[Meta] [RFC] Fenspace 2022, take 2

[LynnInDenver]

Economics in the Belt
After the dust from the United Belt Alliance attempted takeover settled, the balance had subtly shifted. Greenwood managed to absorb a couple of the independent mines that felt like they'd only done a "frying pan to fire" leap with UBA and needed at least a "known quantity" at the time, it wasn't a substantial shift.
Likewise, JMC suffered the company version of a bout of the flu, coming back stronger than ever. The only black mark was that some of the UBA mines decided to disregard the co-op pricing negotiated for material transport, and started contracting with CHOAM instead, citing, "we're fighting against one monopoly already, we don't want to aid another one into being." While it's not a significant shift in power, it did enable CHOAM to get slightly more than a toehold in the Belt, which is cause for concern for those who know of Padraig O'Neill's past exploits as a CEO. JMC appears to have the situation in hand, but some don't expect the situation is quite as stable as it appears.
Jupiter Mining Corporation
JMC, as a going concern in shipping, has grown in power. There are areas in the Belt, and around Jupiter and Saturn, that would be very hard pressed if JMC were forced to abandon the routes on which they lay. Fortunately, JMC is run by a very benevolent dictator, one that earns them a significant amount of true clout among those who understand that, if anything at all, that Jeph Antilles looks after everyone's interests. "You're on my crew," is frequently the best way anyone can sum up his attitude towards any of his employees. Although Skuld help any employee that backstabs anyone else in the company, for any reason, or attempts to smuggle anything like Thionite or a Catgirling Machine.
The increase in power is a double edged sword for Jeph Antilles. While it affords him certain freedoms and influence that he did not enjoy before, it is counteracted by the increasing scrutiny upon his decisions as company president. Things like toppling a settlement's mayor on Ganymede, for instance, require considerable more subtlety than even five years prior.
JMC maintains healthy relations with almost all the factions. The few exceptions are the small insular factions that really don't want anyone else in Fenspace to contact them. So much so that, if a relationship with a faction goes south, it's usually (and sometimes unfairly, depending) blamed upon the faction, and not JMC. Even before Noah Scott retreated into the background and let others take over the operations of Stellvia Corp, JMC maintained positive (if reduced) relations with them. The true, sole exception is CHOAM, although the blood feud enmity appears on the surface to be entirely from the CHOAM side of the relationship.
There is detente enough with most of Earth's governments (except China, that still fears defections) that a significant chunk of JMC's day to day employees are actually Danes that have come up to earn some money. JMC is considered by some on Earth to be a "gateway", for good or ill, into the interplanetary community of Fenspace for those who don't want to deal with Handwavium control laws to get there, or to at least see if the lifestyle is a good fit before committing to living there permanently. The work is hard, but not backbreaking, and honest, with decent pay and an excellent health plan.

This is just initial thoughts on the area that I've, well, basically had a slight role in filling out background on. Like I commented in the earlier thread, I'm fine with teething pains, and some of it will apply to JMC (& Jeph Antilles) as well.
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"You know how parents tell you everything's going to fine, but you know they're lying to make you feel better? Everything's going to be fine." - The Doctor