Part of The Expanse, book 7.5
First published 2019
Governor Rittenauer steps onto Auberon with imperial orders to bring civilization to this distant colony world. The Empire expects him to secure wealth and establish order on one of humanity's most important outposts beyond Earth. But Auberon refuses to bend easily to outside control. The planet already pulses with its own intricate culture and tangled history. Erich, a criminal kingpin who knows every shadow and back alley, has built his own power structure here. He has no intention of surrendering his territory to some bureaucrat from the core worlds. As Rittenaauer pushes his civilizing mission forward, he discovers that Auberon's web of deceit, violence, and corruption runs deeper than any imperial manual prepared him for. The two men circle each other in an escalating game of control and resistance. Yet the most dangerous threat to Rittenaauer's mission comes not from Erich's criminal network or the planet's chaos, but from an unexpected vulnerability that could destroy everything he came to build.
Genres: science-fiction, adventure, crime, political-thriller
Vibes: dark, suspenseful, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, fish-out-of-water
Setting: Auberon, Earth
Period: Future
78 pages · ebook · Orbit