The House of Congo

Description

Residents of the House of Congo, an ex-Consortium mining station, trace their anti-establishment feelings back to the Catastrophe. When communications went down, an asteroid hit against impossible odds, wrecking the station’s integrity and jettisoning almost everyone into space. The few people left scrabbled to survive with no Consortium support… But in a stroke of luck, a Freebooter ship named the Caracal landed, and set its hackers and rowdy crew to fix the damaged station. By the time the Consortium came, many cycles later, the Congolese (including the newly adopted crew of the Caracal) were firmly Freebooters, and unceremoniously kicked them out. The twin suns, one much larger and brighter than the other, can be seen in patches of transparent ceiling disks. Reflectors are used to redirect Sirius A’s light to all parts of the station, with some conspicuous dark spots in the Offshoots, the patches between massive blue-green algae farms.

Chronicle Text

When one first becomes a freebooter, they are invited to change their name. This is in order to reinvent themselves in the essence they truly feel they are. Nowhere is this better exemplified than on the House of Congo, a station that celebrates diversity and individuality without exception. Every dwelling on this orbital facility stands out in its own unique way. Every color of the spectrum, every texture and weird facade can be seen as the eye gazes across any area here. It is the same with the local denizens, who revel in the culture of the unfettered, unrestricted self. Here too reside the Caracals, a hacktivist collective that is responsible for the entire system maintaining its individuality. Here on the House of Congo, patron station of wearing your soul on your sleeve.

Arrival Text

You've landed on The House of Congo, the den of the infamous Caracals! In the interest of a welcoming honesty, know that we've probably already hacked you!

Statistics

System: Sirius A
Affiliation: Freebooter
Level: 14
Legal: 4 (Low)
Orwellian: 1 (Low)

Areas

Bank (Golden Apple Wealth Management)

Golden Apple Wealth Management only recently came to the House of Congo. The locals didn’t see any need for a bank, not when so many of them are well-versed in digital transactions and security, but their assistance in inter-station trading and has seen them welcome for the time being. The Golden Apple's private security force is in charge here, which the locals tolerate as long as their power doesn’t extend beyond this building. Compared to the rest of the station, the bank’s facilities are drab and lifeless, a place of cold transactions and official business. The lack of footfall speaks to the Congolese’s habits of keeping their credits to themselves.

Brig

The holding cells are nearly empty. People don’t often get sent here, and if they do, a good explanation might be all that’s necessary for them to leave. Locals speak of their local security officers like annoying parents - they grumble about having to do as they’re told, but think they have their best interests at heart. Above one large holding cell, there’s a plaque describing the “Consortium Traitors” - a group of a dozen mining overseers who just happened to be in their shelter when the asteroid struck. While the sarcasm is evident, small print below the sign clarifies that they protected themselves and left their subordinates to die. They were incarcerated here until they could be shipped back to the Consortium, to be with their “traitorous brethren”.

NPCs

Clones (Clone Grasslands)

The metallic parts of the vats are painted and decorated to look like foliage, giving the illusion that the clones’ yellow-green pods are nestled among tall, green grass. Closer inspection reveals that the vats have been repaired many times, with patches of different materials covered by strokes of paint in varying shades of green. The Clone Grasslands are filled with people, some browsing the facilities like an art gallery, others talking animatedly to the clone technicians. Each technician has a data pad more advanced than might be expected in a Freebooter station - they tap rapidly with each query, bringing up statistics or genetic sequences for their customers. House of Congo is known for offering cheap clones… but only for locals.

Available Clones

Employment (Employment Center)

The employment center is in the inner circle, built into the station early on, so miners could give updates on their progress and pick up their meager paychecks. Nowadays its lively decorations and excited hopefuls browsing digital job boards make this a more animated place. While no one is there to help in an official capacity, most people are happy to show newcomers around… or offer alternate forms of employment, outside the law.

Career Advisory (Follow the Dream Advice Zone)

This large room is relatively quieter. A handful of people are talking to career advisors, exploring what they want to do with their lives. The advisors, whether human or android in nature, listen patiently and offer suggestions and support. Those looking for work vary widely in age - in House of Congo, it’s never too late to change your life around. When they have a spare moment, the career advisors play some kind of game involving dice. Arguments over the rules break out frequently, as figuring out a ruleset that doesn’t favor simulated sentience is a complicated affair.

