of time without feeling uncomfortable or overheated. The colorful rubber suits have become somewhat of a signature of High Kosmosis, and they have even been incorporated into the company's marketing campaigns. The suits are often featured in advertisements, with models wearing them in various poses and settings while getting their photos taken along assembly lines – contract employment to High Kosmo is mandatory for accepting pay. In one particularly memorable campaign, a group of workers were shown dancing in their suits to a catchy jingle promoting the company's latest line of nanotech products.

High Kosmosis has expanded their product line beyond Bioroids to include a range of cosmetics and beauty products. Their cosmetics line, called "Kosmo Glam", featured vibrant and bold colors inspired by the neon lights and futuristic designs of their Themeparks. Their slogan was "Get kosmic with Kosmo Glam!", and hiring motto is “Don’t fight, Kosmosis will mold you right” In addition to cosmetics, High Kosmosis also developed a line of custom-made rubber suits for their Bioroids and employees to wear. These suits were designed to be both stylish and functional, providing protection in harsh environments while also allowing for a full range of movement. The suits came in a variety of colors and patterns, and were marketed under the name "Kosmo Kouture". They were known for their over-the-top and humorous advertising campaigns. They often featured their Bioroids in wacky situations, such as a group of them running through a Themepark while being chased by giant goofy latex Kosmo-mascots. Their tagline was "Join the Kosmic circus!" To promote their rubber suits, High Kosmosis held a series of fashion shows featuring their Bioroids and employees strutting down the runway in the latest Kosmo Kouture designs. The shows were broadcasted live on their various media channels and quickly became a popular form of entertainment.

 

Atlas

Atlas was a company that rose among the ranks of the Alliance of Independent Manufacturers (A.I.M.) a fair century before the dissolution of Xi. Primarily a private security company with minor ties to military production and war-based enterprises, their network of dabbling has expanded dramatically over time and they’ve since become Xi’s largest military contract corporation, who depends on them for specialty metals, network encryption and military equipment. Unlike High Kosmosis, ATLAS has a strong focus on security and defense, creating products and services designed to protect Xi and corporations from both internal and external threats.

One of ATLAS's most popular products is their line of robotic sentries, which are designed to patrol and protect critical infrastructure and military installations. These robots are equipped with advanced sensors and AI, allowing them to detect and respond to threats quickly and effectively. They are also designed to be highly durable and resistant to damage, making them ideal for deployment in hostile environments. In addition to their robotic sentries, ATLAS also produces a wide range of other security products, including advanced surveillance systems, cyber security software, and military-grade communications equipment. They also provide a range of training and consulting services, helping their clients to better understand and manage security risks.

Unlike High Kosmosis, ATLAS does not have a multi-colorful or playful child-like, rubbertoy themed brand image. Instead, they market themselves as a family of serious and reliable providers, who happen to offer services of military-grade technology and services. Their employees are highly trained and skilled, often coming from diverse backgrounds and finding conformity in the comfort of Atlas’s ‘family’. They wear similarly colored neon blue-black uniforms, with the company's palettes prominently displayed to show their affiliation with ATLAS. All members accept ocular implants upon hiring and these come programmed with powerful AI neural-algorithmic feedback loops designed to train their staff gradually overtime into committed, conscious and cunning staff members that revere their corporation. Their primary goal is always to be seen as loving, united family of a highly reputable, and reliable provider of technology that, through ATLAS' numerous subsidiaries, can be applied to serve a wide range of military and civilian operations and projects. ATLAS is also one of the few corporations whose employees can be trained to handle all lines of work- from security detailing to encryption, enforcement of cybersecurity and even the technical of sophisticated manufacturing methods.

The leader of Atlas, Ellioise Atlasiana is seen with godlike respect and devotion from her ‘staff.’ As the leader, she maintains a calm and collected manner and is well-liked amongst her subordinates. She has great respect and a deep-rooted love for all things military and military hardware in any form, and this is reflected in ATLAS’s high-grade stock. She stands tall and elegant, despite having a body-image that is more akin to that of a much smaller woman, and her voice is as gentle and soothing as can be. Other staff aspire to be like her, not only in personality but to look like her aswell and emulate her mannerisms, adopt her ideals and beliefs, and become as close to their company head as possible in complete and total idolization. This is all as per the training of her employees’ ocular implants, which were programmed with AI to induce conformity and conditioning into the protocols of ATLAS aswell as increase dopamine pathway insinuation upon deeper compliance. Those that accept the ways of Ellioise into their hearts (and eyes, symbolizing her vision) accept the last name of ‘Atlas’ and make her their principal priority in the world to serve and dedicate themselves to.

Overall, ATLAS represents a strong and dependable alternative to High Kosmosis in the security and defense industry. While they may not have the same level of creativity or flair as their rival, they are far better respected and trusted by clients around the world for their commitment to quality and reliability, having a solid reputation of a power house corporation. The two have worked together in the past, High Kosmosis exchanging easily mass-produced plastic molds, nanochips, machinery and circuit-boards and Atlas selling its rival in turn military equipment, sentry units and some of its tech specialists for Kosmosis’s engineer drones.

