The Expanse (2015) s06e06 Episode Script
Babylon's Ashes
1
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[CORTAZAR.]
My new coordination protocol returned a coherent reply pattern.
I feel weird.
What happened? You got hurt, like, killed hurt.
I'm going to stay here with Joseph on Ceres.
[NAOMI.]
Anytime anyone goes through a Ring, they don't realize they're taking a massive risk.
[LIAISON.]
Inaros can rain hell on any point inside the Ring Space.
[SIDIQI.]
We need to load up every warship we've got right now.
Do you truly believe the odds are in our favor? [MARCO.]
They have size, we have numbers.
No matter what they do now, they can't engage us everywhere at once.
[AVASARALA.]
We need Drummer's strength.
It's really that bad? We have lost more ships than we could afford.
I despise Marco.
Avasarala and her Inners are no better.
That was true once.
The system is filled with the graves of Belters who trusted Inners.
My people will not take orders from you.
I don't expect them to.
[INTENSE MUSICAL BUILDUP.]
[CLICK.]
- [DOT.]
Cara, baby.
- Ow! - Are you all right? - Yeah.
You can't do that, just run off.
- I'm okay.
- [GARY.]
You scared the hell - out of us.
- Sorry, I didn't mean to.
- [GARY.]
What did you do with Xan? - [DOT.]
Why would you do that? You have to tell us where he is, baby.
It's not right to leave him out there.
I'm sorry! I didn't know how long it was gonna take to fix him.
Fix him? The dogs fixed him.
Dogs? What are you talking about? Where is your brother? [DOOR OPENS.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
I want a hug, too.
- It's okay, he's fine.
- No.
Stay behind me! Get out, whatever the hell you are, get out of here! Stop it, It's Xan, stop! [DOT.]
No, baby, it's not Xan.
It can't be.
You brother's gone.
He's gone.
- [CARA.]
No! - Daddy? - Ahh! - [CARA.]
Stop, no! [CARA.]
No! [XAN.]
Daddy [BANGING.]
I'm calling the soldiers.
Cara? Cara! Cara where are you? Cara, Cara, Cara! Cara, Cara! - [CARA.]
Mommy, Daddy! - [GARY.]
Cara! [CARA.]
Over here! Mommy, Daddy! [GARY.]
Just keep talking! We're almost there! - [DOT.]
Baby, we're coming! - [GARY.]
We're gonna find you! - [BANGING CONTINUES.]
- [PARENTS CALLING OUTSIDE.]
- [XAN.]
They're scared of me.
- I know, I'm sorry.
Xan, the soldiers are coming.
We have to go, we have to go! Come on.
[CARA'S VOICE.]
Mommy, Daddy, I'm over here! Mommy, Daddy! [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
There's nothing you can eat out here.
You'll die.
- [PURRING.]
- [BRUSH RUSTLING.]
It's okay.
If I die, the dogs will fix me.
[SIDIQI.]
Free Navy is using standard evasion tactics to try to disguise their numbers and drive signatures.
But it's clear that they are forming up into three major battle groups en route to the Ring.
They know we're gonna engage with them at some point.
So they're trying to split up our forces, reduce our torpedo advantage head-to-head.
[AVASARALA.]
Marco Inaros doesn't want to slug it out.
He just needs to get past us.
Given the engagement of the UNN, MCRN, and friendly Belter assets, the best opportunity to stop them will be here, here and here all of our combined forces against virtually all of theirs.
Massing battleships is a numbers game since the Age of Sail.
These numbers are too evenly matched for my comfort.
Hard to believe the Inner fleets have been reduced to this.
I'm sure you and your faction did their part.
Not recently, but things can change quickly.
It's this kind of bullshit that has left all of us with fewer ships.
[SIDIQI.]
The strength of the Free Navy warships is concentrated in these two groups.
UNN and MCRN fleets will take on those.
This group consists primarily of tenders and supply vessels with a smaller gunship escort.
Your ships should be able to handle them.
[DRUMMER.]
Don't worry about us.
We will do what needs to be done.
I like it.
Enough with all the hit and run guerilla war crap.
This time Inaros is gonna have to stand and fight, and we're gonna put an end to it once and for all.
And if we don't, the Free Navy will cruise through the Ring.
Marco will hunker down on Medina station behind his railguns in control of our colonies and a thousand systems, dictating the fate of our species for a generation.
Which is why we have a plan B.
While the combined fleet moves into position to engage the Free Navy, the Roci will be on a hard burn to get here.
[BOBBIE.]
We will rendezvous with an old ice hauler, the Giambattista, which will be transporting a heavily armed assault team.
- To assault what? - The Ring Station.
We're gonna capture Marco's railguns.
Those guns have shredded half a dozen MCRN gunships in a matter of seconds.
The strike team was taken by surprise.
They didn't know that the railguns were there.
We've come up with a way to distract those guns and make ourselves a much harder target.
We'll get to that in a minute.
It's quite ingenious actually.
Would make a Belter proud.
Thank you.
The MCRN strike team destroyed the Free Navy ships guarding the Ring, so there'll be no resistance on our way in.
While the Rocinante takes out Medina Station's targeting and comm arrays, the assault team will land on the surface of the Ring Station under the minimum firing limit of the railguns.
We'll take the control bunker, turn the guns on Medina, and force them to surrender.
And if any Free Navy ships get past the main fleet action and come through the Ring behind us, we'll use their own guns to blow them straight to hell.
Is this the best you could come up with? Madam, I know the Ring Space and that station better than anyone.
We'll get it done.
You're such a fucking optimist.
It's a miracle you have lived this long.
[PENSIVE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.]
[WOMAN SINGING IN NORWEGIAN.]
[BACKGROUND CHATTER.]
[FILIP.]
Reporting for duty as ordered.
Take your station.
On Medina, they say Drummer always kiss the Inners' boot.
[OFFICER.]
Welwalla finally gonya get what she deserve then, keya? [CREW MEMBER.]
We will rewrite the history book.
[LIGHT LAUGHS.]
- Something wrong? - Why would it be? I convinced your father to reinstate you because I believe he's better with you at his side.
Even though he'd never admit it, he needs you.
And we all need to be able to count on you.
- Can we? - Of course.
[MARCO.]
Monitor the situation, but no open comms.
[CREW MEMBER.]
Aye, Captain.
Good.
[MARCO.]
I told you they would split their forces.
You still don't like the odds.
Not my kind of fight.
This battle was inevitable sooner or later.
I'd have preferred later after a clean run to Medina and us safely behind those big Laconian guns.
And who knows what else? You're expecting something more from Duarte? [MARCO.]
Well, you know how much I like surprises.
[UNEASY MUSIC.]
[HOLDEN GRUNTS.]
- Full load.
- Thanks.
That thing can really hold all this? Hell yeah.
- Problem? - No.
You know, a lot of Martians still consider the Rocinante a stolen ship.
They insist on calling it the Tachi.
Must have driven Alex crazy.
It did.
He'd tell people that the ship wasn't stolen.
It was just smart.
And went looking for people worthy enough to fly it.
[CHUCKLES.]
When we're done with this business, I'm gonna tell that story a lot.
