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“I didn’t Station’s off lockdown,” Miller said “And I’ve killed the security syste to happen when one of youIs this Ashford cocksucker really thinking he can hurt the gates?”

“And there are worlds like this on the other side of all those gates?”

“Soain, his blue eyes eerie and full of secrets “Soalaxy and one now A couple billion years gone Who knohat’s waiting on the other side of those doors?”

“We’ll find out, I guess,” Holden replied, putting on a bold front but frightened in spite of hi in his voice told Holden it was the last warning

They looked up at the sky, watching the ships slowly drift away from them Holden waited to see the firstnice Maybe what had happened on the Behee back to where they came from, infect others with it It was a lot to hope for, but Holden was an unapologetic optimist Give people the infor He didn’t know any other way to play it

Orwith his si

“So,” Holden said after a few uess I’d better be getting back to ht”

“Not done with you,” Miller said The tone was light, but the words were ominous

“Okay”

“I wasn’t built to fix shit huates for you and get the lockdown to let you go That’s incidental The thing thatcivilization that wanted the road”

“Why does that one?”

“It doesn’t,” Miller said with a weary shrug “Not a bit If you set the nav computer on the Roci to take you somewhere, and then fall over dead a second later, can the Roci decide it doesn’t o?”

“No,” Holden said, understanding and finding a sadness for this Miller construct he wouldn’t have guessed was possible

“We were supposed to connect with the network We’re just trying to do that, doesn’t one What came up off of Venus is du It doesn’t kno to investigate But I do And it had h none of the ansill e”

“I understand,” Holden said “Good luck, Miller, I—”

“I said I’m not done with you”

Holden took a step back, suddenly very frightened about where this“What does that mean?”

“Itin free fall in an environ There was the sound of a gunshot, then silence, then an electric pop and a groan