Mesa is a planet located in Solarian League space, although it is officially independant and not part of the league. Mesa is effectively controlled by several unscrupulous interstellar corporations. The most well-known of these is Manpower Unlimited, a company that grows genetically engineered humans as slaves. It is in a state of perpetual cold war with the Star Kingdom of Manticore, as well as the People's Republic of Haven, as both nations deplore the practice of slavery.

Manpower's main market is in the Solarian League. It also had considerable sales in the Silesian Confederacy until Manticore and the Andermani Empire seized control of the Confederacy at the end of War of Honor. Manpower and other Mesan multistellars have numerous facilities off Mesa, but these are regularly attacked and sabotaged by the Audobon Ballroom, a guerilla organization of escaped slaves.