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“It’s because of us,” Bobbie said “You and ht tiuys to make their play too soon If we hadn’t, it wouldn’t be just the secretary-general that died Honestly, I think that’s e’re getting treated this well Sone a lot worse without us”

“You’re probably right It’s just…”

“You’re waiting for the other shoe to drop”

“Yeah”

“Me too We’re jumpy Why wouldn’t we be? Soht”

The words hit Alex like a blow He put down his sandwich “They did, didn’t they? I don’t knoe are now I don’t knohat this does”

“Me neither Or anyone else But we’ll figure it out And whoever did this, we’ll find the to let them win”

“No ”

“No reed

Billions were dying right now, and no way to save theo back to what it had been Mars was a ghost town, the terrafor to pieces The aliens that sent the protoiven humans the opportunity to destroy themselves, and as a species, they’d leaped on it Alex pushed away an angry tear, and Bobbie pretended she hadn’t seen it

“Yeah,” he said “Still I’et here”

“Amen,” Bobbie said “Still, I wish it wasWell, seven Six and a half”

“Six and a half?”

“Relief ships picked up a commercial hauler somewhere Nonmilitary It’s called the Chetzemoka?”

Chapter Twenty-eight: Holden