Synthfood Workers

Headquarters: Truane City, New Pale (Truane’s Star)

President: Sidra Matouk (Human, female)

Executive Board:  16 members

Like many corporations and other cadres, the founding of Sythfood Workers predates the start of the United Planetary Federation. Sometimes called a union or an association or a guild, the militant SW represents independent and migrant farmers and food workers. The organization often battles the agricultural divisions of the mega-corps and even transportation firms such as Trans-Travel as it advocates for policies that will ensure that farmers and workers are paid fairly for their work and produce.

In turn, the mega-corporations charge that the SW wishes to drive up agricultural prices to exorbitant rates that would hurt consumers. Streel security forces have been known to forcibly remove anyone with SW-leanings from New Streel, its corporate agricultural world. The only mega-corp that the SW has positive relations – some observers say it’s a “brazen love fest” – is with Synthetics Corporation.

Several of the mega-corps have tried working with the Frontier Trade Administration (FTA) to limit the scope of the Synthfood Workers activities. The SW counters these efforts with its allies on the UPF Trade Commission and representatives on the Council of Worlds.

The militant organization began on the world of New Pale by a single individual, Hudson O’Kelley in 34 PF. O’Kelley was an employee of the New Pale colonial government and became shocked by the practices of the Pan Galactic Corporation as it developed vast robotic farms on the planet, squeezing out local family farms and agricultural companies while devastating the planet’s ecology by trying to exterminate native species like the fieldbear.

O’Kelley formed the New Pale Farmers Union to educate fellow colonists about the dangers of turning much of the planet’s prime agricultural land over to the PGC for one main crop – mannakan. It seems that he coined the term “Captive Planet” as a reference to how the mega-corp was dominating the colony.

Local authorities, allegedly acting on the behest of the PGC, arrested O’Kelley several times and he survived a botched assassination attempt soon after he returned home from a farmers union rally. Pan Galactic officials denied any responsibility or knowledge of the attack, but as other independent farmers and farm workers faced harassment, public sympathy began turning in favor of O’Kelley.

It is purported that Streele Mining, the predecessor to the Streel Corporation, was also having problems with the PGC on the planet of Pale. Streele secretly began supporting O’Kelley and his efforts on New Pale.

Historians argue that this budding relationship between the Pale and New Pale colonies – beyond their trade relationship – may have forestalled or prevented the rise of the HUSPs – the Human Superiority movement and later the War of the Pales. Instead, the Sathar invasion devastated both colonies.

Although O’Kelley became one of thousands of colonists who went missing during the Sathar occupation – and was later presumed killed – the organization he founded survived the First Sathar War. Afterward, it joined forces with other labor groups and reformed itself as the Synthfood Workers. It is a key part of the Congress of Frontier Associations and the United Labor Councils (CFA-ULC).

It is estimated that the group has some 500,000 dues-paying members across the UPF. What draws most food workers and independent farmers to its cause is their call for unified action against the monopolistic practices of the mega-corps.

Frontier Explorers Society (FES)

Headquarters:  Valor Heights District, Port Loren, Gran Quivera (Prenglar)

Executive Board: 14 members including the President, First Vice President and Second Vice President, elected by membership to four-year terms, limited to four consecutive terms

Executive Manager:

Open to all races and explorers and adventurers – or would-be trailblazers – the Frontier Explorer Society is a prestigious professional organization headquartered in the posh Valor Heights District of the mega-city of Port Loren, the capital and cultural heart of the Frontier.

The organization offers different levels of membership and benefits – including programs geared toward children – to advance the causes of peaceful exploration and cultural exchange. It also operates the Frontier Explorers Hall of Fame which honors various living and deceased adventurers who’ve expanded the boundaries of the Frontier including the cousins Alorne Zebulon and Seccitte Zebulon; Anne Truth, who discovered the route to Truane’s Star; Kenyatta Dixon, discoverer of Dixon’s Star; and others.

The Hall of Fame is part of the FES’ headquarters building and holds an induction gala every year, typically honoring four to six explorers (living or deceased) every year. This gala also serves as the organization’s major fundraiser.

The FES also is a major sponsor of the Star Rangers (not to be confused with the Star Law Rangers) and other children’s clubs that support the “spirit of exploration.”

Although the FES’ official founding date was 12 FY, it is an amalgamation of various Core Four organizations that merged together thanks to the prompting of the Pan Galactic Corporation. One of its predecessor organizations was the centuries-old Imperial Order of Valiant Galactic Voyagers, which operated in Human-dominated space and had only recognized Human explorers.

The Vrusk had its own explorers society that joined the FES. Loosely translated into Pan-Gal that organization’s name was “Collective of Eight Ideals of Opportunistic Expansion ;” note the Vrusk group operated much more benignly than its name seems to imply.  

The Yazarian Explorers League and the Dralasistic Study and Examination Council (other names that suffer from the translation into Pan-Gal) also merged to form the FES along with the PGC Exploration  Club.

Dues: A children’s membership is open to any being up to the age of 20 which is 20 Credits annually. It entitles subscribers to the Frontier Explorer magazine, a publication of the FES.

A basic membership is 200 Credits annually, which provides members with a 3 percent discount for purchasing exploration equipment and related gear (excluding weapons) at FES-affiliate retailers along with access to the FES jobs board, training facilities and a 5 percent discount for attending FES conferences and seminars. Such members may also be entitled to travel and lodging discounts.

The silver membership is 500 Credits annually which also provides a 5 percent discount equipment purchases and a 3 percent discount for training along with the previously mentioned benefits. Silver members and above can vote for the executive officers of the FES.

The gold membership is 1,000 Credits annually and offers additional discounts for travel, vehicle rentals and purchases, including access to the Survivors Benefits Plan – a disability and life insurance program  that can help pay for any catastrophic medical expenses or payments to any survivors.

The platinum or lifetime membership is 10,000 Credits and provides a 5 percent discount for all of the previously mentioned benefits plus access to special briefings.