Book One of the Velvet Comet--the enormous, exclusive, elaborate, and infamous orbiting brothel: As a field accountant for the Vainmill Syndicate, Harry Redwine is assigned to the Velvet Comet for the delicate task of financial sabotage. By inserting 'errors' in the accounting logs, the Syndicate intends to expose a phony embezzlement scheme as an excuse to shut down the troublesome orbiting pleasure palace. When the reclusive Redwine falls in love with the madam, he begins a tricky double-cross that threatens more than the financial well-being of the Comet.