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NanoTrasen

Inter-Corporate Relations

Einstein Engines

NanoTrasen and Einstein have been rivals for decades, since the discovery of phoron in 2417 and the subsequent invention of the bluespace drive. As bluespace largely superseded warp as a means of faster-than-light travel, NanoTrasen's power rose as Einstein's waned. Since then, the two companies have been fierce competitors, contending in court constantly over various trademarks, patents, and other legal issues. The phoron scarcity beginning in 2462 has led to a reversal of fortunes, with Einstein rising massively in prominence as NanoTrasen's power fades - leading NanoTrasen to spearhead the formation of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate to attempt to combat their old rivals. The two corporations continue to clash to this day, with Einstein having found a foothold in the city of Phoenixport, Biesel - setting up shop in the heart of NanoTrasen's power. Though Einstein holds the clear advantage for now, NanoTrasen has worked tirelessly to try and slow the meteoric growth of their rival corporation - so far, to little effect, as phoron prices continue to rise and NanoTrasen stock prices continue to fall.

Hephaestus Industries

NanoTrasen and Hephaestus Industries have never been particularly fierce competitors, with the phoron giant purchasing much of its equipment, vessels and IPC workers from Hephaestus factories. However, as the phoron scarcity continues and NanoTrasen's power wanes, Hephaestus has taken full advantage of their decline. Since the formation of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, Hephaestus has greatly expanded its presence in the Republic of Biesel, taking near-complete control of shipping on the moon of Valkyrie and moving its central headquarters to Mendell City. Hephaestus's expansion in the Izweski Hegemony - seizing a near-total monopoly of the kind NanoTrasen once held in Biesel - has allegedly been a source of great concern to NanoTrasen, who are rumored to be funding anti-Hegemony political movements on the planet Ouerea in order to weaken Hephaestus's position within the nation.

Idris Incorporated

NanoTrasen and Idris have never been fierce rivals, though Idris's continued prominence in Sol and its expansion into Biesel has led to tension between the two megacorporations. As Idris expanded its banking operations into NanoTrasen's center of power, NanoTrasen attempted to hold onto their banking business in Tau Ceti, incentivizing its employees to only make use of NanoTrasen banking instead - despite the many advantages that Idris held as a competitor. So far, Idris has been gradually expanding its presence in the Republic's financial sector, with many NanoTrasen employees switching to the use of Idris banks despite their employer's wishes. Idris has begun offering hiring bonuses to NanoTrasen employees in an effort to further weaken their power over Biesel's financial sector, as well as establishing branches in many of the former Solarian worlds of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, where NanoTrasen holds much less direct influence. Though NanoTrasen has issued little official response to this, Idris transport vessels seem to commonly come under attack by pirates in the Reconstruction Zone, with many speculating the phoron giant is attempting to undermine confidence in Idris's renowned security.

Orion Express

NanoTrasen contributed the most resources to Orion Express's formation, and many of its executives are former NanoTrasen staff. As such, the relationship between the two companies has remained warm, with Orion taking over many NanoTrasen-held supply contracts across the Spur. Orion's continued operation in the Sol Alliance, and the fact that they continue to deal with Einstein Engines, has been a source of tension between the two megacorporations in recent years - but in spite of this, NanoTrasen and Orion continue to work together extensively across the Orion Spur. Though Orion's service industry has become a competitor to NanoTrasen's, this remains a small enough portion of both companies' business that it has not been a source of stress on the close relationship the two megacorporations share.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Zavodskoi and NanoTrasen maintain a decent relationship, with little open conflict between the two corporations. Since the beginning of the phoron scarcity, however, Zavodskoi has taken full advantage of NanoTrasen's waning power in the Republic of Biesel, expanding its arms industry into the Republic. Since the formation of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces and the negotiation of several new supply contracts with Biesel's government, Zavodskoi has managed to take a great deal of business from NanoTrasen - seizing NT's position as the Republic's main weapons supplier. Though NanoTrasen still holds onto their original contract for the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, the Minutemen and Republican Fleet are both almost entirely outfitted with Zavodskoi-made weapons, armor, and voidsuits. NanoTrasen has attempted to counteract this influence through the recent appointment of Nathan Trasen as Secretary of Defense - but even with a Trasen in such a prestigious position, Zavodskoi has still managed to secure a solid grasp on the Republic's military industry. NanoTrasen has increased funding to Nexus Corporate Security several times in an effort to use their newly-formed PMC to undermine Zavodskoi's security business in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, with some measure of success.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

