Max smiled at Archibald and took a pen and paper from his pocket. “Did you already have a barren planet in mind? I can do custom packages if you would like the planet developed for a specific purpose.”

“It’s a moon, actually. A bit small by most standards, but it holds one-quarter of standard gravity. I was hoping to have it renovated to an inhabitable standard and use gravity plating to create a proper arena complex on the surface. The gravity outside the arena doesn’t matter much, but for safety’s sake, it’s important that the atmosphere is breathable.” The Boss explained.

“So a moon specifically for gambling. That sounds like a lot of fun. Would you like the regions of the surface to be widely varied in climates? It would require the ongoing use of the Array to keep them stable, but after purchase, the upkeep cost is negligible.” Max suggested.”

One of the women in the room, who was wearing a loose robe with a veil so Max couldn’t make out her features, chimed in at that point.

“Outdoor mega arenas for real group challenges? I like it. Perhaps you could collect some wild beasts to make a survival challenge. I have always loved a good reality TV survival show.”

Her mind said she meant exactly what she said. Throwing the contestants into a huge enclosed area and then having drones film them while they tried to survive a hostile environment and wild animals.

It would technically be illegal, as all extreme sports and challenges with a high risk of death were, but if they assured the broadcasters that they would come and rescue the contestants if they got in actual trouble, then it shouldn’t get them completely banned from the Data Net.

“You look intrigued. Does your species have such shows?” The woman asked Max.

“We do. We also have planets where it is not a staged show but a reality for the colonists who have to deal with deadly predators on a daily basis. But what had me interested was just a random thought. My Subcommander has a fondness for trying to tame wild beasts. We were on vacation not long ago, and she tried to tame a Winged Wolf, a three-meter tall flying predator from one of the human-controlled worlds.” Max explained, then brought up a holographic image of the flying animal so that the others would know what he was talking about.

“Are those things really tameable?” One of the men asked.

“They are. It’s not easy, but the locals have bred a number of them in captivity, and they are as loyal as any other canine.”

Max sensed that a lot of the species here would never dare to keep a predator as a pet or companion animal. They had either come from planets without them or had eliminated all of the potential predators from their home worlds during their advancement, so the very concept was foreign to their culture.

Boss Archibald cleared his throat. “I think that allowing wild animals to roam the moon might draw a bit more attention than we would like for such a venue. But the idea of stabilizing multiple biospheres with the ongoing effects of the Terraforming Array is a very tempting one.

That amount of money transfer will require some time to arrange. I’m sure you understand how things are.”

“Of course. I can also offer financing if you need it. The terms are quite reasonable, and the payments will be much less suspicious, as you can arrange them through a holding company on behalf of the terraformed moon.”

The veiled woman chuckled at Max’s words. “He’s got you there. The price of taking on debt always sounds reasonable at first, and it’s so easy to justify the convenience that you don’t think too deeply about the total price paid.”

Max held a hand over his heart and gave the woman a pitiful look. “You make it sound as if I would swindle my customers. The terms are five percent of the outstanding principal per standard year, with a maximum twenty-five-year amortization. The Terminus Trading Company has no interest in generational debts. We much prefer to get paid.”

Max sensed the woman’s amusement as she mentally calculated that the purchaser would pay seventy-five percent more for the dubious honour of paying in installments over the course of the term. For Valkia, twenty-five years was not such a long time, as they aged very slowly, but the fees would really add up.

The Boss shook his head at Max. “I think I would prefer to crowdsource the funding from a few dozen different businesses. I trust that won’t be an issue?”

“Of course not. As long as they’re all authorized to transfer credits, there will be no issue. If they’re not, we can come to some other arrangements. The Alliance has many wonderful technologies that Humans have yet to get their hands on, after all.”

A tall man with leathery wings and glowing red eyes stepped forward out of the shadows in the corner, startling Max. He hadn’t sensed the man there, not his body or his thoughts until he emerged from the shadows. Not many species could hide from the detection of the Nanomachines, and it always startled Max when it happened.

“That goes both ways. While you have brought many interesting patents to the market for a reasonable price, there seems to be a number that you are keeping to yourself. My planets are outside of Alliance Territory, and we have developed a pest control issue of our own. Bipedal, not insectoid like the Klem, but just as pernicious and annoying. What might it take to get my hands on some of your giant robotic pest control devices?” The man asked.

“That is an excellent question. If you’re not an official Alliance member, it would be completely up to the relationship between your people and mine. Perhaps we could talk more later, once we have a bit of privacy? I will send you the location and a docking invitation so you can meet with me aboard the Terminus Trading Company’s world ship after I finish with this mission.” Max agreed.

“Marvelous. Here, take my card, and I will be sure to be in touch.”

The leather-winged man transferred a large amount of data to Max’s wrist device and then stepped back into the shadows and vanished from sight. This time Max was ready for it, though, and saw through the trick. It was an optical camouflage device that hid him in the shadows and a mental trick of some sort that hid his thoughts.

Max definitely needed to get his hands on one of those devices.