“Child, I want to be very clear about something.” She pointed to the glass door, no doubt with a magnetic lock on it, that separated the reception area from the rest of the floor. “I am about to try that door, and once I’m through it I’m going to Amit Nohamapetan’s office, and I’m going to try the door there. If both doors don’t open for me, I am going to do two things. One, I am going to file suit in the Guild Court of Grievances against the House of Nohamapetan for obstruction of investigation, which as you probably don’t know is a very serious charge and will cost the House of Nohamapetan hundreds of thousands of marks to defend against. And then they’ll lose, at which point millions of marks will flow from their accounts into mine, and you’ll be fired for having caused an easily avoidable interhouse argument. Two, I’ll sue you as well, and let the House of Nohamapetan know I’ll be happy to drop my suit against them if they fire you. And then, between our two houses, we’ll make sure that you never work in any capacity ever again, and that the rest of your life is spent never earning more than the Interdependency minimum benefit, or if you do, that everything you earn above the IMB is garnished and sent to me. And I will spend it on champagne, toasting your misery. Are we entirely clear on this?”

The receptionist gaped and then buzzed the door.

“Thank you,” Huma said, and swept through. Kiva once again followed.

Amit’s office was on a far corner of the floor and large, with impeccable furniture and wide windows that looked out on the Hubfall business district. He and two other people sat in gorgeously comfortable chairs at a table, and all of them seemed surprised when Huma and Kiva appeared in their midst.

Huma pointed at the two who were not Amit. “You and you. Fuck off right now,” she said.

They turned to Amit, who nodded. They fucked off. Huma and Kiva sat in their vacated seats.

Amit looked at them, and then reached over to the table and picked up a tablet, which was flashing a message alert on it. He read it. “Apparently you threatened my receptionist, Countess Lagos,” he said. “Also, that’s not how an obstruction of investigation charge works and you know it.” He tossed the tablet back on the table and considered his two guests. “Now, to what do I owe the genuinely unexpected pleasure of your presence?”

“One, your family sabotaged our product on End,” Huma said.

“I don’t know anything about that,” Amit said.

“Well, I do, and our lawyers will be speaking to yours about that. Two, your family has interfered in my daughter’s ability to conduct business on End by influencing the duke there to illegally escrow and use our revenues.”