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“This station has been waiting for the all-clear signal to open the network back up for about two billion years If they’d found a solve, they wouldn’t still be waiting Whatever it was, I think it got them all”

“All of them but you,” Holden said

“Nah, kid I’m one of them like the Rocinante is one of you The Roci’s smart for a in up a rough sis? The ones you felt like? Compared to the it explains,” Holden said “You onna be fair, it’s not really nothing,” Miller said, crossing his ar hive consciousness like it was popcorn, so that’s so And we know it survived a sterilization that was a couple hundred solar syste the station hurl fire through the ring gates, of the stars on the other side blowing up like balloons, of the gates the Even just the echo of it nearly blinded him with remembered pain “Seriously, did they blow up those stars to stop it?”

Holden’s ie of Miller patted the coluh he kne that Miller wasn’t really touching it Soht buttons on his synaptic keyboard to make him think Miller was

“Yup Autoclaved the whole joint Fed a bunch of extra energy in and popped ’eht? I one, no one to pull that trigger It won’t do that to us”

Miller’s gri you This station is in warfor keeps”

“Is there a e can s?”

“Sure Now I’m in here, I can take off the lockdown,” Miller said, “but you’re going to have to—”

Miller vanished

“To what?” Holden shouted “I’ to have to what?”

From behind came an electronically amplified voice “Jaressional Republic, you are placed under arrest Get down on your knees and place your hands on your head Any attempt to resist will be met with lethal response”

Holden did as he was told, but turned his head to look behind Seven marines in recon ar to point their guns at him, but Holden knew they could catch hith of their suits