AXIOM Corporation

The AXIOM Corporation (NYSE: AAXM) is a British-founded American multinational conglomerate and megacorporation specializing in the energy and space industries. A pioneer in technology, AXIOM is most known for being the first (and remaining the largest) supplier of fusion power across the Sol system and is the largest corporation in the world by revenue and market cap, topping Fortune 500 charts for several years in a row. It provides dozens of enterprise-oriented services besides energy, including its own substantial PMC division, weapons manufacturing, R&D, aerospace, and financial services.

AXIOM was founded as Axiom Dynamics in 2044 by founder Anthony Goodwood, eventually pioneering the first fusion reactor in the world that produced a positive net energy rate and earning the ire and attention of several world governments, taking place at a crucial point in which oil and coal reserves had become too scarce for mass usage and amidst a critical shortage of fissile material such as uranium and plutonium.

Following a ten-year period of rapid expansion, AXIOM went public in 2054, trading as AAXM on the NYSE and quickly climbing up to top market charts. The company proceeded to grow to Fortune 500 top-10 status by 2061, becoming No.1 on several occasions; the latest streak of which was started in 2110 and continues to present day.

More than 70% of Earth's energy generation comes from AXIOM (or AXIOM partnered) nuclear fusion energy, its global patent on fusion reactors unrelenting and heavily enforced by both its colossal legal department and formidable PMC Division. As a result, AXIOM can be said to hold a near-monopoly over energy generation worldwide and is considered to be vital to the continued operation of Earth's workings.

Due to this, AXIOM wields significant power over governments and corporations alike, rivaling the influences of superpowers such as the European Union and the United States. Its influence, coupled with allegations of lobbying and lawsuit dodging backed up by an army of top-tier attorneys, has led the legal world to refer to AXIOM as an "untouchable" company.

With a seat in the United Nations Security Council, AXIOM, along with Gansai Industries and Royal Arms Manufacturing, form the corporate triumvirate of United Nations Tier 1 defence partners. These companies are prioritised above all else, willingly or otherwise, for many defence contracts with the UN and its militaries. Despite this, however, their lucrative hold isn't infinite - smaller corporations have lately began to wiggle their way into contracts while simultaneously besting what the giants have to offer on their wide menus.

Departments
AXIOM operates multiple departments and branches under its corporate umbrella, each specializing in a different aspect of corporate operations that keep the company ticking. Most departments (besides the Energy and Security departments) were made as a result of corporate acquisitions.

AXIOM Energy
The single-largest department of AXIOM and its largest source of income. AXIOM Energy operates, constructs and maintains the hundreds of AXIOM fusion reactors in service around the Sol system and on many starships.

Possessing thousands of engineers, mechanics and physicists, AXIOM Energy also forms the second-largest employer of engineers on Earth and the largest employer of particle physicists. Contracts are plentiful but lucrative, and many vie for a position in the company.

AXIOM Security
The legendary PMC division of AXIOM, AXIOM Security is tasked with the safeguarding of AXIOM assets as well as having a contractor wing offering its own security contractors as guns-for-hire for any client with enough money.

A majority of AXIOM's weaponry and equipment is entirely first-party, developing its own firearms, armour, and equipment for usage by its contractors. Several AXIOM-derived designs have been licensed to or even sold to military organisations such as NAVSOC for their own requisitions.

AXIOM Security has several divisions, each specialised in different actions.

Asset Protection Division (APD)
Asset Protection forms the wing of AXIOM Security responsible for guarding AXIOM assets such as fusion reactors, corporate personnel and company buildings, including its headquarters. Different levels of equipment are issued to APD personnel, ranging from simple pistols and batons with ballistic vests for door guards to full-power SMGs, shotguns and hardsuits for high-security protection or emergency response.

Executive Protection Division (EPD)
The executive bodyguard wing of AXIOM Security, EPD operatives are tasked with guarding high-value AXIOM personnel or escorting personnel partnered with the company, such as diplomats, corporate ambassadors or government officials. EPD draws from bodyguard organisations such as the US Secret Service for a majority of its agents (as the responsibilities are similar); and EPD bodyguards are often fitted with ballistic-armoured business suits when protecting individuals. Special response EPD personnel are equipped with armour-piercing carbines and sniper rifles for long-distance overwatch or emergency situations.

