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“You’re tired,” Bull said, his voice low enough not to carry to the others “You been working too hard, and it got to you a little Happens to everyone”
“Bien”
He put the torch in the boy’s hand and squeezed it there
“This is a privilege,” Bull said “Being out here, doing this bullshit, working our asses off for no one to give a shit? It’s a privilege Next ti’s authority, I will ship your ass home with a note that says you couldn’t handle it”
The boyBull couldn’t make out The flare from the other torches ain Bull put a hand on his aro, and the boy pushed off to the wall, situating hi there for hi down from the blind spot above and behind him
“That worked,” she said
“Yeah”
“Didn’t hurt that you’re an Earther”
“Didn’t How’s it all coether with bubblegu at us”
Sah had some warmth in it
“They wouldn’t have had to do it twice”
The alert tone came from all their hand terminals at once, simultaneous with the ship address syste’s a little o out through the ship The openness of the spaces and the different speakers made the words echo like the voice of God
“This is your captain speaking I have just received confirmation from the OPA central authority that the actions undertaken by the criminal James Holden were unauthorized by any part of the Outer Planets Alliance His actions put not only this ship but the reputation and good standing of the alliance in threat I have informed the central authority that we took swift and decisive action against Holden, and that he escaped fro”
“Thanks for that, by the way,” Sam said
“De nada”
“I have requested and received,” Ashford continued, “the authority to continue action to address this insult as I deem fit The evidence of our own sensors and of the Martian and Earth feeds to which we have access all show that the Rocinante has passed through the Ring in good condition and appears to have sustained no dae despite the physical anoht of that, I haveand take hi out specific instructions to all depart what preparations ill need to coin our burn, but I expect to be in pursuit within the next six hours It is inity, and honor of the OPA that this insult not go unanswered and that the hands that bring Holden to justice be ours
“I want you all to know that I aether ill make history Take these next hours, all of you, to rest and prepare God bless each and every one of you, and the Outer Planets Alliance”
With a resounding click from a hundred speakers, Ashford dropped the connection The flashing white light of the welding torches was gone, and the bay was darker Laughter warred against despair in Bull’s gut