Ator

"Ator offers its citizens the best and the worst in living conditions. As long as you keep in line, do your job, uphold the laws and so forth, life can be fairly pleasant and productive. But for those who are rebellious or disobey the laws of the Atorian State, life quickly becomes intolerable."

- Orlan Nexim

The planet of Ator is an urban ecumenopolis planet located in the regions of the Core Worlds. A state built on corporate capitalism, the Atorian State is governed by a ruling body known as the Atorian Council. The most important priority in Atorian culture is it's economy, which run by a few mega-corporations. These corporations also rule beneath the Atorian Council, and divide the states between them, controlling and ruling every aspect of society. Each corporation is made up of thousands of smaller companies, ranging from industrial companies to law firms. All land and real estate is owned by a company which leases it to the citizens, and government and policing are also handled by independent companies.

Although this gives the corporations dictatorial powers, they are just as bound by Atorian customs and laws as the individual, and the fierce, continual competition between the corporations ensures a healthy, consumer-based social environment, which benefits everyone. While the Atorian State is divided into three massive, planet-wide cities, they are still viewed universally, as one city. Their economy is strong, and their military might, especially their naval power, parallel to that of the larger empires. Coupled to the fact that Atorians are more unscrupulous than the most worlds, as well as more combative, they are often seen by other worlds as either valuable or meddlesome.

As most interstellar trade is conducted by individual companies, such as Kavaan Enterprises, rather than the State itself, it is somewhat difficult for the other worlds to deal with them at a political level. If a non-Atorian company is found guilty of unethical business dealings, it simply disappears into its Atorian parent corporation, and before long another one appears to take its place. But if an Atorian company is threatened, the parent corporation and, often the whole State backs it up with full force.

Due to past civil wars, Atorian society is steeped in military tradition. As a people, its members had to fight in three long and bloody civil wars to gain their current government. It was at this time that the corporations established themselves as the driving force behind creating and maintaining the new distinguished Atorian State. Even though the Atorians have not engaged in war for many centuries, and were once known for being behind in the technological race, they still strive to be at the cutting edge of military technology for their vessels, weapons and fighting methods.

To curb their aggressive tendencies, the Atorians actively pursue and sponsor a range of sporting activities. Many of these attractions are casinos, while others are racing competitions, such as Podracing. But whatever the sport, the Atorians love betting on the outcome, making gambling a massive industry in the Atorian State. Although not xenophobic, the Atorians are very protective of their way of life and tolerate only those foreigners that stick to their laws and rules.