[GRUNTS.]
[CLARISSA.]
Sorry.
[AMOS.]
Why don't you go get some rest? We're all gonna need it.
As soon as we're ship-shape and secure, I will.
I promise.
[CLARISSA.]
I'm gonna go restock the fast-patch kits.
Clarissa.
Can you do me a favor? Sure.
The juice injectors in ops haven't been flushed and reset for a while.
I know a visual check's standard, but considering I can take care of that.
- Okay to do it now? - Yeah, patch kits can wait.
Thanks, boss.
[AMOS.]
The injectors are my responsibility.
You know that.
Do you remember the first time you called me boss? - No.
- It was halfway through my first run on the Cant.
You'd been there longer.
I thought you were fucking with me, - putting me in my place.
- You were the engineer.
I was a mechanic.
- You were the boss.
- Yeah.
After a while it meant more than that.
That's true.
Clarissa calls you boss now.
I think she means it in the same way.
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[GRUNTS.]
[WHIMPERS.]
[BREATHING HARD.]
[HOLDEN.]
What's all this? It's been a while since any of us had a home cooked meal.
I thought I'd give it a try.
I'll set the table.
- [AMOS.]
What smells so good? - [NAOMI.]
What do we have here? Textured mushroom seco de carne with soy tequeños on the side, our chef's specialty Can I get all right.
Of course, he had the real stuff.
Don't get your hopes up.
I can always whip up some red kibble in a pinch.
Oh God, please don't.
I'm hungry, I'm not that hungry.
- Yum.
- Not ready yet.
[BOBBIE.]
You need a hand, Clarissa? [AMOS.]
You're gonna grab with your hand? Get a spoon.
[BOBBIE.]
Hang on.
[NAOMI.]
She's trying to wash the blood off her hands.
[BOBBIE.]
Can I try it now? That's what I wanted for Filip.
Ooh, it's hot.
And I didn't wanna give her a chance.
I'm glad you did.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
I'm going down to the Ring Station with the ground assault.
You can't.
The ship can't go into battle without a mechanic.
Ship's got one.
Look, it's gonna be a shitstorm down there, and if I'm gonna get myself offed for the cause, fine.
Better reason than most.
I just prefer to be looking the guy who's gonna punch my ticket straight in the fucking eye.
[BEEP BEEP.]
You know, for someone who says they don't wanna be a hero You sure end up being one a lot.
Tequeños? - [BOBBIE.]
This is good.
- Thank you.
- [CLARISSA.]
Not too much salt? - [BOBBIE.]
Mm-mm.
[AMOS.]
He can get his own pot.
[BOBBIE.]
Ha.
[VOICE READING POETRY IN HINDI.]
[OFFICER.]
Madam Secretary General, CIC.
The drive sigs the Rocinante got for us paid off.
We've located the Pella.
I'm on my way.
[BEEP BEEP.]
[ANNOUNCER.]
Combined fleet flash.
UNN battle group one has located the Pella and will engage.
[BACKGROUND CHATTER.]
[DEVICE CHIMES.]
Oye, Bosmang, Inyalowda just report they ID the Pella in main Free Navy battle group.
- [DRUMMER.]
I heard.
- If they kill Marco without us you think maybe they try to cut us out later? That remains to be seen.
They have their targets.
We have ours.
The frigate is the main threat.
If we kill it first, we can make the rest surrender or run.
[WALKER.]
Oh, we not the freighter run.
A fat prize.
If we cannot kill Marco ourselves, happy to take what is his.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[CIC VOICE.]
Torpedoes are away.
[AVASARALA.]
You look nervous.
I am nervous, ma'am, for you.
We're in a forward position.
I'd feel much better if our secretary general were safely in the rear guard.
- I'm sure that - I need to be close enough to maintain real-time communication with the fleet.
If certain orders need to be given, I will give them myself.
[LIEUTENANT.]
I wish we had more assets on our flank.
It was disappointing that more Belters didn't rally to the cause, especially after all you did for them on Ceres.
What we did was too little and too late, the sad story of our species.
[BELTER CREW MEMBER.]
I want to capture the freighter intact.
Concentrate all fire on the frigate.
All ships acknowledge.
Fire! [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Captain, freighter is breaking up.
Pashang.
All ships, this is Drummer.
Whoever is targeting the freighter, disengage.
Concentrate all fire on the frigate.
[CIC VOICE.]
Direct hit on Pella.
[LIEUTENANT.]
The Pella's hurt.
They're falling back.
Must have damaged their reactor.
The other ships aren't falling back to protect it.
It's not even returning fire.
I don't think Marco Inaros is on that ship.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
Captain, all ships report, no one is fighting at the freighter.
[DEWALT CREWMAN.]
Copy, all missile systems.
Target is locked.
Checking, one, two, three, checking.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
All targeting systems green.
[DEWART CREWMAN.]
Stand by for firing.
- It isn't a freighter.
- [CREW MEMBER.]
Standing by.
[CREW MEMBER.]
Hull plates away.
Fire! All ships, counter batteries, fire! [MARCO.]
Cut thrust.
Broadside to incoming! All guns free-fire! [DEWALT CREWMAN.]
Captain, we've got the [CREW MEMBER.]
Drusilla here, still alive.
But our missile ran dry.
[KANDAHAR CREWMAN.]
Khandahar here also.
Torpedo down.
All we can do is fly.
[GRUNTS.]
[LABORED BREATHING.]
Report.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
Drive intact, reactor failing.
Going into shutdown.
All torpedo gone.
- The others? - Four ships lost.
No power to five.
Khandahar and Drusilla are operational but also no torpedoes.
Pella is underway again.
Resuming original course for the Ring.
All ships, this is Drummer.
Disengage, collect survivors, and rejoin the fleet if you can.
Leave the Pella to me.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
A collision course? Captain We can still catch it.
Reactor will overload.
That will help.
[KLAXON.]
Oye, bosmang.
Think we think the same.
Just beat you to it.
Tenye wa chesh gut.
[ALARMS BLARING.]
Damage amidships.
Hull breach on deck four.
[OFFICER.]
Got a problem in reactor! We're losing drive three! Balance thrusters! Kill drives three and one! On it, I'll shut down drive three and drive [SCREAMS.]
- [ALARMS BLARING.]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[ROSENFELD GASPING.]
[COUGHING.]
She needs a medic and a patch kit.
Is it bad? Am I hit? I don't wanna go.
She needs help! [UNN SIGINT.]
All combined fleet elements, UNN SIGINT reports the Pella may be flying disguised.
Be on the lookout for atypical hull profiles and unusual drive signatures and approach with caution.
Ship status.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
Reactor on low but stable.
- We can still limp.
- [DRUMMER.]
Tightbeam Fleet.
Apprise them of our situation and set a rendezvous.
We've done all we can.
Tenye wa chesh gut, Rocinante.
[COOPER.]
Cooper, ready.
[GATES.]
Gates, ready.
[ROGAN.]
Rogan, ready.
[STONE.]
Stone, ready.
[HUDSON.]
Hudson, ready.
[BURTON.]
Burton, ready.
How you feeling, brother? Like I'm trapped in a portable toilet.
