Althland Mining Company

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Althland Mining Company •

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Althland Mining Company, a former company originating within the Trans Solar Federation, was a exploration and mining company created in 2389. It faced its demise when Nanotrasen acquired it post-bankruptcy. Initially successful, Althland's fortunes dwindled following unprofitable mining ventures on Epsilon Eridani II, leading to its assets and personnel being absorbed and eventually dissolved by the corporate giant.

Summary

Althland Mining Company, commonly known as Althland, emerged within the Trans Solar Federation (TSF) in the following decades after the Cygni Rebellion. The company was born out of an increased demand for plasma reserves and the expansion to the outer reaches of the TSF's territory. Althland started as a small mining firm on Pluto and, bolstered by loans from the TSF government, ventured into more distant regions of space.

However, Althland’s ambitious endeavors proved to be its undoing. The company’s expeditions failed to discover asteroid fields rich enough to yield profit, and the costs of these ventures began to mount. Meanwhile, on Pluto, competition intensified as more companies staked their claims, gradually pushing Althland out of Sol and into uncharted regions of space.

In 2472, a glimmer of hope appeared when Althland discovered a molten world in the Epsilon Eridani sector, Eridani II. Initial analyses revealed a planet teeming with high-value minerals, including plasma, uranium, and Blue Space Crystals (BSC). However, the extreme temperatures, dangerous environment, and hostile wildlife presented formidable challenges. Despite these obstacles, Althland poured investments into Epsilon Eridani but failed to establish a profitable colony. The hostile conditions wreaked havoc on its workforce and facilities.

Battered and financially drained, Althland filed for bankruptcy as its Pluto holdings and exploration failed to be profitable. Nanotrasen, a megacorporation, seized the opportunity to acquire Althland’s assets and workforce. Consequently, Althland was dissolved, becoming another casualty of rampant corporatism.

The Legacy of Althland

Althland Mining Co. throughout its history faced uphill and overwhelming odds during the midpoint of its existence due to conflict and corporate maneuvers across TSF space. While its holdings used to reside on locations like Earth and primarily Pluto, it is now a defunct business that was swallowed following its failed investments into colonization, and many pieces of history still exist, however under management and branding.

Beginnings

Althland Mining Company was established in 2389, emerging as one of the pioneering businesses rooted in Earth to venture into the realm of mining operations. With a focus on deep core drilling, Althland carved out a niche, positioning itself amidst the competitive landscape of companies vying to export valuable minerals within the TSF space. The company’s expertise and reputation grew, and as the TSF’s colonization efforts extended beyond the Sol system, Althland seized the opportunity to invest in the developing mining colony on Pluto.

Transitioning from its Earth-based operations as their original mines depleted, Althland concentrated its resources and expertise on Pluto, aspiring to ascend as the leading mining entity on the planet. Their initial endeavors were successful, securing a foothold amidst the icy terrains and contributing significantly to the planet’s population growth and stabilization, as more corporations marked their presence.

Ambitious Development

The following decades witnessed significant upheavals within the TSF, notably marked by the unsuccessful containment of the Cygni rebellion. This period of instability paved the way for megacorporation's to infiltrate and dominate markets that were previously characterized by diversity and the presence of smaller, independent businesses.

Pluto, with its rich mineral reserves and established mining operations, was not immune to this corporate invasion. The aftermath of the war saw a surge in corporate acquisitions, espionage, and strategic maneuvers aimed at consolidating power and resources among the giants within TSF. Independent and smaller businesses, including Althland, found themselves in a competitive struggle, often succumbing to the financial and strategic prowess of larger entities with significantly more influence.

Bankruptcies and market instability ensued after the Cygni Rebellion, marking a period of rapid change. Althland, once a founder of mining innovation and success on Pluto, was now navigating a transformed landscape, filled by megacorp dominance and the diminishing influence of smaller independent business's. The company’s trajectory, like many of its contemporaries, was significantly impacted by these changes in the market, due to bigger companies rapidly outputting resources that diminished the value of iron and methane gas. Slowly straggling companies by overproduction and devaluing stock of their exports at cheaper rates the megacorporation's could afford. This chain of events would push Althland to find different avenues to continue its operations, and with the now reorganized TSF, exploration and expeditions into unknown stars would be seen as an opportunity to save the company.

Expansion From Pluto

Althland's shift towards uncharted exploration marked a downward phase in its existence. The company, now navigating the uncharted area of space beyond the TSF’s boundaries, was engaged in a high-stakes gamble. Its vessels, equipped for discovery, ventured into distant systems, yet the yields were often disappointing. Asteroid belts, though occasionally profitable, were not the long term goal Althland had hoped for. Each expedition an investment, in the hope of unearthing resource-rich celestial bodies in systems, seemed to plunge the company further into a financial abyss.

As the years rolled on, Althland’s presence on Pluto dwindled. The megacorporations, with their vast resources, had not only outpaced but also outlasted smaller competitors. Althland's once-thriving mining operations on the icy planet were now barren landscapes, the iron deposits ran dry, and the escalating real estate costs, driven by corporate acquisitions, made staying on Pluto financially unprofitable. In 2472, a crucial moment arrived. Althland suspended all operations on Pluto, liquidating its assets there to focus into its exploratory ventures. The company, now significantly reduced in size and scope, was a shadow of its former self. Its survival hinged on the asteroid belts, which offered meager sustenance.

