Difference between revisions of "Ryan Iceships"

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Rudolph Ryan was killed by an anarchist assassin in [[2185]]. David Ryan maintained smuggling on the side, and aided the [[Outer Reaches Rebellion|Outer Reaches Rebels]] through supplies of arms and military intelligence.{{cn}}
 
Rudolph Ryan was killed by an anarchist assassin in [[2185]]. David Ryan maintained smuggling on the side, and aided the [[Outer Reaches Rebellion|Outer Reaches Rebels]] through supplies of arms and military intelligence.{{cn}}
  
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In its heydays, the Ryan Cartel was described as a massive conglomerate with several subsidiaries involved in various aspects of water transportation.<ref name=TROVA>''Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex'', p. 102 = ''Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, Revised'', p. 106, "Eckener EC-1 Tanker Airship"</ref> Their subsidiaries include [[Johnson Platform Airframes]], creator of the [[Eckener]] tanker airship,<ref name=TROVA1/> and the oceanographic research branch [[Ryan Systemics]].<ref name=TROVA2/>
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In its heydays, the Ryan Cartel was described as a massive conglomerate with several subsidiaries involved in various aspects of water transportation.<ref name=TROVA1>''Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex'', p. 102 = ''Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, Revised'', p. 106, "Eckener EC-1 Tanker Airship"</ref> Their subsidiaries include [[Johnson Platform Airframes]] (creators of the [[Eckener]] tanker airship),<ref name=TROVA1/> and the oceanographic research branch [[Ryan Systemics]].<ref name=TROVA2/>
  
 
===Star League era===
 
===Star League era===

Revision as of 05:55, 7 August 2019

Started by entrepreneur Rudolph Ryan[1], the Ryan Cartel (or Ryan Ice Cartel) was formed to transport huge asteroidal icebergs through hyperspace with a new, revolutionary jump technique, to supply colonies with cheap water. Nearly bankrupt after the development of advanced water purification technology during the Star League era, the assets of the Ryan Ice Cartel were purchased by the Free Worlds League-based Curtiss Hydroponics in 2688 and continue to survive through to the Word of Blake Jihad.

History

Rudolph Ryan started the Ryan Iceship Cartel on January 10, 2177. The Cartel patented and implemented a new iceship technology, allowing crews to cut massive blocks of ice from the asteroid belts of uninhabited systems and transport them to inhabited systems using a formation of jump capable ships, which exponentially increased the amount of ice that could be transported compared to carrying it on individual JumpShips. (Ryan Cartel tanker DropShips were also mentioned.[2]) The rate of extra-terrestrial colonization was greatly accelerated by the increased availability and quality of water provided by the Ryan Cartel.

Within a few short years, the Ryan Cartel became the single most profitable enterprise within the Terran Alliance. Then cartel's iceships stimulated the colonization of many worlds previously believed only marginally habitable. The number of inhabited colonies increased from over 200 in 2195 to over 600 by the time of the Fourth Alliance Grand Survey conducted in 2235.

Despite the improvements in infrastructure possible through the Ryan Cartel, Rudolph Ryan and his successor David Ryan, openly backed the Terran Liberal Party and covertly supported blockade runners in their attempts to "illegally" colonize worlds further than 120 light years away from Terra.[citation needed]

The efforts of the Ryan Cartel led directly to the colonization of hundreds of worlds, the Outer Reaches Rebellion, the eventual collapse of the Terran Alliance, and the formation of the modern Inner Sphere.

Rudolph Ryan was killed by an anarchist assassin in 2185. David Ryan maintained smuggling on the side, and aided the Outer Reaches Rebels through supplies of arms and military intelligence.[citation needed]

In its heydays, the Ryan Cartel was described as a massive conglomerate with several subsidiaries involved in various aspects of water transportation.[3] Their subsidiaries include Johnson Platform Airframes (creators of the Eckener tanker airship),[3] and the oceanographic research branch Ryan Systemics.[2]

Star League era

The Ryan Ice Cartel would continue to operate as the primary supplier vital water through to the formation of the Star League. But all changed during the Good Years in the wake of the Reunification War, when League engineers at the Caph Institute of Technology developed the Jamerson-Ulikov Water Purification Procedure in 2622. It was half the size and a third the cost of any previous water-purification system and significantly cheaper to operate over importing water via Iceships, making economically feasible to settle Inner Sphere worlds previously ignored during the Exodus as well as providing many already settled worlds with an unexpected economic boom.[4][5][6][7]

As fewer and fewer worlds relied on its service, the Ryan Cartel was nearly driven bankrupt. By 2668 the remaining assets of the Cartel's Iceship Division were bought up by Curtiss Hydroponics, the League based manufacturer of the TriFill Water Purification System. Conducted more out of pride than sound business practice, the Ryan Cartel would continue to lose millions of Star League Dollars a year before better management and cost-cutting measures stabilized its finances.[8][9]

Succession Wars era

As the Star League teetered on the brink of collapse in the wake of the Amaris Coup, Curtiss began production of five new vessels for the Ryan Iceship Division, the first of their kind built in almost two centuries. The fortuitous acquisition of the Ryan Cartel helped the company to weather the maelstrom of the Succession Wars as the slide into LosTech again made construction of Iceships both increasingly vital and highly profitable. Curtiss would continue to operate the Ryan Iceship Division until at least 3067, with at least 51 of the fragile vessels still in operation.[8][9]

Known Ships

References

  1. ↑ DropShips and JumpShips, p. 12
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, p. 170 = Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, Revised, p. 170, "Johah JN-002 Submarine"
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, p. 102 = Technical Readout: Vehicle Annex, Revised, p. 106, "Eckener EC-1 Tanker Airship"
  4. ↑ The Star League, pp. 54-55 "Economic and Scientific Advances"
  5. ↑ MechWarrior 1st Edition, p. 6 "A History of Human Space, 2001-3025 - The Good Years (2601-2750)"
  6. ↑ MechWarrior 2nd Edition, pp. 109-11 "Historical Overview - The Good Years (2601-2750)"
  7. ↑ Historical: Reunification Wars, pp. 165-166 "Aftermath - Good Years - The Second Invasion"
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 House Marik (The Free Worlds League), pp. 128-129 "Socioeconomics - Corporate Profiles - Curtiss Hydrosystems"
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Handbook: House Marik, p. 137 "Economy - Civil Engineering and Agriculture - Curtis Hydroponics"
  • House Kurita (The Draconis Combine), pp. 16-17
  • The Periphery, pp. 12-14

Bibliography

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