“Pretty much. Oh, eventually something’s stripped down to the frame. But you’d be surprised. Mac Hanson used two chassis from worn-out haulers to make the framework for his first dropforge. We’re innovative here. Something The Corporation should consider should it ever decide to break us or shut us down.”

“Would you go back if you could?” Cinque was peering at her with his totally black eyes.

“Not a chance. I’m Donovanian. Back there, I’d be a laboratory specimen.”

“Any progress on Chad’s murderer?” he asked casually.

“Nope. Why? You kill him? You’ve got the body strength.”

She saw his clever smile. “I suppose I do. And, yes, eliminating him would have been a prudent move.”

“Why’s that?”

To her dismay neither his expression nor facial temperature betrayed a misdirection when he said, “In many ways, Chad was the best successor to Kalico, should anything happen to her. He had the most experience when it came to mining, processing, and transporting extractive resources. More to the point, he knew it. Hence his cultivation of Colonel Creamer.” A pause. “Where is he, by the way?”

“Up on Turalon. Seems your soft meat Colonel got crosswise with half the crowd at The Jewel when he made disparaging remarks about Kalico. Dr. Tyler, up in Turalon’s med bay, was wiring his jaw back together last I heard.”

Cinque stopped short, rain pattering on his hat. “You’re telling me that a mob beat up a marine colonel? Why weren’t the rest of us told?”

Talina tried to make sense of the irritation on his face. “Not our business. Get it through your head. You’re in Port Authority. If you’ve got Corporate concerns, take them up with Kalico. Ah, but she’s playing handmaid to this IG. The one you, Falise, and Bartolome are depending on.”

Cinque resumed walking, face thoughtful. “Question. Let’s say he dismisses Supervisor Aguila for some reason. How will that affect Port Authority? What will the ramifications be?”

She stopped, pointing down at the puddled water at her feet. “See this spot? The night Tamarland Benteen took down the fence, and Whitey led two other quetzals into PA, I found Kalico Aguila, standing right here. She was the link holding Step’s line to the west, and Abu Sassi’s team to the east. Unlike this nice gentle rain, it was fucking coming down in buckets. Kalico had just found Dube Dushku’s body. People were dying all over town. And here is Kalico, a rifle in her hands, her ass on the line.”

Cinque stared down at the mud. Would have been barely visible to his normal eyes. Not that he’d understand.