Kyvon’s actions have forced my hand. By making it unsafe for my supporters to remain in Amarr space, he has forced me to speed up my plans. I was originally planning to wait a few months until my financial situation stabilized before hiring contractors to build my colony in Venal and start shuttling my supporters there. But now, in order to protect them from Kyvon, I need to move them within the month. Unfortunately, I just hired the contractors to start construction, so they’ll have to stay in a Gurista station for the next few weeks. Well … enough complaining. I know what I need to do, and I know I have the ability to do so, so … I’m gonna get to work.
-Duke Shasta Ardeind
10 March YC123
Amarr VIII (Oris) Emperor’s Family Academy station, in the residential areas just off Shasta’s hangars.
“I want a full battalion shuttled to V3X-L8, at the site of the colony,” Shasta ordered to his staff. “I want another half battalion stationed here, another half battalion moved back to Caldari space, and a full battalion stationed in 6NJ.”
“Yes, sir,” Praetor Darim answered, writing a note on his datapad. “What are the orders for the companies in the State?”
“Keep looking into Kyvon’s influence in the State. He has got to be breaking laws there. See if you can nail him on anything,” Shasta replied.
“Yes, sir.” The praetor strode off. Shasta turned on his heels and strode into the nearby hangar.
“Ten hut!” a young Legionnaire shouted as he entered. All the Legionnaires in the hangar turned, and some began saluting.
“As you were, as you were!” Shasta ordered, gesturing for the troopers to lower their hands as he strode toward the senior officer.
“Duke Shasta!”
“Captain, what’s your status?”
“Half of the transports are fully loaded, and we are halfway through loading the rest, sir,” the captain replied.
“Good, good,” Shasta replied. He turned to survey the loading process. Legionnaires were guiding civilians into transports and carrying large crates up the docking ramps.
“Duke Shasta! Duke Shasta!” a voice called out. Shasta turned to see his aide, Andrew, in the doorway, frantically looking around.
“Andrew!” Shasta answered, waving at the young aide. “I’m over here!”
“Ah, sir!” Andrew said, jogging over. “I’ve got the paperwork for you. A colony to be built in V3X-L8, composed of a city and surrounding small towns and houses. What to name the city, sir?”
“Err … name it … let’s see, how about Dam Vishen, part of Beseth Dunijia,” Shasta mused. “City of Knowledge and Paradise World … yes, that would work.”
“Dam Vishen and Beseth Dunijia,” Andrew repeated as he scribbled something on his datapad. “Okay, sir.”
“Good, good.” Shasta replied. Andrew turned and walked out of the hangar. “Captain, how long do you think it will take for you guys to finish loading up the transports?”
“Three to five hours, sir.”
“Good, keep up this pace,” Shasta said as he strode away.
Meanwhile, in the SPNN HQ in Amarrin city
“Ana! Kaylin! Thanks for coming in today,” the producer of SPNN, a young Jin-Mei woman named Riya Deniau said as the two reporters took their seats at the conference room table. “I’m not sure if you all have heard or not, but Duke Shasta Ardeind has announced his intention to set up a colony in Venal. The brass wants us to open up a branch over there to follow their news. Kaylin, you’ve been working on a lot of articles relating to the feud between the two Ariend brothers, so the brass wants you to be the senior reporter at the Venal branch.”
“What about me?” Ana asked. “Why’d you also ask me to come in?”
“Well, Kaylin obviously can’t be in two places at once, so you’ll be taking over Kaylin’s workload. That is, in addition to your current workload. You’ll get a promotion of course, with increase in salary and benefits. If that’s alright with you?” Riya answered, sliding a packet of papers over. “Here’s the details of your promotion. Pay, benefits, expected workload, etc. If this arrangement is acceptable to the both of you, the paperwork will go through tomorrow.”
“When am I expected to be in Venal?” Kaylin spoke up.
“As soon as you can, hopefully by the end of the week. That alright?”
“Yeah, that should be fine.”
“The promotion and change in workload alright with you, Ana?”
“Yeah, that’s fine with me.”
“Good, good. Then the paperwork gets filed tomorrow. Kaylin, here’s the rest of the staff that will be assigned to the Venal branch,” Riya said, sliding a datacard across the table. The three women stood and walked out the conference room door.