SPACE HIGHWAYSThe Milky Way is a vast collection of stars, planets, meteors and dust clouds spread throughout light years of space. While Prometheus helped map out nearly the entirety of the galaxy, by no means is the Milky Way considered fully explored. Nevertheless, major routes have been established for safe travel by the Terran Alliance. Each faction is responsible for keeping sections of this course safe. These patrolled highways are mapped out by ship navigation systems and are generally safe from pirates.
More active parts of these space highways are not only patrolled regularly, but utilized by businesspersons. Galactic malls, cosmic hotels and refuel stations with diners are scattered throughout the highways, supplying needs to travelers. Some of these businesses are even daring enough to set up shop in less savory areas, though they charge far more capital then in safer zones. Below are some of the more common businesses which can be found along the Space Highway.
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Biff’s Space Station
Biff’s Space Station is a staple in Milky Way culture. Opened up nearly forty years ago by an Ullitor cook named Biff Toracan, the fueling post /diner has exploded with business within its short tenure. Biff’s has nearly 10,000 stations spread across the Milky Way and is the wealthiest independent business in the galaxy. Biff, now a billionaire, has refused to sell the rites to his chain, causing some unruffled feathers with Prometheus Enterprises. Regardless, the small set-up continues to flourish, due to its ease, simplicity and many locations.
Biff’s Space Station design is a tree shape of platforms (usually ten) that lead into one single harbor building. The harbor is typically a three floor cylinder with an engine room, dorm space for employees and topside diner. The diner can seat up to fifty and is manned by a set of bots, cook, station manager and waiting staff. “Biff’s” is known it’s Biff Ball, a 1 pound sphere of synthetic meat, onions and special sauce. Biff’s also has a special Green Giant flavored drink, which is a mouthful of glowing emerald that is not only thirst-quenching, but enriched with caffeine.
Biff has adds all throughout the galaxy and advertises its gritty owner as the mascot. The company markets Biff as a blue collar tough-guy, with axe in one hand and tray in the other. The tray is filled with the galaxy famous Biff Ball and Green Giant. Ironically, Biff himself has moved to Earth where he lives in a luxurious mansion with all of lavish amenities life has to offer. His children Siegfried and Fiona are due to inherit the mansion after his demise.
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Prometheus Shopping Center
Prometheus has combined effortlessness with efficiency by coordinating Prometheus Shopping Centers. The enormous complexes are located in secured orbits such as the Earth’s solar system, The Gleise solar system and the Epsilon Eridani solar system. They are an amalgamation of goods stores and lavish shops. Most Prometheus Shopping Centers have nearly one-hundred shops in all, with everything from spacecraft parts dealers to exotic furnishing exchanges. The centers also usually have weapons dealers, explorer outlets and food markets.
Prometheus Shopping Centers are also known for their information resources. Hundreds-of-thousands of travelers come by each week, sharing trade and rumors. Most dealers are considerably informed about their market, from new product to the best deals. Furthermore, because most registered citizens buy from Prometheus Shopping Centers, you can learn a lot about Terran Alliance politics. From T.A.F. corruption charges to whose on Prometheus’s chopping block, it’s all accessible to those who know how to ask.
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Cardovian Space Hotels
The Cardovian Space Hotels are a subsidiary of Prometheus Enterprises, copyrighted by the corporation, but sold to independent owners looking to do business under the franchise name. Cardovian Space Hotels became a bustling business during the first years of intersolar system travel, when travelers needed places to stay after long stretches throughout the reaches of the galaxy.
Cardovian Space Hotels started off as a single level space port, but developed into their trademark edifice, a multilevel complex with a ship wash station, hospital wing and night club in the later years of business. They specialize in lavish creature comforts such as customizable rooms, spa dens and trendy bars while caring for the necessities like the restocking of space crafts, ship cleansing and clinical care.
The late owner, Mateo Cardovian, wanted a cozy place to relax while offering the comforts that only Earth can provide. However, as Mateo began to age, Prometheus Enterprises offered the late businessman a bid he couldn’t refuse and soon Cardovian Space Hotels became not only comforting, but trendy and indispensable. Those who need rest outside of their ships come for the hospitality, those who need their crafts sanitized come for the decontamination treatments and those still who are sick come for the medical clinics. It’s a one-stop facility known throughout the galaxy.
