From the early-80’s to mid-90’s, many Earth companies and conglomerates fought for power and control over their economic dominions. As rules and regulations were diminished by the Make America Work Bill, one corporation seemed to rise above the rest. Founded in 1962 by CEO Jim Mackory, Terracom, a national media and telecommunications provider, would establish itself as the leader in the new world of cutthroat progress and industry.

Jim Mackory was far from the average entrepreneur. His career starter in WW2, where Mackory served as a telecommunications expert and codebreaker for the OSS. After the war, Mackory continued to develop a number of groundbreaking technologies in communications. During the 60s, while the US was busy fighting communism in Vietnam, Mackory now a veteran focused on his emerging telecom company, was approached by operatives from the CIA.

The operatives offered him limitless support in exchange for Mackory’s agreement to work on projects related to domestic terrorism. CEO Mackory signed the deal, from that point on Terracom became the United States’ largest surveillance network. Working with the CIA, Mackory would become a close personal friend with Director George HW Bush. They worked together on a multitude of black book projects and operations. Likewise, the Terracom Corporation was given full support from the government. With US backing, Terracom would expand into general manufacturing and resource extraction, quickly becoming the nation’s largest all-purpose conglomerate.

Previously one of the world’s largest competing telecommunication providers, Terracom grew to become the sole telecom network provider overnight. Corporations like Terracom were quickly gaining massive amounts of influence and control over the population. Orion Industries, a minor tech firm from Silicon Valley, originally focused on capitalizing intellectual properties and new technologies, was now a stake holder in a blossoming industry, household computer development and consumer electronics.



After Reagan

New York City, the corporate headquarters of the Terracom Corporation, like most of the world at that time, was going through changes. Poverty and vagrancy were now considered crimes against the New Order leaving the general population with two choices, seek employment or incarceration. It didn’t take long for Terracom to consume almost every option for viable employment in the tri-city area, allowing the corporation to effectively indenture millions of workers. Terracom was granted massive amounts of city land by ways of eminent domain, all supported by Supreme President Bush and the ruling administration.

By the late 90’s, New York City became one corporate bastion under the ownership and control of CEO Jim Mackory and the Terracom Corporation. New York City factories spread like a megalithic cancer on the Earth across New Jersey, Hartford, and Philadelphia, becoming one massive network of steel, trash, and pollution. In 1998 the new megacity is renamed TeraCom City, and the Terracom Corporation rebrands itself as “TeraCom”.

On the other side of the country in Silicon Valley, another corporation was making strives and advancements in the name of science, Orion Industries. With Terracom cornering the market in everything from household consumables to defense contracting, Orion Industries now focused on interstellar travel, advancements in super computing, and buying out stakes in any form of groundbreaking technology available. Naturally, the ruling administration under Supreme President Bush was more than happy to support this company in exchange for its secrets.

In its early days, Orion Industries was run by a small cabinet of investors, self-proclaimed visionaries and scientists. After acquiring many smaller successful teams of developers and paving the way for great advancements in technology, Orion Industries was brought under the wing of the United States Intelligence community. As an undisclosed asset of the government under Supreme President Bush, Orion Industries researchers were given the highest levels of clearance. Any research and development projects, facilities, and previous discoveries were handed over to Orion.

Through a secret government program called Project Blue Moon, Orion received billions in funding to construct a massive space station. NASA and its corresponding facilities related to space travel were bought out by Supreme President Bush’s administration and turned over to Orion Industries.

The massive investments from the government came at a heavy cost and the deal, much like its terms, were non-negotiable. The stipulations given to the board of Orion Industries included, the construction of a massive space station capable of housing thousands and docking multiple “intergalactic ships”, the construction of a manufacturing complex on the surface of Earth’s moon, and the addition of two new board members; neither of which were born on the planet Earth.

For decades, unknown to the citizens of Earth, secret organizations within the world’s ruling powers maintained constant connections with multiple Alien lifeforms. Various forms of technology were shared with the United States government as long as they remained compliant with the demands of intergalactic lobbyists.

It was Chancellor Skeks, a Corvidian, and Commander Overog, a Gruell, that took seats on Orion’s board. Corvidians are a very old species and exceptionally intelligent. They control and facilitate the trade networks of the Gruellein Empire. Gruells have an imperialist culture, and their Empire controls most life in the universe as we know it.

Chancellor Skeks was already invested in Earth politics before being appointed as a board member of Orion Industries. For years, Skeks had also been one of the CIA’s lead Operations Officers alongside George HW Bush.

