"_" "Let's see if we can connect anyone on Ganymede to Protogen." "Strickland turned up on Ganymede as a pediatrician." "The connection is the daughter." "You're going to Ganymede to find Dr. Strickland?" "Please take me with you." "We need to find her and the man with her." "No chicken?" "Back of the line." "Amos!" "He can't find Mei if you bash his head in!" "Every shitty thing we do makes the next one that much easier, doesn't it?" "I find the little girl and the man." "They be moving way away from the battle and where the mirrors fall." "No camera after that." "A no-fly zone is now in effect around Ganymede Station until further notice." "Ganymede is the most important food station out here." "They're not going to let it just collapse." "This station is dead already." "This is the UNS Arboghast." "We are an unarmed research vessel on a scientific mission as is our right under the Venus Accords." "But I know I saw something." "Ah, yes." "A man standing on the surface of Ganymede without a vac suit." "Sorry." "You're under restrictions now." "This is what attacked you and your team, isn't it?" "A new type of weapon." "Me and my team, we were..." "Sacrificial lambs." "I need to know who is doing this and why." "I need your help." "Dr. Strickland?" "I've just received confirmation." "They're commencing release within the hour." "If our client had any doubts, this'll put them to rest." " Dr. Strickland." " We needed more time." "After Eros..." "After Thoth, we needed to speed things along." "It's not exactly the most controlled experiment." "It might get a bit messy, but we'll get more answers sooner." "Dr. Strickland!" "Yes, Mei, darling?" "You said we were going to have fun." "This isn't fun." "We're almost there, sweetheart." "I want to go back to my dad." "I spy..." "Snapdragon." "Anti-rhee-num." "I spy..." " Goldenrod?" " Solidago." "Cornflower?" "Centaurea." "Hmm..." "Zinnia." "Zinnia." "Oh!" "You're too clever." "I thought I had you." "Attention Ganymede Station." "The supply ship Arabella has arrived with a full sector..." "Where are we going?" "It's a surprise, dear." "Today's going to be a very exciting day." "This is it." "Mei went through here." "Sure was nice of chicken boy to give us a skeleton key." "I'm pretty sure it wasn't out of the goodness of his heart." "You didn't even try to stop me from bashing that kid's head in." "You've taught me a lot about futility." "Nah." "I think I just beat you to it." "The protomolecule turned an asteroid into a missile." "If we can prevent it from doing something worse," "I don't mind bashing some asshole's head in." "Clear!" "This leads to the old station." " What's down there?" " Nothing." "Most of the original foundation tunnels were abandoned decades ago." "No one lives there." "But it doesn't mean they can't." "It's been a while since Strickland brought your daughter down here." "I know." "Look, I know exactly how much time's passed." "You need to be ready." " In case..." " In case we don't find her?" "Look, you haven't lost a child." "Yes, I have." "My baby boy was taken from me and I tried and I tried to find him and I failed." "It took me a very long time to understand that it wasn't my fault." "Would you have listened to anyone who was telling you what you're telling me now?" "Come on, guys." "This is not my time to stop." "Your father was always so proud of you." "He told me how the two of you used to go free climbing in the Mariner Valley." "No belay." "No back-up air." "No mech suits." "Just you and the elements." "He told me about the accident." "About how he fell, how you carried him on your back," "shared your air, saved his life." "What happened to that girl who knew her duty?" "Her fire team got killed by a thing on Ganymede that wasn't wearing a vac suit." "Why don't you tell me what really happened?" "I just want to help." "You were told what you needed to know, and you've helped quite enough already." "It's time you stopped looking for places to project your guilt." "All you need to do now is sit tight, keep your mouth shut, and go home." "Transport's on its way." "It'll be here in a few hours." "You make sure your bags are packed." "Dismissed." "You lied to me about Ganymede." "You all lied about Travis." "You've been lying to me this whole time!" "That's what's bothering you?" "That's what's bothering you?" "You may have jeopardized the future of Mars, but all you can think about is your peace of mind." "You, your whole generation, you're soft." "You're spoiled." "I remember we had drill raids in school every day because back then, every Martian child knew that Earth's fleet was ready and waiting to attack us." "To destroy us." "To destroy everything that we had worked so hard to build." "And that's supposed to justify..." "Grow up!" "Peace of mind is a luxury that no Martian can afford, especially not a marine." "But you won't have to worry about that much longer." "What's that supposed to mean?" "You won't be going back to parade, Bobbie, because you don't follow orders." "And a soldier follows orders." "You're not a soldier anymore." "Dismissed." "Tubes locked and loaded." "All indicators green." "We're