Chapter Nine

SecUnit attends a negotiation meeting with Barish-Estranza's Supervisor Leonide in an underground chamber, only to discover that Leonide has been performing for the colonists' cameras the entire time, spreading disinformation about the University's intentions. SecUnit realizes the colonists are now mistrustful and vulnerable to B-E's predatory contract offers. After the meeting, SecUnit devises a plan to create persuasive media content that tells the true story of what Barish-Estranza would do to the colonists.

SecUnit reluctantly attends an in-person negotiation with Barish-Estranza, despite misgivings from the team, because it might reveal B-E's plans for the colonists. Upon arriving at the meeting chamber, SecUnit is immediately recognized as a SecUnit by Supervisor Leonide, despite attempts at disguise. Leonide questions SecUnit about the University's presence and intentions, and SecUnit realizes partway through the conversation that Leonide has been performing—speaking to the colonists watching through the chamber's cameras rather than genuinely negotiating with SecUnit. Leonide falsely claims the University intends to turn the planet into a laboratory where the colonists become trapped experimental subjects. ART-drone disrupts the camera feeds when it realizes what is happening, but the damage is done: Leonide has already planted seeds of distrust. The colonists, who lack recent knowledge of the Corporation Rim and corporate exploitation, now view both the University and potentially Barish-Estranza with suspicion. After Leonide leaves, SecUnit becomes furious and despairs over the situation. ART-drone refuses SecUnit's suggestion that it would be kinder to kill the colonists to save them from B-E's exploitation, noting this violates the University's charter and is immoral. SecUnit experiences an emotional and creative breakthrough while searching its archives, realizing that persuasive media—curated, formatted correctly, and emotionally resonant—could show the colonists the truth about corporate exploitation. SecUnit decides to create a fictional but true narrative media piece that tells the colonists' own story: what will actually happen to them if they accept Barish-Estranza's contract. SecUnit presents this idea to ART-drone and requests consultation with the humans.