In the stark, fluorescent-lit office of Solar Dynamics Corporation, CEO Francis Peralta sat behind his expansive desk, eyes locked on the live feed of the stock market on his sleek, widescreen monitor. The graph lines, predominantly in shades of alarming red, told a tale of continued decline, mirroring the plummeting confidence of the company's investors. It had been days since the revelation that Solar Dynamics Corporation had falsified a technical report on Michael's innovative solar panel technology, yet the repercussions were still unfolding with relentless intensity.