The Trajan System is the shipping and logistics hub of the Empire Cluster, controlled by Essex United Corporation. If goods move through the Cluster, Essex United probably handled them at some point.
Trajan is a system built around movement. The primary world hosts Essex United's corporate headquarters and administrative functions, but the real business happens in orbit—vast anchorages, cargo handling facilities, and the endless flow of freighters that keep the Cluster's economy running.
Essex United doesn't manufacture goods or mine resources. They move things. Their fleet of cargo vessels, their network of warehouses, their logistics expertise—these are what make interstellar trade possible at scale. Other corporations produce; Essex United delivers.
The system's primary world, Trajan is more administrative center than industrial hub. Essex United's headquarters dominates the capital city—a towering complex of offices, conference centers, and executive facilities where shipping contracts worth billions are negotiated daily.
The planet itself is pleasant enough, terraformed centuries ago into a comfortable temperate world. Essex United maintains it well; appearances matter when you're hosting clients from across Freelance space.
Optimus Anchorage is one of the largest commercial port facilities in Freelance space—a sprawling orbital complex capable of handling hundreds of vessels simultaneously. Cargo transfers, ship maintenance, crew rotation, customs inspection (such as it is in the Empire Cluster)—everything happens here.
The Anchorage operates around the clock, every day of the year. Delays cost money, and Essex United doesn't tolerate inefficiency. The facility's reputation for fast turnaround makes it a preferred port for merchants across the region.
Essex United Corporation is one of the founding families' corporate vehicles, specializing in shipping and logistics. They operate the largest commercial fleet in Freelance space and maintain shipping contracts with governments and corporations across human space.
The corporation's power extends beyond simple transport. They control cargo insurance through subsidiaries, operate bonded warehouses on dozens of worlds, and maintain the navigational databases that merchant captains depend on. Cross Essex United, and you might find your cargo mysteriously delayed, your insurance claims denied, and your route data suddenly out of date.