Try not to dwell on that.
You'll pee in your suit.
No one dies with a full bladder.
I'll be adjusting your evasive patterns on the fly depending on what those railguns do.
Same for the Roci.
Gonna be a bumpy ride for all us.
Giambattista remote nav link is solid.
[DRAKE.]
Drake, ready.
[CLARISSA.]
Ring comm relay ready for deploy.
[RIPLEY.]
Ripley, ready.
[STAR.]
Star, ready.
Assault team is three zero green.
Roci, we're ready to roll.
Copy that.
All pods, stand by for launch.
Good luck.
You never say that before a fight.
- You say good hunting.
- Good hunting.
Same to you all.
Rocinante out.
Naomi's last sim said that the railguns should only get about 20% of us.
Those odds aren't terrible.
A little worse than Russian Roulette.
What's that, a casino game? Kinda.
The railguns are shifting target to the pods.
And us.
I'll fly as close to the periphery as I can.
Make us as hard to target as possible till I can put Medina between us and those fucking guns.
We're losing too many pods.
Those railguns are firing so goddamn fast.
Assault team, stand by! Setting evasion pattern to max.
Everyone, pucker up.
It's about to get rough.
Fuck.
[GROANS.]
It's working.
The hit rate's going down.
[CLARISSA.]
They're burning reaction mass like crazy.
The landing's gonna be brutal.
At least we're giving them a chance to land.
[GROANING.]
[GROANS.]
Damage report! [ALARM BEEPING.]
Goddamn, the new armor held.
What the fuck? We're losing power.
[NAOMI.]
I'm seeing multiple faults in the grid! The reactor's trying to scram.
Override, we can't slow down.
If we don't, we'll melt the core.
If we slow down, we're dead.
[ALARM BLARING.]
I'll fix it.
[HOLDEN.]
We're stable but still losing power.
Ohh [COUGHING.]
[ALARM CONTINUES BLARING.]
A coolant pipe dislodged.
I have to reseat and patch it.
There's tools in the machine shop.
There's no time for that.
We need more thrust now.
[GRUNTING, GASPING.]
I know what to do.
[SCREAMS.]
Clarissa.
Clarissa! Come on.
Come on! Incoming fast movers from Medina, spreading fast.
They're going for the pods.
Ready torpedoes for counter battery.
Ready PDCs.
- Fuck.
- How many left? Enough to get the job done.
Everybody ready to get a little shorter? This one's gonna be 15 Gs.
Ah, fuck.
[EXCITING MUSIC.]
We're out of the railguns' line of fire.
Our turn, motherfuckers.
Targeting and comm arrays on Medina are out! Assault team, you are clear to land! Clarissa's not answering her comm.
I'm going to the reactor.
Clarissa! - I hurt my head.
- I thought you were gone.
No such luck.
I didn't use my mods.
Just a ratchet strap and some elbow grease.
I'm gonna earn my keep.
This was a good start.
Aah! Aah! [GRUNTING, GROANING.]
Aah! Aah! Move out.
You good? Yeah, I'm fucking good.
All teams, sound off.
How many are left? [BRAVO TEAM MEMBER.]
Bravo team, five total.
[CHARLIE TEAM MEMBER.]
Charlie team, seven.
Copy that.
Alpha team has six.
Naomi's usually better at the math than that.
There's the reactor.
Building next to it is the control bunker.
That is our objective.
- Incoming! - [BULLETS RICOCHETING.]
- I'm out of range.
- Get to cover! Heavy weapons at the bunker, at least two dozen contacts.
At least four RPG launchers and heavy machine guns.
Go, go, go! Bravo, bring your team in first.
They're firing armor piercing rounds.
So use the walkway as cover as you approach.
[BRAVO MEMBER.]
Copy that, Alpha.
But Bravo cannot comply.
We're taking heavy fire.
We can't advance.
Fuck, Charlie, do you have an approach? Charlie, report.
[CHARLIE TEAM MEMBER.]
Charlie's toast! RPGs pushed us out of cover.
Machine guns chopped us up.
- There's only two of us left.
- Fuck.
[AMOS.]
Can Bravo give us any help at all? We've gotta get some of this fire off our position.
Bravo, we need to push.
- Eyes up! - [BULLETS RICOCHETING.]
Move, move, move! [AMOS.]
Go, go, go! [BOBBIE.]
Go, go, go, go, go! [AMOS.]
Draper, clear! [BOBBIE.]
Rocinante, attack is stalled, and we are pinned down taking heavy fire from the surface and from reinforcements from Medina.
We need air support! [HOLDEN.]
Negative.
We have to stay behind Medina.
Those railguns will be all over us the second we stick our nose out.
What about torpedoes? I can light them up and guide them in.
[HOLDEN.]
Too much danger of impacting the surface.
One plasma warhead hits too close, and you'll all be dead, too.
Jim, I'm back.
We have to make a run at the station.
The assault team's getting cut to pieces.
I'll see what I can do with countermeasures.
Try to blind the railguns' targeting systems give me sec.
- How's Clarissa? - She made it.
We're gonna need air support.
They can't move until we get of control those guns.
Fuck it.
I'd rather get shot in the front than the back.
Me too.
Move, move! Okay, on me.
Wait for my mark.
Then we go full speed for the station! - Spread as you go to draw - [THRUSTERS.]
Draper! What the fuck are you doing? All teams, fall back! Fuck that, all teams, covering fire! Give them everything we got left! [EPIC MUSIC.]
[AMOS.]
Aah! Aah! I got you, Bobbie! - [AMOS GROANS.]
- [BULLETS RICOCHETING.]
Aah! [RICOCHETING STOPS.]
Fuck yeah, Roci.
[BOBBIE.]
No other choice.
Had to take out the guns.
I'm sorry.
We lost the guns.
Marco Inaros, in regard to your request for additional armaments, your request is denied.
Any further communications will be refused, and any ships attempting to enter our space will be destroyed.
You were a useful distraction, but I have gods to kill.
The Ring to Laconia is now closed.
You're on your own.
Oyedeng, Beltalowda.
Come to apologize? Wise move now, that victory is inevitable.
Rosenfeld is dead.
Too bad.
She would have governed Medina well.
- She had a family.
- Yes, we were all her family.
How do you do it? Do what? So easily cope with all the people we've killed.
There is nothing to feel guilty about.
Death for some is the price of our freedom and our future.
It could have easily been me instead of Rosenfeld.
Or me.
None of us have a choice in this.
The greatest gift any true Belter could wish for is to die fighting for the cause.
For the cause or for you? If it were you and I lost you, I would lose a piece of myself.
But I would accept my fate.
And I would be proud, because this is the life we've chosen.
- When did I choose? - You are my son.
After all we've done, you still can't see what you've been given.
I do now.
I want the plan to repair and restart the railgun reactors ready to go the moment we recapture Medina.
Aye, Captain.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Beltalowda.
We have reached the end.
The end of the Inners' hold upon us.
Lift your heads, your eyes, your hearts, your spirits and know this.
We have been bloodied, but they have been broken.
