Yuri waited until he’d disappeared into the rear compartment. “Our judges don’t have to hand out so many exile sentences because the threat of Zagreus keeps people in line. Actually!”

Loi nodded, making sure his boss saw his approval.

“No, actually, it’s despicable,” Eldlund said, and sie stalked off back into the rear compartment. I wondered how sie was going to fit into a sleeping pod. They were all standard size, so…Slight oversight on our part there. Maybe sie’d stick hir legs out into the aisle for the night, and no doubt complain about bias and anti-omnia discrimination tomorrow.

“I think that’s it for me, too,” Kandara said.

“Not a bad idea,” Yuri conceded.

The others all made their way back to the sleeping pods. Sandjay connected me to the drivers. Bee Jain assured me we were making good time, and the Trail Ranger was running smoothly toward the alien ship. With that, I went to bed.

—

Loi, Eldlund, and Jessika were all awake and sharing a table for breakfast when I got up. At least they seemed to be bridging the deep ideological chasm between Yuri and Callum, but that’s youth for you.

Alik came in, his hair still damp from the shower. He sat down opposite me. “No gym,” he complained.

“Yeah. Really sorry about that.”

He laughed and ordered coffee and toast from the steward. “Quite a showdown your boss had last night. I felt like I had a front-row seat into some real history.”

“I knew the basic facts, but, yeah, some of the details they spilled were something else.”

“Surprised they’re both on this trip.”

“It’s important.”

“Sure, I get that. But do they maybe have a little extra data to go on?”

I raised an eyebrow, scanning that handsome face with its immobile flesh. Alik Monday would make the perfect poker player; he lacked the ability to produce a single tell. The voice, though—that could convey a lot of emotion. I’m guessing he must practice that. “Connexion didn’t play favorites here, Alik,” I chided. “The Utopials were extremely keen for representation on the assessment team.”

“And Callum is their prime troubleshooter.”

“He’s a grade-two citizen.”

“If you think he’s here to produce a technical assessment, you’re fooling yourself. He might have been technical back in the day, but he’s got his young acolytes for that now.” His hand waved discreetly at Eldlund and Jessika.

“What are you saying?”

“He reports directly to the Utopial Senior Council, and maybe not even that. I expect it’s going to be Jaru and Emilja themselves who’ll have first access to his opinion. And that opinion will be entirely political.”

“I concur,” I told him. “As does Ainsley. That’s one of the reasons he had me include representatives for all the truly important interested parties.”

“Really?” It came out a challenge—old interrogation technique. Back up what you just said.