Economy & Trade
Overview
Section titled “Overview”The galactic economy operates on a complex system of interstellar trade, resource extraction, and the critical role of Linkstone as both communication medium and currency backing.
Linkstone Economics
Section titled “Linkstone Economics”Linkstone is the foundation of everything:
| Function | Description |
|---|---|
| Communication | Enables instant FTL communication via quantum entanglement |
| Currency backing | The “gold standard” of galactic currency |
| Military asset | Critical for coordinating Order operations |
| Trade commodity | Alien species value it; drives diplomatic relations |
Supply Constraints
Section titled “Supply Constraints”- Rare — Limited sources, mostly in contested space
- Non-renewable — Once used for linking, consumed
- Controlled — Order priority access; civilian allocation secondary
Economic Implications
Section titled “Economic Implications”The Linkstone supply determines:
- How much communication is possible
- Military operational capacity
- Economic expansion limits
- Political power (who controls supply, controls policy)
The Cost of the Coverup
Section titled “The Cost of the Coverup”The Purging Protocol is enormously expensive:
What a Purging Costs
Section titled “What a Purging Costs”| Resource | Consumption |
|---|---|
| Personnel | 8+ Rank III Storm Lords, linked |
| Ships | 8+ capital ships in position |
| Weapons | Atomics, directed energy, atmospheric ignition |
| Linkstone | Massive burn for real-time coordination |
| Opportunity | Those assets unavailable elsewhere |
Rough estimate: One Purging Protocol costs approximately one year’s output from each Order’s primary manufacturing facilities.
How They Hid It
Section titled “How They Hid It”| Actual Cost | How Hidden |
|---|---|
| Fleet deployment | Split across budget lines, spread over quarters |
| Linkstone burn | ”Strategic reserves” — off-balance-sheet |
| Atomic expenditure | ”Routine disposal of aging stockpile” |
| Personnel costs | ”Training allocation” and “hazard pay exercises” |
The Economic Fingerprints
Section titled “The Economic Fingerprints”Despite the coverup, anomalies exist:
| Observable Fact | Official Explanation | The Problem |
|---|---|---|
| Linkstone reserves down 12% | “Currency stabilization” | Inflation unchanged |
| Factory output up 15% | “Modernization program” | No visible new deployments |
| Fleet fuel spike | ”Extended exercises” | Burn rate doesn’t match |
| Atomic inventory gaps | ”Scheduled disposal” | Logs filed after operation |
These discrepancies are what the TV Analyst begins to notice.
Trade Structure
Section titled “Trade Structure”Core-Fringe Dynamic
Section titled “Core-Fringe Dynamic”- Core worlds — Wealthy, safe, service economies
- Fringe worlds — Resource extraction, manufacturing, higher risk
This creates:
- Economic inequality between regions
- Resentment of Core privilege
- Vulnerability to Necrosynth targeting (Fringe populations are “disposable”)
Alien Trade Partners
Section titled “Alien Trade Partners”Several alien species participate in galactic trade:
| Concern | Description |
|---|---|
| Linkstone supply | Aliens watching market for reliability |
| Trade agreements | Disruption affects diplomatic relations |
| Intelligence | Trading partners ask uncomfortable questions |
Sabotage Economics
Section titled “Sabotage Economics”The Necrosynth infiltration affects the economy through:
The “Miracle” Problem
Section titled “The “Miracle” Problem”Certain metrics are improving too fast:
- Factory accident rates down 60%+ in some facilities
- Hospital mortality rates improving beyond medical advances
- Shipping efficiency gains without process changes
These improvements are actually signs of infiltration — compromised workers, medical staff redirecting bodies, supply chain manipulation.
Supply Chain Vulnerability
Section titled “Supply Chain Vulnerability”The distributed sabotage strategy targets:
- Manufacturing quality — Subtle defects pass inspection
- Medical supplies — Slightly diluted medications
- Military equipment — Components fail under stress
The economic impact is invisible until catastrophic failure.
Wartime Economics
Section titled “Wartime Economics”If the coverup breaks and open war is acknowledged:
Market Predictions
Section titled “Market Predictions”| Effect | Description |
|---|---|
| Linkstone spike | War = demand surge; prices skyrocket |
| Currency instability | Confidence in reserves shaken |
| Market crash | Uncertainty kills investment |
| Hoarding | Civilians stockpile essentials |
| Trade disruption | Alien partners reconsider agreements |
Political Fallout
Section titled “Political Fallout”- Senate demands accountability — Who authorized the secret spending?
- Class resentment — “You spent our production on a secret war?”
- Trust collapse — If they lied about this, what else?
Questions to Resolve
Section titled “Questions to Resolve”- What is the galactic currency called?
- Where is Linkstone primarily sourced?
- What are the major trade goods besides Linkstone?
- How do taxes flow from civilian economy to Order funding?
- What alien species are the primary trading partners?