Volsungs Confederation - 3000
PD (post dispora)
The ten planets that make up the Volsungs Confederation were
originally settled as Corporate Colonies by the Ikea-Norgton-Kellogg
Corporation (INKC) in 2002. The INKC
chose a Nordic theme for the planets as a nod to the Yggdrsilian roots of their
corporation. Located on the fringe of the Northern Paltoonian Marches
the planetary systems settled by the INKC were relatively young (only a few billion
years old) water worlds possessing minimal native flora and fauna to oppose the
terraforming.[1]
Terraforming water worlds gave up
habitable landmasses where workers could be housed.[2] A mix of skilled workers
from Terra’s first and second generation colonies along with the strong backs
of a host of unskilled workers from the Imperium who worked planetside. As with
most INKC colonies support structure was brought in to placate the
workforce. Prefab worker’s quarters were
soon supplemented with saloons and brothels.
Over the centuries the terraforming took root as did a small populace
who embraced the life that the ever growing islands offered. When the high priced rare earth metals,
platinum and plutonium veins tapped out in 2610 the INKC picked up operations
and moved on to exploit richer worlds.
A tier-two “Wildcat” corporate consortium purchased
system mineral rights from INKC in 2639 and moved to set up gleaning operations
on the planets.[3] The populations of the Volsungs solar systems
had grown to consider themselves the rightful heirs to the systems and took up
arms against the new corporate intruders.
The consortium hired on mercenary companies to train militia forces from
within their workforce. In addition the
consortium was able to bribe Sector official who convinced the faltering
Imperium to send in Imperial Marines.
The Marines landed in the main cities on each planet and quickly crushed
all local defense force that openly opposed them. The gleaning operations, defended by company
militia backed by mercenary cadre and specialists, quickly ramped up operations
and were soon turning a profit. Surviving
rebels stashed their arms and while they waited and watched they began to
organize the underground interplanetary network that would grow into the
confederation.
In 2645 small scale insurgencies on
Yggdrasil, Bragi and Forseti began to
eat into the consortium profit margin. Soon
insurgent operations spread to the remaining planets. Targeted attacks aimed at the digs and to a
lesser extent at the workers and corporate militia slowly squeezed the profit
margins for the consortium. The Imperium
Marines conducted countless fruitless sweeps searching for rebels. The rebel
strike-forces always seemed to be two steps ahead of the Imperium forces.
In 2658 the consortium, facing mounting
losses and cost overruns, elected to cut their losses and closed down
operations on Yggdrasil, Bragi and
Forseti.[4] The three planets reopened the mines and soon
found gun runners willing to trade arms for a lucrative loads of ore. Over the next ten years the newly independent
planetary systems founded a small merchant marine of their own and more
importantly were able to pool resources to purchase two small ex-Favortine
missile frigates as well as two light torpedo destroyers providing a nascent
space defense force. Some of the weapons were smuggled to the other planets.
On the remaining seven planets the rebels
continued to make short precise attacks.
A load of oar from an ocean mining rig might capsize in calm water, or
an entire work crew might come down with
the green fever a month after jazza spent carousing in town, or an rebel force
would suddenly appear hundreds of miles from the urban population center and
overrun a mine head, wreck the equipment and disappear. None of these attacks in themselves were
decisive but the pinpricks slowly frayed the nerves of the militia troops and
more importantly reduced the consortium’s profit margins. Fearing additional attacks
the consortium enlisted additional personnel and purchased additional weapons
and sensors for the militia which ate into their profits.
Ten years later September 28, 2668 with
war looming for the Imperium in the spiral arm the Imperium announced the withdrawal
of their Marine force. On the seven planets
where the consortium maintained operations the low level insurgency burst into
open rebellion. Perfectly coordinated attacks by overwhelming rebel forces
breached mine, warehouse and space port perimeters. Mine heads, warehouses and most importantly of
all planet side ships were seized. In
short order the remaining consortium forces surrendered.[5]
Declaring a fait accompli the rebels
announced their independence and the establishment of the Volsungs
Confederation on February 21, 2669. The
Volsungs Confederation armed fourteen of the captured space ships and added
them to the existing defense force. Fortunately
for the confederation the Imperium was locked in a death spiral and could not
spare forces to put down the rebellion. The “Wildcat” consortium opted to cut
their losses.[6]
During the next fifty years the Volsung
Confederation established cordial relations with the neighboring powers
adjacent to the marches. Due to limited
arable land on the confederation worlds they have always collectively looked
outward. Large numbers of Volsung signed on as spacers on to merchant ships
plying the space lanes. They brought
their experience back to the confederation and helped found extensive trading
companies.
While most of the high profit ores were
exhausted extensive fields of iron and other metals allowed the confederation
to begin establish profitable ship yards building space ships. Within a hundred
years the Volsung merchant marine fleet exceeded one hundred ships (not
including foreign flagged vessels, and their small Navy reached a total of
twenty capital ships (cruiser, armored cruisers, battleships and
super-dreadnoughts).[7]
Today
the Volsung Confederation Navy (VCN) is considered a tier-three fleet with an
estimated total of 47 capital ship.
Total size of the VCN is estimated to be in excess of 220 vessels. The VCN supports a tight-knit confederation
with a positive record trading throughout the known worlds. In wartime the VCN adds
additional armament to its merchant vessels providing the fleet with a large
number of auxiliary cruisers.
[1] The corporations
found that terraforming enhanced worker productivity off-setting the time and
costs associated with the endeavor.
[2] The
creation of an earth-like atmosphere caused the evaporation of significant
quantities of water.
[3] The principle
corporations involved in the consortium included Srin Vas and Sons; The Black
Donnellys, and the McCracken-Miles LLC.
[5] To the dismay of
the Wildcaters many of their employees and militiamen opted to change sides and
joined the rebels.
[6] The Volsung
Confederation’s consular officers negotiated payment terms to each of the
consortium’s members to offset their losses due to the rebellion.
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