Although NanoTrasen and Zeng-Hu work closely together, the two megacorporations have a rocky history. When NanoTrasen began, it was mainly operating in the biomedical field, which Zeng-Hu has historically been the frontrunner in - leading to NanoTrasen being outcompeted at seemingly every turn by the pharmaceutical giant. The discovery of phoron led to a rapid pivot in NanoTrasen's direction, and its many medicinal uses led to Zeng-Hu purchasing large quantities of phoron from NanoTrasen mining operations in the Romanovich Cloud. Despite this, Zeng-Hu CEO Liqin Hsiao-Li is rumored to still hold a grudge against NanoTrasen for their attempts to push into Zeng-Hu's sphere of influence decades ago, even as Zeng-Hu attempts to do the same in Biesel. Though NanoTrasen maintains its grasp on Tau Ceti's healthcare system, having blocked Zeng-Hu's expansions in the Republic's courts, Zeng-Hu has been increasingly expanding their operations in the wider Corporate Reconstruction Zone - having managed to seize the majority of the market share in the medical and pharmaceutical industries outside of Tau Ceti itself. Due to the many medical and pharmaceutical uses of phoron, Zeng-Hu remains one of NanoTrasen's largest purchasers of the increasingly rare element, and is reportedly one of NanoTrasen's closest allies within the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate.

Hephaestus Industries

Inter-Corporate Relations

Einstein Engines

Einstein is a major competitor for Hephaestus in the field of IPC manufacturing - in spite of this, however, the two megacorporations have long had a close working relationship, particularly in the Solarian shipbuilding industry. Many Hephaestus-manufactured civilian and military vessels in Sol are equipped with Einstein-made warp drives, especially after the refitting of the Solarian Navy to the Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive. If Hephaestus's membership in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate has been a source of tension between the two megacorporations, little sign of this has been shown openly, with the industrial giant continuing to work with Einstein on many of its Solarian assets. Rumors of Einstein providing ships and weaponry to groups such as the Exclusionists in the region around Burzsia - or of Hephaestus-backed privateers targeting Einstein vessels in the former Human Wildlands - remain only rumors, and have had little impact on the two companies' shared business.

Idris Incorporated

Hephaestus and Idris remain on good terms, despite Hephaestus CEO Titanius Aeson's reported dislike of Idris CEO Alex Mason. Idris purchases many Hephaestus-made IPCs, particularly industrial models, for use as part of its security branch. Due to the lack of overlap between the two corporations' respective fields, little opportunity for conflict has arisen between Hephaestus and Idris, with the two corporations having been known to align on several issues - maintaining their power in the face of the increasingly antagonistic Sol Alliance and establishing further influence in the Republic of Biesel as NanoTrasen's control declines being the two main issues on which Hephaestus and Idris align.

NanoTrasen

Hephaestus and NanoTrasen have never been fierce competitors, with the phoron giant purchasing much of its equipment, vessels and IPC workers from Hephaestus factories. However, as the phoron scarcity continues and NanoTrasen's power wanes, Hephaestus has taken full advantage of their decline. Since the formation of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate, Hephaestus has greatly expanded its presence in the Republic of Biesel, taking near-complete control of shipping on the moon of Valkyrie and moving its central headquarters to Mendell City. Hephaestus's expansion in the Izweski Hegemony - seizing a near-total monopoly of the kind NanoTrasen once held in Biesel - has allegedly been a source of great concern to NanoTrasen, who are rumored to be funding anti-Hegemony political movements on the planet Ouerea in order to weaken Hephaestus's position within the nation.