Special Purpose Division (SPD)
The black ops wing of AXIOM Security. While much of its work is classified to the general public, SPD operatives fulfill special operations such as gathering intelligence, taking out enemies of the company or otherwise forwarding the company's agenda through military force. This is the most well-equipped division of all, and its armouries range from high-power pistols to anti-materiel sniper rifles, for whatever tasks its operatives may encounter. Many are former NAVSOC operators willing to earn extra bucks after their tenures with the military.

Aerospace: The starship division of AXIOM. Designs and develops starships and starship components for both in-house and for sale. Formed by the acquisition and integration of Stratford Shipyards in 2088.

Energy: Responsible for AXIOM's primary trade, fusion power. The largest and oldest branch of the company dedicated to researching and providing fusion reactors.

Security: PMC division of AXIOM. Provides the bulwark of internal security for guarding AXIOM assets and personnel as well as offering PMC contractors for hire by various companies. Their superior equipment to other PMC companies makes them a lucrative choice despite their small numbers.

Defence: AXIOM's weapons and munitions division. Known for developing the ALR-10 as well as several combat hardsuits later adopted by the SDC. Formed during AXIOM's takeover of the Leighton Corporation in 2108.

Research and Development: Provides general R&D for the company and develops new technologies for usage in other departments.

In addition to these departments, AXIOM also owns several subsidiaries and shell companies operating under AXIOM jurisdiction.

Subsidiaries
AXIOM additionally owns and operates many subsidiaries, companies which operate under their own hierarchy but ultimately answer to AXIOM when it comes to profits and ultimate decisions.

History
AXIOM was founded as Axiom Dynamics by British founder Anthony Goodwood, as part of a private research firm dedicated to fusion energy construction. Earlier attempts to build a fusion reactor, notably those in the 2020s and 2030s, had failed to pick up meaningful usage besides research usage due to their negative net energy yields and the lack of materials capable of containing and sustaining the reactor without melting or succumbing to high temperatures.

As a senior researcher who had worked on the ITER and DEMO fusion reactor projects, Goodwood had broken off from the organisations along with his team to attempt to privatise fusion research and focus on energy generation rather than plasma physics.

It was during this time that fossil fuel reserves had finally mined their last drop of oil, after prices had already inflated to obscene proportions the countries of the Middle East with few reserve plans had suddenly found themselves strapped of resources. This lead to the Middle East Oil Crisis, an event which eventually led to nuclear war in the war-torn region.

After years of work, Axiom Dynamics had eventually displayed and demonstrated, to the European government and to the world, a working fusion reactor which is relatively inexpensive and generates more than twice the energy it produced. Utilising newly-invented coolant and alloys designed to withstand the heat brought on by the reactor, the EU had immediately ordered several such reactors to be built around the continent, eventually leading to reactors in England, Germany, Spain, Italy and Norway. These 1st generation Axiom reactors had eventually outclassed the existing fission reactors in place at the time -- especially in places such as Germany, where all nuclear reactors were dismantled prior.

Market deregulation following the Oil Crisis led to Axiom Dynamics usurping its position as an energy supplier and rapidly seizing the spotlight, growing to become a larger and larger company. Amidst this, high tax rates in its then-headquarters, London, prompted Axiom to move its headquarters to the United States and restructure as the AXIOM Corporation.

In the middle of this transition, however, Goodwood had disappeared from the public eye. Attempts to track him down had failed at the time but had eventually led to the discovery of his deceased body in a log cabin in Vermont. Investigations into his death had ruled to a suicide, due to blackmail from crumbling oil giants attempting to take the founder down with them. Such oil magnates were tried and imprisoned, but the damage was done.

The newly-minted AXIOM Corporation's board of directors had appointed its successor, then-CTO Charles Francisco, to be its new CEO. Francisco's doctrine prioritised diversification, and AXIOM's hefty budget was shortly thereafter spent acquiring new companies, much to the ire of antitrust advocates who had soon sued the company for monopolistic practices. However, this was overturned in court.

AXIOM went public in 2054 under the NYSE, trading as AAXM and offering a massive IPO. It quickly scaled the charts to become a highly lucrative stock and remains highly favourable to this day.

Francisco retired in 2088, leading to current CEO, Max Richmond, to take appointment. Richmond's own agenda prioritised AXIOM's interests to be geared towards the stars, having the company participate in talks with the United Nations to help found and fund the Final Frontier Project in 2090.

AXIOM played a key role in the making of the HSC-133 Escapade and HCR-146 Emissary.