Orbital city, built by Tessier-Ashpool SA who reside in the Villa Straylight at the top of the spindle; later on, Lady 3Jane has to sell most of Freeside which is renamed Mustique II, has the Villa sawn off and tucked to another orbit.

A cluster of 'island' habitations situated in high orbit, or as Gibson says, 'up the gravity well'. The Tessier-Ashpool fortress Straylight is at one end of the spindle around which the cluster is centered.

Freeside is an open-source billing package for ISPs and online businesses.