“He’ll only take the idea and do it himself.”
“All the better,” said Imala. “Let him take the risks if he wants to. It doesn’t matter how the Formics go down. It only matters that they do.”
Victor was quiet a moment. “If he refuses I want permission to punch him in the face.”
“If he refuses,” said Imala, “you’ll have to get in line.”
*
Lem agreed to meet them at a botanical garden in the Old City an hour after the facility closed. Imala suggested that Yanyu stay behind and continue the search for a reasonable shuttle.
Victor and Imala arrived at the appointed hour, and the man at the gate escorted them through the azalea garden to a bench beneath a crabapple tree and then left them there. Lem had not yet arrived, so they settled onto the bench and waited.
Imala pointed out all the flowers she knew. Azaleas and rhododendrons lined the path all around them. White, pink, coral, magenta. Huge lilac plants swayed gently in the artificial breeze, their purple blossoms giving off a sweet scent. It mixed with the smells of damp earth and grass and other flowers, and was so powerful and so foreign to Victor that it made him a little sick to his stomach.
Lem showed up ten minutes later with a retinue of security guards who hung back at a distance. He took the bench opposite them and settled back languidly.
“Why meet us here?” said Imala. “Why not somewhere more public?”
“Because he doesn’t want to be seen with a filthy rock sucker,” said Victor.
Imala put a hand on Victor’s leg to calm him.
“Wherever I go I get assaulted by paparazzi,” said Lem. “It’s annoying. I figured you didn’t want cameras shoved in your faces.”
“Yes, you’re a big hero now,” said Victor. “We watched some of your interviews this afternoon. You were so brave to abandon those free miners. Wherever did you find the courage?”
Lem rolled his eyes. “Is this why you asked to see me? To insult me? Because I really don’t have the time.” He started to get up.
“No,” said Imala. “That’s not why.” She shot Victor a look, and Victor put his hands up in a show of surrender.
Lem settled back on the bench. “Look,” he said, “whatever your agenda is, let me begin by saying that this company has the finest legal team in the world. If your intent is to blackmail me, you’re making a mistake. It won’t work. My father would never allow that to happen. If you go to the press, they’ll ignore you. If you go the nets, it will be removed, and you’ll be slapped with a lawsuit that would pretty much guarantee a very dismal financial future for yourselves. Trust me. I know how my father works. I know you’re not wearing listening devices because I had the gardener sweep you when you came in, but if this is your intent, let me save you a lot of heartache and end the conversation right now before you say something you’ll regret. Because whatever it is, my father will hear of it, and it would not bode well for you.”
“You see, Imala?” said Victor. “All he has for us is threats.”
“I’m not threatening you,” said Lem. “I’m warning you. I’m doing you a favor. You don’t want to make a spectacle of what happened in the Kuiper Belt. You’d lose. There are other ways to do this. I’m willing to settle with the family of the man who died. We would do it privately. In a way that is untraceable back to me. But I will gladly do that. No lawyers. No documents. If the wife and children are still alive, I’ll happily set up an account and see that they’re taken care of.”
Victor was so angry it took everything not to shout the words out. “You think you can buy my family? You think my uncle Marco can be paid for?” He turned to Imala. “This was a mistake. He’s not going to help us.”
“Help you do what?” said Lem.
“We didn’t come here to blackmail you,” said Imala. “We came here because we think we’ve found a way to get inside the Formic ship.”
“And why would you want to do that?” asked Lem.
“There’s a war on,” said Victor. “Maybe you didn’t notice.”
Lem narrowed his eyes. “Your family was far more charming than you are, Victor. I find it hard to believe you’re even related.”
Victor stood up. “That’s it. We’re out of here, Imala.”
“Sit down, Victor.” Imala’s voice was sharp as a whip. “Both of you are acting like children. There are people dying. Millions of people. I would like to do something about that. I thought the both of you did as well. If I’m wrong, tell me now, and I’ll look elsewhere.”
Reluctantly, Victor sat down again.
Imala looked at Lem, who sat back and put his hands up, acquiescing. “I’m listening. What’s your plan?”
She told him.