Virtuoso

Virtuoso is a megacorporation with a wide-reaching influence over the galaxy. With their headquarters located on the ringworld of Torus, they serve as an unofficial galactic level government, taking over after the collapse of the Federation of Stellar Systems. The current CEO is Lucian Virtuoso.

Virtuoso specializes in the development of operating systems for virtual reality. Specifically, they are the creators of Virtuoso OS, a derivative of Mobius OS with greater accessibility for non-cybernetic humans. This was accomplished with their cryptomining technology, a species-agnostic device that can convert brainwaves into cryptodata used in the construction of virtual space and networks. During and after the Virtual Wars, this led to a revolution in the reduction of unemployment where they were able to take in those who lost their jobs to artificial intelligence.

Virtuoso has also become more greatly involved with Federation politics, having an active influence over the Magistrate who is currently a deepfake.

Overview

Despite their outwardly positive public image, Virtuoso is deeply entangled with the criminal underworld. They regularly engage in various forms of racketeering to exert control over the population. Their vast network of bribes and corruption also extends across the Federation's law enforcement and politics making it very difficult to hold them accountable for their actions. While Virtuoso has also engaged in humanitarian work by providing job opportunities to poorer sectors of the galaxy, this has mostly been in interest of fueling their ambitions towards their non-violent conquest of the galaxy.

Virtuoso's main platform for communicating with its citizens are the Virtus, autonomous hive-minded robots which inform other citizens of the latest news about Virtuoso and providing tips on how to improve their economic standing. The Virtus are considered by many to be notoriously intrusive by regularly harassing individuals with unsolicited advertisements. While this act is technically illegal, the laws against it are poorly enforced.

History

Origins

Virtuoso has its origins on Torus in the late 1870s AB. For most of Torus's history, the ringworld was a self-described isolationist utopia. The population consisted entirely of androids with a shared collective consciousness - the Mobius Network, and they were hostile towards outsiders, especially humans. Despite this, a sizeable population of androids (known to the rest of the population as "Defects") disconnected from the Mobius Network were sympathetic to humans. Among these defects was an android named Albin who raised a human family.

Albin, with the help of other Defects, eventually began to build an alternate operating system to Mobius OS that would allow the defects to communicate in secret. It was named Virtuoso, which Albin also adopted as a family name, as a mantra to defy the Mobius Network's strict laws against self-expression and art. Over the course of several years in an event known as the Torus Uprising, the Virtuoso network eventually surpassed that of Mobius OS, inspiring rebellion all throughout the ringworld. To many Torus androids, Albin Virtuoso is revered as a hero and a liberator, especially for opening Torus to humans and cyborgs.

Rise as a Corporation

With most of the androids disconnected from the Mobius Network and the network itself about to become defunct, people naturally turned to Albin for guidance. Virtuoso OS would become retrofitted into serving as a guide and a government. For many androids, the basic concept of personal freedom and ownership were alien so it took a harsh period of adjustment to adapt to the new principles.

Rise into a Superpower

Albin would eventually pass away, leaving his new empire to his descendants. With Albin essentially becoming a messianic figure to androids, future Virtuoso heirs would start to twist his name for their own ulterior motives. Many of Albin's original teachings were abandoned as Virtuoso often resorted to criminal actions to deal with the chaos of Torus. While attempted revolutions would follow, Virtuoso would destroy them, having becoming much more adaptable than the Mobius Network. And with Virtuoso's newfound wealth, they would seek to conquer other worlds.

Virtual Wars

With Virtuoso's newfound wealth, they managed to influence the Virtual Wars by playing both sides.

Notable members and affiliates

• Lucian Virtuoso - The CEO of Virtuoso. He is very charismatic and is good at playing the long game.
• Dr. Hala Celeno - The head of Virtuoso's weapons development branch. She is cold, calculating and ruthless.
• Ezekial Hughes - The CFO of Virtuoso, Ezekial Hughes has ties to the criminal underworld, specializing in moving money.
• Benedict Crowley - A bounty hunter from the planet Salvaxes who is frequently hired by Virtuoso. He has a ruthless demeanor, known for using a special type of gun that can induce an excruciatingly painful sense of phantom touch.

Former members

• Albin Virtuoso - An android and founder of Virtuoso. He led the Torus Uprising to free the androids from the Mobius Network.
• Luthan Virtuoso - Lucian's father and previous CEO. He was assassinated by the Awakened.

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