Despite being rival companies, High Kosmosis and Atlas found themselves in a unique position where they could complement each other's strengths. After a series of spirited negotiations, the two companies entered into a partnership that would redefine the future of security and nanotechnology. Atlas, with its advanced military-grade technology and expertise in security, would provide High Kosmosis with the necessary resources to develop and refine their nanotech capabilities for military use. High Kosmosis, on the other hand, would offer Atlas their cutting-edge bioroid technology and expertise in manufacturing and mass production. Together, the two companies would create a new line of nanotech-based security systems that were powered by High Kosmosis's Theta Factor technology. These systems could not only detect and neutralize any potential cybersecurity threats but could also provide detailed information on the individuals behind them. This partnership and vast leap in the ‘Cybersecurity revolution’, is largely the attributed downfall to ByteNet’s networks and the infamous escapees of ‘Ami3’, aka Amity Byte. The joint cooperation between the two corporate giants were leveraged on what was essentially a two-front cyber war: On one level, against the rogue Amity and her freelance criminal hacking operations, and on another more official level, the struggles against corporate rival Byte Industries during the Void Era.

“High Kosmosis, with their rubber suits. Colorful, zany, a pretty loud hoot! But Atlas, with their guns and steel. No-nonsense, for when things get real.”

Byte Industries

“The ship builder. Tinkering with her Nanogoo and bots of sludge.”

Odalia Byte herself, despite her short stature is a towering figure, both socially and in the business world. Her sharp features and piercing gaze command respect from her employees and competitors alike. She has a reputation for being ruthless in her pursuit of success, and is known to have little patience for failure. Despite her intimidating demeanor, Odalia has a knack for finding innovative solutions to complex problems. Her sharp mind and strategic thinking have enabled ByteCorp to stay ahead of its competitors, and she is always looking for new opportunities to expand the company's galactic reach. Her company, Byte Industries excels in fuel and lubricants, finance, tourism, spacefleet products, Warp Station infrastructure and real estate with new and re-habituated planetary properties.

Under her leadership, her company has developed a range of products and innovations that have revolutionized many industries across the galaxy. One of Odalia's key products is a type of silicone nanite bio-gel that can be used for a wide range of purposes, from fueling AI engines to enhancing the processing, to specialty congealment that can enhance the strength and durability of industrial materials. This bio-material is created using a proprietary process that allows it to be both highly efficient and incredibly versatile, making it a favorite among many of the galaxy's most prominent corporations and governments with the exception of Atlas.

In addition to her bio-products, Odalia has also overseen the development of a range of cutting-edge sensory technologies. These include advanced sensors and communications systems that can be used to monitor everything from planetary weather patterns to the movements of entire fleets of craft. Her company has also developed a range of nanotechnology-based goo products that can be used to repair and enhance both organic and inorganic materials for usage in both electronic and Bio-powered ships, making it a key player in the rapidly-evolving field of vessel related cybernetic implants and prosthetics.

Despite her many achievements, Odalia is not without her detractors. Some have criticized her company's aggressive business practices and alleged ties to organized crime syndicates, while others have raised concerns about the safety and environmental impact of her company's goo-based products. Her research into AI and nanite-based technology has sparked some concern about her company's future trajectory, especially considering the rapidly developing technological frontiers in this field. Their Bio-tech bio-tech has also created a large amount of concern over her company's position on the AI arms race. Odalia’s business has also been under intense investigation for money laundering, corporate espionage, breaking numerous treatises and defying censors from Star Charity’s ethical business mandates, theft and conspiracy to defraud the Xi government. The combination of Odalia Byte’s refusal to comply with ministry directives, and the activities or whereabouts of her daughter, Amity Byte at the time of her rivalry with Atlas and High Kosmosis have led to warrants put out for her arrest. Odalia has since become a fugitive, running from authorities, her company’s assets frozen and delegated to state-owned infrastructure.

 

Caimandra Works

Caimandra Works, otherwise known as the Digital Drakes of Xi came into existence approximately three decades after the initial dissolution of Xi. Initially a small archive-keeping company that specialized in backup discs, Data cubes, archival servers and media preservation, they swiftly obtained record breaking profits in the wake of the Xi Nostalgia that became so romanized during that time period.

During this time, Caimandra Records held an extensive digital library, the largest collection of Xi media literature and artifacts in existence, and through this they became an active part of the cultural preservation efforts of the Xi in the late 7th century. The company has gone through drastic changes since the Xi Nostalgia was over, and is now known to be one of the major economic powerhouses and the unofficial custodian of Xi’s extensive archives and history, with a great deal of influence over the Xi government, in part due to the infamous ‘Night of the skypit Megapurge’ in which the founder and still-CEO, Tailia Victoria, bought over 177 critical market assets in a digital stock crash. Their activities are shrouded in the secrecy of the Xi government and its political allies, and have been since numerous military contract deals with Star Charity, which is only compounded by the fact that they are very discreet, and rarely talk about their activities. But what the Caimandra Works lacks in official transparency, they try to compensate for in a strong media presence, and through this and the influence they have over the GalaNet with an unheard-of number of registered channels. Celebrities, record labels and cinema industries are just some of their influential properties. They continue to be one of the strongest companies in Xi, and also still hold one of the most extensive collections of Xi media, though it is of questionable ownership or legality.

The Caimandra Works were in the news for their purchase of a GalaNet-based channel, T’xikal, which many saw as a move to establish an unofficial aligned state-sponsored channel, and some even saw it as an assassination attempt against XU-appointed Head of Media, Alana Shi-Ling. The Digital Drakes claimed the reason they bought the channel was to save it from being taken over by the XU in a move to create a state-run channel in an official capacity, rather than merely a XU-supporting privately owned version of the channel, however it seemed like a large majority of the market believed the true purpose was to create a platform for propaganda and further XU-friendly news-reporting and the distinction is superficial or dubious at best. Regardless of its true purpose, the majority of T’xikal’s content was one of Star Charity’s most passionate ‘Peace keeper re-education’ efforts, and they were one of the top 3 most-viewed channels in the XU era next to Holodrobe Shopping Network and BBC. (Biometrix Business Channel), and continue to exert undeniable influence on current events today.