And when we sweep through the Ring one last time and sweep away the Rocinante and all vestiges of the Inners from our space, when that moment comes, our long struggle will finally be over and our victory complete.
We will rise from the ashes of the Inners' failures and sow the seeds of our humanity across the stars.
This is the end, the end of the Inners, and their end will be our beginning.
Beltalowda.
[ALL CHANTING.]
Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Belt [AVASARALA.]
Inaros will arrive at the Ring along with these ships.
It's all that's left of his fleet.
But we have no assets in range to intercept them.
James, I'm sorry.
Godspeed.
[AMOS.]
I'd say we're outnumbered.
[BOBBIE.]
So what's the plan? If we took the Roci down to the Ring Station, could we use our reactor to power up the railguns? If we had a couple of weeks, maybe.
We don't have a couple weeks.
Then no.
A lot of places we could go before they get here.
Just pick a Ring.
We don't have enough fuel or reaction mass to make it to any of the colonies.
[BOBBIE.]
Medina does.
We've got half a dozen patched-up soldiers in med bay.
With me and him, that's enough for an assault team.
We'd have to hold a refueling tank for the initial travel.
Does anyone here really wanna cut and run? [SOMBER MUSIC.]
What's left of the Giambattista is still drivable.
We send it back to the Ring, set it to blow and they come through, that'd take out a few of them.
Maybe one or two more with the debris.
Bloody their nose at least.
And then we just shoot it out with the rest? We have three torpedoes, PDCs are at 60%, enough railgun rounds for a few good salvos.
As long as we try to kill Marco, I'm in.
We are definitely going to do that.
Any of our passengers wants out, all they have to do is say so.
There's no shame in it.
[BOBBIE.]
If we can get close, I could try a breach-in entry.
Take a ship out that way.
[HOLDEN.]
Your suit is shot to shit, so there's no way you're gonna [BOBBIE.]
The railgun is our only real asset here.
[CHATTER CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
We might be able to trigger the Ring Entities.
When we came through the Ring with the Giambattista, we lost some of the pods to transit, which means we were already close to the threshold.
If we push every bit of mass and energy we can through the Ring all at once, every torpedo and railgun slug, and we time it all just right, we should be able to wake the Entities up.
You said that that would be bad.
If we wake them up, they might stay awake.
This could put an end to Marco once and for all.
Veer off! [STIRRING MUSIC.]
Aah! [EMOTIONAL MUSIC.]
[AVASARALA.]
War doesn't end on the battlefield.
It ends at the negotiating table, or it doesn't end at all.
We all agree we must control traffic through the Rings.
No one is opposed to the idea of a transport union.
- Not even me.
- [AVASARALA.]
Then why are we still sitting here? The longer we dither, the more time we give what's left of the Free Navy to gather themselves and reorganize.
We need to put something out.
Put what out? A statement, our commitment to collective action.
The United Nations, Mars, and the Belt have formed a new authority to administer trade to the Ring colonies.
Old enemies, new friends are working together to ensure the entities inside the Rings do not obliterate us all.
Put this out.
Belters will control the traffic through the Ring Space.
Oh God, here we go again.
An authority with two Inner votes and only one for the Belt isn't sharing power it's a puppet show.
I take great offense to that.
You have no right [AVASARALA.]
Prime minister.
You need to be reasonable.
I will not be reasoned back into my place.
Belters are promised a future so long as it remains convenient.
We are given a voice so long as Inners control the comm.
We have a vote so long as we can always be voted down.
Easy.
We're just talking here.
Don't tell me to calm down.
I'm tired of being talked at.
You control a faction, the most important one, yes, but you're not a government.
Half of the stations in the Belt and the Outer Planets sided with Inaros.
You cannot expect us to reward them.
What I expect is for you to reward me and every last Belter who took up arms against Inaros to help you.
[MARTIAN DIPLOMAT.]
Mars will never accept Belter control of the Ring colonies.
[MARTIAN PRIME MINISTER.]
The government would fall if I even proposed the debate in Parliament.
I give you my word that you and your people will be represented.
Equal status and dignity to Mars and Earth.
[SANJRANI.]
That promise has been made and broken more times than I can count.
Over and over we have been told we can trust the Inners, that this time will be different, and it never was.
I cannot unwind history.
The Belt will treat you with respect.
You have my word.
We will take our niche in the future and allow you yours.
You have my word.
Is that good enough? Will you take that? Why is your word enough for me and mine not enough for you? We're going around in circles.
Inaros wasn't all wrong.
He was evil, and he was cruel, but he tapped into something real.
He was able to do what he did because so many people were angry and frightened.
They saw the future, and they weren't in it.
- That's what this has to fix.
- You agree with her.
You wanna show someone you trust them, you put your life in their hands.
You can't just pretend to.
If you can't do that, you don't really trust them.
And if we can't find a way to trust each other at this point, I doubt we ever will.
What if this transport union were an independent agency based in Medina Station, headed by someone with no allegiances, a friend of the Belt.
An Inner? It would have to be a unanimous choice of Earth, Mars, and the Belt, of course.
A person above reproach, apolitical, with a history of working honorably with all sides.
- Wait a minute.
- [AVASARALA.]
James.
It's time for you to make history again.
I might be open to it with certain assurances that would have to be guaranteed in writing.
[VOICES MURMURING.]
More coffee.
[HOLDEN.]
Finally, and most importantly, the transport union will be truly independent, not beholden to any government or faction, its members compelled by law to enforce and abide by its decisions.
This union will allow us to use the Rings safely and share their benefits with all.
[APPLAUSE.]
I want to thank the UN General Assembly and the Martian Parliament for their vision, courage, and the speed with which they ratified the charter.
I'm proud and humbled to accept this position as the first President of the Transport Union.
[APPLAUSE.]
Before I agreed to take this job, I insisted on a few conditions.
One of them was that Camina Drummer - would be vice president.
- [AUDIENCE MUTTERING.]
A very wise woman I know once said you shouldn't believe what people say, just watch what they do.
My first official acts will define not only me, but the transport union itself.
This new union is gonna be a critical part of our future, a future that for the first time the Belt will truly share in.
I'm not a Belter.
I'm just a man from Earth, representing people I respect and sometimes love.
An outsider, and I always will be and there's a problem with that.
[WHISPERING.]
Don't you fucking do it.
Which is why, as my first official act as President of the Transport Union, I resign.
The future of the Belt has to speak with a Belter's voice, and in that spirit, I'm proud to introduce the new President of the Transport Union, Camina Drummer.
[COMMOTION, CHATTER.]
One at a time, one at a time, please, one at a time.
You duplicitous little shit.
It was the only way.
[AVASARALA.]
The two of you planned this.
We had to.
You were negotiating in bad faith.
I will undo this.
Don't.
Please don't even try.
It was the only way to secure the peace, the only way we all move forward together.
And you know it.
[CROWD SHOUTING QUESTIONS IN BACKGROUND.]
[SIGHS.]
Oh, James.
I hope you're right.
[MOODY MUSIC.]
[HOLDEN.]
Just take it easy.
Get the feel.
The Roci's not the Razorback.
[BOBBIE.]
Don't worry, I'll be gentle.
I promise.
I wonder what this button does.
