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Ja the worst of that initial violence Noas in an observation room with his ankles shackled to the deck

Singh considered the man on his one white The i back decades showed that sae

Now Holden sat with his head bowed forward Blood streaked the chest and sleeves of his prison uniform Round drops of it spotted his paper slippers He cradled one hand against this belly, and his cheek ollen and bruised The stool he sat on had a single leg bolted to the deck, and he swayed forward and back like ahimself to sleep The restraints on his wrists looked like wide black ribbon, but Singh knew they were strong enough that the man’s bones would break before they did He wasn’t a person so much as a distillation of human misery

“Should I ask how h said

Overstreet didn’t smile, but a subtle merriness came to his eyes “If that’s important to you, sir, I’m sure I could find out”

After the prisoner had set off false alar deck, he had been captured Five un In other circumstances, Holden would already be dead All that had kept him alive until noas his connection to the roup and his own stubbornness

But if this was going to work, Singh kneould have to somehow reach this man Make a human connection with someone ready to kill Laconians out of prejudice and hatred If he was going to find soood in him, even if he only maintained the illusion for a little while If he could reframe Holden in his own mind, if he could see soht be possible “He did warn people The alaret to safety When he was taken, he warned the security forces to take shelter If he hadn’t done what he did, the loss of life would have been worse”

“That’s true,” Overstreet said “He could also have chosen not to bomb the air supply”

What was this e he’d resort to violence? A rabble-rouser who took Singh’s governorship as another opportunity to start trouble that he would have beenunder any circumstances?

What he caht himself back to—was that point: Holden had let himself be captured in order to save lives It wasn’t h had

“Well,” he said “Let’s see what happens”

Holden looked up as he entered the room The older man’s left eye was nearly shut and his upper lip was split and scabby He nodded to Singh as a guard brought a light chair for the governor to sit on

“Captain Holden,” Singh said “I’m sorry we couldn’t meet under better circumstances”

“Me too,” Holden said His voice was low and graveled Singh had the sense that it wasn’t always that way

“Can I get you anything? A cup of water?”