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She found Santos-Baca sitting with an older ray jumpsuit He nodded to Drummer as she approached When she sat down, he left Santos-Baca smiled

“You look like you could use some food”

“It’s been a while since lunch I’ll get to that in a minute You saw the reports?”

“I’ht up But yes”

“Where’s the board on this?”

The younger wohtful and closed as a poker player When she spoke, her voice was careful “It’s hard to get too worried about a fleet of out-of-date Martian warships commanded by the remnants of a decades-old coup Frankly, I’m a little surprised to find out there’s anyone alive there”

“Agreed”

“The h stress in the vocal patterns Or any demands, at least not as yet”

“I know, E what you think of them”

Santos-Baca opened her hands, an old-school gesture that said, It’s right here in front of you “I think we’re about to see a bunch of self-centered assholes who’ve realized that their glorious independence isn’t going to work out in isolation If we can keep theotiated path to reintegration But Mars is going to be a proble to want all of the as traitors”

“That’s what I was thinking too Any idea how to approach them about this?”

“I’ve been trading soes with Adh co formal And McCahill in security”

“Of course”

“The other possibility is that they’re going to try force”

“With ships that haven’t resupplied or seen a shipyard in decades,” Druun emplaceets too rowdy Are we thinking that’s a realistic possibility?”