ASTA Galactic Luxury Solutions or ASTA Galactic is a luxury megacorporation that grew out of the expansion region after a series of political, hostile, and benevolent takeovers of various corporations and businesses within the vicinity of it's homeworld Cyrillia. The company was originally comprised of two subsidiaries, Chernov Foundaries (later known as Cyrillia Foundaries) and Cyrillia Luxuries. The two companies merged shortly after numerous Cyrillian and sector-related companies were taken over through various means by the machinations of the CEO, Sonya Chernovna. After it's original establishment, the company began a rapid expansion across the corner of the expansion region that was currently not controled or operated by the Galactic Alliance, establishing corporate footholds on Attahox, Mimban, Parcelus Minor, Surron, and Sarko VI which proceeded rapid urban development and social improvements on those worlds. Attempts were made to integrate Sk'rrr and T'surr into the corporate structure but they ultimately failed due to resistance from the locals.The strategy of establishing corporate territory followed by marked improvements to living conditions for the planetary residents is penned exclusively by the CEO herself, who follows a policy of leaving a world better than when it was found. This has caused serious social uphevals in some areas, resulting in the complete revision of the political structure of Cyrillia and it establishing itself as a leader among the worlds on the Galactic-South-East border of the Galactic Alliance. Improvements that worlds with ASTA representation have included ecological, architectural, agricultural, and general financial improvements. Employees of ASTA are guaranteed a standardized quality of life based on their species and finances are often set aside to ensure that the planetary headquarters of the corporation on a given world is comprised partially of residences for its employees.
As a corporation and manufacturer, ASTA mass produces luxury product to be sold to wealthy individuals and big-ticket customers. "Luxury" in the company's point of view, refers to high quality and often custom hardware and product. These can include anything from hyperdrive engines to exotic clothing. ASTA produces a number of weapons systems that are used by local royal guards and wealthy affiliates. One of ASTA's most prized products is the Rose Guard Series Bodyguard and Combat Droids which can be seen protecting dozens of important figures throughout this region of space. Each of these worlds that ASTA has strong ties with host one of its six research facilities where they utilize the local environment and minerals to study new solutions and concepts for future products.
ASTA maintains over a dozen facilities within the sector; two shipyards. One in the Cyrt Desolation of the Cyrillia System. This area was once the site of a collision between two astral bodies that resulted in a tightly formed asteroid field. ASTA Mines and maintains the sole shipyard in the region after the company assumed direct control of the system following a popular uprising in 881 ABY. The other shipyards once belonged to the Surron StarTech corporation that was later absorbed by ASTA into the larger whole. One major weapons production facility in the massively expanded Cyrillia Foundries. It produces large quantities of textiles and food on Mimban. The company converts the Mimban textiles into high fashion on Cyrillia. It studies unique biological processes and develops luxury and intense-environment tested cybernetics on Parcelus Minor. Droids are produced at Cyrillia Heuristics where the company has moved away from the old Serv-O-Droid Inc produced the notably unintelligent DUM pit droids and has focused on high-quality heuristics and intelligence drives for droids. Along with heuristics, the company produces holocommunicators and communications devices on Cyrillia.
Much of this would not be possible without the company's purchase of the trash on Attahox, which it has begun the laborious task of recycling and refining into materials that are used in all of its products, marking it as an ecologically friendly corporation. It is also on Attahox, home to some of the most disgusting slums in the known galaxy, that ASTA tests its most modern urban development and architectural designs for the sake of the downtrodden populace.
ASTA however is not wholly benevolent, and demands a high degree of excellence from its employees and staff and can be quite discerning in the recruitment process of skilled people. It is also indiscriminate in who it does business with and will take custom commissions from both heroes and villains alike.
ASTA produces a monthly magazine to help in its branding and to perform the role of propaganda and ideological magnetism within its territory. The magazine does offer popular stories to its readers, however, and has been picked up on a few neighboring Galactic Alliance worlds.
RATIONALE
Sonya Chernovna inherited Chernov Foundaries from her father and developed Cyrillia Luxuries on her own when she was young. After her father passed away, Sonya proceeded with a complex plan to undermine, take over, and diplomatically acquire numerous corporations on Cyrillia. She used both underhanded and above-board tactics to spread her interests throughout the sector. Sonya has used meticulous political scheming with over a decades worth of plans set out even beyond the current date to get what she wants out of the territory she calls home.