Empyrean Holdings (or simply “The Hold” but sometimes also “The Conglomerate”) are a monolithic voidborne corpro-state that dominates the Barycenter, where all central traffic passes through. It is a monolithic and ruthless thalassocracy, albeit one that mostly keeps to its own business affairs. The Conglomerate builds all of the largest Titan-class freighters servicing the major tradelanes. They also maintain many waystations, trade outposts, and other infrastructure, both under its own flag and under contract for the other Barystates. As the principal gatekeeper of interstellar trade, they maintain an outsized influence on international politics.

The political entity most enamored with laissez-faire trade, Empyrean Holdings has broad trade relations across The Bary with states and corporations alike, and more recently have established embassies on every inhabited world. However, the higher leadership apparatus of The Hold is largely a mystery. Heads of state from other nations have only ever met emissaries, or seldomly the mayors of individual stations or outposts.

With no capital to speak of, the next closest thing is the megacity Port Angelice, which is built within a large fragment of relic Terran superstructure.