Hephaestus Industries
'"Everyone needs a weapon. Be it for Self-defense, meteor dissuasion, law enforcement, sport, or simply trading with the Unathi. We will give you whatever you desire, all with no questions asked! Just as long as you have the money, of course.
Now before any of you pro-peace groups speak up, remember it is OUR weapons that police officer in the corner over there is carrying. The soldiers that fight for your freedom? Our guns and vehicles. The point defense system that shot up that meteor before it turned the ship you rode here on into a mangled chunk of space debris? Ours. Be it for protection or otherwise, just remember our motto:
Everyone needs a weapon. That's why we exist."
Hephaestus Industries is the biggest and most notorious arms manufacturer of human space. Half of human weaponry is produced by Hephaestus Industries or one of their sub contractors.
About
Corporation History
During the later half of the 21st century, the leading weapon manufacturers of Germany, Rheinmetall, Thyssen-Krupp, Walther and Heckler and Koch banded together into Hephaestus Industries to combat dwindling exports and profits. The combination of their knowledge and assets went to an advent of weapon technology in the heart of Europe and before long several other corporations that also focused in heavy industries and arms manufacturing were bought out and integrated. They stood alongside with the supranations of the EU and the MDIP and played an integral role during the first Ares Confederation uprising, as well as the second - mostly by supplying both sides with weapons, happily selling out their nominal support to "democracy" in the pursuit of profit at all costs. They were the first Trans-Stellar Corporation to ever exist, around the same time of the consolidation of the Sol System to the Commonwealth of Sol-Procyon.
Modern Day
Hephaestus Industries is the leading market share in small arms, planetary armed vehicles and defense/security systems. They are also the least scrupulous of corporations, well known for selling weapons to both sides of a dispute, or even their own competitors, as long as the weapons are not used on them and one has the money, they will sell you whatever you wish. These and other factors help them become the largest, strongest and most profitable trans-stellar corporation in Human space.
Alien technology has a rather significant research branch in Hephaestus Industries, in particular captured Unathi weaponry and whatever gets funneled to them by the Skrell. Meanwhile their phoron research branch is practically non-existant, rumour has it they are letting their competitors, in particular the 'new kid' NanoTrasen, take the risks and costs of phoron accidents and do the basic grunt work before stepping back in. This is purely rumour and all incidents of corporate spies that claimed to be on HI's payroll have been denied by Hephaestus Industries.
Due to their unscrupulous nature, and and the necessary evil of being a major arms industry, Hephaestus Industries are the under constant scrutiny and are generally disliked by more peaceful systems. However they are also considered one of the best trans-stellar corporations to work for, with the highest pay rates, best benefits that last well past retirement. A job at Hephaestus Industries is one of the hardest, but most sought after, positions, and those who make it in and are loyal are often considered set for life.