All around the galaxy, millions are entranced by the gleaming tower that now points daringly into the heavens. The name of that tower? The “Touri Balidai” on the Balidai moon in the Kal Kerishim sector – the new complex that has been named the tallest structure in the galaxy.
 
It's undeniable that this ‘vertical city’ is a project on an awe-inspiring scale. While the Balidaese won't reveal just how tall it is, it is well over 1,600 levels.
 
The height of the new tower is astonishing. It is almost double the size of the last “tallest building” on record. It’s also become the tallest free-standing structure in the galaxy – a title that was previously held by inter-galactic broadcasting towers like the ITYT Broadcasting Vane and the KN Spire in Kroy.
 
This is a crowning moment for Balidai, a moon that is trying to find itself in changing times. In the good times, when ‘peak resources’ was more an abstract concept than a talking point, the moon was the Baronage’s paradise. With large power reserves and friendly ties to wealthy systems, Balidai became the ultimate playground for the obscenely rich. From snow sport facilities in their deserts to man-made islands shaped like palms in their sea, if you wanted it and had the money, Balidai could give it to you.
 
But despite their reputation, even Balidaese leaders and captains of industry knew the boom couldn't last. Even before the beginning of the great recession, Balidai was deeply in debt - a debt that today has reached over 55 billion credits (80 billion krohls). And with little to no natural resources on the moon, the Balidaese have little avenues to pay the debt back.
 
But this land of impossible dreams isn’t ready to make their living in the real world just yet. Balidai PR firms claim that their moon is creating massive star attractions so that it will be known as must-see destination spot - first for the uber rich, then for the rest of the galaxy.
 
The 1.5 billion krol building has not been without its critics. Environmentalists have said it's an ecological hazard and it will be a “radiation leak” into the rest of the admittedly radiation-saturated city. And economists say it's a monetary drain as well, taxing the Balidai economy that is already carrying a massive weight. And that backlash has caused owners of building that previously held the title of 'tallest in the galaxy' to take well-publicized steps to show how they are actively working to correct such errors in their buildings. The most prominent of these is the Pei-Wai station in Asadian Territory that is taking steps to become the tallest radiation-free building in the galaxy.
 
With the official opening just three months away, the enthusiasm for the new tower is infectious. News sources everywhere, even in Kal-unfriendly Kroy, have been carrying the story with great enthusiasm. And the attention is already starting to pay off. The majority of the living spaces within the tower – spaces the tower’s investors were afraid would never be filled because of the economy – are almost all taken. Even in desperate times, dreams are a risk worth taking.