[LAUGHS.]
[AMOS.]
Sure this is a good idea, Cap? The ride was rough enough with you at the stick.
She's just messing with us, I hope.
[CLARISSA.]
Hey, I made something for you.
You'd still have the original if you hadn't come visit me.
And I always liked it, so Did I get it right? Yeah, I think you did.
I never thought I'd see Inners take orders from a Belter.
It's high time.
I pissed off a lot of people.
You certainly did.
I hope I did the right thing.
You did.
You followed your conscience in the hope that others would follow theirs.
You didn't do it for a reward or a pat on the head.
The universe never tells us if we did right or wrong.
It's more important to try to help people than to know that you did.
Take my station.
[NAOMI.]
More important that someone else's life gets better than for you to feel good about yourself.
You never know the effect you might have on someone, not really.
Maybe one core thing you said haunts them forever.
Maybe one moment of kindness gives them comfort or courage.
Maybe you said the one thing they needed to hear.
It doesn't matter if you ever know.
You just have to try.
You are very wise.
I've lived a hard life.
There's gonna be a lot of ships heading for the Rings now.
Piracy will be an issue.
We could fly security for freighters, maybe get a consulting gig on one of the colonies.
And we still don't know what happened to that protomolecule sample.
Sooner or later, we're gonna have to Let's just stay here for a minute.
[SMALL LAUGH.]
[SOFT, STIRRING MUSIC.]
[SWEEPING INSTRUMENTALS.]
[CORTAZAR.]
My new coordination protocol returned a coherent reply pattern.
I feel weird.
What happened? You got hurt, like, killed hurt.
I'm going to stay here with Joseph on Ceres.
[NAOMI.]
Anytime anyone goes through a Ring, they don't realize they're taking a massive risk.
[LIAISON.]
Inaros can rain hell on any point inside the Ring Space.
[SIDIQI.]
We need to load up every warship we've got right now.
Do you truly believe the odds are in our favor? [MARCO.]
They have size, we have numbers.
No matter what they do now, they can't engage us everywhere at once.
[AVASARALA.]
We need Drummer's strength.
It's really that bad? We have lost more ships than we could afford.
I despise Marco.
Avasarala and her Inners are no better.
That was true once.
The system is filled with the graves of Belters who trusted Inners.
My people will not take orders from you.
I don't expect them to.
[INTENSE MUSICAL BUILDUP.]
[CLICK.]
- [DOT.]
Cara, baby.
- Ow! - Are you all right? - Yeah.
You can't do that, just run off.
- I'm okay.
- [GARY.]
You scared the hell - out of us.
- Sorry, I didn't mean to.
- [GARY.]
What did you do with Xan? - [DOT.]
Why would you do that? You have to tell us where he is, baby.
It's not right to leave him out there.
I'm sorry! I didn't know how long it was gonna take to fix him.
Fix him? The dogs fixed him.
Dogs? What are you talking about? Where is your brother? [DOOR OPENS.]
[TENSE MUSIC.]
I want a hug, too.
- It's okay, he's fine.
- No.
Stay behind me! Get out, whatever the hell you are, get out of here! Stop it, It's Xan, stop! [DOT.]
No, baby, it's not Xan.
It can't be.
You brother's gone.
He's gone.
- [CARA.]
No! - Daddy? - Ahh! - [CARA.]
Stop, no! [CARA.]
No! [XAN.]
Daddy [BANGING.]
I'm calling the soldiers.
Cara? Cara! Cara where are you? Cara, Cara, Cara! Cara, Cara! - [CARA.]
Mommy, Daddy! - [GARY.]
Cara! [CARA.]
Over here! Mommy, Daddy! [GARY.]
Just keep talking! We're almost there! - [DOT.]
Baby, we're coming! - [GARY.]
We're gonna find you! - [BANGING CONTINUES.]
- [PARENTS CALLING OUTSIDE.]
- [XAN.]
They're scared of me.
- I know, I'm sorry.
Xan, the soldiers are coming.
We have to go, we have to go! Come on.
[CARA'S VOICE.]
Mommy, Daddy, I'm over here! Mommy, Daddy! [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
There's nothing you can eat out here.
You'll die.
- [PURRING.]
- [BRUSH RUSTLING.]
It's okay.
If I die, the dogs will fix me.
[SIDIQI.]
Free Navy is using standard evasion tactics to try to disguise their numbers and drive signatures.
But it's clear that they are forming up into three major battle groups en route to the Ring.
They know we're gonna engage with them at some point.
So they're trying to split up our forces, reduce our torpedo advantage head-to-head.
[AVASARALA.]
Marco Inaros doesn't want to slug it out.
He just needs to get past us.
Given the engagement of the UNN, MCRN, and friendly Belter assets, the best opportunity to stop them will be here, here and here all of our combined forces against virtually all of theirs.
Massing battleships is a numbers game since the Age of Sail.
These numbers are too evenly matched for my comfort.
Hard to believe the Inner fleets have been reduced to this.
I'm sure you and your faction did their part.
Not recently, but things can change quickly.
It's this kind of bullshit that has left all of us with fewer ships.
[SIDIQI.]
The strength of the Free Navy warships is concentrated in these two groups.
UNN and MCRN fleets will take on those.
This group consists primarily of tenders and supply vessels with a smaller gunship escort.
Your ships should be able to handle them.
[DRUMMER.]
Don't worry about us.
We will do what needs to be done.
I like it.
Enough with all the hit and run guerilla war crap.
This time Inaros is gonna have to stand and fight, and we're gonna put an end to it once and for all.
And if we don't, the Free Navy will cruise through the Ring.
Marco will hunker down on Medina station behind his railguns in control of our colonies and a thousand systems, dictating the fate of our species for a generation.
Which is why we have a plan B.
While the combined fleet moves into position to engage the Free Navy, the Roci will be on a hard burn to get here.
[BOBBIE.]
We will rendezvous with an old ice hauler, the Giambattista, which will be transporting a heavily armed assault team.
- To assault what? - The Ring Station.
We're gonna capture Marco's railguns.
Those guns have shredded half a dozen MCRN gunships in a matter of seconds.
The strike team was taken by surprise.
They didn't know that the railguns were there.
We've come up with a way to distract those guns and make ourselves a much harder target.
We'll get to that in a minute.
It's quite ingenious actually.
Would make a Belter proud.
Thank you.
The MCRN strike team destroyed the Free Navy ships guarding the Ring, so there'll be no resistance on our way in.
While the Rocinante takes out Medina Station's targeting and comm arrays, the assault team will land on the surface of the Ring Station under the minimum firing limit of the railguns.
We'll take the control bunker, turn the guns on Medina, and force them to surrender.
And if any Free Navy ships get past the main fleet action and come through the Ring behind us, we'll use their own guns to blow them straight to hell.
Is this the best you could come up with? Madam, I know the Ring Space and that station better than anyone.
We'll get it done.
You're such a fucking optimist.
It's a miracle you have lived this long.
[PENSIVE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.]
[WOMAN SINGING IN NORWEGIAN.]
[BACKGROUND CHATTER.]
[FILIP.]
Reporting for duty as ordered.
