Economy of the State of Heraklea

Heraklea's economy is largely ration based, though a variety of luxuries can be purchased for Heraklean Dollars.  The Morale and Welfare Corps is responsible for all barracks, galleys, entertainment venues and sale of luxury items while the Supply Corps is responsible for agricultural and industrial production and transportation of those products.  The Supply Corps is also responsible for most foreign trade.

Heraklea has a number of major exports, including electronics, cybernetics, medical technologies and vehicles as well as many of the components for their assembly (for example, Heraklea exports a number of high strength alloys used in extra-planetary vessel construction).  Heraklea is also an exporter of various alcohols, including Heraklean Grog (95.5% alcohol by volume).

Heraklea is positioned in the middle of a number of major powers, with many of the least time trade lanes running through the heart of Heraklea. This also provides Heraklea with a portion of its economy dedicated to warehousing, transshipping and hospitality for merchantman crews.

Worth mentioning also are a number of questionable peace-keeping missions, status of forces agreements other deployments of the Heraklean State Navy and Marine Corps.  Heraklea is accused by detractors of using the military as a mercenary force to help keep some dictators in power, help corporations to clear a resource rich area of uncooperative locals and perform unsavory black operations on behalf of more legitimate governments.  Official position of the Heraklean government is that such accusation do not merit response.

Foreign corporations and civilians are permitted to register their vessels with the Heraklean Vessel Registry for a price.  Heraklea hardly is a provider of a “flag of convenience” as the registry requires certain standards of employee treatment and equipment.  Merchantmen registered with Heraklea however are guaranteed that attack by pirate or raider will bring swift and brutal retribution by the HSN, a fact that protects almost all merchantmen registered with Heraklea from molestation.  As a result, a number of merchantmen illegally broadcast a fake Heraklean registration.  Any vessel broadcasting a Heraklean registration, especially those that are suspect, is subject to search by any HSN or Provost vessel.  Vessels found to be illegally broadcasting a Heraklean registration can be seized by the HSN or Provost.

There are also a number of commodities considered contraband by Heraklea, such as anything with an addictive property that does not serve a valid purpose.  Commodities exported from states that have broken treaties with Heraklea are also contraband until the broken treaty is officially forgiven.  The biggest contraband commodities to Heraklea however are slaves.  Any vessel found to be carrying slaves is seized and the entire crew is subject to corporal punishment and extended time in manual labor.  Due to the vagaries of jurisdictions in deep space, sometimes it is determined that the HSN acted improperly in searching and seizing the vessel.  In such circumstances the crew are sometimes deported and the vessel released, but no liberated slaves are returned to captivity.