Falise gave him a nod. “We’re being kept in the dark. Derek hasn’t returned a single communication. That’s to be expected. News of my arrival undoubtedly has my brother pouting and petulant. It’s his way of punishing me. I can hear him now, ‘Oh, so Father is sending little sister out to check on me? Well, I don’t have to give her so much as the time of day.’ Making me go to him is just Derek’s childish way of trying to put me in my place.”

Ednund—who’d always been spurned by Derek as her “boy toy”—barely granted a shrug.

Clarice, however, said, “Derek’s silence might be forgiven. The Board Supervisor’s however, is a different thing.”

Falise pursed her lips, nodded. “That Kalico hasn’t extended so much as a courtesy call? To a Taglioni, no less? And given Miko’s sponsorship and patronage in the past? I call that the equivalent of a slap in the face.”

Ednund said, “I am told it’s the same with the others. This will be counted against her as a major affront.”

Clarice, hands clasped behind her, tilted her chin back, eyes half-lidded in thought. “I can compute various permutations on the data. The highest probability is that Kalico knows that IG Soukup is aboard and expects to be dismissed from her position and is scrambling to destroy evidence, establish a defense, remove conspirators, and hide malfeasance before receiving the official notification of her removal.”

Ednund added, “The only reason she’d expect that would be if she were truly involved in something remarkably corrupt.”

“Like signing over all the Corporate assets on the planet?” Falise reminded. “Her original Board mandate was to investigate Capella III, determine what happened to the missing ships, to reestablish order or otherwise secure the colony. While she couldn’t know what the Board reaction would be in response to her selling off Port Authority, she has to know that sending first Turalon and second, Ashanti back, each ship literally dripping with wealth, was going to buy her a certain amount of good will.”

Ednund, a faint smile on his face, said, “Then why hasn’t she sent so much as a message welcoming us to Capella III? The cunning and calculating woman you had me bed should be welcoming us with an almost arrogant pride.”

Falise shifted her gaze to him. “Yes, I remember detailing that assignment to you. Wanted to know what threat she posed for the rest of us after Miko took her under his wing.”

“At the time she was still Board Supervisor of Transluna,” Ednund told her, “my assessment was that she would most likely be seated on the Board within a few years. She was that capable.”

“Her proficiency score?” Falise asked.

“Ninety-eight,” Clarice said. “Remarkable.”