Take your station.
On Medina, they say Drummer always kiss the Inners' boot.
[OFFICER.]
Welwalla finally gonya get what she deserve then, keya? [CREW MEMBER.]
We will rewrite the history book.
[LIGHT LAUGHS.]
- Something wrong? - Why would it be? I convinced your father to reinstate you because I believe he's better with you at his side.
Even though he'd never admit it, he needs you.
And we all need to be able to count on you.
- Can we? - Of course.
[MARCO.]
Monitor the situation, but no open comms.
[CREW MEMBER.]
Aye, Captain.
Good.
[MARCO.]
I told you they would split their forces.
You still don't like the odds.
Not my kind of fight.
This battle was inevitable sooner or later.
I'd have preferred later after a clean run to Medina and us safely behind those big Laconian guns.
And who knows what else? You're expecting something more from Duarte? [MARCO.]
Well, you know how much I like surprises.
[UNEASY MUSIC.]
[HOLDEN GRUNTS.]
- Full load.
- Thanks.
That thing can really hold all this? Hell yeah.
- Problem? - No.
You know, a lot of Martians still consider the Rocinante a stolen ship.
They insist on calling it the Tachi.
Must have driven Alex crazy.
It did.
He'd tell people that the ship wasn't stolen.
It was just smart.
And went looking for people worthy enough to fly it.
[CHUCKLES.]
When we're done with this business, I'm gonna tell that story a lot.
[GRUNTS.]
[CLARISSA.]
Sorry.
[AMOS.]
Why don't you go get some rest? We're all gonna need it.
As soon as we're ship-shape and secure, I will.
I promise.
[CLARISSA.]
I'm gonna go restock the fast-patch kits.
Clarissa.
Can you do me a favor? Sure.
The juice injectors in ops haven't been flushed and reset for a while.
I know a visual check's standard, but considering I can take care of that.
- Okay to do it now? - Yeah, patch kits can wait.
Thanks, boss.
[AMOS.]
The injectors are my responsibility.
You know that.
Do you remember the first time you called me boss? - No.
- It was halfway through my first run on the Cant.
You'd been there longer.
I thought you were fucking with me, - putting me in my place.
- You were the engineer.
I was a mechanic.
- You were the boss.
- Yeah.
After a while it meant more than that.
That's true.
Clarissa calls you boss now.
I think she means it in the same way.
[HIGH-PITCHED RINGING.]
[GRUNTS.]
[WHIMPERS.]
[BREATHING HARD.]
[HOLDEN.]
What's all this? It's been a while since any of us had a home cooked meal.
I thought I'd give it a try.
I'll set the table.
- [AMOS.]
What smells so good? - [NAOMI.]
What do we have here? Textured mushroom seco de carne with soy tequeños on the side, our chef's specialty Can I get all right.
Of course, he had the real stuff.
Don't get your hopes up.
I can always whip up some red kibble in a pinch.
Oh God, please don't.
I'm hungry, I'm not that hungry.
- Yum.
- Not ready yet.
[BOBBIE.]
You need a hand, Clarissa? [AMOS.]
You're gonna grab with your hand? Get a spoon.
[BOBBIE.]
Hang on.
[NAOMI.]
She's trying to wash the blood off her hands.
[BOBBIE.]
Can I try it now? That's what I wanted for Filip.
Ooh, it's hot.
And I didn't wanna give her a chance.
I'm glad you did.
[SOFT MUSIC.]
I'm going down to the Ring Station with the ground assault.
You can't.
The ship can't go into battle without a mechanic.
Ship's got one.
Look, it's gonna be a shitstorm down there, and if I'm gonna get myself offed for the cause, fine.
Better reason than most.
I just prefer to be looking the guy who's gonna punch my ticket straight in the fucking eye.
[BEEP BEEP.]
You know, for someone who says they don't wanna be a hero You sure end up being one a lot.
Tequeños? - [BOBBIE.]
This is good.
- Thank you.
- [CLARISSA.]
Not too much salt? - [BOBBIE.]
Mm-mm.
[AMOS.]
He can get his own pot.
[BOBBIE.]
Ha.
[VOICE READING POETRY IN HINDI.]
[OFFICER.]
Madam Secretary General, CIC.
The drive sigs the Rocinante got for us paid off.
We've located the Pella.
I'm on my way.
[BEEP BEEP.]
[ANNOUNCER.]
Combined fleet flash.
UNN battle group one has located the Pella and will engage.
[BACKGROUND CHATTER.]
[DEVICE CHIMES.]
Oye, Bosmang, Inyalowda just report they ID the Pella in main Free Navy battle group.
- [DRUMMER.]
I heard.
- If they kill Marco without us you think maybe they try to cut us out later? That remains to be seen.
They have their targets.
We have ours.
The frigate is the main threat.
If we kill it first, we can make the rest surrender or run.
[WALKER.]
Oh, we not the freighter run.
A fat prize.
If we cannot kill Marco ourselves, happy to take what is his.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
[CIC VOICE.]
Torpedoes are away.
[AVASARALA.]
You look nervous.
I am nervous, ma'am, for you.
We're in a forward position.
I'd feel much better if our secretary general were safely in the rear guard.
- I'm sure that - I need to be close enough to maintain real-time communication with the fleet.
If certain orders need to be given, I will give them myself.
[LIEUTENANT.]
I wish we had more assets on our flank.
It was disappointing that more Belters didn't rally to the cause, especially after all you did for them on Ceres.
What we did was too little and too late, the sad story of our species.
[BELTER CREW MEMBER.]
I want to capture the freighter intact.
Concentrate all fire on the frigate.
All ships acknowledge.
Fire! [DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Captain, freighter is breaking up.
Pashang.
All ships, this is Drummer.
Whoever is targeting the freighter, disengage.
Concentrate all fire on the frigate.
[CIC VOICE.]
Direct hit on Pella.
[LIEUTENANT.]
The Pella's hurt.
They're falling back.
Must have damaged their reactor.
The other ships aren't falling back to protect it.
It's not even returning fire.
I don't think Marco Inaros is on that ship.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
Captain, all ships report, no one is fighting at the freighter.
[DEWALT CREWMAN.]
Copy, all missile systems.
Target is locked.
Checking, one, two, three, checking.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
All targeting systems green.
[DEWART CREWMAN.]
Stand by for firing.
- It isn't a freighter.
- [CREW MEMBER.]
Standing by.
[CREW MEMBER.]
Hull plates away.
Fire! All ships, counter batteries, fire! [MARCO.]
Cut thrust.
Broadside to incoming! All guns free-fire! [DEWALT CREWMAN.]
Captain, we've got the [CREW MEMBER.]
Drusilla here, still alive.
But our missile ran dry.
[KANDAHAR CREWMAN.]
Khandahar here also.
Torpedo down.
All we can do is fly.
[GRUNTS.]
[LABORED BREATHING.]
Report.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
Drive intact, reactor failing.
Going into shutdown.
All torpedo gone.
- The others? - Four ships lost.
No power to five.
Khandahar and Drusilla are operational but also no torpedoes.
Pella is underway again.
Resuming original course for the Ring.
