Deep Space Engineering (player faction)
- This is a player faction. For the affiliated NPC faction, see Deep Space Engineering
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Description
Formed in the dawn of Libertonian life in Sirius, Deep Space Engineering has held a central position of infrastructural development in the sector. The ongoing project of building and maintaining the physical gate/lane network has always been the primary directive of DSE, but it has lead to the emergence of several secondary roles; exploration, mineral extraction and processing, and ship construction also adorn the corporate profile. DSE is fundamental to the influential position of Liberty in Sirius today.
Ageira, Universal Shipping, and Deep Space Engineering share a threefold partnership - that is, Ageira creates the Jumpgate and Tradelane parts, Universal ships them to the DSE sites, and DSE places the parts into the rest of the Jumpgate or Tradelane machinery that they have constructed. This is how it has been done for centuries, and it has led to the growth and prospering of all companies involved. They are the architects of Sirius, linking the colonies together with Jumpgates and Tradelanes. Without their watchful eyes over the Jumpgate and Tradelane the system, Sirius would fall apart and the ease of travel and communication we take for granted would no longer exist.
Deep Space Engineering has recently ventured into 'the unknown' of the business world, putting together project Dallas - A large clean up effort in Texas after the hyper-gate incident; hoping to reduce the amount of radioactive material in space with the ultimate goal of making the system habitable once again. They are working closely with the Junkers to achieve this goal, using a mobile refinery and a selection of Combat service Freighters. Deep Space Engineering is also starting a project in Pennsylvania to assist new pilots in the transition into space life, working with Lincoln Research Institute with hopes on reducing Lawls syndrome, and crime rates in Liberty space.
History
- The first steps - Ancient history
Founded in 51 A.S. with the merging of several major Manhattan construction firms, Deep Space Engineering sprouted into a massive conglomerate aiming to take advantage of the opportunities of space. The contract to build the first Baltimore Shipyards secured the corporation initial success and after completing the shipyards in 58 A.S., DSE began construction colonization ships with the newly developed Ageira drives. Over the next decades, Deep Space Engineering held its position as the primary construction and mining corporation in Liberty. The technology exchanges between the houses spurred an increase in production, leading to rapidly growing consumption of mineral resources in New York. In 128 the massive Dallas research station is completed in Texas; Ageira Technologies and the Liberty military begin work on several secret projects, including jump gate technology. In 145, DSE begins preparing Planet Los Angeles for agriculture by bombarding it with ice asteroids for the purpose of lowering the salinity of the atmosphere. In the following years, further terraforming and cloud seeding is conducted by DSE making Los Angeles the primary food source of Liberty. In 185, the jumpgate project is unveiled to the rest of Sirius. Four years later, DSE finishes construction of the first gates, between New York and Colorado. The mineral abundance of Colorado is thereby made significantly more available, cutting a three month trip to mere minutes. In early third century, most of the Liberty systems are connected by gates and construction is begun in the other houses. As funding becomes an increasingly pressing matter, Deep Space Engineering and Ageira Technologies fund the inception of Interspace Commerce. By the fourth century, New York is depleted of minerals leaving Liberty entirely dependent on Colorado and Texas. The first trade lanes are also built across Liberty by DSE. By the sixth century, Liberty mineral resources are nearly exhausted. Low-yield chemical extraction is put to some use on depleted deposits in Colorado, however Liberty is now dependent on minerals from Rheinland. After the Kusari and Rheinland embargo of Liberty, the ownership of gates and lanes is turned over to their respective houses. DSE still manages all construction of new gates and lanes, however. In 650, significant deposits of Boron were discovered on Pittsburgh. The DSE mining operation was established in 660 and the corporate headquarters were also moved there from Baltimore Shipyard in 698.
- The modern era - Two companies combine
While Deep Space Engineering continues to reap profit from gate/lane construction in the ninth century, the corporation has largely stagnated in terms of development. With the emergence of the new Liberty corporation Duchess Industries with by a young and astute leadership, the DSE board saw a potential opportunity. They watched the corporation closely. Lars Johansen entered the freight profession in 814 A.S. with a Universal Shipping contract. With the contract came a Mammoth transport, which he christened The Duchess Blue after his recently-deceased cat, Duchess. The contract also afforded him a lifestyle that suited him well; he settled down and performed above and beyond his contract. He did, however, have significantly higher ambitions, so later that year he took out a loan for a Whale in an attempt to boost his profits. It proved to be a highly worthwhile investment and his contract with Universal was soon upgraded and renewed. At this point, freelance freight contracting became the limitation to his ambitions. Therefore, Lars sold his contract with Universal in 816 and used the profits to start a comparatively small freight business, Duchess Shipping. Within a few short weeks some freelancers took an interest in the company and were soon hired. Three large transports and an escort now made up the company fleet and earnings were soaring. Competition from Universal and other shipping corporations now became a pressing issue. Fortunately, this obstacle coincided with profits reaching a level capable of accommodating Lars's plans.
In early 817 A.S., it was decided to integrate and expand into the mining and construction sectors of Liberty industry. At this point, Deep Space Engineering made their move: Duchess Industries was absorbed into DSE and in return Lars Johansen was given a place on the Controlling Board. This greatly facilitated DSE expansion into the freight industry and reduced dependence on Universal Shipping to supply construction sites. As expected, this set in motion a series of events that led to an invigorated DSE in a new era of expansion and modernization. A convenient venue of this corporate energy presented itself with the arrival of Survey Vessel Armstrong in Coronado. The order was given to closely appraise the IMG presence there and observe their movements in order to determine potential targets for, among other things, mining. Though the most obvious opportunity had already been claimed by IMG on Planet Pecos, Coronado was full of plenty more for the taking.
- A new era for Liberty - the great Tremont operation
In the latter part of 817, DSE surveyors discovered Platinum Ore within the rings of the planet Tremont in the Pennsylvania system. There appeared to be massive, nearly limitless quantities contained within the sweeping rings of the planet. DSE quickly brought out some of its rusty mining ships, and within days was constructing more, the beginnings of the Tremont Mining Fleet. More independent contractors soon realised just how profitable this ore could be, and joined DSE in its endeavours to mine the rings of their riches. Pirates were a constant threat, as criminal bases of all sorts could be found within this part of the Pennsylvania system - but DSE managed to cleave its way into massive commerical success with the operations. Soon, a barge - The Radiance - was commissioned to provide a semi-permanent base near Tremont. The hauls were incredible, and DSE was prospering almost unbelievably. Whatever money it made was directed straight back into the mining fleet - more mining ships, more transports, more escorts. Another barge, The Brilliance, was created within the span of a few months by Deep Space Engineering. It was also moved out to the Tremont rings.
- Hopes dashed, fears realised - the great crash
But then, disaster struck. The surveyors had been wrong - somehow, they had been incredibly wrong. The platinum within the was not nearly as dense as the surveyors had initially predicted - it came in pockets, true enough. It was hypothesised that the surveyors had somehow only sampled the most dense pockets of platinum. But this did not matter - the facts were plain. DSE was almost completely invested in mining. There was almost nothing left to mine, just platinum dust. The company crashed overnight, leaving the Brilliance and Radiance in the orbit of Tremont, the Brilliance recently crippled by a pirate raid. Another barge, the Incandescence, was left three-quarters completed in the shipyard. Mining ships were abandoned on sight, as were
