GMS

“Only the company persists: all other thrones fall to dust.” – Houston, et al., “Foreword”, King of Kings: An Oral History of General Massive Systems.

Setting the Standard

The oldest and most ubiquitous of the galactic manufacturers, General Massive Systems (GMS) is an all-purpose supplier to all persons in Union Territory. From mech chassis to casual clothing, from prefab station bulkheads to coffee beans, GMS’s catalog contains a universe of goods, materials, and services. GMS products are widely considered the reliable baseline throughout the galaxy: anything worse than GMS is junk; anything better tends to be unique or luxury.
GMS came to prominence as an independent outfitter during the First Expansion Period and quickly grew to ubiquity as the development of nearlight drives pushed colonial efforts further and further. Seeing value in controlling an influential supplier, Union quickly nationalized GMS. The corporate entity became another arm of Union’s ever-expanding bureaucracy: a tool for standardizing the equipment and consumables used by the rapidly growing class of explorers, colonists, and scientists venturing out into the stars.

Maintaining the Standard

The importance of maintaining a galactic standard continued to grow as colonial expansion persisted and corporate competitors emerged. A basic line of tested equipment was needed to assess the improvements required for Cradle-designed gear; similarly, the consequences of time dilation were far more dramatic at the time, and standard, legacy-compatible equipment was needed to assure compliance across disparate eras.

For Union, by Union

Unlike the other manufacturers listed in this category, GMS doesn’t engage in world-building, colonial ventures, or expeditions – instead, it sets the standard upon which all others build, then supplies them with the gear they need. It creates the world of goods, services, equipment, and habitations most humans think of as “normal”. GMS’s power comes from its ability to unilaterally define what is acceptable everywhere in Union space: by nudging the bar ever upwards, it forces other manufacturers to develop alternatives that benefit humanity as a whole, even if they are developed for selfish, profit-driven reasons.
GMS rarely employs external contractors. Its headquarters is on Cradle, like the rest of Union’s central apparatus, and it has offices throughout the inhabited galaxy.

With the incredible wealth of Union behind it, GMS became that standard. Over the millennia, it has grown to become a massive department within Union and the standard against which all other manufacturers are measured. Today, GMS is an economic engine, one tool among many, that Union uses to promote its “brand” across the galaxy. Distinct from Union’s political and military organs, GMS provides an eternal reminder of soft power: GMS is everywhere – it is normal.

Type

Corporation, Conglomerate