The Northern Sprawl

Overview

The Northern Sprawl is the most developed section of Bakersfield and arguably the safest. There are regular patrols by various security agencies and corporations, some hired by Horizon and NeoNET, others hired by local municipalities. The region has a stable service economy along with a stable banking and financial sector. It should come as no suprise then that the black market is centralized here between Shinjuku Square and WizWorld.

Economy

Service

As with most fast-food places, service and product delivery is entirely automated… as is payment and ordering. The service economy has been expanded to include courier services, repair agencies, and as traditional, encompasses the ''high society" dining establishments, and a more "personal" versions of the middle class service industry (the main difference being actual people working in the stores).

Of note in the service industry is the unionization of prostitution. Not only is it legal, but there are rules and taxes that have to be followed and paid. Though is may be frowned upon in the corporate parks (they prefer to contract out prostitutes to fixed agencies) it is allowed for non-corporate employees.

Production and Manufacturing

Production and manufacturing takes place primarially in the locality of Bottomville. Most of the manufacturing for Bakersfield happens in the "Bottoms" (both north and south) and so the Sprawl region contains very little of it. What does get made in Bottomville is high end luxury vehicles and it's rumored that some aircraft are in the works.

Banking and Finance

With the rapid development of the corporation's holdings it was inevitable that a banking and finance sector came into existance. The proximity to the Pueblo Corporate Council and the fact that Bakersfield is still part of the California Free State means that two major banks are present in the city: The Pueblo Corporate Trust and The National Bank of California. Both claim to have land holdings in the city, but then again, so do the current occupants of buildings and so does the ''government" of Bakersfield.

Black Market and Shadow Economy

It shouldn't be a shock to learn that Shadowlife continues even with the rapid development of the city. It might even be argued that the community is flourishing because of the rapid development. It's not unheard of within Bakersfield for private contractors to receive under the table payments for secret rooms or projects nearby that weren't on the "original budget." Bakersfield is somewhat still a drug and illicit pornography hub… but as the city develops you can expect corporations and ''government" to crack down on these things.

Government

City Government

With Bakersfield's origins as a shadow-dweller's paradise it shouldn't be a suprise at all that there is no legitmate government which blankets the whole city.

Corporate Control

The megas Horizon and NeoNET, along with the smaller A-ranked corporation Sujii, hold sway on how things happen inside their own areas because… well… they paid for most of it and developed it from scratch. As with all megas, Horizon and NeoNET are attempting to expand their control and authority constantly.

State Government

The California Free State attempted to gain control of Bakersfield by sending in the state military to clean out the region but were met by unified resistance from the entire Shadow community. The resistance movement wasn't limited to Bakersfield local gangs and included elite groups of mercenaries hired out from the more illustrious denziens of the world of Crime. After the loss of the armored division the CFS sent in, the ground troops pulled back and the CFS officially declared Bakersfield a lost cause. Corporate land was granted to Horizon, NeoNET, and to a lesser degree Sujii on the terms that later lands would be ceeded over in exchange for establishing control of the area.

Local Government

While there may be no city-wide government to speak of, local government seems to do fine in Bakersfield. Government may be as large as the WizKids' principality or as small as a building. While this may seem like a state of anarchy, it has slightly more order to it than would be assumed. To avoid a discussion of microgovernment let it simply be said that more value is placed on the individual in local government and this causes it to work. Various local governments communicate through a myriad of mediums and business transactions are handled through the needs of individuals rather than on principalities. Think of homeowner's fees in an association. You pay the fees to the chairman of the association who may be your neighbor. He has the money, but he also has a moral obligation to not spend it on his own personal desires.

Transportation

Mass Transit

If you're part of the corporate shuffle, odds are you can catch a rail-system to and from your appartments, the corporate mall, and your office. If you aren't part of the corporate shuffle then you're pretty much out of luck when it comes to public mass transit. In Bakersfield there are three major transportation companies that deal with the transportation of people. Sub6 Transportation (a division of Horizon) happens to run all the private mass-transit in the North Sprawl.

Air Travel

Horizon and NeoNET both have their own private airports which reside in Shinjuku Square. Security is tight, as are logs of who and what goes in and out. Permission must be obtained before landing and takeoff. This is enforced with anti-aircraft batteries and triggerhappy defense programs.

Space Travel

If for some bizzare reason you want to go to space in Bakersfield (or the more likely senario of a high-level corp exec. coming in) you can find yourself a suborbital transport at StarrVentures. A privately owned and opperated (and protected) spaceport in Little Moscow.

Localities of the N. Sprawl:

Bottomville

Highland Village

Horizon Parks

Vector Gardens

Shinjuku Square

Little Moscow

Four Corners

WizWorld

Barstow Circle

Mexicana

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