Comm-Link:The Observist - Area18, ArcCorp, Stanton

Greetings, traveler, there are millions of sights to see in the universe. The team at THE OBSERVIST is here to make sure you get the best traveling experience possible.

Stanton System. The name itself tends to evoke a variety of reactions. Discovered by Toshi Aaron, many speculated that the system, with its massive SuperEarths, could provide cheaper real estate for millions. The UEE had other plans. Thirty-one years after the inception of Project Archangel or, as it is more commonly known, the Synthworld, the government was hemorrhaging credits and needed a monetary infusion.

As they terraformed the worlds in Stanton, they began fielding offers from the largest MegaCorps in the Empire, essentially putting the worlds up for sale. Wasn’t long before they had some buyers. The Empire had their money and history had its first Business Planets.

ARCCORP
The third planet in Stanton carries an ironic distinction with it. The planet was sold to fund the Synthworld, yet the planet has been transformed into, at least on the surface, a synthetic world. Taking a page from the Xi’An approach to geoplanning, ArcCorp sculpted, zoned and built upon the primary landmasses to maximize their earning potential. They will rent office, factory or production space to anyone who has the Credits to pay.

Even though an overwhelming portion is covered in the unending Sprawl, there are only a handful of places to land for travelers making their way through the system. Of those, one has become the most trafficked:

INTRODUCING AREA18

Here at THE OBSERVIST, we’d normally start our segments by describing the approach in the hopes of igniting your imagination about why this spot is the place to land on the surface.

We can’t really do that here. Area18 is just another spot in the Sprawl. One of the few that happens to be cleared for interplanetary traffic. Sure, a vista of architecture expanding as far as the eye can see is still pretty spectacular, but you have to land here because … well, you don’t have a choice.

You do get a nice view of the ArcCorp headquarters … so that’s something, I guess.

Of course, you could go check out any number of familiar stores: CenterMass, Abernathy Interiors, Dumper’s Depot, Casaba, et cetera, et cetera, but we know you want the real dig about Area18.

LANDING CONTROL will guide you down to the surface. Once you get out of your ship, however, there’s just one more stop before things get interesting.

Customs is never fun. Period. So swing by the ArcCorp Bar to get your head right to appreciate what’s to come. We’re not talking about the drinks either; we found LEV CRONENBERG, patron and co-owner (seemingly in that order). After a career in Vanduul and Xi’An theaters, he bought a share of the spot with his retirement money and has been having a blast ever since.

A fair bit of warning though, security is taken very seriously on the surface. ArcCorp has enlisted (notorious) private security firm BlackJack Securities to maintain the peace. LT MICHAEL CALLUM is the security rep in charge of Area18. Here’s a piece of advice, if you’re having problems, make the trek to the ADVOCACY OFFICE instead.

CUBBY BLAST has all the hallmarks of a basic weapons shop: inventory on display, options to install purchases on your ship, the occasional sale, but it’s the man behind the register who sets this store apart from the pack. A Cathcart expatriate, CLOR VEE brings a seemingly inexhaustible knowledge of his wares along with a hint of danger, as we’re sure that his familiarity comes from personal experience.

Upshot is, ArcCorp is a sight to see. This epic fever dream of industry on a planetary scale is something that you won’t find anywhere else in Human space.

Of course, we could talk about it all day, but it’s really something you need to observe for yourself.