Charity (world) - Travelogue
Unless you've been hiding inside a rock, you've heard of it and you've heard of the Fatima of Charity. I'll tell you that nothing you have heard will prepare you for the reality of this world. Charity (Empty Quarter 0830) orbits the gas giant Virtue along with the moons of Faith and Hope. Now before you start laughing at the old Rule of Man naming conventions, you have to take into account the history that has passed since - especially the last few decades that involve the Baroness Yasmin Mignonne Mai. Yasmin Mignonne Mai's past is very cloudy. It is known that she was a courtesan who floated through the entourage of the previous Sector Duke, and was granted her Patent of Nobility by him. It is also known that she was promoted to Baroness from Knight and given the land grant on Charity by the incoming Sector Duke. Those who enjoy speculating on the habits of the nobility in gossip columns find this irresistible, yet all of them are careful not to be too disparaging as the Baroness’s accomplishments on Charity far outweighs whatever place in life she has come from. Upon receiving her fiefdom, Baroness Mai sold her yacht and began dipping into a large trust fund she had, in order to terraforming Charity into a habitable world. Several large comets were diverted and blasted into sprays of water and carbon dioxide ice by the Navy to bring much-needed volatiles to the world. The Scouts moved in next and provided geneered algae for the new oceans, while also providing lichens and mosses for the surface. These favors by the Navy and Scouts were done as granted exercises in the system at the Baroness’s request. Charity incorporated itself as Charity LIC, with Baroness Mai as CEO and Primary Stockholder - building non-starships as a side business with a specialty in Runabouts, Launches, and Gigs. The philanthropic nature of Charity became widely known when during the Caravanserie Skirmishes. Wounded combatants were offered free medical attention at Charity, while those civilians dispossessed by the conflict could immigrate there if they so desired. Many, once healed, joined with the refugees and immigrated to the world, which bolstered its population. This is where Baroness Mai earned her nickname of Fatima Charity from the new immigrants. If people can transport themselves there, they are granted full citizenship once they work off or pay their immigration debt to Charity LIC. Open immigration is still practiced today on Charity.
At any crisis in the sector, a Charity LIC representative will be there to provide assistance. It is common to allow these representatives free passage when responding to a crisis, initially this looks like a loss for the free trader - but this small selfless act is often remembered and can prove quite beneficial later on in further mercantile dealings. This leads to the saying that, "Those who help the Fatima Charity often find their reward later."
This policy of aiding others has proven extremely effective for Charity and the Baroness. While the world does not possess a standing army or military force, Charity is far from defenseless - as many will come to their defense should Charity be threatened. Several years ago, a mixed human-Vargr pirate squadron raided the world for plunder. The Baroness ordered no resistance to the plundering as long as none of the inhabitants were injured or harassed. As quickly as news of this incident spread, military and mercenary warships ranging from Navy Cruisers to Armed Free Traders combined efforts to hunt down the pirates and eliminate them. Mercenary units worked for free, criminal organizations gave information freely to law enforcement, and pirates hunted their own. After two years, every last pirate involved in the raid was tracked down and killed. Kilotons of material were donated freely to the world, so that Charity LIC could recover as quickly as possible.
This incident proved that while Charity was just another world in the Imperium and the Baroness Mai just another noble, they were representative of an ideal that the entire sector felt strongly about. Of course, the ideal becomes more embellished and removed from reality the further one gets from Charity. Of course, once you are offworld the conspiracy theorists quietly suggest that a sufficiently ruthless leader with connections to both the nobility and organized crime could manipulate a pirate group to attack a defenseless settlement and then have that group hunted down.
Charity Highport is not the place to go for a wild and raucous liberty, but travelers are treated as distant members of the family when there. Not conducive to nights of drunken debauchery, but a very pleasant change of pace. A tradition is for the receiver of goods shipped in to invite the shipper over to their home and share dinner with the family - which usually leads to another business deal, as long as you and the crew know how to mind their manners.
- Citation Missing - Stellar Reaches No. 5 - Extensive Write-up By Jeff M. Hopper