Don sighed and stepped forward, the gas still thinning in pale threads along the platform rails.
The straight ask would not be enough. It had to sound like a way out as much as a favor, something that put weight back in Gadget's hands instead of taking the last of it.
"You're one of the most reputable inventors around," he said, keeping his voice level. "You may not be able to get the appropriate funding, but what if you just worked incognito? I don't doubt there's enough people who could facilitate that."
Gadget's eyes flickered. Interest moved through them and died against something older, and the sigh that followed seemed to empty him a little further.
He shook his head. "That's technically true. But how many of those people would actually use my technology, or my expertise, for a good purpose? More than that, what guarantees do I have that they can help me carry out my personal research without trying to capitalize on every aspect, given my weaker position?"