Yet, fate, often unpredictable, had a twist in store. Althland’s expedition into the Epsilon Eridani system marked a turning point. For the first time in years, the beleaguered company glimpsed hope. The discovery of a resource-rich planet in this uncharted territory showed a potential resurgence, and its discovery would mark the point of no return for the company as they went all in.

Epsilon Eridani

The initial expeditions into the Epsilon Eridani system yielded little more than hazardous environments and barren moons, a continuation of Althland’s streak of bad fortune. However, the discovery of Epsilon Eridani II, a volcanic world teeming with untapped resources, promised a potential for profit. Upon planetary survey from orbit, rich deposits of plasma, uranium, and bluespace crystals lay beneath its ash covered surface, overshadowing the hostile environment and dangerous xenolife that roamed the scorching wasteland. Althland, invigorated by this discovery, secured a loan from the TSF government to erect Farragus MnR station, an orbital mining and refining outpost within the asteroid belt encircling Epsilon Eridani II. Despite the planet’s hostile environment, marked by ash storms and aggressive wildlife, the company was determined to extract its riches.

Yet, the hostile terrains of Epsilon Eridani II proved insurmountable. Each facility, though a testament to engineering prowess, succumbed to the worlds natural dangers or the onslaught of its creatures. The cycle of construction and destruction drained Althland’s resources, and another loan, meant to sustain the company, only plunged Althland deeper into debt. High hazard pay attracted workers, but the nightmarish conditions on the planet led to a cascade of lawsuits. A constant stream of miners and engineers would be hired and either be lost to the planet, or leave from work conditions. Althland, besieged by financial obligations and legal battles, was a sinking ship. Faced with crippling debt and operational failures, Althland filed for bankruptcy on 2483.

Buyout

After Althland's financial bankruptcy in 2483, various companies began seeking the remaining assets of the once successful corporation. In a bid to settle its debts, Althland's executives were given several offers. By 2485, Nanotrasen emerged as the primary acquirer, securing mining rights to the Epsilon Eridani Sector, the Farragus mining facility, and all associated assets under an agreement with the TSF to exclusively market the extracted resources toward their economy at a cheaper rate.

Nanotrasen's takeover marked a significant shift. The company swiftly deployed its top researchers and engineers to transform the modest Farragus station into a fully operational facility. This expansion was not just physical but also extended to the workforce. Althland's former employees were presented with two options: an extended 10-year contract with enhanced hazard pay or a generous severance package coupled with safe passage to the nearest TSF station. Traumatized by their experiences, many opted for the latter, seeking to get away from the horrible experiences they faced.

Recognizing the psychological toll, Nanotrasen offered a year of counseling to these workers. However, this gesture came with a caveat: all employees, whether staying or leaving, were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement, concerning their experiences under Althland. This agreement threatened severe legal repercussions for any breach. Faced with such daunting prospects, most survivors chose to leave, unwilling to engage in a lost battle against a corporate giant.

As time passed, the NDA's relevance faded, expiring decades later when most of the original workforce had passed away. A few survivors remained, their stories of the Epsilon Horrors a blend of personal tragedy and harsh worlds filled with what most consider demonic in nature. A book published by a man named Jenko Rottenburg called "The Epsilon Incidents" would describe the events that unfolded, the loss of his friends and collogues attempting to escape the planet and becoming a sole survivor of his facility. Jenko would later go missing a year later and his location to this day continues to be unknown.

Ruins

Althlands significant ruins lie across Epsilon Eridani II, most of them being lost after contact with Farragus MnR would go silent, and the facilities would be buried under mountains of ash. Some of these significant ruins include,

Excavation Site B3

A massive, excavated hole rumored to extend several hundred miles beneath the surface of the planet, Ex-Site-B3 was once the largest investment of the company, aimed at exploring and strip-mining thousands of tons of materials from the planet's richer crust. The site featured an elevator shaft that descended into the dark abyss, supported by a sturdy plastitanium frame. Many miners at the site reported experiencing psychotic episodes and PTSD, often citing an eerie, persistent ringing noise. Doctor Qooxl Viaaoooqll documented these findings, reporting to the corporate quartermasters that those who ventured deep into the abyss showed prolonged psychological effects. Tragically, the site was eventually lost following an incident involving a pink, flesh-like creature emerging from the pit and destroying the facility. Miraculously, one man survived, but he has since refused to speak of the event.

Ping Whiskey P4

This on-site processing facility specialized in refining and smelting mined resources. Although it wasn't particularly large or noteworthy compared to others, it holds the dubious distinction of being the first facility reported by the company as destroyed under mysterious circumstances. It initially sent out a distress signal warning of hostile wildlife. However, just two hours later, the facility was lost, with many speculating that tectonic plate movement was to blame. Tragically, no survivors were ever recovered from the incident, leaving more questions than answers about the true cause of its destruction.