NPCs

Side Jobs (Short-Term Work Center)

This area is a large side room off of the main employment center. It’s just as crowded here, with people looking for something they’re in the mood for at the moment, and leaving if they don’t find it. Each time a job is taken, it vanishes in a puff of sparks - whether it’s a visual effect or screen glitch is hard to tell. Every now and again, a small, disk-shaped robot crosses the room, cleaning up after visitors. As it does, it plays a quiet, off-key tune, which starts to sound like a corrupted cleaning advertisement the longer you listen to it.

Name Description Credits Statistic
Algae Harvesting While algae harvesting is largely automated, they need individuals with high stamina to help when the machines get stuck. 65 / 80 3x / 4x Stamina
Building Repairs Buildings are in constant need of repair. Are you strong enough to help out? 70 3x Strength
Hack Checking Do you like hacking into systems? Are you any good at it? Come prove it! 55 3x Intelligence
Roller Derby Player We’re missing a Roller Derby player! Come roll with our team, the Lizardsss! Gotta be fast on your feet!!! 65 4x Agility

Discreet Work

Sometimes jobs are offered by those who need to be able to deny involvement. Don't ask too many questions; you won't get many answers. And don't be surprised if you wind up in the brig or sickbay.

Government Center (The Common Room)

A large portion of the Common Room is devoted to food supply. Vendors selling imported rations and locally-produced food supplies make a steady trade with people stockpiling, just in case. The rest of the Common Room houses a collection of stalls with thick curtains - some black, some neon-bright, others covered in sequins - all of which obscure the goings-on within. It’s not hard to guess that these officially sanctioned marketplaces are trading in less-than-legal products.
Despite the crowd, most people move confidently, knowing exactly where to go. Staring while someone shops is considered rude, and loud coughs will alter the unwary lurker to keep their eyes to themselves.

NPCs

Info Hub

Holo screens illuminate the area as news sources flow like a river of data from one terminal to the next. Occasionally, some government drone will adjust a particular metric or record another before buzzing about their duties.

Syndicate Services

A number of recruiters, both in physical as well as hologrammatic form, interact with would-be members or peruse applications on the wall of terminals that lines this room.

VIP Lounge

Soft music and soothing lights drift through the atmosphere in the lounge. Robotic waiters clad in shiny (but not too shiny) chrome wheel between Citizens, dispensing smooth looking beverages.

Gym (Training Area)

There are machines here unlike any others you’ve seen. A Belter is using an all-in-one contraption that seems to tire them out almost immediately, as their arms, legs and waist all move in odd directions. A chatty man is covered in vibrating belts and cylinders, using the distortion in his voice to make a mocking imitation of the leader of the Consortium. His friend from across the room is trying to balance on a strange asymmetric platform, but her laughter keeps making that a difficult task. While the machines seem strange, coaches maintain that when properly managed, they can give one a very good workout. It would be prudent to ask them for advice before trying to handle an exercise machine.

You must have minimum combined physical stats of ??? to avoid injury at this gym.

NPCs

Inn (The Caracal)

While most of the station is divided into the inner, middle and outer rings, the old Caracal ship sits between the middle and outer rings, creating its own boundaries. The ship of the saviors of House of Congo has now been turned into the station’s prime meeting point - an expression of honor and waste-not attitude both. Inside, the Caracal has been renovated into guest rooms, most of them housing new arrivals looking to secure a place of their own. Right outside the Caracal is a plaza overlooking the Miners’ Repose - a collection of statues in honor of the many miners lost when the asteroid hit. Some statues are made of metal, others synthetic wood, some are smiling and some in despair. The resident artists’ skill and style is evident, and yet wholly different from one statue to the next.