Orion Express

Despite competition in the mining industry, Hephaestus and Orion have little animosity between them. The two corporations cooperate frequently in the robotics field, as Orion's fledgling robotics division is not believed to be a serious threat to Hephaestus's investment in the same area. Since the formation of Orion Express, the two megacorporations have cooperated frequently in the Republic of Biesel, building several joint factories in orbit of the planet Reade in order to augment production there. Orion mining, however, has cut into Hephaestus's business, though so far this has remained a small detriment to the industrial titan. Prior to the Izweski Hegemony's economic collapse and Hephaestus's subsequent expansion, Orion worked closely with the Unathi Miners' Guild, with many of the Guild's leaders seeing involvement with Orion as a way to remain competitive with Hephaestus within the Hegemony. This arrangement came to an end with Hephaestus's acquisition of the Guild, however, with only those former guildsmen who refused to join Hephaestus still holding positions with Orion - for substantially less pay than before.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Hephaestus and Zavodskoi are long-enduring rivals, with the two megacorporations competing extensively in industry, manufacturing, robotics and engineering fields for decades. Mutual sabotage and espionage are common between Hephaestus and Zavodskoi, with both corporations having extensively bankrolled privateers, saboteurs and other plausibly deniable agents to sabotage their rivals. As Zavodskoi has expanded into the Empire of Dominia and Hephaestus into the Izweski Hegemony, the Sparring Sea and Badlands have become two of the largest modern battlegrounds for the megacorporations, with corporate-funded pirates commonly targeting one another's vessels. Beyond the use of privateers, Zavodskoi has often been accused of funding radical anti-Hephaestus groups within the Izweski Hegemony, most notably the Champions of Moghes - a terrorist organization which has remained suspiciously well-equipped and well-informed of Hephaestus operations. Hephaestus, meanwhile, has often been suspected of bankrolling various Dominian rebel groups in recent years, in the hopes of weakening Zavodskoi's large investment in the Empire's development. Shared membership in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate has done nothing to quell the two giants' bitter feud, with only the shared threat of the phoron crisis forcing them into cooperation.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

Hephaestus and Zeng-Hu, two of the oldest megacorporations of the Orion Spur, have never had much in the way of direct competition, operating in radically different sectors. Their mutual operation in the Sol Alliance has led to some level of cooperation between the two, with both corporations working to maintain their influence in the face of increasing anti-corporate sentiment within Sol and the rising power of Einstein Engines in the nation. Beyond this, Hephaestus has recently begun to cooperate with Zeng-Hu in the robotics sector, with their research being projected to make considerable progress in the field. Though Zavodskoi Interstellar no longer has any major presence in the genetics industry, it was a rival of Zeng-Hu in the field as Necropolis Industries, leading to alleged cooperation between Zeng-Hu and Hephaestus to sabotage Necropolis on several occasions.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

Inter-Corporate Relations

Einstein Engines

The relationship between Zeng-Hu and Einstein is a generally positive one, with the two corporations cooperating extensively in several areas of mutual interest - their operations on the planet Konyang and mutual desire for expansion within the Nralakk Federation being the most noteworthy among these. Though Zeng-Hu's membership in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and Einstein's growing power within the Sol Alliance has led to a level of distrust between the two, their relationship has remained largely solid since the beginning of the phoron shortage. In 2466, Einstein and Zeng-Hu were both called upon by the government of Konyang to deal with the rampancy crisis, with Zeng-Hu's involvement leading to the wider Conglomerate working to address the problem.

Hephaestus Industries

Hephaestus and Zeng-Hu, two of the oldest megacorporations of the Orion Spur, have never had much in the way of direct competition, operating in radically different sectors. Their mutual operation in the Sol Alliance has led to some level of cooperation between the two, with both corporations working to maintain their influence in the face of increasing anti-corporate sentiment within Sol and the rising power of Einstein Engines in the nation. Beyond this, Hephaestus has recently begun to cooperate with Zeng-Hu in the robotics sector, with their research being projected to make considerable progress in the field. Though Zavodskoi Interstellar no longer has any major presence in the genetics industry, it was a rival of Zeng-Hu in the field as Necropolis Industries, leading to alleged cooperation between Zeng-Hu and Hephaestus to sabotage Necropolis on several occasions.

Idris Incorporated

Idris and Zeng-Hu have never been direct competitors, with the two corporations operating in radically different sectors. Many Idris-patented cosmetics are manufactured by Zeng-Hu labs, and the pharmaceutical giant is known to favor Idris transport vessels for its high-value cargo. Rumors are commonly spread on the Extranet that Zeng-Hu genetic modification has been used to enhance Idris executives to be superior to their competition - though these are widely derided as nothing more than conspiracy theories. In recent years, the two corporations have come to face a common threat - the rising anti-corporate sentiment within the Sol Alliance, historically a stronghold for both Idris and Zeng-Hu. As Idris maintains one of the best relationships with the Alliance, and has proved one of the most difficult corporations for Sol to shake the influence of, Zeng-Hu has allegedly hired Idris public relations specialists to maintain their image within Sol, attempting to ensure that Alliance citizens maintain a favorable view of Zeng-Hu's operations.

