The Syndicate of the Human Expanse

2156: COMMODORE E. RAMMAGE PERSONAL LOG

A transcript from the personal logs of Commodore Earl Rammage.
The Syndicate's been chasing our collective tail feathers longer than I've been in command of so much as a rubber dinghy. A collection of companies, who came under the same banner during The Flag War, The Syndicate of the Human Expanse took a... modified route through globalization and corporate culture.
Might be hard to consider this, it was when I was young, but Syndicate, Conglomerate, Haven, they're nothing to do with old school geography. Sure, certain nations bought into one over another, but each of the three major powers left on planet Earth are a true global collective in their own rights. Syndicate companies were from almost every nation, same as Conglom.
They function in Stems and their security stems make me seem warm and fuzzy hearted.
Odd thing happened, when Lieben took over her pounds of flesh, people survived. Cancer patients, who couldn't afford treatment got it, pre-screening for diseases, seeing a doctor, supplements and medications (long as a person was ok with Lieben's off-brand) were free. Heck, hungry? Go get a free lunch.
I don't know how Lieben did it, but the population of the globe began to skyrocket. By the 2050's we were already tilting out of control, the death in the Flag War was a drop in an overfilled bucket. But not everyone was okay with pig liver or artificial kidneys.
And this is where the Syndicate made its true bank. With so many people living for freaking ever, who ran the equipment, worked the factories, who harvested the eyes or skin or livers or lungs the elites required to stay on their tip top tier?
The Syndicate moves people. Uses people in a way that makes my ex-wife jealous. And yet, if you're valuable, if you have a high enough social score, your life is as comfortable as you make it. Truth of the matter: nobody cares who makes the t-shirt as long as it's a good price at the store. Nobody asks who put the ore in the bucket when machines were still freaking expensive, and death stipends were still ten times less cost?
It's not how I like to do business, guess you can see why I prefer the Conglom.

Structure

• President's Council
• Vice Presidents
• Stem Council
• Stem Officers
• Workers

Culture

Those who hold value receive the benefits of a just society. Those who hold lesser to no value carry those whose worth is greater. It is the way of all life that hierarchy & meritocracy rule over baser instincts. By testing and codifying others into their proper place, the Syndicate can delineate resources where they will receive the most return on investment.

Public Agenda

• Stability through Structure
• Proof of Worth is Tantamount to Proof of Life
• Insurance that the Worthy Be Fed

Assets

Scattered through the globe, Syndicate facilities, towns and cities are on every continent with heavy concentrations in North & Central America, South East Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa.

History

The Syndicate began as a combining of multiple biomedical research companies, mining operations and textile factories in the 2070's. Banding together during The Flag War, the Syndicate usurped or overtook a massive amount of smaller companies and hedge funds by the end of the War. 
It became a powerhouse in medical research and pharmaceuticals, materials research and energy production until Control Day in 2105. 
Since then, the Syndicate fell back to the more macabre levels of organ harvesting, factory worker transfer and human labour.

Territories

Pockets throughout the Globe.

Technological Level

Redacted

Religion

All religions are taboo in the Syndicate. Practicing beliefs of any kind other than state sponsored Atheism is a dock in social points most cannot afford.

Foreign Relations

Although both the Syndicate and the Conglom are not endeared in any means to the Mama Machine Lieben, I'd rather stomach a home cooked meal with machine oil dressing than sit at a table with Syndicate people. 
Takes a lot to realize I'm more disgusted with them, than her.

Agriculture & Industry

They broke into our seed bank trying to find palatable cuisine. I'm guessing they don't have much. From debrief interviews conducted with Syndicate Flesher survivors, we know the majority of lower-scale members eat bugs. Cricket hatcheries, ant hills, weird larvae. The lot. 
Only the Elites get meat. 
This is a stark difference to life in the Conglom. Anyone can splurge on meat, and most of us have our breakfast pastries with a heavy dose of cricket powder for the nuttiness and protein.

Trade & Transport

Truth is, we've been trying to shut down their naval shipping lanes for decades. The Stem leadership keeps switching things up the moment we get a handle on where they'll be and when.

Human Expansion Through Sacrifice

Founding Date

2074

Type

Consortium, Business

Alternative Names

Syndicate; Fleshers

Government System

Corporatocracy

Power Structure

Transnational government

Economic System

Mixed economy

Currency

Credit Card & Synda

Legislative Body

The President's Council

Judicial Body

The Oceanic Stems

• The Pacific Stem
• The Atlantic Stem
• The Indian Stem
• The Baltic Stem

Neighboring Nations

• The Conglomerate of Gaia

Related Species

• Homo Sapiens
• Mutates