General Calvin Harris, Commandant General of OED V’s home defence organization… the Colonial Customs & Defence Authority… stood in the state-of-the-art heart of the CCDA’s Astro Control Service. Astro Control Central was located on the 87th floor of the Government Tower and was filled with the dark grey uniformed men & women of the OED System’s Astro Control network. It had taken every minute of the last three months to training and equip the close to 6,000 personnel of what would, by year’s end, be the 12,500 strong ACS and have them ready for this moment.

To say Cal pulled every string in existence to make this happen would be an understatement. He had… “requisitioned” eight warp-capable starships between Holloway Heavy Industries and Starfleet. Six of the newest Pendragon-Class Battlecruisers still under development through the Defense Division of HHI as a way for Holloway to test the range & capacity of the ship’s Fleet Command capabilities and two Olinski-Class Carriers, the Annapolis & the Kingston, on loan from Starfleet until both North Point & South Point Stations could be delivered. These ships were moved into position to serve as fixed installations throughout the system, fully-staffed with the crews that would eventually staff the small stations that would replace them early next year. North Point & South Point would, eventually, be two medium starbases each capable of hosting not only their own personnel, but an embarked Fighter Group each from the CDF.

In combination with the ACS staff in Platform and Spaceport Control, the Logistics Ops Division and the ACS Academy that was home to both their OCS & Enlisted Training Centers, the rapid establishment of the CCDA Division was a Herculean undertaking that all came down to this moment. As the clocked ticked the final seconds toward noon on the Colony, the ACS prepared to at long last stand up their own Astro Control Net… switching over from the light support of traffic from Starfleet. At precisely 1200 hrs Local OED time, moments after a hush fell over the ACS Central Main Control room, a sharp looking Asian woman stood in the center of the lowered bowl in the exact center of the room… and opened a channel that was relayed in realtime throughout the OED System.

=A= Good Afternoon…=A= The woman began in a crisp accented soprano. =A=… this is Astro Control Central… Captain Kanai Eiko, Commanding. It is my distinct privilege to formally commission both ACS Central Control and the Astro Control Service network. This is an amazing day for our Colony as we take yet another step toward full autonomy. On behalf of Governor Kenzo and General Harris, I send heartfelt congratulations on a job well done to get us to this monumental moment.=A= Pausing, she turned to a young man who nervously tapped a single key. =A= Astro Control Central to Starfleet Operations, OED.... we now assume net command of the OED System…=A=

A male voice came over the comm. =A= Roger that Central… Starfleet Operations acknowledges the change over. It’s been a pleasure and we wish you all the best. Starfleet Clear =A=

Eiko continued. =A= ACS and the citizens of OED V thank you for your years of support and we look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with the Federation. ACS Stations, you now have control of your approaches… please bring up your sensor networks. End Announcement… Central Clear. =A=

There was a round of applause and then the room went to work.

Gen. Harris & Team, CCDA