Ying Sho Dahn Drive Works
The most important independent manufacturer of interstellar craft during the Late Imperium period. Founded by the industrialist, K. Z. Zordon, it was given a special charter by the Imperial Congress to operate independently of the state monopoly, providing it sold 75%25 of its hop drives back to Imperium interests.
Zordon, while not an engineer or researcher himself, hired the very best, and working with variants of the Fteigar Alloys, they managed to make the last great innovations to hop drives during the Imperium Era. What Zordon was a master of was cooking the books, and he greatly underreported the number of drives being made. It’s difficult to say how many were produced, but it seems likely that no more than 20%25 of the drives ended up being sold to the Imperium.
After Zordon’s death, the Ying Sho Dahn Drive Works managed to bribe important members of the Imperial Congress into letting them retain their special charter. It was very typical of the way business was done in the faltering Imperium. Durin Bonish, when he succeeded the failing Emperors, finally seized the Drive Works, repudiated the Imperial Charter and nationalized it (in reality giving it to a few close associates).
During the Hundred Bloody Days, the Sabanian Empire “inherited” the Drive Works when they secceeded from the dying Imperium. Due to the failure of communications, it is not known what has become of the Ying Sho Dahn Drive Works, though the reported growing instability of this upstart Empire suggest that it is likely changed hands once again.