HIVE Energy

HIVE (or High Impact Ventures Extraction) was assembled from a coalition of several other entities, as a solution to help mine the asteroid belts in the Triptych and aid construction of the Wheel. Using nanotechnology, Little Bangs, strip mining, fracking, and other highly-destructive methods, the Wheel began coming together gradually. One major issue cited for the slow pace was organic and robotic workers in constant need of healing, repair, and oxygen supply, combined with a dearth of Terrans wanting to do the work.
HIVE allied with Novak Cantor to bioengineer a new solution - a Terran splice that could survive space without suits, and would be nearly impervious to fire and explosives. A majority of HIVE employees had their skin modified into an alloy coating dubbed a Cryosheath, which allowed them to work extended periods of time in outer space as well as be nearly impervious to fire and electrical burns. Unfortunately, many were left with little to no physical feeling at all.
So was born the Sparkers. Some Terrans with dangerous jobs also requested the upgrades, but most corporations publicly frowned on the concept of non-consensually engineering Terrans. Although HIVE’s profits were through the roof, the negative publicity and lawsuits from outside Terran rights non-profits eventually forced the company to nearly close their doors amid massive layoffs. HIVE was close to shutting down entirely when they were absorbed by Terran Systems, who absorbed the losses and offered jobs to the Sparkers. To this day, many Sparkers have fond feelings for Systems for preventing anything from a splice-wide layoff to a possible genocide.
Having taken their share of heat as well, Novak Cantor made the Sparker engineering specs available and open-source, decrying the use of their Cryosheath tech on unwilling subjects. Various other companies picked up the specs and modified them slightly, but the core technology was the same and the drawbacks were never addressed.
HIVE has maintained its own identity outside of Systems, and pushed past the controversy. They now handle about 70% of Terran Systems energy scouting and extraction needs, as well as working for other corps as needed.