‘I have developed a morbid curiosity about your failures, Toomin. I’m a biologist so I have access to your DNA map. You are in fact one hundred and ninety-fourth in the rankings – your loss earlier has bumped you fifteen slots.’

‘Ouch.’

‘But in terms of pure analytical intelligence you are very near the peak.’

‘I am?’

‘Yes, and don’t play coy with me. You know you’re smarter than gamers who beat you regularly. You lose games you should win, not deliberately, but stubbornly. You’re playing the game at a different level. Not trying to win, trying to win with kindness. Altruism.’

I was embarrassed. Amazed that Lackofa had been paying attention to me at a level that I never suspected.

‘Anyway,’ Lackofa said. ‘We have any number of brilliant scientists, brilliant analysts, brilliant communicators, brilliant theoreticians, brilliant physicists, brilliant techs, and brilliant astronomers on board the MCQ3. I asked myself what we didn’t have, and the answer came to me: We had no brilliant losers. So, yes, I sponsored you.’