Topaz's conversation with Aventurine involving Penacony is a prelude to the Expresses eventual expedition on that world via invitation but also a hint to what the Family is like. Aventurine describes the Family having questionable characters and that doing business with them is a no go. I have thought about it previously that the Family is a crime family since Penacony used to be an IPC prison for the worst of the worst before a Harmony Stellaron turned it prosperous. The criminals have gathered after establishing dominance of the now prosperous planet. Bit of a taste of what the next chapter might involve.
Is, The Family, really the "crime family" here? Going so far as to "kill" one of their own kind (aka Robin)? Or, is it the IPC whom are a notorious organization for having owned Penacony's IPC prison-days, doing more than "business" deals. Also, it was the Watchmaker's legacy that made Penacony prosperous, NOT the Harmony Stellaron. If anything, I'm inclined to believe the IPC is secretly using the Harmony Stellaron to trap everyone into the Dreamscape, having them killed off in there while the IPC easily reclaim back Penacony with no resistance. P.S. Follow-up post from above. I'm also led to believe that The Family is also being influenced by the Harmony Stellaron caused by the IPC. The red herring being that The Family are the main "villains" responsible.
