February 11, 11,960 CE
Osmani Station, in orbit around star Ross 154, Sagittarius System, Artemis Republic, Earth Sector, Earth Cluster, Union of Earth and Artemis...
Templar Knight K-S2 came up to Deputy Director Manah, as the latter was gazing out the Station window, apparently surveying a number of small, bright lights in the distance.
"I heard from the Admiral you transferred two more frigates to Pentecost. How many is it, now?"
"That'll be the sixteen capital ships we've delivered to their Navy so far," Manah replied stiffly. "I've provided a complement of old Artemisian F-36 Bold Strike fighter craft."
"Okay. You sure that's wise?"
"Look, we need the manpower- or perhaps I should say Android power? And they need the ships to defend against Elven and Taechon raiders. The Director arranged it that way, after all," Manah shrugged. "The frigates are old vessels mothballed after the Hsihseng Wars that have been restored. They won't be much use against the galactic powers, nor the Old Machines."
She and K-S2 both looked up as an area of space previous lit up only by a few small beacons began to distort. The Organization had taken the trouble of maneuvering a large asteroid, as well as several smaller ones to a very particular orbit around Ross, which was easily-observable from Osmani Station.
In seconds, a huge black shape lined with lights began to materialize, while the beacon-lit asteroids completely vanished, as if into thin air.
"What the...?!"
"Castle Seven, population approximately 640,000 Androids. It's the first, but it won't be the last."
"You moved an entire orbital city?!" KS-2 exclaimed. "Are you trying to risk a Broken Masquerade scenario? Or are you telling me you'll keep the entire population imprisoned there?"
"Calm your tits, KS-2," Manah crossed her arms, wincing at the Knight's outburst. "Memories can be altered. Besides, sometimes the truth is the least believable thing. Plus, they're all volunteers and their dependents. The nations of Pentecost have been struggling with overpopulation and resource depletion, while we have too few. We send them ships and raw materials, they send us citizens.
They get to beat back the corsairs and expand their territory, and we get to build new ships- it's a win-win. Leah did the calculations- it won't be long before the majority of Union Navy vessels are built with Pentecostian labor and industry."
"Can't argue with the logic there..." KS-2 sighed, and nodded her head, sounding a little impressed. "You are ambitious, Deputy Director."
"Hardly," Manah dismissed off-handedly. "We just have galaxies to conquer and wars to win. Any advantage is fair game."