"That's correct," said Lem. "We didn't participate in the attack. It happened away from our position, but we were able to recover a beacon that recorded the events. We brought that footage back to Luna so that Earth would know what sacrifices had been made to protect us. It was the largest coordinated assault that anyone has made against the Formics to date."
"Free miners and corporate miners fighting side by side," said Unna. "Two groups that don't normally get along, am I right?"
"We've had our differences in the past, yes," said Lem. "Corporations are typically more stringent adherents to the laws of the space trade. We pay tariffs, taxes. We cooperate in all respects with STASA, or the Space Trade and Security Authority. We don't shy away from federal oversight. Free miners, on the other hand, take a more liberal approach to the economy of space. They see it as a frontier, where families should be able to establish their own rules and operate however they see fit. Naturally, those two disparate economical philosophies are going to collide when they're forced to occupy the same space. But those days are over. We can no longer act independently. We're stronger together than we are alone."
"Would you say the same to the nations of Earth?" asked Unna. "Are we stronger together than we are alone? There have been very few alliances formed since this war began, and not a single significant coalition. China refuses to allow outside military assistance, despite the fact that the Formics are killing millions of their people. What's your reaction to that?"
"Earth is our nation now," said Lem. "Earth is our borders. The them, the enemy, is out there now. It's not Russia or the U.S. or the Middle East. It's the Formics. And it's going to take all of us working together and combining all of our talents and resources to incinerate them. Until the world wakes up and recognizes that, until we all agree that we can't operate independent of each other, defending only our little corner of the globe and nothing else, then we're going to continue to lose this war. Sadly, that's a lesson China has learned the hard way. I was elated to hear the news this morning that Chinese troops conducted a joint operation with the Mobile Operations Police and destroyed one of the Formic landers, but China must accept more help than that. I recognize that the Formics landed on Chinese soil, but China is not the only nation threatened here. The entire human race is in danger. We must put national security behind global security. Using MOPs is a step in the right direction, but we're talking about twenty to thirty men, barely a platoon, hardly enough troops to stop the waves of Formic foot soldiers armed with bioweapons marching across southeast China. The Russians stand ready to help. So do the Americans and Australians and Indians. All China needs to do is open its borders and let its neighbors come to its aid."
"We're told Russian troops are crossing the border as we speak," said Unna.
"Yes, in isolated places. And at every location, the Chinese are pushing them back, fighting them tooth and nail. The fear is that the Russians are really an invading force, that they won't leave once the Formics are defeated, and frankly that's a legitimate concern. Were I China, I'd be nervous as well. But China's allies can help. NATO can offer assurances. The Americans can broker a pullout of troops. Let's work together. Let's unite against a common enemy. Otherwise we don't stand a chance."
"One more question, Lem. You stared into the face of a Formic. In the heat of battle, out there in the Kuiper Belt, you looked deep into a Formic's eyes. What did you see there?"
"Their eyes aren't like ours, Unna. They aren't windows to their souls. Or if they are, they have no soul. Because there is nothing there, no compassion, no remorse, no friendship, no desire to understand us. There is only blackness, a deep, empty, vacant blackness."
Unna thanked him for his time and the use of his home and wrapped up the interview. The producer stepped in and gave the order to kill the cameras.
The bright lights dimmed, and the camera operators began packing up their equipment. Simona was at Lem's side with her holopad an instant later, gently taking his arm and leading him away from the bustle of the crew.
"Well done," she said. "I liked the part at the end about the eyes. Very spooky. I got goose bumps." She looked down at her holopad. "You only mentioned the company by name twice, but I'll tell the PR people to get over it. You can't be a robot. If you say Juke Limited too often, you'll sound like you're shilling."
"I am shilling."
"What you're saying is important, Lem. It's giving people hope. And right now people need all the hope they can get." She typed something on her pad. "We'll have to edit out all that talk about China, though. That can't air."
That annoyed him. "Why not? Because we have customers in China?"
She looked up at him, tired. "Do you have any idea how much ore the Chinese government buys from us every year, Lem? They're not just a customer. They're our third largest customer. It's an important relationship to maintain. Angering the Chinese would send the Board into a tailspin."
"Everything I said is true."
She tucked her holopad under her arm and straightened his tie. "Be that as it may, these interviews are not podiums for geopoliticking. Focus on your story. That's what people want to hear. Let the governments of the world focus on China."
She was Father's personal assistant, but she had offered to be on hand for all of Lem's interviews for "moral support." Lem knew full well that she was here on assignment from Father to ensure that Lem didn't screw up, but he enjoyed having her around nonetheless.
"If I go on camera again, Simona, I want it to be with a real news outlet, not with a pink-haired bimbo. Please, for my own dignity."
"Unna isn't a bimbo, Lem. She's huge all over Europe, particularly with
eighteen-to thirty-five-year-olds. We're hitting all demographics here. If we stick with traditional news networks, we'd be speaking only to geriatrics." She straightened his suit coat and brushed off his lapel. "Now, you've got another interview in four hours. This one's in Finnish, but don't think that means you can say anything you want. I'll have every word translated and approved before it airs."
Lem smiled. "Don't you think it's sexy when I speak in Finnish?"
She rolled her eyes. "You also have a message from Dr. Benyawe. She called from your warehouse while you were in the interview. She wants you to call her immediately."
Lem started moving for the door. "Cancel my next interview."
Simona hurried to keep up. "He's a celebrity reporter out of Helsinki, Lem. You'll be doing it by holo. That's your home country. You're a national hero there. We can't miss this one."
"Cancel it."
She caught his arm, stopping him. "Why? What does Benyawe want?" She studied his face. "Is she helping you send a team to the Formic ship? Is that what this is about?"
He pulled her to the side, out of earshot of the film crew, and lowered his voice. "Just cancel the interview. Please."
In exchange for information, Lem had told Simona that he was preparing to send a small strike team to the Formic mothership. He hadn't given her any of the details, but now he wished he hadn't mentioned it at all.