Mirage - Mark W. Tiedemann

At a crucial conference uniting the Spacers, the Settlers, and representatives of Earth, Senator Clar Eliton of Earth and Senior Space Ambassador Galiel Humandros of Aurora are advocating the restoration of positronic robots on Earth, repudiating years of fear and resentment. It is a dangerous stance to take. As the Spacer delegates arrive on Earth, conspirators assassinate Senator Eliton. Ambassador Humandros is cut down as well. Both men are failed by their robot protectors. Special Agent Mia Daverri, part of the security force assigned to protect Eliton, is the only survivor of the attack, and is rushed to hospital.
Derec Avery, a survivor of the Robot City epic, is called in to investigate what may have caused the robot bodyguards to fail at the most critical hour. But his enquiries are stone-walled, and an attempt is made on Mia's life. Derec and Mia join forces to penetrate a vast conspiracy that sprawls across Terran, Spacer, and Settler worlds and threatens to bring all three to the brink of war.