“Name’s Bartolome. A cousin three generations removed,” Kalico told her. “Even when I knew him, he was called ‘Bad Bart’ by both admirers and detractors.” The scarred eyebrow went up again. “Ali, I know you like playing with dangerous men, but keep Bart, Cinque Suharto, and sweet and slippery Chad at arm’s length. I know you did what you had to with Benteen, but he was a lone fugitive. Didn’t come with powerful family backing like these guys.”

Allison nodded, expression pinched. “Each of us has done distasteful things. Has sacrificed, risked, and barely survived.” She jerked a thumb at the room behind her. “So have they. I’m not going looking for trouble, Kalico, but like you, I’m not going to let any candy-butt Corporate family sweep in and confiscate what I’ve given so much to achieve.” She glanced from face to face. “I assume we’re agreed on that?”

“Quite so,” Shig said mildly. “Which for the moment, leaves thirty marines.”

“Who—and compliments of Abibi, I’ve seen their orders—are under Corporate command. Not to mention that their commanding officer is Colonel Stanley Creamer.” Kalico was watching Talina, saw her start. “Yeah, that Creamer. The one behind the fuckup at Beemer Station.”

Talina grunted her disgust.

“You know him?” Shig asked.

Talina said, “He was Cap Taggart’s CO. The one who got Cap busted and sent here on Turalon. I got the impression the guy was a Corporate ass-kisser.”

“Abibi thinks the same of him,” Kalico added. “Gives me an angle to play.”

Shig had barely tasted his wine; now he set the glass back on the bar. “You know, don’t you, that we’ve reached a turning point.”

“How’s that?” Allison turned her sharp blue gaze Shig’s way.

“Dek may not have known it, but by arranging Dan Wirth’s passage back to Solar System, he forced the Board’s hand, especially the Chairman’s.” Shig glanced at Kalico. “Your old patron understood exactly what Dan Wirth represented and the kind of danger he, and others like him, pose for The Corporation. A danger that, to a lesser extent, Lee Marston and the rest of the returnees also pose. But they could be kept under control. Wirth is a whole different problem for the Taglionis. He’s under their protection, and they’re not only getting a share of Dan’s wealth, but full exposure to the extent of it. Better yet, too many people are in the loop. Dan’s not the sort of guy you can keep under wraps. He’d come off like a shooting flare, burning too brightly and obnoxiously, and giving off too much smoke and sparks. Within a week of his stepping off Ashanti, every family and Boardmember knew that some psychopathic tavern keeper, freshly returned from Donovan and under Taglioni protection, was the richest man in Solar System.”