Commander Overog was and still is a very powerful warlord from the planet Grin, home planet of the Gruells and capital planet of the Gruellein Empire. Commander Overog had been tasked by the Empire to monitor and control any spacefaring, or potentially spacefaring lifeform in this sector of the Milky Way. Commander Overog gained dominion over Earth in 1969 when we landed on the moon. Supreme President Bush as well as every other notable world leader of the modern age served and obeyed these beings.

By 1998, Orion had completed the first half of project Blue Moon. In space, orbiting Earth, Orion Industries had successfully constructed a massive fully sustainable space station the size of a small city. The space station housed thousands of Alien workers and the most upper echelon of human society. The media on Earth spun the space station as a lavish resort called “Asteria” with a cliental limited only to the most affluent circles. Any alien involvement was a well-kept secret.

The moon was quickly annexed by the United States government for manufacturing advanced alien equipment to be sold in various intergalactic markets. Humans were considered weak by Gruellein standards and with knowledge of Alien life still mostly kept a secret on Earth, stronger alien lifeforms previously conquered by The Gruellein Empire known as Orgs, were sent to the moon to work in the newly constructed lunar facilities. Any products manufactured in vicinity to Earth is rebranded by Corvidian dealers to be sold in interstellar markets.

When the world went dark, New Years Day 2000, global aristocrats and world leaders of the highest authority fled Earth to Asteria, Supreme President Bush and executives like Jim Mackory included. Unfortunately for Supreme President Bush and the world’s upper crust, lavish decadent conditions and a pampering concierge was not waiting for them in space.

Every Earth leader of importance was immediately executed, prepared as a dish and consumed in a large feast held in honor of humankind officially joining the intergalactic community. A few human aristocrats were left alive and allowed to integrate into society on Asteria as basic citizens of the Gruellein Empire. The usefulness of Earth’s world leaders had worn thin, and Commander Overog had no desire to keep so many pets.

On Earth, in the first few months of the Blackout, Jim Mackory’s son and protégée Nathaniel took control. Under new leadership, TeraCom’s facilities were revitalized. After ten long years, Nathaniel had the power back on across the region. Spending physical currencies that had been stashed away, new grids were constructed and old power lines replaced.

The power in TeraCom City was back, cash was consolidated, and survivors were returning to work. Smoke was billowing from the factories that weathered the rioting and fires of the last decade. About 70% of TeraCom’s physical industrial complex remained intact, warehouses containing ‘mostly’ consumable goods included. All of which helped facilitate the reconstruction process after the Blackout.

No longer connected to the pre-blackout “World Wide Web”, and far from the reach of the AI menace plaguing Alliance forces in the Southwest. TeraCom City rebuilt itself mostly uninhibited. TC City survivors were aware of the horrors plaguing the world outside the borders of their developing city state, most had no desire to leave. The effort of rebuilding felt invigorating and inspired hope. TeraCom was alive and thriving again.

The only problem stifling TeraCom’s resurgence was a lack of employees and expandable markets. TeraCom was suited to meet the needs of a global population. Downsizing was considered a prerequisite to failure. In Nathaniel’s eyes, exponential growth was the only way TeraCom would continue to sustain itself. Many viewed TeraCom as a beacon of humanity in that time and failure meant the dissolution of civilization.

After witnessing TeraCom’s revitalization, a manipulative Corvidian Ekxx contacted CEO Nathaniel Mackory and brokered a deal. TeraCom would alter many of its facilities to produce goods for corvidian run markets in other galaxies to appease Ekxx’s constituents, in exchange for support from Ekxx.

Mackory also agreed to adopt a new currency supported by Gruellein banks. On Earth the currency is referred to as TeraCom credits. TeraCom credits are a digital currency issued to charge-cards. Physical cash is also printed and can be exchanged for digital cards and synced with personal accounts at TeraCom banks. Credits would soon become the only acceptable currency within any “TeraCom Economic Zone” forcing any nonaffiliated businesses to register with the newly constructed TeraCom banks. Pre-Blackout US dollars can be exchanged for TeraCom credits for a nominal fee.

In exchange for TeraCom’s compliance the corporation was granted a large some of extraterrestrial resources, access to a seemingly endless intergalactic market, and most importantly, an obedient and capable workforce to arrive on Earth; all of which would be facilitated by Ekxx. Mackory was hesitant to except the deal, but his back was against the wall. He knew the few remaining markets on Earth wouldn’t be enough to quench TeraCom’s appetite. The contracts were signed and within days TeraCom factories were filled with thousands of Orgs ready to work.

With TeraCom City revitalized and the support of the corporation’s new partners granted, TeraCom expanded. First venturing west, back into Detroit. In no time, Motor City was running again, filled with Org settlers. With a stronghold in the Northeastern and Midwestern regions of the former United States, TeraCom looked to expand outward, re-engaging in the same type of corporate imperialism, the conglomerate had practiced before the Blackout.