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Except

“You heard what she said? What Anna said?”

“Anna Volovodov is seriouslyhere,” Cortez said “It was aher into the project in the first place I knew I should have asked for Muhammed al Mubi instead”

“Did you hear what she said?”

“What are you talking about, child?”

“She said if we attack the Ring, it’ll take action against the people on the other side Against everyone”

“She can’t know that,” Cortez said “It’s just the sort of thing the enemy would say to trick us”

“It wasn’t her,” Clarissa said “Holden told her”

“The sas?”

Clarissa nodded He’d started at least one war He’d destroyed Protogen, and by doing so set up the dominoes that would eventually topple Mao-Kwik and her father He’d done all of that

But

“He didn’t lie All those other things he did He never lied once”

Cortez opened his mouth to reply, his face already in a sneer Before he could, the gunfire booain She could feel Cortez flinch frounpowder, and the air recyclers were h-particulate mode She could hear the difference in the fans Probably no one else on the bridge would have any idea what thatto theh his hair

“Stay out the way,” he said “When it’s over, when he’s done this, I can speak with Ashford Explain that you didn’t ive you”