NPCs

Bar (The Cat’s Tooth)

No matter the time of day, the Cat’s Tooth is always full and always loud, as patrons who work all hours gather here to unwind… or get into a fight. While synthehol supplies are limited, the barkeep makes the most of what they have, creating interesting seasonal concoctions to keep their guests coming back for more. Most of their current offerings are named after famous hackers - Sweet Sahumerio, Zoom 1990, Jet Set - and their exploits are listed underneath each drink.

Hotel Rooms (The Cat's Cradle)

The reception has tacky wallpaper depicting frolicking caracals in rainbow-colored grasslands. The receptionist is eager to explain that all rooms cost the same, but have a selection of different amenities. Serval Rooms have assistant robots and higher-speed Mesh access, Wildcat Suites offer intimate comforts and floor-to-ceiling holo-screens, Leopard Cabins focus on well-being via aromatherapy and art supplies. Some people loudly proclaim their room preference, others whisper it shyly. Whichever tone is taken, the xynoid receptionist matches it in their response.

NPCs

Lounge (Caracal Plaza)

The plaza starts where the Caracal ends, with green awnings stretched out from the ship to cover sets of mismatched tables and chairs. Although not as busy as the Cat’s Tooth, the plaza is rarely empty, and people exchange tables on a whim to chat with strangers or local friends. A few tables out of the way, near the Caracal’s tail, seem to host shadier conversations and furtive exchanges. Any stray looks in that direction will earn someone a cold glare and rude gesture.

NPCs

Market

Many people are here, buying and selling goods.

Vendors

Here you can find many things sold by different vendors.

Public Market

People offer things to be sold or buy things here.

Storage

You can find here enough space to store the things you do not want to carry.

Port

There is very little organization here, as people are by and large left to their own devices. Large screens share information, as well as advertising digital services of dubious nature. A handful of locals are whiling away time with their robots, offering help loading or unloading ships for a few credits and a fun travel anecdote. Between the sound of ships landing, peals of laughter ring out across the piers. Uniformed security officers occasionally make their way to a local shuttle, waiting to escort their client to the right part of the station. They cross the port quickly, doing their best not to draw attention, though the mere use of a uniform defeats that purpose.

Arrivals

A bustling river of humanity with endlessly branching tributaries flows from the shuttles arriving here, through the processing gates, to crash onto the banks of eagerly awaiting locals receiving visitors from near or far flung parts of the galaxy. A number of travelers post the usual glazed looks of those recently harangued by any type of transportation system created and run by the human species. They drift with a mixture of existential confusion and relief through to the station beyond. Always, they are scrutinized by security or some type of subspecies therein.

Shipping Bay

Since things are moved around by machines and conveyor belts, the only sounds are the whirring and clanking of mechanical arms moving crates from one place to the next. Individual deliveries listed on screens burst into sparks when they arrive or are picked up, a little fanfare to liven things up. There are a decent number of Moemedi and Sinclair crates, showcasing the stations’ perpetual need for food and medical supplies.

NPCs

Docks

There is only one ship flying Gaule red, kept away from the rest, and none in Consortium blue. Most vessels docked are either colorful, skull-clad Freebooters or belong to an independent company. A few private ships in grey and white, flying no particular color, are nestled among their larger brethren. A self-proclaimed ship aficionada is prowling the docks, taking images with some sort of rectangular device. Many of the pilots recognize the young woman, and don’t seem to mind her never-ending stream of questions.

Local Shuttles

While there is less traffic here than other stations, there are still frequent shuttles to Sirius Jump Gate and Heinlein Stronghold. Some of the newly arrived people jump for joy or kiss the ground, happy to finally have arrived somewhere they feel safe. Others discreetly slink off into a corner, quietly pursuing their own agendas. Seated at the edge of a platform are a handful of locals, waiting for friends or partners to arrive. They chat amiably, stopping to glance at the large arrival screens whenever its information refreshes.

NPCs

Ruins (The Outer Circle)

This area is the outermost part of House of Congo, where anyone can build whatever they fancy. All sorts of things can be found side by side - oddly shaped skate parks, artistic renditions of extinct species, sensory deprivation spas - all coexisting like erratic siblings. There are rumors of less savory facilities, but these are well hidden, entered by invitation only. This eclectic collection has to wrap itself around the algae farms: massive transparent plastic structures containing the blue-green life forms that provide oxygen and nutrition alike. The Cat’s Bowels are a set of tunnels that connect attractions to each other under the algae farms, dimly lit and often frequented by sketchy types.