good to go." "The Martians are not backing off, sir." "They're staying right on our tail." "All right, then." "Let's give the Mickies something to talk about." "Launch two." "Launching two." "Go." "Cleared MCRN one." "The Martians have not changed course." "No target lock." "No action." "Here we go." "Pressure and temp gradients are going red." "No, they're gone." "God damn it." "Well, that makes six." "Martians have probably turned this into a drinking game." "I could use a drink myself." "The atmosphere above the impact site is far more corrosive than it should be, and it's getting worse." "There's clearly something else going on down there." "Now, there's no way those structures around that crater are natural formations." "We have two probes left." "What if we cannibalize the shielding from one to reinforce the other?" "Lower orbit, drop the probe from there, reduce the time of flight to surface." "I bet that gets the job done." "It would also break mission protocols." "Do you think if Magellan followed protocols, he would have circumnavigated the world?" "He didn't make it all the way around." "He died trying." "He met giants in Patagonia, mate." "We're in uncharted waters." "It's worth the risk." "You know what sailors used to say when their ships went past the end of their maps?" ""Time for a new map"?" ""Here there be dragons."" "We lost two more probes today, but I have a way to get one down to the impact site." "The structures around the crater cannot be natural." "I'll let you know how it goes." "Think I found a way to get to Jules-Pierre Mao." "That's good." "His whole family's reeling under the financial pressure we've put on them, and I think his eldest daughter, Clarissa, is ready to crack." "He adores her, and if we make an amnesty offer through her, she may be able to sell him on it." "What's wrong?" "I got a tip from a friend in the Security Council." "When the Eros incident hearings are convened, they are going to make you the star of the show." "Well, that makes sense." "My good friend Jules-Pierre Mao." "If he's not here to pay for his crimes, they're going to take it out on me." "What did you tell them?" "Nothing." "You need to use these hearings to tell them everything." "Tell them yourself." "Atone for your sins." "Will you speak on my behalf?" " Sadavir..." " Sorry." "I shouldn't have even said that." "It would be a dumb move for you, obviously." "There's no need to taint yourself with my folly." "You'll get through this." "Yeah, I will." "One way or another." "Thanks for the heads up." "It's time." "All clear for lander on Pad 3." "All clear for Pad 3." "What's happening?" "Sir, we just received an emergency flash from the UN." "Apparently, they got wind of an OPA plot to bomb your transport." "All traffic in or out of this airspace has been restricted until further notice." "Who sent the notification?" "It came directly from Undersecretary Avasarala's office, sir." "Is that a fact?" "Well, better safe than sorry." "I'm sure it'll all be cleared up soon enough." "In the meantime, return to your quarters." "You can stare at the ocean a little longer." "Oh, man." "Looks like a freakin' hornet's nest." "Those are no use to me." "All right, sweetheart, show me the MCRN no-fly zone." "All right." "So, no one goes in and no one comes out." "I bet the guys don't even know they're stranded down there." "Okay, girl, I got it." "I got it." "You're right." "Can't risk the broadcast." "Gonna give up our location." "But God damn it, we gotta get a message down to them somehow." "Oh, for the love of Pete." "I hate that thing." "This is an MCRN Priority Alert to all vessels in the Jupiter AO." "Incoming MCRN Delta 2735, the Karakum, is cleared to dock on Ganymede Station." "Under no circumstances are the ship's operations to be interfered with." "All ships, please acknowledge." "This is an MCRN Priority Alert." "Well, well, well." "What the hell makes you so gosh darn special?" "Hon, can you show me the Karakum's flight plan?" "Huh." "Well, that's a whole lot of cryptic." "What's their landing pattern?" "Where the hell are they going to dock?" "Way the hell out in the middle of nowhere." "That smells like Black Ops to me." "What do you think?" "You agree?" "Huh." "You're right." "They're probably here for the exact same reason we are." "Shit." "That means I gotta get down there before they do." "But if I light up the engine," "I may as well put a big freakin' bulls-eye on my back." "Clumsy idiot." "Hon, go wider." "Wider." "I said wider." "Show me the whole God damn system." "Okay." "Now, where are we exactly?" "All right." "Now, show me the orbital paths of all the Jovian moons." "That's a lot." "Okay." "Time lapse times ten." "Mmm-hmm." "Plot a gravity assist trajectory down to Ganymede." "No engine." "Just thrusters." "Mmm-hmm." "Mmm-hmm." "Well, no one said it was going to be easy." "All right, darlin', saddle up." "It's slingshot time." "Trigger-happy idiots in orbit." "Everybody knew that a field test might cause collateral damage." "Not like this." "This will delay the transfer." "This could be the start of a God damn war." "I want my