Houston Based Companies: AresSpace

AresSpace

Headquarters: Houston, Texas (CAS)

Executive Vice President: Charles Pollack

Subsidiaries:

Ares Global Comsat
AresSpace Lifters
AresSpace Security
AresSpace Special Operations Division


AresSpace was headquartered in Houston, TX because of the acquisition of NASA by Ares Macrotechnology from the US Government.  Nicholas Aurelius (CEO and Chairman of the Board) purchased NASA and turned it into a highly profitable satellite recovery service among other things.

AresSpace is located in Clear Lake where the old JSC (Johnson Space Center) was located.  They also have offices in Downtown Houston as well.

The tsunami of 2068 didn't quite wipe out clear lake but there was a lot of flooding and subsequent damage. This gave Ares Macrotechnology the opportunity to purchase the land surrounding old JSC and most of the lake front property.  Ares then took the land once called Nassau Bay and shaped the peninsula and constructed a large airfield extending into Lake Nassau.  They also constructed a secure bridge to the once connected Nassau Bay Peninsula Wildlife Park and build a large research facility and an advanced engineering and manufacturing facility there.  The main administration buildings and mission control at old JSC proper were gutted and rebuilt with the latest security and technological advances as well.

AresSpace has 8 manned facilities in space currently.

AresSpace built and runs the Kodiak Island Spaceport in Alaska, Athabaskan Council

AresSpace unveiled Apollo Station on the 12th of April 2019 - the Crash Virus disabled the station killing all on board the 8th of February 2029.\

AresSpace owns and operates Icarus Station in geosynchronous orbit.  Little is known about the stations purpose and the facility itself.

AresSpace owns and operates Artemis Lunar Arcology which is their presence on the Moon.



<<INCOMING DATA>>

<<SpaceCityRover>>
-- Houston has an old nickname "Space City" thanks to AresSpace we can still call ourselves that...to survive as a species metahumans have to colonize space, I for one am proud that AresSpace is reaching for the stars...

<<SpaceFreak2099>>
--SpaceCityRover, your post screams AresSpace employee...you mind telling us where Ares is hiding the Aliens?

<<SpaceCityRover>>
--SpaceFreak2099, There are no Aliens here on earth.  Do you actually think that a highly intelligent race that can cross tens, hundreds, thousands, of light years would come here to this po-dunk planet?  Get probed chummer....

<<SpaceFreak2099>>
--SpaceCityRover, Sounds exactly what a corporate shill would say...thanks for the confirmation boyo!




**DISCLAIMER**

The Topps Company, Inc. has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. The Topps Company, Inc. has granted permission to Shadowrun Houston to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with Shadowrun Houston in any official capacity whatsoever.

I garnered some information off of the Shadowrun Wikia: Mad props to those who compiled the data you made my life easier.

http://shadowrun.wikia.com/wiki/Main_Page

Houston's Mass Transit System: METRO "On Time...Every Time!"

Houston, being as large and spread out as it is has always relied on mass transit to get people around.  The bus system is one of the best in the world and a light rail system was established in the early 21st Century. 

By the year 2075 the light rail system is well established and carries thousands of people around town and in and out of the outlaying areas.  Surprisingly the light rail still runs in the more rougher neighborhoods with little or no incident.  Houston Metro staffs their own security and are notoriously harsh on anyone who violates the rules or tries to commit a crime while on the train.

The Houston Metropolitan Transit Line also runs buses throughout the city.  The buses run on Natural Gas exclusively and as with the trains they even run in some of the worst areas of Houston.  Buses are run by Metro Riggers and have at least one armed guard and in some cases two riding along.  They are lightly armored as well.  Not only is this a deterrent for shenanigans on the bus, it tends to dissuade any on from trying to stop the bus on the outside.  METRO has a schedule to keep and its their opinion that deadly force is authorized to keep that schedule.

There have been hundreds of cases throughout the years of METRO Security stopping crime along their routes and on the bus.  They have a reputation to uphold and they take that reputation seriously.

