2. Due to their belief in very small government, the CDB of the CC long ago decided that the best method of maintaining cost-effective defence forces was to offer significant benefits (tax breaks, etc) to PMCs to encourage them to operate from Centauri space. As a result, all significant Centauri colony groupings have a selection of PMC Corporate HQs or Companies operating from within them, thus, hopefully, providing at least the nucleus of a military force available for hire at relatively short notice. Some of the PMCs have been running for many years; one or two 'Great Houses' can trace their roots back a couple of hundred years, are proud of that and take their reputations very seriously. They will generally try to inculcate that feeling amongst their employees as much as possible.

3. In the cut-throat corporate environment of the CC, all PMCs are business rivals; some have met professionally in the past and as a result, whilst at all times remaining professional in their outlook, certain PMCs do not like each other.

4. While technically, under Centauri Corporate Law, Military Contractors are not allowed to own their own starships, in the case of the biggest and oldest Corporations, this obstacle has been overcome by the use of Companies who contract 'exclusively' to certain companies. Given that the Centauri rely on private contractors to provide everything necessary to operate a war fleet, there are enough ship leasing Corporations to theoretically provide several fleets*. The larger part of the ship holdings are mothballed, cutting down on maintenance costs, but allowing for battle damaged or destroyed vessels to be replaced as quickly as possible, in order to allow all concerned to fulfil their contractural obligations.

*A full range of standard military ships is available. Specialist vessels can also be obtained. For a full list of available vessels and rates, please refer to the brochures.
Terms And Conditions Apply.

5. The CDB are very much alive to the possibility of a major 'Hostile Corporate Takeover' from within, therefore the PMC sector has possibly the heaviest Regulator presence of any within the CC. Also, in order to prevent too much military hardware being concentrated in a handful of powerful companies, thus narrowing the range of consumer choice, PMCs are heavily monitored by the Monopolies department of the OOTR, which theoretically allows some control over the size of the bigger corporations. However, as in all things, in practice this still permits some PMCs (the 'Great Houses') to be very big, with large numbers of specialist sub-companies under the parent corporation, running orbitals, factories and sometimes small colonies. This means every kind of defence equipment is available to buy or hire within Centauri Space. In their turn, the PMCs, in general, seem to have accepted that this system allows for maximum profits and therefore nobody rocks the boat. As a matter of sound economic and business practice, PMC Corporations have also diversified into the 'Civilian' Business sector. This allows them to continue operating in the lean times when peace breaks out (which is not that often, thank the deity/belief of your choice).

6. As with 99% of things in the CC, Public Opinion counts. Remember, adverse publicity is bad, VERY bad, for business. All PMCs are strongly aware of this and therefore attempt, on the surface at least, to maintain a legitimate and public friendly attitude. Indeed, the biggest PMCs take their public image very seriously indeed, investing in large PR departments to promote themselves and their services. This includes sponsorship of public events, charities (orphanages, wildlife and green issues, especially re-forestation, are particular favourites) etc. Media services - sponsorship of popular entertainment adventure action+ series, extolling the virtues of PMCs and the protection they give to the ordinary law-abiding Centauri citizen; fly-on-the-wall documentaries; 'faction' programmes; comics; cartoon series; all are used#. Successful Commanders and units are lionised in the media, with the Government taking it's share of the credit for selecting the company concerned.

7. However, with 'the best laid plans etc' factor in mind, all PMCs either run, retain, or have access to, very good lawyers.

8. All this means that War, in all it's many forms, is Big Business in Centauri Space, and therefore, in line with it's philosophy of government, the CDB interferes as little as possible with the affairs of the PMCs. As long as they fulfil all their contractural obligations within Centauri Space, what else they do is up to them.

+ "The Z Team" featuring the adventures of a gang of nameless 'executives' who turn up to rescue planets, angelic children (often orphans), small family businesses and cuddly animals, from evil i.e. Sentient AIs, Robots, over-bureaucratic oppressive expansionist-colonialist Governments etc, is a particular and long-running family favourite. "The Real Professionals" a harder edged, more adult, show, is also very popular.

# For example, the "Slasher & Smasher the Safety Cyborgs"TM series of public service ads aimed at children, featuring a pair of loveable old retired combat cyborgs, sponsored by Chaank Corporation, was the sort of runaway success that makes Advertising Execs wet themselves.

(Thanks to John Powney)