Molnsa Trade Guild vs Stelltron

Interlopers

   The guild didn’t think much of humankind, the descendants of the ancient Radnians. Not until a fledgling company called Stelltron started offering shipping services that undercut Molnsa’s exorbitant prices. Stelltron gained a foothold in the surrounding systems of their territory, meaning the humans had carved out an independent trade route system. This did not sit well with the reigning kings of commerce.

   Molnsa agents tried infiltrating Stelltron, in order to disrupt the company’s technological development and security networks, but the very human-centric business was far too vigilant—and not a little xenophobic. Any alien found guilty of industrial espionage or sabotage was immediately incarcerated on penal asteroids in the most remote, least developed frontier colonies of the corporation. Stelltron made it abundantly clear it was as unwilling to accept this kind of interference as Molnsa was to accept new competition.

Molnsa Heavy Cruiser

   The guild resorted to hiring pirates in the late 2200s. But Stelltron wasn’t fooled. When a handful of pirate raiders were defeated at Epilson Indi in 2289, Stelltron retaliated by disabling three squadrons Molnsa escort frigates at the Rutallo System and seizing the twelve ship convoy that was hauling Serjaum.

   This led to numerous skirmishes between the two companies. Over the next three centuries, Stelltron expanded into its own territory, carving out space among the various pirate and raider systems near to Terra’s empire and bordering the Rustak. In doing so Stelltron overcame its xenophobia and expanded its board membership to include numerous races. Doing so gave the company access to more political contacts and technological advances. Shipyards popped up in Stelltron territory, giving them the ability to rapidly build and deploy their own fleets of merchant vessels and warships. The company became, for all intents and purposes, a nation unto itself.

Stelltron Battlecruiser

   Molnsa defended its turf as best it could. Still, there was no denying the upstart humans had put a serious dent in not only the guild’s profit but its pride, too. The guild shifted focus to expanding routes through the foldgates and into more dangerous parts of the galaxy, exploring new frontiers and establishing distant trading posts while keeping the upstart Terrans at bay. The strategy worked for a while; by 2500 the two companies had reached a comprehensive ceasefire, though the use of pirate intermediates to sow discord continued intermittently.

Western Rim Trade Origa Class Armed Transport Cruiser

   That all changed in the twenty-fifth century when Western Rim Trade blossomed into the third great trade house fo the galaxy. Molnsa and Stelltron scrambled to maintain their trade monopolies by every means available. The three-way competition that developed between the companies led to more skirmishes, the abandonment of the ceasefire in 2807, and fierce competition for the galaxy’s trade routes. 

Next...The Third Great Trade House

END TRANSMISSION

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