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“Yeah, that’s a good one,” Sakai said without hu we’re going to find enoughthem all is the better bet”

Fred whistled “That won’t be cheap”

The OPA leader was the Rocinante crew’s on-again, off-again patron and sponsor Holden hoped they were in the on-again phase of the rocky relationship Without a preferred client discount, the ship’s repair was going to get noticeably more expensive Not that they couldn’t afford it

“Lots of badly patched holes in the outer hull,” Sakai continued “Inner looks okay froo over it with a fine-toothed comb and make sure it’s sealed”

Holden started to point out that the trip back from Ilus would have involved a lot more asphyxiation and death if the inner hull hadn’t been airtight, but stopped hionize theHolden thought of Sa her criticis clench behind his breastbone It had been years, but the grief could still sneak up on him

“Thank you,” he said instead

“This won’t be fast,” Sakai replied The mech jetted off to another part of the ship, anchored itself onanother section of the outer hull aith a bright flash

“Let’s e, you can only take an e-suit so long”

Many things about ship repair were ravity and at technicians to wear environment suits

while they worked Holden took Fred’s words to mean the old man needed to pee and hadn’t bothered with the condom catheter

“Okay, let’s go”

Fred’s office was large for soood coffee The captain’s safe on the as done in titanium and bruised steel, like a prop from an old movie The wall screen behind his desk showed a view of three skeletal ships under construction Their design was large, bulky, and functional Like sledgehas of a custom built OPA naval fleet Holden knehy the alliance felt the need to create its own ar that had happened over the past few years, he couldn’t help but feel like hu lessons from its traumas

“Coffee?” Fred asked At Holden’s nod, he began puttering around the coffee station on a side table, fixing two cups The one he held out to Holden had a faded insignia on it The split circle of the OPA, worn almost to invisibility

Holden took it, waved at the screen, and said, “How long?”

“Six months is our current projection,” Fred said, then sat in his chair with an old ht as well be forever A year and a half fronizable”