A Fishy Situation
Funtanainen II is often a largely ignored planet for those demigods roaming the stars. It's a relatively nondescript waterworld with meager resources available for extraction - at least available to them. To the wider populace, the planet, owned entirely by Caldari Provisions, is the largest supplier of fish to the heavily populated Koichi constellation.
Fish is an important part of any Caldari diet. Even the lowest paid workers live off a regular supply of either imitation or reconstituted fish product. The 'middle class' typically live off frozen fish, while wealthy executives can afford the luxury of fresh product. Alongside staple grains and vegetables, fish is found in almost every meal in Caldari cuisine, and is a significant part of internal Caldari markets. It is no surprise then that Caldari Provisions has laid claim to one of the most productive fishing worlds in Lonetrek. Funtanainen II's primary exports are three different species, of which there are many actual products made.
Funtanainen Painted Blackfish, or simply "blackfish" is the most widely distributed food product. The creature is a small pelagic fish with rich black flesh and shimmering opalescent scales. Measuring around two meters in length, the hearty fish is found in temperate waters across both the northern and southern hemisphere. Nearly every part of the fish is used for some product. The flesh is often steamed and flash frozen for transport off-world as food, while the scales are used in various industrial and jewelry applications. Oil and other fats from the fish are processed for countless uses, and even the bone is ground up and used as fertilizer for agricultural worlds. Any other remnants of the fish are used as bait.
The Funtanainen Baleen Tusker is a large quasi-mammal found in the polar regions of the planet. The large, nearly blind, blubbery creature spends most of its time inhabiting the ice shelves and icebergs that break off during summer months, but dive to deep benthic zones to feed on plentiful small crustaceans. Named for the large single tusk that extends from its forehead, they have been a remarkably unique target of conservation efforts by some corporate executives. The Tusker is hunted almost exclusively for its blubber and bone. Chemicals extracted from the animal's blubber have found use in the production of Capsuleer clone protoplasm and high quality medi-gel. Tusker bone and baleen is often fashioned into ceremonial or luxury items, and its use is a powerful status symbol. The meat however is toxic, tough, and grainy. Only after heavy processing is it safe to be sold in a cheap and flavorless paste form.
The final export is actually just holo-recordings of a massive crustacean, called 'Kraaki', hunted mostly for sport. While the meat is delicious, Kraaki populations are far too small to support commercial fishing. Instead, it is hunted on holovised sporting events where divers armed only with a stun-rifle and knife descend into the tropical waters to hunt down the dangerous creature. Most of the time the animal loses to the wit and cunning of humans, but often enough for drama... people die. It is arguably this reason that the holo-show ratings are so high for these events, as there is nothing quite like seeing a human being literally torn in two by a half ton lobster thing. The meat is usually consumed by event spectators afterwards.
Funtanainen II, being an oceanic world, is not marked by landmasses. Instead, humongous fishing cityships ply the choppy blue waters. These vessels come in all shapes and sizes, remarkably enough. Unlike most Caldari worlds where everything is standardized according to a certain blueprint and pattern, Funtanainen exhibits more variety than some Gallente worlds. This is actually due to a nearly 100 year long mismanagement of the fledgling colony.
Early after the Caldari people's flight from the Federation, the order went out to find and colonize all worlds that supported natural (and edible) ecosystems. Funtanainen II was one of those. Hundreds of massive factory-ships were dropped from orbit onto the world to begin food production, but a clerical error resulted in the colony receiving only minimal automated supply drops. Bureaucratic issues prevented this issue from being resolved until eighty three years later, when an executive angrily visited the world to find only half of the original fishing ships remained operational. Of course, the colony had also not been producing its export quota for some time. Nearly a third of the ships had been cannibalized for repairs to others, while the remainder had sunk in the massive storms that ravaged the planet.
Today, the giant ships each have their own unique shape. Some are double hulled, even triple hulled, while others have built themselves out in such a haphazard way that they can barely still move. This is not as much of a problem today as it was over a century ago, as
much more efficient specialty vessels have replaced them. The waterways are now home to countless harvesters, processors, refineries, supply ships, CPF patrol warships, and even floating starports. Today, the original factory ships serve as whimsical ports of commerce for the fishing world, a caricature of Caldari ingenuity in those dark days.
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Topic: A Fishy Situation (Read 3754 times)