NanoTrasen

Although NanoTrasen and Zeng-Hu work closely together, the two megacorporations have a rocky history. When NanoTrasen began, it was mainly operating in the biomedical field, which Zeng-Hu has historically been the frontrunner in - leading to NanoTrasen being outcompeted at seemingly every turn by the pharmaceutical giant. The discovery of phoron led to a rapid pivot in NanoTrasen's direction, and its many medicinal uses led to Zeng-Hu purchasing large quantities of phoron from NanoTrasen mining operations in the Romanovich Cloud. Despite this, Zeng-Hu CEO Liqin Hsiao-Li is rumored to still hold a grudge against NanoTrasen for their attempts to push into Zeng-Hu's sphere of influence decades ago, even as Zeng-Hu attempts to do the same in Biesel. Though NanoTrasen maintains its grasp on Tau Ceti's healthcare system, having blocked Zeng-Hu's expansions in the Republic's courts, Zeng-Hu has been increasingly expanding their operations in the wider Corporate Reconstruction Zone - having managed to seize the majority of the market share in the medical and pharmaceutical industries outside of Tau Ceti itself. Due to the many medical and pharmaceutical uses of phoron, Zeng-Hu remains one of NanoTrasen's largest purchasers of the increasingly rare element, and is reportedly one of NanoTrasen's closest allies within the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate.

Orion Express

Since the formation of Orion Express, Zeng-Hu has made extensive use of the company's shipping services - Orion's operations within the Sol Alliance and Nralakk Federation proving highly beneficial to the keiretsu. Though Orion does operate in the robotics industry, its robotics division is viewed as insignificant and not posing any real threat to Zeng-Hu's own developments in the field. Many Zeng-Hu products are carried to destinations across the Orion Spur by Orion vessels, and the two megacorporations maintain a strong working relationship across the Spur.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

When Zavodskoi Interstellar was still known as Necropolis Industries, it was Zeng-Hu's major rival in the genetics sector, leading to fierce competition between the two corporations. Rumors of sabotage and corporate espionage were commonplace, and the theft of company secrets was commonplace on both sides. Following the rebrand to Zavodskoi Interstellar, however, the corporation has significantly cut back on its genetics division, leaving Zeng-Hu as a mostly unchallenged monopoly in the field. With the two megacorporations no longer in direct competition, the relationship between them has warmed significantly, with Zavodskoi choosing instead to redouble its efforts against its main rival, Hephaestus Industries. Though the two do still compete in the robotics sector, so far this has been far less of a source of tension between them.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Inter-Corporate Relations

Einstein Engines

Einstein Engines and Zavodskoi have a fairly neutral relationship - though the two do compete in the robotics sector, Zavodskoi has purchased many Einstein-made warp drives for its vessels over the years, and the two have both had generous supply contracts with the Solarian military in the past. In the modern day, Zavodskoi has lost a great deal of these contracts, while Einstein continues to hold many highly valuable government and military contracts - a factor which contributed to Zavodskoi's withdrawal of much of its Solarian business. In spite of this, it continues to purchase warp drives from Einstein frequently, due to the rising cost of phoron fuel and the easy availability of helium-3 from Zavodskoi's new home in the Empire of Dominia.

Hephaestus Industries

Hephaestus and Zavodskoi are long-enduring rivals, with the two megacorporations competing extensively in industry, manufacturing, robotics and engineering fields for decades. Mutual sabotage and espionage are common between Hephaestus and Zavodskoi, with both corporations having extensively bankrolled privateers, saboteurs and other plausibly deniable agents to sabotage their rivals. As Zavodskoi has expanded into the Empire of Dominia and Hephaestus into the Izweski Hegemony, the Sparring Sea and Badlands have become two of the largest modern battlegrounds for the megacorporations, with corporate-funded pirates commonly targeting one another's vessels. Beyond the use of privateers, Zavodskoi has often been accused of funding radical anti-Hephaestus groups within the Izweski Hegemony, most notably the Champions of Moghes - a terrorist organization which has remained suspiciously well-equipped and well-informed of Hephaestus operations. Hephaestus, meanwhile, has often been suspected of bankrolling various Dominian rebel groups in recent years, in the hopes of weakening Zavodskoi's large investment in the Empire's development. Shared membership in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate has done nothing to quell the two giants' bitter feud, with only the shared threat of the phoron crisis forcing them into cooperation.

