Fuzzy Nation by John Scalzi Page A

exercise them, and profit from them, and I’m not going to be bought off for less than what I’m rightfully owed, simply because it’ll be convenient for you.” He jerked his thumb at Landon. “And though it clearly pains Landon here when someone speaks to you in less than a groveling tone, I’ll tell you this right now, and this is a promise: Try to cut me out or shut me down one more time, and you’ll see just how big a public relations nightmare I can be. Fact is, right now you need my cooperation more than I need your money. You need to remember that.”
    Aubrey looked over at Landon. “Told you,” he said.
    “Yes, quite,” Landon said, looking at Holloway. Then he pulled out his infopanel and pressed it. “And since we were in fact prepared for the quite dramatic pissing all over our offer, Mr. Holloway, I’ve just sent you our surveying requests, which you’ll find waiting for you when you get back to your skimmer. There seems to be a large tributary branch running off the main sunstone seam. We could have had some of our other surveyors map it, of course, but we were aware you might have concerns vis-à-vis Teppo, and we wouldn’t want you to think you were intentionally being left with nothing to do. As a warning, it requires jungle floor mapping, so do watch out for predators.”
    “And try to avoid any other major ecological disasters, if you can manage that,” Aubrey said.
    “I think I can manage,” Holloway said.
    “We’ll see,” Aubrey said. Holloway turned to go.
    “One other thing, Holloway,” Aubrey said.
    Holloway turned. “Yes?”
    “You have rights to this seam and you can be sure you’ll get every last thing that’s coming to you, while you’re here and after you’re gone,” Aubrey said. “But your contract runs out in five months. When that happens, your time really is up. You’re getting a ride home and after that, no amount of money will ever get you another contract with this company. Hell, once you get home, you won’t even be able to book passage on another ZaraCorp ship. Every subsidiary we own will automatically bounce you back. That’s my promise to you. Just so you know.”
    “Seems a bit drastic,” Holloway said.
    “It probably is,” Aubrey said.
    “Do you do this with everyone who annoys you?” Holloway asked.
    “No,” Aubrey said. “Just you. You inspire that reaction in people, Holloway.”
    “It’s a gift,” Holloway said. “But as long as we’re talking promises, now that you’ve had your strong-arm attempt, are you going to release the compensation you’ve been illegally withholding from me? The cost of the initial exploration of the seam came out of my own pocket. Now that you’re exploiting it, you’re obliged to pay me back. And my dog is out of explosives.”
    “Lovely,” Aubrey said. He nodded to Landon. Landon fiddled with his infopanel.
    “Done,” Landon said. “Enjoy your eight thousand two hundred sixteen credits, Mr. Holloway. Don’t spend it all in one place.”
    Holloway smiled in spite of himself as he walked away.
    Joe DeLise was waiting at Holloway’s skimmer. “You didn’t steal anything, did you?” Holloway asked.
    DeLise smiled. “I’m sure going to miss you, Jack,” he said.
    “Don’t get mushy, Joe,” Holloway said. “I’m not going anywhere just yet.”

 
    Chapter Ten        
    Isabel came up to the skimmer as soon as it landed. “We need to talk,” she said.
    “Yeah, we do,” Holloway said, exiting the vehicle. “You think you could stop telling people that I let Carl detonate explosives?”
    “What?” Isabel said.
    “Stop telling people I let Carl set off explosives,” Holloway said.
    “You do let Carl set off explosives,” Isabel said.
    “Yes, but you don’t have to tell people about it,” Holloway said. By this time the topic of conversation had come over, tail wagging. Holloway petted him. “I’m apparently becoming famous galaxy-wide for it. I’d rather not