ArchEon

Introduction - The Beginning of the End

The Scene :- We're back in the days of the Conflict Wars (Mr. Slayer is still busy selling armour, guns and the services of his mercenaries to the various Conflict Races), on the Planet Mort - In Mr Slayer's office.  The door slides open - enter Senti (the Dark Witch of Biogenetics).

• Senti - Slayer, we have a problem !
• Slayer - There are no problems in the World of Progress my dear, only decisions to be made (he smiles) - Tell me more.
• Senti - It's a research collective called ArchEon.  They're based on the Planet Syren out in the Paragath Border Worlds.  ArchEon are doing Biogenetic work that's as good as, if not better than my own - you need to do something about them or your Big Picture's not going to be as Big as you think it should be !!
• Slayer - I have heard of this "collective" they are but a group of the malcontents and deviants from a dozen or so Races.  Their threat is interesting to me, as you well know, competition can be it's own reward ! - let me look at them and see what I can do with their "challenge".
• Senti - Make it quick Slayer, we can't afford to send in the Kilneck. The Paragath Borders are just to close to too many of the Warlords.  They would see our activity as as a threat and as you know there is material out there  that I need for Deathwake - we can't afford Intruder's kind of attention out there.
• Slayer - I understand the situation quite clearly my dear.  You have drawn my attention to the problem, now leave me to arrange the details.  Rest assured that ArchEon will cause no lack of focus to my Big Picture.

Slayer swings his chair around and looks out over the city.  Senti leaves as obviously the conversation has come to an end - It went well, she thinks - but who can tell when talking to something like Slayer.

ArchEon - The Portfolio

Description :- A research collective based on the planet Syren in the Paragath Border worlds.  It is a collection of specialist researchers run by it's Chief Scientist Dr Hengran (one of the last survivors of Terragen Race) a veteran of many of the Conflict battles in and around the Paragath Worlds.  ArchEon has been working with Biogenetic enhancement for longer than SLA Industries has been in existence.  These enhancements have never been a major success - there has always been a "culture of metal" among the Conflict Races - but it has provided more than enough financial resources to ensure continued research and development at ArchEon.

Production :- Their main money spinners are based around the genetic enhancement of a given subject.  Basically, an individual travels to Syren and enters into a programme wherein his gene codes are rewritten to his specification.  The process is not quick and is certainly not painless but the results are generally very satisfactory. ArchEon do not promise a 100% success rate and insist on a waiver before entering into an enhancement programme with a given individual.  Their clients tend to be very rich Warlords, their senior ranking staff and family.  There are few of the "nobles" in the Paragath Border Worlds who have not invested in the prestige of an ArchEon package.  Also ArchEon have techniques for enhancing buildings through the use of active organisms that grow through the shell of the building warping it's structure (and growing new components) to pre-coded designs - largely ArchEon keeps this technology to themselves but upon occasion it is sold (at a very steep price) to favoured customers.

Research & Development :- Simply put, ArchEon are looking into the development of new sentient lifeforms.  The concept of a living breathing creature stepping from a steaming vat of chemicals is not unique to SLA Industries (although the eventual techniques used by SLA are obviously unique in nature).  It is alleged that Dr Hengran holds fast to the dream of recreating the Terragen Race from the DNA up. The research of ArchEon into Project Prime Creation was effectively what drew the attention of SLA Industries and sealed the eventual fate of the company.

Corporate Assassination

Some 5 years after his initial meeting with Senti on Mort, Slayer departed for Syren in his flagship - ArchEon he felt was a challenge worthy of a little personal attention.   Things had progressed in such a way as to allow him to do this - normally the great CEO would never leave Mort but at this time and under the strange conditions prevalent in the universe at that moment such became possible (and Mr. Slayer was not about to miss such a rare opportunity).

On Syren in an office constructed from ArchEon bio-products Mr Slayer and Dr Hengran met.  The meeting went on for several hours.  It is thought that Mr. Slayer offered to buy ArchEon outright.  Dr Hengran was less than interested in this proposal (especially as the Terragen race was destroyed by direct Kilneck activity) and flatly turned it down. What else was said in that meeting is unknown. It is inconcivable that Mr. Slayer did not know that the Terragen Race had been destroyed by the Kilneck and thus it is thought that this offer was purely a way of announcing his intentions to ArchEon in a manner that would not go un-noticed.