From an email posted to Baen's Bar BuShips dated June 7, 2005:

The Mesan Navy

 

    The snippets [from At All Costs] have now gotten to the point at which Anisimovna and Bardasano are reporting to Detweiler before being sent off to the Talbott Cluster. In light of the apparent revelations in this scene, several people are speculating on whether or not Mesa/Manpower has its own equivalent of Bolthole tucked away somewhere. Do you care to comment on whether or not there really is a "Manpower Navy," and, if there is one, exactly how the Manties and Havenites have failed to realize that there is?

 

    Manpower does not have an equivalent of Bolthole, and the Mesan Navy is no larger than the one ONI and the Republic of Haven know about. Please consider the exact phrasing of that response very carefully. Tum, te, tum, te, tum…