Isaac leaned back against the bench.
"Try."
Cameron lowered his voice.
"Your 2017 report was never validated. That matters. It matters technically and legally. Nexora is already developing a corrective software package. If you position yourself as the person who predicted this failure and now arrive with an alternative fix, people will make assumptions about what happened six years ago."
"People already made assumptions."
"I'm trying to prevent this from becoming personal."
Isaac almost laughed.
"You fired me."
"Nexora terminated you for a security violation."
"You opened my final report four times the week before that happened."
Cameron went still.
Adrian stopped typing.
The garage radio continued playing saxophone at low volume.
"What are you talking about?" Cameron asked.
"Nothing yet."
Isaac returned his eyes to the notepad.
The dismissal was unmistakable.
Cameron's voice hardened.
"You need to understand that your NDA remains enforceable."
"Then enforce it."
"I'm advising you not to create a second professional problem for yourself."
Isaac looked up again.
This time the six years between them disappeared.
"That's the same sentence in a different suit."
Cameron stared at him.
"What sentence?"
"Sign what we tell you or your career gets difficult."
Adrian slowly closed his laptop.
Cameron noticed him for the first time.
"And you are?"
"Adrian Cole. NASA systems dynamics."
"Mr. Cole, this is a private employment matter."
"I'm aware."
"Then I'd appreciate discretion."
"So would everyone."
Cameron turned back to Isaac.
"The software package Nexora proposed is going through proper review."
"It spends the propellant reserve to hide the valve problem."
"That's an oversimplification."
"Nine to eleven days."
Cameron's face changed before he could stop it.
Only slightly.
Enough.
Isaac saw recognition.
"You know," he said.
"I know the proposal includes reserve tradeoffs."
"That's not what I said."
Cameron recovered.
"This is exactly why unreviewed analysis is dangerous. You reduce complex trade spaces to accusations."
Isaac stood.
"I didn't accuse you of anything."
That was worse.
Cameron left four minutes later.
He walked to the rental car, shut the door, and sat without starting the engine.