MegaCorps, short for mega-corporations, are companies or organisations that have declared themselves independent of Factional authority, and have the power and clout to actually back that up. Typically this freedom comes from sheer scale of operations, unique or rare proprietary technology, or integration into the economy of the Factions to such a degree that suspension of services would be catastrophically disruptive.

The first MegaCorp is recognised to be the gargantuan Galactic Energy Supplies, which came together in the Ascendancy before they even encountered any other major spacefaring powers. The energy generation and storage technology developed by the early GES became utterly indispensable to the growing Terran domain, and the Noble Houses were too busy undermining each other's interests to prevent Galactic Energy Supplies from becoming utterly indispensable to Terran colonial operations. When they began to build their own fleets of ships and move to gain freedom from Ascendancy laws, the most powerful Houses did move against them, but were quickly cowed when GES switched off their fusion generators and de-powered the entirety of the Trappist System for ten standard days.

All of the well-known MegaCorps maintain relations with each of the four Factions, and take pains to deal with each one in a generally fair and consistent fashion. This is part of what gives them their protection - angering a MegaCorp by taking large-scale action against their interests would most likely lead to a withdrawal of their services from the aggressors, and give the other Factions a substantial advantage against them. That is not to say that the Factions do not test the MegaCorps, and vice versa, usually in small ways and under the cover of deniability. “Pirate” raids, false-flag attacks, hostile takeovers, “unforeseen” disruption of services, infiltration and spying are all part of the delicate dance of power and intrigue between the MegaCorps and the Factions.

The MegaCorps in operation today are important fixtures in the day-to-day life in the Orion Sphere. Most have survived for many hundreds or thousands of years, and have extensive holdings and operations across Known Space. They often act as brokers or fixers between the Factions, and their structure allows them to respond more quickly to opportunity or risk than the monolithic Faction authorities. Every MegaCorp that has survived to attain that status is unique. Their individual history and secrets are usually tied up in their specialist field of endeavour, and no two MegaCorps overlaps this speciality to a significant degree, or else they would not have risen to become MegaCorps in the first place.

Some MegaCorps maintain extensive fleets of starships as part of their operations, and may control entire planets or star systems in Faction-held space or even beyond their borders. Their control and independence may be invested in soft power, contracts and webs of influence, or in the wilder reaches of space in the strength of their fleets, the influence of their networks of contacts or the might of their cash reserves. Smaller companies and starship crews are usually below their notice, but earning the favour or ire of a MegaCorp can create fantastic opportunities or terrible dangers for brave or foolhardy spacers.