Raya gave her a sidelong inspection. “You remember that first time we met? In your office in PA? You were looking for any excuse to rid yourself of Talina Perez. And now, all these years later, here you sit, terrified that she might not come walking out of that forest. Pain in the ass that she is.”

“Yeah. Pain in the ass,” Kalico muttered. “Didn’t she overpower you, strap you to your own bed once?”

“Never been so humiliated in my entire life.” Raya sighed. “My call at the time was that she was headed off to the bush in an attempt at suicide. That she was determined to let Donovan kill her.”

“She just came back stronger.” But what about this time? Whatever was out there had killed three armored marines and severely wounded a fourth. “I should never have let her, Dek, and Briah go. Hell, Raya, if this goes south, if something happens . . .”

“Stop it.”

“Stop what?”

“Torturing yourself. Tal and Dek know what they’re doing. Beyond that, they know what’s at stake. You haven’t been yourself since that IG landed. You’re second guessing yourself, suddenly insecure in a way I’ve never seen.”

“Raya, I played the Corporate game and played it fucking well. That’s how I got here, you’ll recall.” She glanced at the doctor. “Soukup will find a reason to dismiss me. Assuming he’s still alive. When I talked to Two Spot a half hour ago, there was still no word from the crash site. And, if the IG’s dead, I’ve got a reprieve, but only for as long as it takes for Turalon to transition to Solar System and whatever ship they dispatch to make it back.”

“That’s what? Four years for a turnaround?” Raya laughed. “On Donovan, that’s like, what? An eternity? Odds are better that you’ll be eaten by a quetzal first.”

“Gotta love an optimist.” Kalico shook her head. “I’m not that lucky.”

“Which one would Soukup appoint?” Raya frowned. “And, more to the point, who’d listen to this interim Supervisor? This isn’t the same colony that Clemenceau tried to intimidate. It’s not even the same one you encountered that long-ago day when you walked off the shuttle in that ridiculous outfit.”

“Let’s see, after Bartolome’s death, Soukup’s running out of choices, so I’d say Falise Taglioni has the best chance. She’s out there in the bush with Kylee saving Soukup’s butt. But never count Cinque out.”

“Well, if it’s Falise, Dek will probably speak sense to the lady. Cinque? With him, I suspect that some Wild One will get crosswise with him and blow a hole through him.” A beat. “Not even Tamarland Benteen, with all his tricks, lasted more than a couple of weeks.”