Game Data:
The typical Metro Officer wears black tactical overalls similar to the explorers jumpsuit in conjunction with a black armored jacket.  They are equipped with issued Ares Predator V's, 2 extra clips, handcuffs, and plenty of zip-tie restraints for the large jobs.  They carry official badges and identification that identifies them as peace officers.  They have arrest powers and authorization for deadly force in relation to interruption of their appointed routes and keeping the peace on the trains and buses.

The typical Metro vehicle security or "door gunner" is equipped with the same armor as above, however along with the Predator V's they carry Ares Alphas with a combat load of 210 rounds.  They also carry a typical assortment of micro grenades for the launcher.  (HE, Flare, and Smoke)

<<INCOMING DATA>>

<<TheR34lKorjik>>
--I think the reason the Azzies never invaded Houston was because they were scared of Metro Security and those battlewagons they drive....

<<BusMuncher365>>
-- I saw a group of Shadowrunners try and stop a bus to get a mark off of it.  It didn't turn out to well for them the driver ran over one and the guards on the bus popped the windows and started firing their assault riffles at the rest.  It was a bad day for them....

<<WalkerTexasWanger>>
--On Time....Every Time, that's what they say....I was riding the cross town #295 when the driver came up to an accident, be barreled through without hesitation....the participants just stood there gaping...jaws dropped...stopped their argument real quick....


**DISCLAIMER**

The Topps Company, Inc. has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. The Topps Company, Inc. has granted permission to Shadowrun Houston to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with Shadowrun Houston in any official capacity whatsoever.

The Wards

When the city of Houston was established in 1836 it's founders divided into districts called wards.  At its peak Houston had six wards.  The ward system was done away with in 1915 but some of the communities are still referred to as Wards in the Houston of today as well as in 2072.

The 5th Ward:

Northeast of Downtown, the Fifth Ward is bounded by the Buffalo Bayou, Jensen Drive, Liberty Road, and Lockwood Drive.  In the Shadowrun Universe of 2075 the Fifth Ward is much like it was in the early 20th Century.  The Fifth Ward is one of the poorest sections of Houston, is over-run by gangs, and is the place the sinless and the downtrodden go to disappear.  Once a proud African-American community, unemployment and crime drove businesses and the working class out.  After the Awakening things didn't get much better. 

The Fifth Ward became home to a large Orc community and Tusk Town was born.  Located in the north west of the Fifth Ward, Tusk Town stretches between the corner of Liberty and Altoona to the South East to old CAS Highway 59 and Collingsworth in the North West corner. The self proclaimed "King" of Tusk Town is an Orc Ganger named Tusk.  Tusk rules Tusk Town with an iron fist and his gang the Tuskers rule inside the towns limits.  That being said the Orc Community inside thrives under his protection and although the community has no illusions to what Tusk is they concede to the crime and chaos caused by his gang in exchange for the protection that it garners.  Hundreds of non-Orcs live within it's unofficial borders and as long as they do not cause any trouble they are tolerated at worst and are often friends with their Orc neighbors.  Rival criminal activity, however, is not only intolerable it is often ratted out by its inhabitants to the Tuskers.  Tusk does not allow it to go on in his community and will strike with all his assets to stamp it out.  Rival gangs travelling through Tusk Town without permission are met with extreme prejudice.  Runners with operations within Tusk Town are better off asking Tusk's permission first and after an appropriate bribe, sanctioned.  Tusk doesn't react well if an operation goes down in Tusk Town and if the Runners are found there operating without permission are treated harshly and the Tuskers will shoot first and ask questions later. 

The rest of the Fifth Ward is divided among other gangs and organized crime.  In the South East you have the Mystics, a gang made up of mostly Humans.  The Mystics are a go gang and roam the streets looking for weak prey.  In the South East the largest controlling gang is the Lyons led by Julius, a charismatic black man who dresses in purple and gold and drives his Bentley through the streets.  Julius and his gang are into drugs, BTLs, and other illegal substances.  Other smaller gangs pepper the area but these three are the largest and most dangerous. 


<<INCOMING DATA>>

<<FalseProfit>>
--Tusk Town is not so bad if you make good with the locals....Just don't cross Tusk I have seen him literally crucify people....

