Vaile stood like a statue, her expression suddenly opaque.

“Hang on,” Kiem said. “There can’t just not be a treaty. I know you had concerns about Taam and Thea, but we have an answer. We were going to give you an answer.”

The Auditor was no longer paying attention to any of them. He had turned back to the tiny remnant, holding it in his hand as his face shield turned black. It was like watching someone in religious communion.

“Excuse me,” Vaile said.

“The Auditor has laid down terms,” one of the junior staffers said, politely gesturing them to step away. “Please inform the Emperor, Prince Vaile. He will speak to you when you have an update.”

“Wait a moment, ” Kiem said helplessly, but there didn’t seem to be anything they could do. They had no way to persuade or bribe or blackmail the Auditor; it was like trying to persuade the weather.

Vaile jerked her head to indicate they should leave. “I will deal with this,” she said, sounding uncannily like the Emperor. She eyed the glossy, closed group of Resolution staff, obviously discarded further argument as pointless, and strode off. Presumably she had a direct line to call the Emperor.

Kiem and Jainan let the Resolution staffers shepherd them away from the Auditor. Kiem felt stunned, as if the floor under his feet had just opened onto hard vacuum.

“Those remnants must be found,” Jainan said tensely. “The entire Taam investigation is pointless if the Resolution uses this to void the treaty.”

“Right,” Kiem muttered. Their voices seemed to echo too loudly in the

Observatory Hall. “The Emperor will have the station turned upside down.”

“She would have to start searching on all the planets the fakes came from,”

Jainan said. “That fake was not a five-minute job. Someone planned this.”

Kiem rubbed the back of his head. “What do we do?” he said. “I’m out of ideas, Jainan.”

“I have nothing yet,” Jainan said, his voice clipped, but it sounded more like frustration than panic. Even that gave Kiem some hope.

Kiem was distracted by the sudden chiming of his wristband. “Bel?”

Jainan frowned. “Isn’t she off the clock? I thought she went to the bar.”

Kiem checked the message. “She wants to meet up,” he said. “She’s flagged it urgent. I’ll see what’s up.”

“I’ll leave you to sort it out,” Jainan said slowly. “There’s something I want to see about Gairad’s work.”

As they left, there was a flash from behind them. The Auditor turned. As he opened his hand, the remnant appeared, shattered to pieces. His expression was something like disgust. He shook his head at his staff and stalked away from the remnants and the Observation Hall, disappearing into the closed Resolution offices already established in the bowels of the station. Kiem had a feeling they wouldn’t see him emerging any time soon.

Kiem left Jainan to his project and made his way to the Transit Module, where Bel had given her location. It was unlike Bel to be cryptic in her messages.