Last week, Federal President Zachary Hudson announced plans to construct a new Farragut Battle Cruiser in the Federal system of Beta Hydri. The production of the ship was designed to mark the inauguration of a new arm of the Federal Navy known as the People's Navy. One Federal source said the ship would „occupy a significant role in the Federal Navy, strengthening our borders and enhancing the profile of our armed forces“.

The Empire made no response to the announcement, but an anonymous source from the upper echelons of Imperial society has now revealed that Emperor Arissa Lavigny-Duval has expressed concern over the Federal initiative. In a message released to a number of media feeds, the anonymous source said:

„The construction of a new ship, even a warship like the Farragut, isn't necessarily a cause for concern. But we have reason to believe that the Federation intends to significantly expand its Navy over the coming months, and naturally this has the Emperor worried. If the Federation did indeed embark on a campaign of military fortification, it's likely the Empire would respond in kind.“ GalNet, 19.03.3302