<<ShutYoShaft>>
--Everyone knows not to mess with Tusk, but Julius is worse....he doesn't even pretend to care about the people on his turf....




**DISCLAIMER**

The Topps Company, Inc. has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. The Topps Company, Inc. has granted permission to Shadowrun Houston to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with Shadowrun Houston in any official capacity whatsoever. 

An overview of Houston, TX 2075 The Jewel of the New South

Shadow Run 2072 Houston, TX.

 

Houston fared better than Austin and Dallas Ft/Worth during the conflict with Aztlan.  It is the largest city in Texas; however it is typically looked over.  Due to this, Houston has thrived throughout the years.  It is still the center of the North American space industry and is the home of Ares Space. Ares also has a large presence in central Downtown Houston.  They acquired a large city block near the City Government which houses some of their research facilities and small corporate headquarters.  The Heritage Plaza was taken over by Aztechnology in 2040 and houses one of their Magical Research Facilities and also overseas any Aztechnology goods that pass through the Port of Houston.  Medicarro, a branch of Aztechnology has taken over a large portion of the former Texas Medical Center.  Houston has a vibrant medical industry and some of the most advanced cybernetics, bioware, and surgical technology originates there.  United Oil Industries has a small presence there.  The Williams Archology is located in the Galleria area which is still a bastion of commerce and houses boutiques, the hottest restaurants, nova hot clubs, and hotels. Lockheed, although a major presence in Las Angeles, has a large facility in Houston, next to Ares Space located in Clear Lake.  Lone Star retains the contract for the Houston Metropolitan area and has a large central headquarters located in the down town area. 

Houston also houses one of the largest ports in the CAS; the Port of Houston, that is patrolled by the CAS Navy and houses the W.W. Behrens Naval Station where the bulk of the CAS’s Submarines are based out of.

When the CAS gained its independence the former Ellington Field which was a Joint Reserve Base was renamed and reopened as Chennault Air Force Base.  It is now an active CAS military base and several bomber and fighter groups are housed here including the famed “Flying Tigers” who gained recognition in the Atzlan/Texas conflict.

The tsunami of 2062 that originated from large earthquakes in the Yucatan devastated Galveston Island and flooded the surrounding area.  Houston itself was safe but a lot of the outlying land to the east was reclaimed by nature.  The Port of Houston did receive some damage but by 2075 anything that wasn't repaired was torn down and rebuilt. 

….More Data to Come Chummers!


**DISCLAIMER**

The Topps Company, Inc. has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. The Topps Company, Inc. has granted permission to Shadowrun Houston to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with Shadowrun Houston in any official capacity whatsoever.  

Houston as a Shadowrun Campaign Setting

Houston is the forth largest city in the United States and growing.  It always bewildered me that information on this city in the Shadowrun universe was paltry at best.  Being the largest city in the southern United States and the largest in Texas one would think that it would have been a city written about extensively in the Shadowrun universe, or at least garnered a paragraph in any campaign book written about the CAS or UCAS for that matter.  Houston has three airports, 92 countries have consulates there, it has the tenth largest port in the world, 63 of the worlds largest corporations have representation there,  it boast the largest medical center ever, and it has one of the largest oil and gas presences in the world.  I think that this is one of the greatest un-tapped settings and I would like that to change. 

This blog is a reference point for my home-brewed Shadowrun campaign.  If you are reading this, you are most likely a participant in it.  If not, you might be an avid Shadowrunner looking for information about Houston in the Shadowrun universe and like me found very little.  I am a resident of Houston and I would like nothing more for Catalyst Games to grace me with a "fluff" book on my city.  In the meantime, I am going to write as much "fluff" as I can so that my gaming group has a reference point for our chosen city....Houston Texas, Jewel of the New South.

**DISCLAIMER**

The Topps Company, Inc. has sole ownership of the names, logo, artwork, marks, photographs, sounds, audio, video and/or any proprietary material used in connection with the game Shadowrun. The Topps Company, Inc. has granted permission to Shadowrun Houston to use such names, logos, artwork, marks and/or any proprietary materials for promotional and informational purposes on its website but does not endorse, and is not affiliated with Shadowrun Houston in any official capacity whatsoever.