All ships, this is Drummer.
Disengage, collect survivors, and rejoin the fleet if you can.
Leave the Pella to me.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
A collision course? Captain We can still catch it.
Reactor will overload.
That will help.
[KLAXON.]
Oye, bosmang.
Think we think the same.
Just beat you to it.
Tenye wa chesh gut.
[ALARMS BLARING.]
Damage amidships.
Hull breach on deck four.
[OFFICER.]
Got a problem in reactor! We're losing drive three! Balance thrusters! Kill drives three and one! On it, I'll shut down drive three and drive [SCREAMS.]
- [ALARMS BLARING.]
- [INDISTINCT CHATTER.]
[ROSENFELD GASPING.]
[COUGHING.]
She needs a medic and a patch kit.
Is it bad? Am I hit? I don't wanna go.
She needs help! [UNN SIGINT.]
All combined fleet elements, UNN SIGINT reports the Pella may be flying disguised.
Be on the lookout for atypical hull profiles and unusual drive signatures and approach with caution.
Ship status.
[TYNAN CREW MEMBER.]
Reactor on low but stable.
- We can still limp.
- [DRUMMER.]
Tightbeam Fleet.
Apprise them of our situation and set a rendezvous.
We've done all we can.
Tenye wa chesh gut, Rocinante.
[COOPER.]
Cooper, ready.
[GATES.]
Gates, ready.
[ROGAN.]
Rogan, ready.
[STONE.]
Stone, ready.
[HUDSON.]
Hudson, ready.
[BURTON.]
Burton, ready.
How you feeling, brother? Like I'm trapped in a portable toilet.
Try not to dwell on that.
You'll pee in your suit.
No one dies with a full bladder.
I'll be adjusting your evasive patterns on the fly depending on what those railguns do.
Same for the Roci.
Gonna be a bumpy ride for all us.
Giambattista remote nav link is solid.
[DRAKE.]
Drake, ready.
[CLARISSA.]
Ring comm relay ready for deploy.
[RIPLEY.]
Ripley, ready.
[STAR.]
Star, ready.
Assault team is three zero green.
Roci, we're ready to roll.
Copy that.
All pods, stand by for launch.
Good luck.
You never say that before a fight.
- You say good hunting.
- Good hunting.
Same to you all.
Rocinante out.
Naomi's last sim said that the railguns should only get about 20% of us.
Those odds aren't terrible.
A little worse than Russian Roulette.
What's that, a casino game? Kinda.
The railguns are shifting target to the pods.
And us.
I'll fly as close to the periphery as I can.
Make us as hard to target as possible till I can put Medina between us and those fucking guns.
We're losing too many pods.
Those railguns are firing so goddamn fast.
Assault team, stand by! Setting evasion pattern to max.
Everyone, pucker up.
It's about to get rough.
Fuck.
[GROANS.]
It's working.
The hit rate's going down.
[CLARISSA.]
They're burning reaction mass like crazy.
The landing's gonna be brutal.
At least we're giving them a chance to land.
[GROANING.]
[GROANS.]
Damage report! [ALARM BEEPING.]
Goddamn, the new armor held.
What the fuck? We're losing power.
[NAOMI.]
I'm seeing multiple faults in the grid! The reactor's trying to scram.
Override, we can't slow down.
If we don't, we'll melt the core.
If we slow down, we're dead.
[ALARM BLARING.]
I'll fix it.
[HOLDEN.]
We're stable but still losing power.
Ohh [COUGHING.]
[ALARM CONTINUES BLARING.]
A coolant pipe dislodged.
I have to reseat and patch it.
There's tools in the machine shop.
There's no time for that.
We need more thrust now.
[GRUNTING, GASPING.]
I know what to do.
[SCREAMS.]
Clarissa.
Clarissa! Come on.
Come on! Incoming fast movers from Medina, spreading fast.
They're going for the pods.
Ready torpedoes for counter battery.
Ready PDCs.
- Fuck.
- How many left? Enough to get the job done.
Everybody ready to get a little shorter? This one's gonna be 15 Gs.
Ah, fuck.
[EXCITING MUSIC.]
We're out of the railguns' line of fire.
Our turn, motherfuckers.
Targeting and comm arrays on Medina are out! Assault team, you are clear to land! Clarissa's not answering her comm.
I'm going to the reactor.
Clarissa! - I hurt my head.
- I thought you were gone.
No such luck.
I didn't use my mods.
Just a ratchet strap and some elbow grease.
I'm gonna earn my keep.
This was a good start.
Aah! Aah! [GRUNTING, GROANING.]
Aah! Aah! Move out.
You good? Yeah, I'm fucking good.
All teams, sound off.
How many are left? [BRAVO TEAM MEMBER.]
Bravo team, five total.
[CHARLIE TEAM MEMBER.]
Charlie team, seven.
Copy that.
Alpha team has six.
Naomi's usually better at the math than that.
There's the reactor.
Building next to it is the control bunker.
That is our objective.
- Incoming! - [BULLETS RICOCHETING.]
- I'm out of range.
- Get to cover! Heavy weapons at the bunker, at least two dozen contacts.
At least four RPG launchers and heavy machine guns.
Go, go, go! Bravo, bring your team in first.
They're firing armor piercing rounds.
So use the walkway as cover as you approach.
[BRAVO MEMBER.]
Copy that, Alpha.
But Bravo cannot comply.
We're taking heavy fire.
We can't advance.
Fuck, Charlie, do you have an approach? Charlie, report.
[CHARLIE TEAM MEMBER.]
Charlie's toast! RPGs pushed us out of cover.
Machine guns chopped us up.
- There's only two of us left.
- Fuck.
[AMOS.]
Can Bravo give us any help at all? We've gotta get some of this fire off our position.
Bravo, we need to push.
- Eyes up! - [BULLETS RICOCHETING.]
Move, move, move! [AMOS.]
Go, go, go! [BOBBIE.]
Go, go, go, go, go! [AMOS.]
Draper, clear! [BOBBIE.]
Rocinante, attack is stalled, and we are pinned down taking heavy fire from the surface and from reinforcements from Medina.
We need air support! [HOLDEN.]
Negative.
We have to stay behind Medina.
Those railguns will be all over us the second we stick our nose out.
What about torpedoes? I can light them up and guide them in.
[HOLDEN.]
Too much danger of impacting the surface.
One plasma warhead hits too close, and you'll all be dead, too.
Jim, I'm back.
We have to make a run at the station.
The assault team's getting cut to pieces.
I'll see what I can do with countermeasures.
Try to blind the railguns' targeting systems give me sec.
- How's Clarissa? - She made it.
We're gonna need air support.
They can't move until we get of control those guns.
Fuck it.
I'd rather get shot in the front than the back.
Me too.
Move, move! Okay, on me.
Wait for my mark.
Then we go full speed for the station! - Spread as you go to draw - [THRUSTERS.]
Draper! What the fuck are you doing? All teams, fall back! Fuck that, all teams, covering fire! Give them everything we got left! [EPIC MUSIC.]
[AMOS.]
Aah! Aah! I got you, Bobbie! - [AMOS GROANS.]
- [BULLETS RICOCHETING.]
