Falise kept her expression blank, irritated that Cinque had such a complete understanding of her family. But then, it wasn’t like she didn’t have the same insight into his, or Chad Grunnel’s, or Bartolome Radcek’s. Her other companions on this benighted gamble. They, too, had been delegated to make the dangerous transition on Turalon. Like Falise and Cinque, they were sent to scout, assess, and establish their family’s interests. That the Montanos, Xian Chans, and Terblanchs didn’t have representatives on board was only due to their inability to scramble fast enough to get a warm body to Neptune in time for Turalon’s departure. As it was, the ship was detained for three days pending the arrival of Inspector General Soukup and his “Four.” The genetically engineered and cyber-designed humans who recorded and analyzed his evidence.

But representatives from the other families would be coming. Just as soon as the Board could turn Ashanti around and space her back to Donovan.

As she studied Cinque’s reflection in the transparency, she had to admire Derek’s cunning. By sending Dan Wirth—a criminal psychopath afloat in wealth—back to Solar System under Taglioni sponsorship, Derek had ensured that the families would employ every resource they controlled in The Corporation to ensure that Capella III would be developed. As to how? That would depend on which family gained the upper hand. Not to mention the wild card of having a Board Appointed Inspector General of Soukup’s reputation given free rein in the middle of the scramble.

She’d had a year and seven months to consider just how brilliant Derek had been. And knowing that, she hated him for it. Right down to the depths of her soul. Hated him like she’d never hated another human being. Because, had he not, she wouldn’t have just wasted a year and seven months of her life on this suffocating bucket of air. Instead of suffering Cinque, Chad, and Bartolome and eating reprocessed yeast in the Crew Mess, she’d be enjoying the finest of companions on Transluna, and dining on the culinary creations at Tiborrone.

Until Derek shocked the family, she’d been thriving in the company of Boardmembers, enjoying the fruits of wealth, prestige, and the power that came of being a rising star among the Taglionis. She’d been the cherished daughter—the one her father, Claudio, had fawned over. Falise had proven her worth to her Uncle Miko, the current Board Chairman and the most powerful man in Solar System. She’d been the clever arbitrator of the Board’s clandestine and Machiavellian politics. By her own calculations, she had a straight shot at a Board seat. Her talent as unrivaled as Kalico Aguila’s had been before the woman made the fatal mistake of shipping off to Capella III, as Donovan’s world was officially known.