Prices tend to be manageable, but are by no means inexpensive. Rooms alternate from bunks to V.I.P. suites; drinks range from standard to luxurious and medical treatment can start at a routine checkup, but go all the way up to emergency surgery. And with Cardovian’s foam distillation treatments for space vessels offered at discounted rates, travelers will often find that they’ve spent far more on their overnight visit than they had previously expected.
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Prometheus Casino Cruises
The Prometheus Casino Cruises began as a gimmick to lure in early space enthusiasts during the late 22nd century, but quickly transformed into one of the most lucrative tour businesses in the galaxy. Prometheus cruises can be as short as a three day voyage around the Solar System or as long as a six week trip across the galaxy. They provide lodging, gambling and entertainment for families or career gamblers. While starting prices for one of these cruises can cost as much as home on Gleise 581c, some argue that its worth it. For Prometheus Cruises can make you feel like a king, if not for just one stay.
Most basic cruises allow visitors to enjoy simple gambling tables, family shows and entrance to the indoor beach. However, if one really wants to go all out, they can purchase the VIP treatment which allows them their pick of any luxury suite, a personal elevator throughout the ship, access to private parts of the vessel and a personal assistant. VIP’s also get a large sum of complimentary gambling chips, private shows with guest celebrities and a private booth at the cruise’s multiple nightclubs. This VIP treatment has been looked at as a status achievement, as it takes a certain client with enough capital to be welcomed to Prometheus’s club. Everyone from corporate chairmen to politicians can be found on these ships, making them all that much more lavish.
One might think that so many important people spending copious amounts of money in a single location would put the crafts in danger of being attacked by pirates. That idea though would be incorrect. For Prometheus not only cruises with a liner of twelve escort fighters, but also the best installed plasma shields and engines in the galaxy. This makes it nearly impossible to attack. And with cruise ships constantly being monitored as they travel through the secure space highways, guests can rest assure knowing that only the most foolish would attempt to attack the ship.
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Milky Way Saloons
Since the expansion of the Milky Way, Saloons have once again flourished throughout territories of the Terran Allied Forces. These bar like inns serve traveling customers such as game hunters, explorers, prospectors, miners and gamblers. They can be found on lesser known planets, nestled in tiny settlements or within secluded space stations on the outskirts of space. A pair of "batwing" doors still remain at the entrances of many establishments, a distinctive feature that indicates to visitors what type of inn they’re entering. Liquor, gambling, live music and dancing girls are trademarks of the saloon and help increase profit while catering to the basic needs of visitors.
The process of developing a saloon has many different stages. When a town is first founded, the initial saloons are often nothing more than shacks which serve rotgut and lumpy beds. Many make their mark by customizing house whiskies in order to make themselves known. Some of the more infamous whiskies include "Tanglefoot, Forty-Rod, Tarantula Juice, Taos Lightning, Red Eye, and Coffin Varnish." Other offerings included Cactus Wine (made from a mix of tequila and peyote tea) and Mule Skinner (made with whiskey and blackberry liquor). If the saloon can manage to survive long enough to receive the support of locals, it may soon may be the town’s unofficial "watering trough, cantina, grogshop, or gin mill”. This is when saloons truly begin to flourish.
The hard liquor options improve, often featuring whiskey imported from Earth or Earth’s Moon. They start opening their doors twenty-four hours a day, providing live musical bands, ladies of the night and gambling tables. Mixologists are imported as bartenders and technology is upgrade. To help keep order, robots are often used as card dealers as to avoid cheating and security is posted within the walls. Buildings are constructed of quality materials and landing pads are assembled. Soon the tavern is at its zenith, making large sums of capital and becoming powerful entities within their community. Some of the more well known saloons include “The Broken Bird” on Zeptimon 5, “The Gas Miner’s Daughter,” on Bacchus 38C and “The Leaky Cup Alehouse” on Protega.
Fri Aug 24, 2012 12:36 pm