Idris Incorporated

Zavodskoi and Idris have been frequent competitors in the fields of security and IPC manufacturing, leading to a long-running mutual rivalry between the two corporation. Lyudmila Zavodskoi is known to have a personal distaste for Alex Mason, and Zavodskoi has frequently undercut Idris security operations in the Sol Alliance and Republic of Biesel. Zavodskoi employees are strongly discouraged from using Idris financial services, which NanoTrasen has done its best to encourage as many Zavodskoi employees in Biesel opt to make use of NanoTrasen banks instead. Idris has marketed its security division extensively as a high-class security option, with unstated implications of the marketing casting other corporations' security as little better than thuggish mercenaries, which Zavodskoi unsuccessfully attempted to sue Idris over. Though their rivalry is not as intense as that of Zavodskoi and Hephaestus, the two corporations remain on far from friendly terms.

NanoTrasen

Zavodskoi and NanoTrasen maintain a decent relationship, with little open conflict between the two corporations. Since the beginning of the phoron scarcity, however, Zavodskoi has taken full advantage of NanoTrasen's waning power in the Republic of Biesel, expanding its arms industry into the Republic. Since the formation of the Tau Ceti Armed Forces and the negotiation of several new supply contracts with Biesel's government, Zavodskoi has managed to take a great deal of business from NanoTrasen - seizing NT's position as the Republic's main weapons supplier. Though NanoTrasen still holds onto their original contract for the Tau Ceti Foreign Legion, the Minutemen and Republican Fleet are both almost entirely outfitted with Zavodskoi-made weapons, armor, and voidsuits. NanoTrasen has attempted to counteract this influence through the recent appointment of Nathan Trasen as Secretary of Defense - but even with a Trasen in such a prestigious position, Zavodskoi has still managed to secure a solid grasp on the Republic's military industry. NanoTrasen has increased funding to Nexus Corporate Security several times in an effort to use their newly-formed PMC to undermine Zavodskoi's security business in the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, with some measure of success.

Orion Express

Zavodskoi contributed large portions of its logistics division to Orion Express, and has maintained a decent relationship with the logistics corporation. Though their Solarian business has been scaled back substantially, Zavodskoi still relies on Orion vessels for transport of its goods in the Alliance, and Orion has been known to favor Zavodskoi security when outside force is required for particularly troublesome work. Orion's ties to Hephaestus are the largest source of tension between the two corporations, and Zavodskoi is rumored to have attempted to seed several of its own agents within Orion-Hephaestus joint operations in order to gather intelligence on their rival.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

When Zavodskoi Interstellar was still known as Necropolis Industries, it was Zeng-Hu's major rival in the genetics sector, leading to fierce competition between the two corporations. Rumors of sabotage and corporate espionage were commonplace, and the theft of company secrets was commonplace on both sides. Following the rebrand to Zavodskoi Interstellar, however, the corporation has significantly cut back on its genetics division, leaving Zeng-Hu as a mostly unchallenged monopoly in the field. With the two megacorporations no longer in direct competition, the relationship between them has warmed significantly, with Zavodskoi choosing instead to redouble its efforts against its main rival, Hephaestus Industries. Though the two do still compete in the robotics sector, so far this has been far less of a source of tension between them.

Idris Incorporated

Inter-Corporate Relations

Einstein Engines

Idris and Einstein have a generally positive relationship, with little need for competition. The vast majority of Idris-owned Shell IPCs are manufactured by Einstein, and their robotics division has allegedly developed several enhanced combat modifications for higher-end Idris Reclamation Units. Idris vessels tend to favor Einstein-produced warp drives over NanoTrasen-produced bluespace drives, with the exception of some of their higher-end security vessels and luxury yachts which advertise speed of travel as a major bonus. Following Solarian nationalization efforts, Idris and Einstein are the two most influential corporations in the Alliance, with Idris having paid high fees to avoid nationalization of its assets. This has given the two corporations a mutual goal - maintaining their own prominence in Solarian affairs, and ensuring that future anti-corporate legislation remains directed at their rivals. Einstein and Idris have both heavily invested in their own PR within the Alliance, remaining invested in Sol's future development.

