So few people here seemed to react to Lyle bringing up poison the way he'd expect. But then, they had been brought here to take part in gladiatorial combat, and he was passing himself off as a villain. Still, he'd have thought it would make people a little on-edge.

Unless Dr. Klim is just glad to have anyone to talk to about artificial intelligences.

"Oh, they started a war against the United Planets when the U.P. wouldn't recognize them," Lyle said. "We worked with them on a few things, since they paid well and my team hadn't been on good terms with the U.P. since we told them where they could stick it. But they got recognition eventually."