Book excerpt: POISON COMES IN MANY FORMS… Exarch Damien Redburn has called for the election of his replacement. Paladins assemble from all corners of the Republic, and those vying to be the next Exarch are creating a lively nomination process. But machinations behind the scenes threaten to turn the election into a bloodbath. Paladins Heather GioAvanti and Jonah Levin are both conducting investigations into suspicious activities swirling around the edges of this high-level gathering, including a suspected assassination at the highest level of Republic government. The leads they uncover repeatedly intersect, and it becomes clear that more than one group intends to disrupt the election. Through political influence, assassination, or rebellion, each of these cabals ultimately seeks to place its own man or woman in the Exarch's seat—and whoever controls the Exarch controls the Republic. But Damien Redburn will not allow his successor to be a puppet, and is more than willing to throw a few 'Mechs and a secret agent or two into the mix to get the result he wants—even if what he wants may be a surprise to everyone else...