The Colonial Agency
The Colonial Agency: Forging New Horizons
A Legacy of Colonization
In the early days of the Horizon, when it was still an enigmatic frontier to the Zenithians, the Yriedes family laid the foundation for an agency with a singular mission – financing, launching, and establishing new colonies. Over time, the Colonial Agency evolved, shifting its primary focus from founding colonies to financing, educating, and leasing advanced technology to independent entrepreneurs embarking on mining operations, establishing colonies, and launching factories. To nurture the Horizon's talent, they operate the Colonial Agency's Higher Education school on Coriolis, which trains the region's most exceptional scouts, explorers, and colonists. The cream of the crop among graduates often finds themselves recruited into the Colonial Rangers, special ops units adept at handling sensitive investments requiring subtlety beyond The Legion's brute force.
Facilitating Industrial Progress
The Agency boasts investments in The Consortium's heavy industry, providing access to resources such as dust trawlers, mining drones, mobile smelters, and other heavy machinery for lease by enterprising entrepreneurs. Their transportation network includes Hyperion shuttles and bulk haulers to efficiently move resources and goods across the Horizon.
Diverse Clientele
While the Zenithians and The Consortium are primary clients, the Colonial Agency serves a broader clientele, including many Firstcome rulers and merchants. Recent additions, like the Iconocrate of Sadaal, have sought their services, highlighting the agency's wide-ranging influence.
Controversial Reputation
The Colonial Agency's role comes with privileges but also exposes it to significant risks. For many, the agency is synonymous with exploitation, seen as a parasitic corporation siphoning resources from planets and capitalizing on the proceeds. This sentiment is particularly pronounced on Algol, where the agency maintains a robust presence but is intensely despised. Accusations have been leveled against them, with some blaming the agency for causing a catastrophic natural disaster that drained an entire ocean in the relentless pursuit of precious minerals on the ocean floor.
Celebrated Pioneers
Notable colonial agents who have made groundbreaking discoveries often become celebrities in their own right. Their insights and advice are highly sought after for large-scale projects. Figures like Ares Kleon, who uncovered the Uharu-12 diamonds, or Minna Jifha, who mapped the silk fields on Menkar and surveyed the monolith there, are frequently associated with new expeditions and Bulletin reports. In contrast, the agency's council member, Desaron Kai, maintains a relatively low profile.
A Reluctance for Archaeology
The Colonial Agency actively avoids involvement in archaeological expeditions, particularly after a disastrous incident on Menkar where a monolith crumbled and collapsed. Such endeavors are now left in the capable hands of The Foundation, though collaborations between the two factions are not unheard of.
