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“I’m Jao …”

Holden’s part of the little presentation was less than ainto the camera from Amos’ hand ter to create the rest Alex had been the one to suggest using the better equipether the information had been easy He’d taken the start he’d made for Nicola and his parents as the template Alex helped him record the rest—an explanation of Mei’s condition; the security footage of Strickland and theher from the day care; the data froes of the proto in the parks; and a short video fro on her forehead

Prax felt odd watching his of himself, but the man on the screen was thinner than he’d expected Older His voice was higher than the one he heard in his own ears, and less hesitant The Praxidike Meng as about to be broadcast out to the whole of huh And if it helped to find Mei, it would do If it brought her back, he’d be anyone

Alex slid his fingers across his controls, rearranging the presentation, connecting the ies of Mei to the timeline to Holden They had set up an account with a Belt-based credit union that had a suite of options for short-term unincorporated nonprofit concerns so that any contributions could be accepted auto badly to offer co ht,” Alex said “That’s about as pretty as I can make it”

“Okay, then,” Prax said “What do we do with it now?”

Alex looked over He seemed tired, but there was also an excitement

“Hit send”

“But the review process …”

“There is no review process, Doc This isn’t a govern Hell, it’s not even a business It’s just usfast and tryin’ to keep our butts out of the engine plu around the captain long enough, you get used to it You h”

Prax lifted hi this out If it works the e’re thinking, you’re about to get a lot of attention Maybe it’ll be e’re hoping for;is you can’t unscra”

Prax considered for a few seconds The screens glowed

“It’s Mei,” Prax said

“All right, then,” Alex said, and shifted communication control to the copilot’s station “You want to do the honors?”

“Where is it going? Iit?”

“Siet picked up by some local feeds in the Belt But it’s the captain, so folks atch it, pass it around on the net And …”

“And?”

“We didn’t put our hitchhiker in, but the fila that the protonal”

“And we think that’s going to help?”

“First ti like this, it started a war,” Alex said “ ‘Help’ h”