MultiKard
The identification/passport/credit card of the Atlantic Federation/Cosmic Era
The MultiKard is the second most common item owned in the Atlantic Federation, only surpassed by MUSE or other handheld CogNet devices. Most MUSEs integrate the function and information of the MultiKard, so this is not really a surprise. The use of the MultiKard remains high, as a status symbol, personal authentication, or for access to services that are tied not to available funds, but UBCS level.
The Standard MultiKard
The Standard MultiKard in the Atlantic Federation is a available in 16 colors, has a biometric identification chip tied to the user's biomonitor, pertinent personal information (UBCS rating, address, blood type, status), a 3D picture, and authentication data. THis card is issued to all residents of the Atlantic Federation, regardless of what planet, continent, city, zone, or region they are in or from. This is the official card of the non-citizen resident, and grants the bearer access to public funded medical care, basic human services
The Citizen MultiKard
The Citizen MultiKard is available in 256 colors, and has all of the features of the standard multikard, but adds another layer of data encryption to protect the bearer, and grants the bearer priority treatment in the medical system, citizen level human services, and access to citizen only areas of arcologies, citizen only transit systems, and so forth. Citizenship is a sought after goal in the Atlantic Federation, not only does the citizen enjoy better UBCS rating, better identity protection, and often considered the most important thing, the right to vote in public and civic matters. Citizens have a voice, residents do not.
The Gold MultiKard
The Gold MultiKard is available in one color, gold, but can be had from a smooth satin finish, to a flashy chrome. The Gold MultiKard is the official indicator of wealth and success and is held by media entertainers, media professionals, and others who are heavily involved in society. To hold a gold multikard is proof that the bearer is a celebrity. Gold multikard holders have access to black hospitals, superior human services, and so forth.
Platinum MultiKard
The platinum multikard is the rarified and refined version of the gold multikard. If those who hold gold are celebrities, the platinum holders are the CEOs, non-entertainment elite, bankers, megacorp officers, and such. Platinum multikards are functionally VIP/backstage passes for almost everything in the Atlantic Federation. Flashing a brushed platinum multikard is instant opulence, social decadence, and so forth. These cards are very rare.
Black/Ultra MultiKard
The rarest MultiKard is the black or unlimited MultiKard. With this unit, the number of things that the bearer cannot own becomes staggeringly small. What can a black MultiKard NOT buy? It can't buy a battlestar spaceship, it can't buy a city, it can't buy megacorps. Just about everything else is available. These are the tools of the Elon Musks, Bill Gates's, and other billionaires. International leaders, megacorp elite officers, illuminati, industrial magnates, and media megamoguls carry black multikards.
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? Responses (3)
Hmm, I would think that multikard styles would emerge in much the same way credit card styles do: each company is free to issue whatever color/style they want, so anyone can end up with a chrome sheen if they desire.
That being said, having color-coding for the sake of making gameplay easier makes sense.
An interesting idea, but one of the core concepts of the UBCS is that it is credit issued from the government to the populace, and not from actual credit card companies, currency has undergone a radical change in the Cosmic Era. All the banking megacorps make their money from handling the business of other corps and handling the UBCS contracts from the government. The banks want the contracts, because if your megabank ends up being the principal agent of the UBCS in a large and prosperous region, you are going to make mad money (for the megacorps, there is no money for the populace, just credit). If your megabank doesn't land a fat contract, you're hurting, there's corporate downsizing, being the target of corp raiding, shadowrun hits, like sharks smelling blood in the water, and then being dissolved and subsumed by other megabanks.
A lot of vicious stuff going on behind the scenes while the average citizen hums along, not caring what corp backs his kard, so long as it works when he logs into Virtua-Girl, orders a pizza, or keeps his residence up to date.
Nice - I somehow missed that. Upping my vote.
Works really well the sesame-credit thing you have going from a previous post.
