“I may or may not apologize for that. It depends on if I get out of this alive. You say we’re flying through a mountain pass?”

“Solid rock walls about thirty meters to either side of us, and they go up another five hundred. That swaying and rocking we’re doing? Those are the winds that gust through here. Even then, this is still the best way to get west.”

“What if this wind blows us into the rocks?”

“You never have to apologize.” Kylee fought to keep them level, Falise, grabbing onto the crash bar, turned a shade more pale, her eyes widening.

“So,” Kylee asked, “Like this airtruck. You just walk up to the marine on guard at the gate and tell him you’re taking the airtruck. Then we climb in and fly off? Just like you can do whatever you want?”

“I’m a Taglioni. Might have been different if one of the locals had been on guard. They might not have known when they were talking to someone above their station.”

“Every so often, Falise, you start to sound human. Then you spout that shit.”

“The Corporation was founded so that every person knew his position in society and would have his or her needs taken care of. You don’t know the history. At the last moment, when the national governments would have led the world to destruction through their greed and arrogance, the multinational corporations merged for their own survival. They began dictating to the governments, replacing politicians with Directors and Supervisors to ensure that safety and security were enjoyed by all. Global redistribution of resources, population control, focused and efficient agriculture and extraction, processing, manufacturing, and distribution allowed The Corporation to stabilize the planet for the first time in the history of humanity. Those who would foment discord were removed or denied resources until they capitulated. Tranquility and harmony replaced uncertainty, fear of starvation, or exploitation. The algorithms ensured efficiency of resource distribution on the global level.”

“As long as, what did you say, people ‘know their station?’”

Falise gave her a sidelong glance. “Would you prefer a world of chaos, strife, and inequality where every nation, led by a petty narcissistic and psychopathic ‘great leader,’ had his finger on the nuclear trigger? Each of them waiting for the first slight that would justify their use of the weapons based on ‘national security?’”

“No way,” Kylee muttered, her attention focused as she broke through into the uplifted ridge country beyond the Winds. “You couldn’t get me to go live in that slug-infested warren. I might not know my position in society.” She gave Falise a knowing look. “And if you, Cinque, and Bart are examples of the best of the best back in Solar System, I’d say the place is fucked.”

“I’ll have you know that without the families—”