daddy." "Soon, honey." "You'll see him soon." "Oh." "It's time for your medicine." "No." "I want to go home." "Now." "Environmental Security has declared an emergency." "Dome 1 down." "Please remain calm and proceed to the nearest hard shelter..." "See this milkweed?" "I don't want to play anymore." "No, no." "Look closer." "It's a chrysalis." "Mmm." "A butterfly will squeeze its way out of there soon." "When I was a little boy," "I was about your age," "I saw one trying to get out." "But it was having trouble, so I tried to help." "Really carefully," "I split open the casing and the butterfly came right out!" "But it couldn't fly." "It was supposed to struggle." "Squeezing its way out of that tight casing pushed fluid from its fat body into its wings." "Don't you want to be able to fly one day?" "I'm scared." "Well, let's play a game." "We're explorers." "And on we're off on a grand adventure." "And that way is the unknown." "And, yeah, there might be scary stuff, but there might also be magical things like you've never imagined." "And we may learn the secrets of the universe." "Come on, sweetheart." "There's nothing to be afraid of." "The Martians have declared a no-fly zone over the station." "So much for a quiet ride out." "Alex knows the back-up plan." "He'll come down as soon as we call." "That sounded like an air cycler shutting down." "It's happening." "Faster than I thought." "What's happening?" "The cascade." "In real nature there's enough diversity..." "It means this station is fucked." "The people here just don't know it yet." "Wait." "Wait, look." "This is Mei's medicine." "She needs a dose every day." "Strickland's keeping her alive." "Whatever the reason for that is, he's not ready to learn it." "We have to be close." "We're on the right track." "Hey!" "Don't!" " You boys ripping wire?" " We need it." "This will buy us passage off this ice-ball." "Then go." "Cascade, huh?" "Looks like the word's out." "Mirror." "I need to speak to Captain Martens." "Come." "What's on your mind, Sergeant?" "My dad." "He's going to be very disappointed in you." "You should prepare for that." "He told you that story?" "About the climbing accident?" "He was proud of you." "So I guess the two of you weren't that close, huh?" "Why would you say that?" "Because he didn't tell you the real story." "There wasn't an accident?" "No." "There was." "But I was the one who fell." "He carried me on his back." "You know, I used to think he told that story to make me look good." "Good Roberta." "So dutiful." "But now I think it was more for him." "I want to know what really happened on Ganymede." "And you're going to tell me." "We're done here." "What happened to my team?" "You'll get a firing squad for this." "Were you testing a weapon on us?" "On your own soldiers?" "Your whole generation's forgotten what it means to sacrifice for the dream of Mars." "What killed my team?" "Project Caliban." "Show the field test." "In an unrehearsed battlefield demonstration, a single unarmed Version 1 Hybrid easily defeated six UN marines and then four Martian marines equipped with the latest Goliath Mark IV power armor." "The drone." "You were watching." "The Hybrid covered more than two kilometers on the ground..." "You watched that thing slaughter my team." "We were a God damn sales demo." "Did you get a good deal?" "Put in an order?" "It was for the good of Mars." "Captain Martens needs to see you." "You there!" "That's her!" "Stop!" "Stop or we'll shoot!" "No, no!" "We're not authorized!" "She's heading for the checkpoint!" "Marine!" "Stop!" "That's a direct order!" "Stop her!" "Stop!" "Martian, you are on UN soil." "I am Gunnery Sergeant Roberta Draper," "Martian Marine Corps." "I am requesting political asylum on Earth." "Ooh." "Silent as the night and smooth as silk." "I have to say, girl," "I think you're doing all the hard work." "Ooh." "Damn..." "That is a sight to behold." "Switch to manual." "Give me thrusters!" "Shit!" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Out of the way!" "Phew!" "God damn." "Looks like we forgot that those moons provide cover both ways." "If they can't see us, then we can't see them either." "Let's say we, uh, remember that from now on." "How about I take her in from here?" "What the fuck are you looking at?" "Not entirely sure." "Sergeant Draper." "When I said I need your help," "I didn't mean, create a diplomatic incident." "Then you should've been more specific." "You were right about that thing on Ganymede, ma'am." "It was a weapons test." "Me and my team and your marines too, we were caught in the middle." "That test nearly triggered a system-wide war." "The weapon's up for sale and Mars wants it." "Badly." "The peace talks, they were a delaying action to buy time to complete the terms of the contract, I guess." "Do you know who is involved?" "I took that off Captain Martens." "He's in on it for sure." "And I bet Minister Korshunov is, too." "Get it to SIGINT right away." "We need to know what's on it as soon as possible." "Those boys will crack it like an egg." "Are you up for a debriefing?" "We'll try to keep it short." "This is a brave thing you have done today." "We're