Sura tapped her cute little nose. ‘Excite viewers with an unexplored marvel of nature right on our doorstep. Oh, and scare them a little, too.’

It was the standard approach, and an effective one.

‘OK.’ He nodded. ‘The challenge with filming underwater caves is giving viewers context, otherwise they don’t appreciate what they’re looking at – or the stakes involved – thus, infographics will be essential. I have a small laser mapping tool that we can use to collect data.’ Nash let Sura finish jotting this down as he considered his next point. ‘An important thing to remember is at least half the story happens above water. There’s a wealth of interesting stuff on the origins of the cave, its geology, early exploration, and then you need to impress upon people the challenges of just getting to the Hoosenbeck. Location shots on the boat, from the helicopter, insights from the local people, will all help with that.’

Sura looked up from her tablet and smiled. ‘It’s so good to get your advice, Rob. Normally I just read scripts and present.’

Given their massive budget, it seemed strange they hadn’t bothered to bring a professional director or writer along, but he nodded politely.

‘Of course, the story will be shaped by how far we penetrate, and what we discover. I’m optimistic we’re going to get some amazing footage. But in an uncharted cave like the Hoosenbeck, our expectations need to fall within the limits of our equipment and experience.’

Sura looked up from her tablet. ‘You’re talking about Jaap, aren’t you?’

‘I’m afraid he’s out of his depth.’

‘He means well, Rob. And he’s very brave and strong.’

‘Unfortunately, that means little in an underwater cave. Caution born of experience and training, and a comprehensive understanding of physiology and psychology, are what keep you alive.’

Looking pensive, she twirled her empty bottle around.

‘You do need a second camera, though, don’t you?’

‘Yes. Jaap will be essential for establishing shots, ferrying gear, and setting up lights for key scenes, but he needs to understand I’m not interested in having a chest-beating competition every time I make a decision.’

‘I quite understand.’ She blinked slowly before focusing on him. ‘Don’t worry, Rob, I shall make Jaap clear about his role.’

‘And Goki?’ Here he watched her carefully. ‘Where does he fit in to all of this?’

‘Goki?’ She seemed puzzled. ‘Our producer is a man of few words, but he writes the cheques, so we have to work with him as best we can.’

The answer was defensive, and Nash got the feeling he’d pushed her far enough for one night.

‘Fair enough.’ He flipped open a pad and picked up the pen. ‘Shall we begin?’