Hephaestus Industries

Hephaestus and Idris remain on good terms, despite Hephaestus CEO Titanius Aeson's reported dislike of Idris CEO Alex Mason. Idris purchases many Hephaestus-made IPCs, particularly industrial models, for use as part of its security branch. Due to the lack of overlap between the two corporations' respective fields, little opportunity for conflict has arisen between Hephaestus and Idris, with the two corporations having been known to align on several issues - maintaining their power in the face of the increasingly antagonistic Sol Alliance and establishing further influence in the Republic of Biesel as NanoTrasen's control declines being the two main issues on which Hephaestus and Idris align.

NanoTrasen

NanoTrasen and Idris have never been fierce rivals, though Idris's continued prominence in Sol and its expansion into Biesel has led to tension between the two megacorporations. As Idris expanded its banking operations into NanoTrasen's center of power, NanoTrasen attempted to hold onto their banking business in Tau Ceti, incentivizing its employees to only make use of NanoTrasen banking instead - despite the many advantages that Idris held as a competitor. So far, Idris has been gradually expanding its presence in the Republic's financial sector, with many NanoTrasen employees switching to the use of Idris banks despite their employer's wishes. Idris has begun offering hiring bonuses to NanoTrasen employees in an effort to further weaken their power over Biesel's financial sector, as well as establishing branches in many of the former Solarian worlds of the Corporate Reconstruction Zone, where NanoTrasen holds much less direct influence. Though NanoTrasen has issued little official response to this, Idris transport vessels seem to commonly come under attack by pirates in the Reconstruction Zone, with many speculating the phoron giant is attempting to undermine confidence in Idris's renowned security.

Orion Express

Orion and Idris have little in the way of competition - though Orion has expanded into the service sector, they have targeted a very different clientele than Idris aims for. Idris relied on Meng Logistics Incorporated for several deliveries to Silversun prior to the formation of Orion Express, and reportedly advocated for the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate's purchase of the small shipping company in 2463. Orion avoided the wave of Solarian nationalization by formed after the creation of the Solarian Corporate Authority, but Idris has wielded its remaining influence in Sol against the voices pushing for Orion to be subject to the same harsh penalties of the rest of the SCC - ensuring that, at least for now, Orion remains able to operate freely in Alliance space.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Zavodskoi and Idris have been frequent competitors in the fields of security and IPC manufacturing, leading to a long-running mutual rivalry between the two corporation. Lyudmila Zavodskoi is known to have a personal distaste for Alex Mason, and Zavodskoi has frequently undercut Idris security operations in the Sol Alliance and Republic of Biesel. Zavodskoi employees are strongly discouraged from using Idris financial services, which NanoTrasen has done its best to encourage as many Zavodskoi employees in Biesel opt to make use of NanoTrasen banks instead. Idris has marketed its security division extensively as a high-class security option, with unstated implications of the marketing casting other corporations' security as little better than thuggish mercenaries, which Zavodskoi unsuccessfully attempted to sue Idris over. Though their rivalry is not as intense as that of Zavodskoi and Hephaestus, the two corporations remain on far from friendly terms.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

Idris and Zeng-Hu have never been direct competitors, with the two corporations operating in radically different sectors. Many Idris-patented cosmetics are manufactured by Zeng-Hu labs, and the pharmaceutical giant is known to favor Idris transport vessels for its high-value cargo. Rumors are commonly spread on the Extranet that Zeng-Hu genetic modification has been used to enhance Idris executives to be superior to their competition - though these are widely derided as nothing more than conspiracy theories. In recent years, the two corporations have come to face a common threat - the rising anti-corporate sentiment within the Sol Alliance, historically a stronghold for both Idris and Zeng-Hu. As Idris maintains one of the best relationships with the Alliance, and has proved one of the most difficult corporations for Sol to shake the influence of, Zeng-Hu has allegedly hired Idris public relations specialists to maintain their image within Sol, attempting to ensure that Alliance citizens maintain a favorable view of Zeng-Hu's operations.

