Again that probing look. “You don’t seem the least bit reticent when talking to a man who holds judgment over your life.”

Kalico replied with an amused laugh. “Inspector General, I could give a damn. I know Miko Taglioni and the rest of the players on the Board and how they think. Turalon and Ashanti arriving like they did fractured the status quo. Miko and Claudio—having Dan Wirth dropped into their laps—would have immediately realized the threat Donovan poses to Corporate stability and the social order. Obviously, so did the Radceks, Grunnels, and Suhartos, all of whom got their people aboard Turalon. And then there’s you. Board Appointed. With the authority and power to take whatever actions you deem necessary to ensure control of the Donovan problem.”

“You assume Donovan is a problem before you admit that it is an immense opportunity?”

“Problem.” Kalico insisted. “It threatens the status quo, defies predictability, tantalizes the hopes and dreams of people who had been satisfied with their lot under Corporate control. But most of all, it terrifies the aristocracy. The families have reached their day of reckoning. The one they never thought they’d see. On Donovan, a sewer rat like Dan Wirth can accrue enough wealth to catapult him right into the highest social circles. And he’s rich enough that they have to endure rubbing elbows with the loathsome creature.” Kalico lifted a finger. “And that, Inspector General, is intolerable. So here you are.”

“You seem unconcerned that I might interfere with your position, Supervisor.”

Kalico gave him a grim smile. “I don’t think there’s any ‘might’ about it. The Taglionis, the Grunnels, the Suhartos, and the Radceks read the between the lines. Or were faster than the others. Each sent a candidate. The person they thought most likely to be named as my interim replacement when I was found to be corrupt, incompetent, rebellious, or wanting in some manner, shape, or behavior.”

She shot him a scathing glance. “So, which one do you have in mind for my replacement?”

He shifted his gaze ahead to what little he could see of the deep blue gulf’s surface. “My mandate is to discover the facts, determine where The Corporation’s best interests lie. And I will do exactly that, Supervisor. Does that concern you?”

“Not a bit, Inspector General. Falise, Chad, Cinque, and Bartolome? They were all specialists in ensuring that systems ran smoothly for the families. Enforcers, strong arms, the specialists sent in to quell dissent, enforce obedience, and make sure quotas were met. They’re masters of Corporate efficiency. Donovan is going to eat them alive.”

“I find that a harsh judgment for people you don’t know.”

“I know Donovan, Inspector General.”

“Coming up on the Maritime Unit, Supervisor,” Juri Makarov called from the pilot’s seat. “I’m slowing to hover. Let me know how you want me to maneuver.”