Interplanetary Shipping - Northstar
The story of IPS-N is inseparable from the history of interstellar piracy. Whatever dangers the galaxy might hold, piracy remains the greatest threat to interstellar shipping lines, costing fleet managers and states hundreds of thousands in manna and trillions more in local currencies. Tremendous capital losses, schedule delays, losses of life, and false-scarcity famines convinced the myriad unions, conglomerates, and cartels of the need to comprehensively safeguard civilian shipping. A process of agglomeration and consolidation that lasted for years eventually gave birth to two major firms, Interplanetary Shipping and Northstar.
Interplanetary Shipping can trace its roots all the way back to the worker cooperatives that formed in the shipping yards of what is now known as Beacon. This was even long before the Colonial Earth Empire, let alone the silence. The workers here knew they were facing issues with piracy and rogue corpo-states and looked for possible solutions.
Northstar Guilds on the other hand, was a craftsman guild of shipwrights hailing from the planets within the boundries of the Thondorian Kingdoms. They built raiding carriers and longships for the kingdoms and had a robust catalogue of armaments to go with it. However, they lacked not only the resources, but also the industrial infrastructure neccessary to produce ships for widespread distribution.
IPS-N was formed to help allieviate the challenges both corporations faced, especially with the growing influence of Musuran Guilds and the corpo-states coming out of the Core Systems and the Great Expanse. Together, they formed one of the longest laasting inter-galactic organizations known to man. It has survived to its current state, with strict oversite from the Union, who see the intergalactice conglomerate as a means to spread Union influence. It still remains a worker owned cooperative, but many in the Union look at IPS-N as a neccessary evil to deal with the capitalist entities scattered around the Orion Arm.
The vast web of systems that is IPS-N constructs and distributes a wide range of platforms and goods. They build everything from Gate Runners to mechanized walker units. They produce larger scale weapons as well as software to operate them. IPS-N has a reputation for producing durable, easy to use, and easily modifiable spacecraft. Their fighters are used all over the galaxy by pilots who seeks a more practical approach to ship design, and who like to make their own modifications based on their area of operation. Their manufacturing capabilities can be seen all over the Mid Rim.
Interplanetary Shipping - Northstar dances a fine line between becoming their own independent Corpo-State, an Imperial entity within the Union of Socialist Systems and a direct political influencer working at the behest of the Union itself. In the past, ISP-N provided the weapons, ships and munitions needed for the Commonwealth, the Republican Remnant and the Union to free themselves from the shackles of the Core Systems. In recent years, little has changed and ISP-N has been in the business of distributing weapons and arms throughout the Mid-Rim. Union officials have determined it prudent to arm and outfit nations that share the same values as them, instead of them capitualiting to the Cartels, the Corpo-States, or the Empire. But mistakes are made, and under a multi-national, multi-billion personnel company is likely to make some mistakes. IPS-N mechs have been spotted operating by not only rebels but also for @Starand Thondorian Clans. The union has gone to great lengths to extradite rogue corporate officers who oversaw the distribution to Union-deemed terrorists, but has continued to intentionally support organizations they deem as "emancipatory in nature".
The starships and fighters designed by Interplanetary Shipping - Northstar are rugged and reliable. Fighters like the IPS-N T31 "Spear" are highly customizable, and easily outfitted and repaired. They see a wide range of use not only by the Union of Socialist Systems but also by a wide variety of forces all across the mid and outer rims. Many pilots are on record as stating that IPS-N starships are tough, sturdy, and extremely reliable.
IPS-N mechs are a good choice for pilots who want a tough chassis that’s built for close quarters and melee combat situations, such as when the possibility of breaching a ship hull is on the table. IPS-N chassis are sturdy, meant to take as much damage as they deal – and then some.
IPS-N is closely associated with Starwatch, an anti-piracy and peacekeeping force known across the galaxy for its long history of humanitarian interventions. IPS-N supports the Starwatch materially, providing it with chassis, ships, cutting-edge technology, and temporal rehabilitation worlds for its pilots and crews to retire in relative peace. The relationship is mutually beneficial; IPS-N makes a point to emphasize its close relationship to the Starwatch in marketing campaigns and PR materials.
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