Einstein Engines

Inter-Corporate Relations

Hephaestus Industries

Einstein is a major competitor for Hephaestus in the field of IPC manufacturing - in spite of this, however, the two megacorporations have long had a close working relationship, particularly in the Solarian shipbuilding industry. Many Hephaestus-manufactured civilian and military vessels in Sol are equipped with Einstein-made warp drives, especially after the refitting of the Solarian Navy to the Suzuki-Zhang Hammer Drive. If Hephaestus's membership in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate has been a source of tension between the two megacorporations, little sign of this has been shown openly, with the industrial giant continuing to work with Einstein on many of its Solarian assets. Rumors of Einstein providing ships and weaponry to groups such as the Exclusionists in the region around Burzsia - or of Hephaestus-backed privateers targeting Einstein vessels in the former Human Wildlands - remain only rumors, and have had little impact on the two companies' shared business.

Idris Incorporated

Idris and Einstein have a generally positive relationship, with little need for competition. The vast majority of Idris-owned Shell IPCs are manufactured by Einstein, and their robotics division has allegedly developed several enhanced combat modifications for higher-end Idris Reclamation Units. Idris vessels tend to favor Einstein-produced warp drives over NanoTrasen-produced bluespace drives, with the exception of some of their higher-end security vessels and luxury yachts which advertise speed of travel as a major bonus. Following Solarian nationalization efforts, Idris and Einstein are the two most influential corporations in the Alliance, with Idris having paid high fees to avoid nationalization of its assets. This has given the two corporations a mutual goal - maintaining their own prominence in Solarian affairs, and ensuring that future anti-corporate legislation remains directed at their rivals. Einstein and Idris have both heavily invested in their own PR within the Alliance, remaining invested in Sol's future development.

NanoTrasen

NanoTrasen and Einstein have been rivals for decades, since the discovery of phoron in 2417 and the subsequent invention of the bluespace drive. As bluespace largely superseded warp as a means of faster-than-light travel, NanoTrasen's power rose as Einstein's waned. Since then, the two companies have been fierce competitors, contending in court constantly over various trademarks, patents, and other legal issues. The phoron scarcity beginning in 2462 has led to a reversal of fortunes, with Einstein rising massively in prominence as NanoTrasen's power fades - leading NanoTrasen to spearhead the formation of the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate to attempt to combat their old rivals. The two corporations continue to clash to this day, with Einstein having found a foothold in the city of Phoenixport, Biesel - setting up shop in the heart of NanoTrasen's power. Though Einstein holds the clear advantage for now, NanoTrasen has worked tirelessly to try and slow the meteoric growth of their rival corporation - so far, to little effect, as phoron prices continue to rise and NanoTrasen stock prices continue to fall.

Orion Express

Einstein Engines and Orion have had little in the way of a working relationship, with the shipping corporation being formed largely from assets of their rivals at NanoTrasen. Einstein has reportedly advocated extensively for subjecting Orion to the same nationalization as faced by the other SCC corporations in the Sol Alliance - though so far to little effect, as Orion continues to operate freely within Solarian space. Outside of Sol, however, Einstein makes frequent use of Orion's shipping services, particularly within the Republic of Biesel and the Nralakk Federation - two nations where Orion is able to transport goods far more freely than Einstein.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Einstein Engines and Zavodskoi have a fairly neutral relationship - though the two do compete in the robotics sector, Zavodskoi has purchased many Einstein-made warp drives for its vessels over the years, and the two have both had generous supply contracts with the Solarian military in the past. In the modern day, Zavodskoi has lost a great deal of these contracts, while Einstein continues to hold many highly valuable government and military contracts - a factor which contributed to Zavodskoi's withdrawal of much of its Solarian business. In spite of this, it continues to purchase warp drives from Einstein frequently, due to the rising cost of phoron fuel and the easy availability of helium-3 from Zavodskoi's new home in the Empire of Dominia.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

The relationship between Zeng-Hu and Einstein is a generally positive one, with the two corporations cooperating extensively in several areas of mutual interest - their operations on the planet Konyang and mutual desire for expansion within the Nralakk Federation being the most noteworthy among these. Though Zeng-Hu's membership in the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate and Einstein's growing power within the Sol Alliance has led to a level of distrust between the two, their relationship has remained largely solid since the beginning of the phoron shortage. In 2466, Einstein and Zeng-Hu were both called upon by the government of Konyang to deal with the rampancy crisis, with Zeng-Hu's involvement leading to the wider Conglomerate working to address the problem.

