Argon Forge (Mebech C1)
Brought to you by Mebech Netcoms Limited
Life on Argon Forge (Mebech C1)
Living on Argon Forge is a daily exercise in adaptation, endurance, and loyalty. The planet, a high metal content world with no atmosphere, is a harsh, tidally locked orb that offers no room for error in its unforgiving environment. With surface temperatures plunging between -232.87°F to -18.67°F, and a gravity of just 0.33 G, the settlements dotting Argon Forge’s surface are both havens of survival and testaments to human resilience.
Daily Life in the Settlements
The 21,245 supporters of Mebech Netcoms Limited who inhabit places like Christian Works and Dogo Mineralogic Complex have long since adapted to the harsh realities of Argon Forge. These settlements are small but highly efficient, running on a refinery economy that processes the rich metal content extracted from the planet. Despite the planet’s bleak surface, the people of Argon Forge take pride in their work. The corporations have become the lifeblood of the world, with no natural ecosystems to sustain life, making industrial progress their form of nourishment.
The settlements are highly specialized, with each outpost dedicated to a particular aspect of resource extraction or processing. Life revolves around working for the corporation, and in this case, Mebech Netcoms Limited is the lifeline. Loyalty to one’s employer isn’t just cultural—on Argon Forge, it’s survival. Mebechians are keenly aware that stepping outside the corporate umbrella means losing access to everything from food imports to vital oxygen supplies. Most workers identify deeply with their corporate affiliations, finding pride and identity in their place within the larger machine that keeps the planet operational.
Inside the settlements, life is centered on the work shifts in the refineries or industrial hubs. There are no grand parks or organic vegetation; everything is constructed and maintained by human hands. Buildings are modular, stacked with functionality over comfort. Artificial life support systems run constantly, maintaining breathable air and keeping the extreme temperatures at bay. Power failures are rare but devastating when they occur, and everyone is trained in emergency drills for airlock breaches or power failures.
Cultural Norms and Adaptations
Life on Argon Forge has shaped its inhabitants into a resilient and pragmatic people. There’s a quiet camaraderie among workers, one built not on shared leisure time but on mutual survival. To live on Argon Forge means being part of something larger than yourself. Every person—whether they work in extraction at Dogo Mineralogic Complex or perform maintenance at Howard Hub—understands that the survival of the community depends on everyone doing their part. The concept of “corporate family” has real meaning here. Many citizens feel a familial loyalty to Mebech Netcoms Limited or Ice Storm Squadron, and this loyalty is reflected in the tight-knit communities of each settlement.
Living inside these pressurized environments means that clothing and gear are highly specialized. Outside of the suits required for venturing beyond the settlement walls, there’s an aesthetic of utilitarian simplicity. Workers are issued corporate uniforms, usually made from synthetic fabrics that can endure long hours in the sterile, climate-controlled environments of the refinery or the hub. Oxygen units and suit power reserves are meticulously maintained, as stepping outside without them means certain death in minutes.
Time is marked not by the planet’s day-night cycle—it has none, being tidally locked—but by corporate shift schedules. Workers alternate between the “day” and “night” sides of the planet, though most see little difference, as both are equally inhospitable. The “sunny side” is bathed in a dull, reddish-orange glow from the nearby dwarf star, while the dark side is illuminated by the stark, artificial lights of industry or the distant pinpricks of stars.
Entertainment and Social Interaction
While work dominates most of life on Argon Forge, there are brief moments for relaxation and camaraderie. In Christian Works, for example, communal recreation areas are provided, though they’re simple and often little more than places to gather and share food or play digital games. These social areas are a vital part of keeping morale high, though time spent in them is always short and infrequent due to the constant demands of the refinery work.
The lack of natural beauty outside the settlements means that the people of Argon Forge have developed a strong attachment to digital environments. Many workers engage in virtual worlds or simulations to escape the monotony of the metal walls around them. There’s a shared cultural appreciation for holo-films, immersive storytelling games, and simulated environments where one can “visit” places with oceans, forests, or open skies.
Family life, where it exists, is tightly controlled by the corporations. Children are rare, but those born in the settlements are raised with a strong sense of duty. From a young age, they’re taught to respect the corporations and understand the critical importance of their future roles within them. Education focuses on technical skills, engineering, and corporate law, ensuring that each generation is ready to contribute to the continued operation of the settlements.
Beyond the Settlements
Few people travel beyond the safety of the pressurized domes and airtight corridors of the settlements. Those that do are the miners, engineers, and specialists who maintain the resource extraction facilities scattered across the planet’s surface. Working outside requires wearing fully powered exo-suits, and even then, these suits are only functional for limited hours at a time. The planet’s surface is lifeless, a barren landscape of rock and metal with no atmosphere. The few who venture out describe it as eerily beautiful—especially the contrast between the red-tinged light of the sun and the stark blackness of the planet’s dark side, only visible through the industrial lights that dot the horizon.
Though Mebech Netcoms Limited holds sway over the key settlements, there are anarchist factions like the Mebech Purple Cartel, who operate out of places like Borlaug’s Progress. They live in a constant state of conflict with the larger corporations, their loyalty bound only to themselves. While their numbers are small, they are a constant threat, attacking corporate shipments or sabotaging equipment to destabilize the power structures of Argon Forge.
Corporate Ties and Future Outlook
The corporations are the heartbeat of Argon Forge. Mebech Netcoms Limited in particular dominates the planet, controlling the flow of refined metals and ensuring the settlement’s stability. The planet’s economy is entirely dependent on the import of agricultural products and other vital commodities from off-world. Despite these limitations, the people of Argon Forge are resourceful, relying on trade with other settlements in the Mebech System, like the outposts and settlements on Icarian Hold (Mebech C 2).
For the inhabitants of Argon Forge, the future is tied to the fate of the corporations that employ them. Expansion into nearby systems, continued resource extraction, and the success of partnerships like the one with
Brought to you by Mebech Netcoms Limited.
