Vika nods, just once. Her voice remains flat, blunt, mixed into something that would only barely pass the Turing Test. "A question first, to avoid wasting your time and mine. Can you gainsay the barrier and deliver a being to death despite its influence? If you can, I will speak my desire, and you your price, and we'll see if we can agree."

The blunt fact of the matter is that as far as Vika is concerned, she has nothing to fear from Eligos. Death, torture, betrayal, play a different tune; these are old hat. Hence her straightforward offer, born not of arrogance but utility.