Orion Express

Inter-Corporate Relations

Einstein Engines

Einstein Engines and Orion have had little in the way of a working relationship, with the shipping corporation being formed largely from assets of their rivals at NanoTrasen. Einstein has reportedly advocated extensively for subjecting Orion to the same nationalization as faced by the other SCC corporations in the Sol Alliance - though so far to little effect, as Orion continues to operate freely within Solarian space. Outside of Sol, however, Einstein makes frequent use of Orion's shipping services, particularly within the Republic of Biesel and the Nralakk Federation - two nations where Orion is able to transport goods far more freely than Einstein.

Hephaestus Industries

Despite competition in the mining industry, Hephaestus and Orion have little animosity between them. The two corporations cooperate frequently in the robotics field, as Orion's fledgling robotics division is not believed to be a serious threat to Hephaestus's investment in the same area. Since the formation of Orion Express, the two megacorporations have cooperated frequently in the Republic of Biesel, building several joint factories in orbit of the planet Reade in order to augment production there. Orion mining, however, has cut into Hephaestus's business, though so far this has remained a small detriment to the industrial titan. Prior to the Izweski Hegemony's economic collapse and Hephaestus's subsequent expansion, Orion worked closely with the Unathi Miners' Guild, with many of the Guild's leaders seeing involvement with Orion as a way to remain competitive with Hephaestus within the Hegemony. This arrangement came to an end with Hephaestus's acquisition of the Guild, however, with only those former guildsmen who refused to join Hephaestus still holding positions with Orion - for substantially less pay than before.

Idris Incorporated

Orion and Idris have little in the way of competition - though Orion has expanded into the service sector, they have targeted a very different clientele than Idris aims for. Idris relied on Meng Logistics Incorporated for several deliveries to Silversun prior to the formation of Orion Express, and reportedly advocated for the Stellar Corporate Conglomerate's purchase of the small shipping company in 2463. Orion avoided the wave of Solarian nationalization by formed after the creation of the Solarian Corporate Authority, but Idris has wielded its remaining influence in Sol against the voices pushing for Orion to be subject to the same harsh penalties of the rest of the SCC - ensuring that, at least for now, Orion remains able to operate freely in Alliance space.

NanoTrasen

NanoTrasen contributed the most resources to Orion Express's formation, and many of its executives are former NanoTrasen staff. As such, the relationship between the two companies has remained warm, with Orion taking over many NanoTrasen-held supply contracts across the Spur. Orion's continued operation in the Sol Alliance, and the fact that they continue to deal with Einstein Engines, has been a source of tension between the two megacorporations in recent years - but in spite of this, NanoTrasen and Orion continue to work together extensively across the Orion Spur. Though Orion's service industry has become a competitor to NanoTrasen's, this remains a small enough portion of both companies' business that it has not been a source of stress on the close relationship the two megacorporations share.

Zavodskoi Interstellar

Zavodskoi contributed large portions of its logistics division to Orion Express, and has maintained a decent relationship with the logistics corporation. Though their Solarian business has been scaled back substantially, Zavodskoi still relies on Orion vessels for transport of its goods in the Alliance, and Orion has been known to favor Zavodskoi security when outside force is required for particularly troublesome work. Orion's ties to Hephaestus are the largest source of tension between the two corporations, and Zavodskoi is rumored to have attempted to seed several of its own agents within Orion-Hephaestus joint operations in order to gather intelligence on their rival.

Zeng-Hu Pharmaceuticals

Since the formation of Orion Express, Zeng-Hu has made extensive use of the company's shipping services - Orion's operations within the Sol Alliance and Nralakk Federation proving highly beneficial to the keiretsu. Though Orion does operate in the robotics industry, its robotics division is viewed as insignificant and not posing any real threat to Zeng-Hu's own developments in the field. Many Zeng-Hu products are carried to destinations across the Orion Spur by Orion vessels, and the two megacorporations maintain a strong working relationship across the Spur.