NPCs

The Wrecks (The Cat's Bowels)

These tunnels are long enough that most people don’t bother walking. The most common sight is someone using wheeled shoes and personal propellers to cross the tunnels, though others resort to crude motorized transportation. The tunnels are frequented by spray painters, loiterers and black market salespeople. While most exits proudly display the interesting amenities you might find there, a few unmarked offshoots lead into unknown, and unsafe, areas.

NPCs

The Wilds (The Offshoots)

The tunnels leading from the Cat’s Bowels empty out into dark, open spaces between algae farms. Unlit by the sunlight refractors, these areas are left to their own devices, and most Congolese will refuse to enter. It’s unusually quiet, each step on regocrete ground and metallic sheets seeming to echo in the stillness.

Security

The small security force is paid for by a hacker collective whose identities are unknown. Independent contractors come here to offer their protection services, usually for an escort trip to the Outer Circle. While the security office is decorated in pleasant shades of purple, blue and pink, the atmosphere is cold and tense. People instinctively speak quietly, their voices at a loss in an area where order comes first.

NPCs

Shipyard

Ships of all shapes and sizes line the gargantuan bay that makes up the largest part of the Shipyard. Should one cast a more than cursory glance, they may recognize a number of once Consortium or Gaule Protectorate vessels that have since been 'liberated'. These ships tend to be decorated with bright, neon holo-graffiti, almost as a calling out to their former status.

The atmosphere in the area is charged with chaotic excitement as Captains who have 'commissioned' 'procurement' of a previously owned vessel arrive to claim their less than legitimately acquired acquisition. The walls of the bay are festooned with bright holo-graffiti that glistens in the air and matches many of the slumbering, behemoth like guests within.

Ships for Purchase

History

Galactic Destinations text

Last tenspan we gave you an introduction to Sirius, but what does each station have to offer? Let’s start by zooming into Sirius’ self-proclaimed “most welcoming station”, House of Congo! Many of the locals consider it their real home, having escaped the Consortium’s Orwellian eye or Gaule’s militaristic tendencies to live somewhere they can truly be themselves. But what does that mean for the people who reside here? Let’s find out!

Freebooters ruling House of Congo

Freebooters love their independence, and House of Congo is no exception. The first thing travellers might notice is that every building, house, or stall follows its own rules: Want to paint rainbow lizards on your facade? Make a mockery of the Consortium’s leaders with graffiti caricatures? Make a makeshift tent out of mirrors and tape? Nothing is out of bounds! In fact, there are rumors that their cloning facilities are the most breathtaking in the universe, though I did not manage to secure a tour in my short time there.

But freedom also comes in other forms. While House of Congo’s blue-green algae farms aren’t enough for self-sufficiency, its lucrative digital dealings – legal or otherwise! – help it secure imported rations and even delicacies from time to time. And while Freebooters don’t observe government rule, there is enough respect for each other’s freedom that violence doesn’t break out too often. So they claim, though I did witness a spat or two while I was visiting their markets!

Caracal in House of Congo

In House of Congo, one creature in particular has come to symbolise freedom – cats! Apparently the first freebooter vessel to arrive in House of Congo after the Catastrophe was called the Caracal, and its hacker crew is responsible for getting many life-saving systems back up and running. The Caracal, which I’m told is a type of Earth feline, can be found everywhere – depicted in tattoos and banners, used in song lyrics and Mesh nicknames!

Now, while this might sound exciting for the free-spirited among you, let’s not forget what being a Freebooter station means – you have to watch out for yourselves. Food is mostly imported, so stocks tend to fluctuate, and every digital dealing could be a potential swindle. Pack some extra rations – the algae supplements are not as filling as you’d think – and remember to keep your CORETECHS security up-to-date!

Finally, make sure you have a clone ready. Being in Sirius, a system the Freebooters might destroy just to spite the Consortium and Gaule, is risky!

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