Prologue

Prologue

Cassandra

" G uilty." The gavel banged down, and Cassie let out a long sigh. She'd known what the verdict would be from the moment she'd been caught. It couldn't be anything else. The Allied Worlds government had set a trap for her, and she'd fallen into it.

The judge leveled a stern look at her.

"Cassandra Thomas, from here you will be taken to the inmate ship. On board, you will be given the opportunity to access information about the prison planets and choose the one that appeals the most to you. I hope you think long and hard about what you plan to do with the rest of your life." The woman sniffed, shaking her head. "It's a shame to see such intelligence wasted."

Because that was what the Allied Worlds were all about—productivity. Everyone had to be a contributing member to society.

Cassandra felt like she'd contributed with the redistribution of wealth from citizens who really didn't need any more than they already had to those who were in need, but hey, what did she know?

"Thank you, your honor," her attorney said. The woman had tried to make a case for sympathy for her, considering she hadn't kept any of the funds she'd stolen for herself, but the law was clear… and Cassandra was guilty as hell.

She could practically feel the satisfaction radiating from the company representatives behind her—the businesses whose pockets she'd pilfered. Lifting her hands, which were cuffed in front of her, she scratched the back of her neck with her middle finger, eliciting a couple of gasps from her audience. Smirking, Cassandra lowered her hands.

They couldn't prove she'd been flicking them off and not just itchy… but they knew.

Well, off to one of the prison planets full of perverts she went. At least she'd finally get more information about them. There wasn't a whole lot known, although rumors abounded. She had seen some vids from Xanthos of the pony girls and boys competing, but the other three planets were much more reclusive.

"Let's go," her lawyer said with a sigh, gesturing. One of the guards had appeared beside the table to escort Cassandra to the ship.

She followed along willingly enough. There was no point in fighting, after all. She'd much rather go to one of the prison planets than the colonies.