all in your debt, Sergeant Draper." "You don't have to call me "Sergeant," ma'am." "I'm not a soldier anymore." "This must be my lucky day." "There's definitely people inside." "Load up." "I'll take the door." "Give me a gun." "Do you know how to use one?" "No, but I'm ready to fight for my daughter." "This is safe." "Hey!" "This is fire." "Okay?" "Don't shoot us." "Do you like pizza?" "Amos, disarm these people." " That's not going to happen." " Don't be stupid." "Why don't you put down those guns, and let's talk this out before things get ugly." "Where's Mei?" "Damn it!" "Hold still." "I'll fix you up." "You're lucky." "It went straight through." "How come I'm the one who always gets shot?" "Madam, you and I are fortunate to spend our lives in positions of great privilege and power." "Our actions affect the lives of millions..." "Billions..." "Entire planets in ways that few people can even comprehend." "The Eros experiment was never meant to be an attack on Earth, and I believe that you know that." "I also believe that you understand what the protomolecule is, and what it represents for humanity." "I can't afford to waste any more time finding allies, only for you to bring them down." "If you truly have the best interest of Earth at heart, you will meet with me and we will come to an accommodation." "These are my conditions and they are non-negotiable." "You immediately cease all punitive actions against my family." "We meet in person on a ship of my choosing outside UN control." "You will come with a limited escort." "Don't refuse this offer." "It won't be repeated." "So, what do you think?" "Why do you pretend that you care about my opinion?" " Indulge me." " It's a fucking trap." "Oh, you're so predictable." "And so are you." "You've already made up your mind, haven't you?" "Then change it." "His crimes are public knowledge." "He has nothing to gain by killing you." "Everything to gain by converting you to his cause." "That's my argument, you know." "All right, fine, it makes no sense that it's a trap, which is exactly why it has to be one." "You're going to accept." "I already did an hour ago." "See?" "I want my daddy." "It's going to be fine." "Don't worry." "It's going to be fine." "It's not her." "It's not Mei." "I don't know who it is." "That's the protomolecule." "Don't touch it." "Don't touch anything." "They released it on Eros uncontrolled to see what it would do." "They did this for a purpose." "What are you doing?" "I came here to destroy the protomolecule and that's what I'm gonna do." "Grenade!" "Just wait here." " No chance." " I don't know." "No fucking way." "Probe telemetry is good." "Surface touchdown in five, four, three, two, one." "Okay, we're in." "The hell was that?" "Whatever this thing is, it took the brunt of the blast." "No." "I think something broke out of this." "This is anesthetic gas." "I got a data core." "The alarm we heard was a depressurization alert." "The inner door closed automatically when the outer was breached." "Something tore the shit out of this airlock." "What were you doing with the protomolecule?" "Where's Strickland?" "What did you do to my daughter?" "Help me and I'll tell you." "Answer me!" "Help..." "Help me." "Please." "Like you helped that kid in the incinerator." "Or anyone on Eros." "And you expect us to help you?" "What was it?" "You used the protomolecule on children." "What were you doing here?" "We made the protomolecule do what we wanted." "We made it in our own image." "And there's a lot more where she came from." "Whoa, whoa!" "Hold on!" "Hold on, there, buddy!" "Jesus Christ." "It's me, brother." "Alex, I could kiss you on the mouth right now." "How come you're always the one getting shot?" "How the hell did you find us?" "MCRN." "They set up a no-fly, but they cleared a Black Ops ship to land right here." "So, we got to figuring, maybe they're looking for the exact same thing that we are, so then the Roci and I, we..." "We?" "Anyways, uh, I just decided to come on down and rescue y'all." "Get out the auto-docs, make sure no one's infected." "Alex?" "Stand by." "We're gonna suit up and come out." "Roger that." "Jim, I'm not going with you." "What?" "If the protomolecule was here, it could be in 50 other places by now, too." "Then we're just gonna have to find all of them." "We have to do good where we can, when we can." "I'm going back to make sure the Somnambulist is up and running, and I'm going to help Melissa get as many people off this station as we can before it dies." "If we don't catch that thing out there, a lot more people will die." "People die every day." "I wanted to believe we could stop this." "We can't." "Take Amos with you." "Yeah." "Yeah, I'm good to go." "Come on." "You'll need an escort out of the no-fly zone." "Call when you're ready to launch." "Prax." "Go with them." "No." "I'm going with you." "Thank you." "Uh, Chief?" "I think you best come take a look at this." "'Cause it sure as hell seems like it's looking at us." "Mother of God." "That thing ain't got a vac suit on." "How the fuck is that possible?" "What the hell is that thing, Holden?" "Suit up." "We're going on a hunt."