Charon Shipping Services, despite the name, is one of the leading companies in Elyra's biggest industry. Taking a lion's share of the phoron contracts made available, they have garnered an extremely effective and experienced mining force to be used in all variety of resource extraction across the Orion Spur. Charon miners often report issues going from mining in such bountiful conditions as the extremely pure Phoron deposits of Elyra to the much more feasible and average purities of other nations. Working conditions for miners are about average for the Spur, with some notable improvements in Elyran sites, at least for citizens. NCPs often see intensive use in the more gruelling jobs, especially in high-risk sites, and rarely work with anything except the most expendable of equipment.
| Headquarters: | The Floating Garden, Damascus II |
| Motto: | نقل الحریه
"Shipping Freedom" |
| Founded: | 2109 |
| Major Sectors: | Freight, Phoron Operations, Mining |
| Minor Sectors: | Robotics |
| Affiliates: | Republic of Elyra |
| Rivals: | Hephaestus Industries |
Originating in what is now modern day Istanbul, Charon Shipping Services began as a purely earth-bound venture in the Greco-Turkish Economic Zone some time around 2109, originally named Styx Logistics. Gathering significant capital through a series of hostile takeovers, they eventually absorbed a fledging bluespace freight company, taking to the stars in 2200 to test a series of ships, before successfully purchasing a contract to take on the colonisation efforts of Epsilon Eridani. Despite being so early to the market, Styx Logistics failed to properly capitalise on the potential of interstellar shipping, and the market remained much more diverse than other markets for quite some time. As the company was on its last legs, an Elyran consortium appealed the government in 2296 to take over Styx Logistics' considerable number of exclusivity contracts, resulting in a hostile takeover in 2297. It is believed that this hostile takeover was motivated by a sense of Elyran nationalism, and anger that the nation did not yet have its own true megacorporation. Following this acquisition, the company was rebranded to what is now the largest shipping congolomerate in the entire Orion Spur, being the governmental favourite logistics company for mining, freight and contract-manufacture of robots.
What do they do?
The bread and butter of the corporation, their mining operations have been vertically integrated with shipping to take the minerals directly to the customer. The shipping network is the most extensive in the Orion Spur, making use of large-scale - and sometimes exclusive rights to - shipping corridors to move as much cargo as quickly as possible. This cargo may not always arrive in one piece, customers often report that rough handling conditions lead to their package taking some variety of damage, and it seems like every week there's a new exposé regarding the damage caused by underpaid NCP workers.
Despite not actually owning any designs, being the favourite corporation of the Elyran government grants Charon certain contracting privileges that let them enter the robotics market with absolutely zero experience. Charon engineers started off by effectively having a shuttle of Charon recruiters go around Elyra grabbing any half-baked robotics student and gathering them into a workshop to repair licensed designs. It has, in the last thirty years, become a much more professional affair, with reforms making the repair and manufacture of other companies' designs on license much easier. Despite this, the reputation of being rough and ready precedes them, and Charon's robotics specialists will always be seen as doing slightly subpar work.
Corporate Culture
Ever since their purchase by a variety of nationalist investors, Charon Shipping Services' priorities are heavily aligned with the priorities and beliefs of the Republic of Elyra. Given that the company is effectively nationalised, or at least closely tied to the government in a strange monopolistic sense, one can often use the policy changes of Charon to predict the practical effects of how a law in Elyra will be received. Employees, regardless of nationality, are treated as if they are representing the best of Elyra, and as such are often heavily chastised for any explicit views regarding Non-Citizen Persons, Elyran Sovereignty and criticism of Elyran debauchery laws. While not official policy, it is well known that debauchery laws are considered heavily during promotions, and employees who are looking to improve their status with their manager often quit at least one vice or learn to keep it hidden.
Regarding this, public facing image has always been important, and very frequently Charon harks back to earthen days and especially West Asian history when choosing their architecture, and nothing quite expresses this as much as the headquarters of Charon Shipping Services: The Floating Garden of Damascus II. Consisting of the latest in Elyran hover technology, the building is less of a building and more of a series of bridges connecting floating offices, meeting rooms and recreational areas. Milling between all of this is a swarm of potted plants, vines and various exotic flora, all meticulously maintained and cared for by an army of gardeners who wear a strange mix of traditional Arab patterns on hologram clothing. The architecture itself is almost Babylonian, and the entire structure is a clear homage to the Hanging Gardens of that self-same extinct nation.
In terms of service, Charon has always and will always prioritise speed of service over quality or safety. While they take measures to avoid damages where they can, it is not uncommon for fragile parts to arrive damaged or broken, and the notoriously difficult refund process is the whisper of nightmares amongst corporate accountants, with some companies having individuals dedicated to purely dealing with issuing Charon customer complaints. Despite these damages, the speed of the service is so great that many are willing to undertake such a risk in order to have their package arrive weeks or even months earlier, depending on the distances being travelled. This emphasis of speed is felt throughout the company, with even miners being "scrambled" to their shifts akin to fighter pilots.
Relationships
"Charon is the Republic, and the Republic is Charon. Our national pride depends upon them." - Farid Kartal, Prime Minister of the Republic of Elyra, on why Charon Shipping Services requires such a large subsidy on their latest mining operation, 2587
The previous statement is a perfect summary of the relationship between The Republic of Elyra and Charon Shipping Services. The corporation has become the pride of the Elyran people, especially since their control over so many nations' logistics gives them a position in which they can threaten the livelihoods of those who criticise their treatment of NCPs. Charon money has made Elyra rich, and they are often offered first pickings in newly discovered phoron fields or open contracts for shipping and logistics. Charon is the Elyran company, plain and simple, and the government has more than simply the economy invested in keeping Charon afloat, to the point that even the most unprofitable or unnecessary venture may be subsidised or funded.
"Charon Shipping Services denies all allegations of stifling delivery speeds within the United Nations Interstellar Protectorate. Accusations of punishment regarding the Protectorate's stance on sheltering Non-Citizen Person so-called 'refugees' are entirely baseless." - Mahir el-Amini, PR Spokesperson of Charon Shipping Services, at a UNIP hearing regarding corporate overreach, 2542
Of all of the interstellar nations that interact with corporations on a regular basis, The United Nations Interstellar Protectorate is by far the one with the most issues taken against Charon Shipping Services. This is primarily in regards to the notably slower shipping speeds and safety rates within the Protectorate. While many within the Protectorate consider this an act of spite levelled against the Solar nation dating back all the way to the Elyran Revolution, Charon has always denied such, and maintain that UNIP anti-corporate measures prevent them from operating effectively.
"Frigate UNCV Manticore, this is Cruiser ZIV Tempest, stand down and allow freighter ESV Antalya to pass this checkpoint unsearched. They are carrying diplomatic cargo under the protection of Zavodskoi Interstellar" - Capt. Zarya Volkova, Zavodskoi Interstellar Ship Captain, escorting a Charon Shipping Services freighter through a UNIP blockade, 2543
When discussing a positive working relationship, some would consider the employment of Zavodskoi Interstellar as Charon Shipping Services' primary escort outside of Elyra as a blueprint for what one should strive for. The corporations have worked strongly together for over a century, with Zavodskoi even making it a point of pride that they have never failed a mission escorting a Charon freighter through dangerous territory. The key to this relationship, as it turns out, is overwhelming firepower, and to bribe any pirates into avoiding Charon freighters that are under Zavodskoi protection. This carrot and stick relationship suits the pair quite well, with Charon's carrot being the lucrative number of escorts required and Zavodskoi's stick being the revocation of protection should Charon ever alter the deal.