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Bobbie sat hunched at her desk, the sheer physical bulk of the worade school Soren was elsewhere, which was fine His training wasn’t e threat co down on the edge of Soren’s desk “Say you’re on a moon and some third party has thrown a comet at you Massive threat, you understand?”

Bobbie looked at her, confused for a ht,” the ht with your neighbors? Are you just frightened and lashing out? Are you thinking that the other bastards are responsible for the rock? Are you just that stupid?”

“We’re talking about Venus and the fighting in the Jovian syste thinit?”

Bobbie leaned back in her chair, plastic creaking under her The big woman’s eyes narrowed She opened her ain

“I’ power,” Bobbie said “If I usethe couy catchesIf I kick his ass first, then when it’s over, I win”

“But if you cooperate—”

“Then you have to trust the other guy,” Bobbie said, shaking her head

“There’s ato kill you both Why the hell wouldn’t you trust the other guy?”

“Depends Is he an Earther?” Bobbie said “We’ve got two major in up That’s three sides with a lot of history When whatever’s going to happen on Venus actually happens, someone wants to already have all the cards”

“And if both sides—Earth and Mars—areto spend all our energy getting ready for the war after next”

“Yep,” Bobbie said “And yes, that’s hoe all lose together”