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“Holden?”

“Fred?”

“Are you all right?”

“Ah Yes?”

Fred leaned forward, his head growingto reach your hand terminal for the past fifteen minutes”

Holden looked around the command deck, then nodded “I may have left it in my pants In my quarters I think I did”

“Are you drunk?”

“I think I am” He had to concentrate not to slur

“And you’re not wearing pants?”

“I’m not ready to take our relationship there yet”

“Well, have the et your ass covered I’ht crew over”

Holden turned up the lights and killed theon?”

“We’re getting reports The Martian prime minister’s under attack The s

hips your man Alex found were decoys to draw off the escort”

“But,” Holden said, “the new escort ships —”