"Agreed," Patricia said. "I'll call him now."
"Patricia — how did Jade seem?"
A pause. The particular pause of Patricia considering something past the professional register.
"Lighter," she said. "Like someone who has been carrying something that belonged to other people and has finally set it down." Another pause. "I've been doing this for thirty years, Remi. I know the difference between someone cooperating because they've calculated it's optimal and someone cooperating because it's right. Jade Sterling is intelligent enough to do both simultaneously, and she is doing both. I think she'll be useful to the alliance."
"So do I," I said.
"I'll send the signed agreement to your desk this afternoon."
We ended the call.
I sat at the Luna desk on the residential floor and looked at the ci
