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“Whatever story Duarte was selling was co chunk of the Martian military to buy in The devil’s story was freedoh to win a lot of angels to his side Whatever Duarte’s pitch was, it’s a good one Don’t be so sure you wouldn’t have bought it”

“Oh, I’ sure,” Alex replied with a snort

Bobbie had to ad human civilization run the way the Martians, at their best, ran things Organized, focused on a single overarching goal Efficient, well planned, not wasting anything She could see why that appealed to a lot of people when Mars atching its drea die Duarte could step in and sell them a new dream that used all the sarander in scope Bobbie recognized that there was a version of her that was fighting on the Laconian side right now, and it made her itchy

Alex had started to gather up the plates and cups from their meal when Amos walked into the roo”

“Which thing?”

“The ”

“Oh, that thing Be there in five,” she replied, and he shrugged and walked off without another word

“Still kinda chafes, don’t it?” Alex said, his voice gentle

“What? Hearing hi Holden ‘Cap’?” Bobbie said, ready to shrug it off But sootta adht have a ith him on that”

“Be gentle,” Clarissa said “He’s fragile right now”

Bobbie had no idea what the word fragile meant when applied to Amos She wasn’t sure she wanted to learn

Saba leaned against one wall in the larger storage space that they’d been using as their insurgent-cellrooainst the walls to serve as seating, and soed to steal a few benches froroup were scattered around the space, including Holden, Naomi, and Amos

On the wall screen behind Saba was a diagra wos She stared at the ca-shot feel The name Katria Mendez floated beneath her photo

“The Voltaire Collective,” Saba said, pointing at her “Bomb throwers from ancient days”

“Fighters,” so the word a term of respect