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Holden’sout over the public feeds At first it just ca relayed on other feeds along with coot back to the Belt and the inner planets, it was going to be the only thing anyone talked about Bull could already iotiations between Earth and Mars, could practically hear theotten too confident and needed to be taken down a notch

Soe with the split circle e that it was about time that the Belt take its place and dee to find the feed and shut it down

After what felt like hours and probably wasn’t e, the doors opening silently before hined for battle Instead of a real war machine’s system of multiple stations and controlled lines of coboat everthe walls The stations—single stations with a rotating backup sche The security station was through a separate door and stood un like children or civilians, their expressions were bright and excited People who didn’t recognize danger when they saw it and assumed that whatever the crisis was, it would all work out in the end

Ashford and Pa were at the co with so, strode toward Bull Her eyes were narrow and her lips bloodless

“What the hell are you doing here, Mister Baca?”

“I’ve got to talk to the captain,” Bull said

“Captain Ashford’s busy right now,” Pa said “You ht have noticed we have a situation on our hands I would have expected you to be at your duty station”

“Yes, XO, but—”

“Your station isn’t on the bridge You should leave now”

Bull clenched his jaw He wanted to shout at her, but this wasn’t the ti to help

“We’ve got to shoot hiot to fire on the Rocinante, and we’ve got to do it now”

All heads had turned toward them Ashford ended his transmission and stepped toward thehty The captain’s eyes flickered toward the crew ain Bull could see hoare Ashford was that he was being watched It deformed all his decisions, but there wasn’t time for privacy

“I have this under control, Mister Baca,” Ashford said

“All respect, Captain,” Bull said, “but we’ve got to shoot down Holden, and we have to do it before anyone else does”

“We’re not going to do a da on, erous buzz “I’ve sent back a request for clarification to Ceres to see whether the higher-ups authorized Holden’s action, and I a the activity of the Earther fleet”

The slip was telling Not UN Earther Bull felt the blood in his neck Ashford’s casual racisritted his teeth, lowered his head, and raised his voice

“Sir, there’s a calculation happening right noith Earth and Mars both—”

“This is a potentially volatile situation, Mister Baca—”