"You bluffed quite a bit back there."
Estrella was talking to Lucas now that they had left the "command center" after ending the meeting.
"About?"
"The backup plan. And you let them think that the teleporter could take you away whenever you want."
Lucas made a sound of recognition.
"Maybe. But I just used the asymmetry of information to play word games. Actually, the backup plan was not a bluff, not totally. It would have made research on space techs more difficult, but you know how I can loathe trouble-"
"You can be lazy too."
Lucas smiled:
"Yes, that too. So, what I called a backup plan was a thought I really had. Like I said, Earth is the only root we have in the dark universe, and that's why I want to try to elevate it. But if some fools try to get in the way, I will try something I've always wondered about."
"And what is that?"
"How long is needed for someone of my level to bring a country to its knees."
