Whistleblower Alleges “Corporate Warfare” Resulted In Fatal Piracy Campaign

A piracy campaign that ravaged the Calypso Deeps in 2274, killing hundreds, may have been secretly supported by one of the Orion Arm’s largest megacorporations. Whistleblowers allege sensitive data that made the attacks possible was deliberately leaked.

New reports claim that the US-based Lotus Group set up a shell company in 2271 to covertly acquire transit routes and scheduling information from rival firms. Competitors were unknowingly contracted to ship tracking and recording devices, which were then recovered and analyzed.

But in 2274, while pursuing an especially lucrative government contract, the nature of this program allegedly changed. Acting through a chain of intermediaries, Lotus used the acquired data to facilitate a series of attacks and hijackings.

Our Analysis: Inter-corporate conflicts have long been a feature of the Orion Arm, but usually remain confined to the Far Frontier where oversight is weak. If substantiated, this case marks a rare instance of corporate warfare erupting into the open.

Yet it may also be a sign of things to come, as many megacorps, long possessing capabilities superior to entire nations, are eager to test their limits, and the willingness of governments to respond.