[Liem also doesn’t like the implications of Aetós — or whoever it was — being aware enough of those encounters to influence them, and to possibly even know things about the people who might want to come looking for him. He much prefers when his quarry doesn’t know he’s hunting for it. But then, chances of that lasting long were always going to be slim.]

It’s politics, [Liem says without hesitation, with the air of long familiarity.] Regardless of why Lady Yima wants the shard back, her best chance of getting the Tribune to hand it over is to make him look like a villain for refusing. His image is important to him, after all — just as I imagine the Matron’s image is important to her.