Aah! [RICOCHETING STOPS.]
Fuck yeah, Roci.
[BOBBIE.]
No other choice.
Had to take out the guns.
I'm sorry.
We lost the guns.
Marco Inaros, in regard to your request for additional armaments, your request is denied.
Any further communications will be refused, and any ships attempting to enter our space will be destroyed.
You were a useful distraction, but I have gods to kill.
The Ring to Laconia is now closed.
You're on your own.
Oyedeng, Beltalowda.
Come to apologize? Wise move now, that victory is inevitable.
Rosenfeld is dead.
Too bad.
She would have governed Medina well.
- She had a family.
- Yes, we were all her family.
How do you do it? Do what? So easily cope with all the people we've killed.
There is nothing to feel guilty about.
Death for some is the price of our freedom and our future.
It could have easily been me instead of Rosenfeld.
Or me.
None of us have a choice in this.
The greatest gift any true Belter could wish for is to die fighting for the cause.
For the cause or for you? If it were you and I lost you, I would lose a piece of myself.
But I would accept my fate.
And I would be proud, because this is the life we've chosen.
- When did I choose? - You are my son.
After all we've done, you still can't see what you've been given.
I do now.
I want the plan to repair and restart the railgun reactors ready to go the moment we recapture Medina.
Aye, Captain.
[TENSE MUSIC.]
Beltalowda.
We have reached the end.
The end of the Inners' hold upon us.
Lift your heads, your eyes, your hearts, your spirits and know this.
We have been bloodied, but they have been broken.
And when we sweep through the Ring one last time and sweep away the Rocinante and all vestiges of the Inners from our space, when that moment comes, our long struggle will finally be over and our victory complete.
We will rise from the ashes of the Inners' failures and sow the seeds of our humanity across the stars.
This is the end, the end of the Inners, and their end will be our beginning.
Beltalowda.
[ALL CHANTING.]
Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Beltalowda, Belt [AVASARALA.]
Inaros will arrive at the Ring along with these ships.
It's all that's left of his fleet.
But we have no assets in range to intercept them.
James, I'm sorry.
Godspeed.
[AMOS.]
I'd say we're outnumbered.
[BOBBIE.]
So what's the plan? If we took the Roci down to the Ring Station, could we use our reactor to power up the railguns? If we had a couple of weeks, maybe.
We don't have a couple weeks.
Then no.
A lot of places we could go before they get here.
Just pick a Ring.
We don't have enough fuel or reaction mass to make it to any of the colonies.
[BOBBIE.]
Medina does.
We've got half a dozen patched-up soldiers in med bay.
With me and him, that's enough for an assault team.
We'd have to hold a refueling tank for the initial travel.
Does anyone here really wanna cut and run? [SOMBER MUSIC.]
What's left of the Giambattista is still drivable.
We send it back to the Ring, set it to blow and they come through, that'd take out a few of them.
Maybe one or two more with the debris.
Bloody their nose at least.
And then we just shoot it out with the rest? We have three torpedoes, PDCs are at 60%, enough railgun rounds for a few good salvos.
As long as we try to kill Marco, I'm in.
We are definitely going to do that.
Any of our passengers wants out, all they have to do is say so.
There's no shame in it.
[BOBBIE.]
If we can get close, I could try a breach-in entry.
Take a ship out that way.
[HOLDEN.]
Your suit is shot to shit, so there's no way you're gonna [BOBBIE.]
The railgun is our only real asset here.
[CHATTER CONTINUES INDISTINCTLY.]
We might be able to trigger the Ring Entities.
When we came through the Ring with the Giambattista, we lost some of the pods to transit, which means we were already close to the threshold.
If we push every bit of mass and energy we can through the Ring all at once, every torpedo and railgun slug, and we time it all just right, we should be able to wake the Entities up.
You said that that would be bad.
If we wake them up, they might stay awake.
This could put an end to Marco once and for all.
Veer off! [STIRRING MUSIC.]
Aah! [EMOTIONAL MUSIC.]
[AVASARALA.]
War doesn't end on the battlefield.
It ends at the negotiating table, or it doesn't end at all.
We all agree we must control traffic through the Rings.
No one is opposed to the idea of a transport union.
- Not even me.
- [AVASARALA.]
Then why are we still sitting here? The longer we dither, the more time we give what's left of the Free Navy to gather themselves and reorganize.
We need to put something out.
Put what out? A statement, our commitment to collective action.
The United Nations, Mars, and the Belt have formed a new authority to administer trade to the Ring colonies.
Old enemies, new friends are working together to ensure the entities inside the Rings do not obliterate us all.
Put this out.
Belters will control the traffic through the Ring Space.
Oh God, here we go again.
An authority with two Inner votes and only one for the Belt isn't sharing power it's a puppet show.
I take great offense to that.
You have no right [AVASARALA.]
Prime minister.
You need to be reasonable.
I will not be reasoned back into my place.
Belters are promised a future so long as it remains convenient.
We are given a voice so long as Inners control the comm.
We have a vote so long as we can always be voted down.
Easy.
We're just talking here.
Don't tell me to calm down.
I'm tired of being talked at.
You control a faction, the most important one, yes, but you're not a government.
Half of the stations in the Belt and the Outer Planets sided with Inaros.
You cannot expect us to reward them.
What I expect is for you to reward me and every last Belter who took up arms against Inaros to help you.
[MARTIAN DIPLOMAT.]
Mars will never accept Belter control of the Ring colonies.
[MARTIAN PRIME MINISTER.]
The government would fall if I even proposed the debate in Parliament.
I give you my word that you and your people will be represented.
Equal status and dignity to Mars and Earth.
[SANJRANI.]
That promise has been made and broken more times than I can count.
Over and over we have been told we can trust the Inners, that this time will be different, and it never was.
I cannot unwind history.
The Belt will treat you with respect.
You have my word.
We will take our niche in the future and allow you yours.
You have my word.
Is that good enough? Will you take that? Why is your word enough for me and mine not enough for you? We're going around in circles.
Inaros wasn't all wrong.
He was evil, and he was cruel, but he tapped into something real.
He was able to do what he did because so many people were angry and frightened.
They saw the future, and they weren't in it.
- That's what this has to fix.
- You agree with her.
You wanna show someone you trust them, you put your life in their hands.
You can't just pretend to.
If you can't do that, you don't really trust them.
And if we can't find a way to trust each other at this point, I doubt we ever will.
What if this transport union were an independent agency based in Medina Station, headed by someone with no allegiances, a friend of the Belt.
An Inner? It would have to be a unanimous choice of Earth, Mars, and the Belt, of course.
A person above reproach, apolitical, with a history of working honorably with all sides.
- Wait a minute.
- [AVASARALA.]
James.
It's time for you to make history again.
I might be open to it with certain assurances that would have to be guaranteed in writing.
[VOICES MURMURING.]
More coffee.
[HOLDEN.]
Finally, and most importantly, the transport union will be truly independent, not beholden to any government or faction, its members compelled by law to enforce and abide by its decisions.
This union will allow us to use the Rings safely and share their benefits with all.
[APPLAUSE.]
I want to thank the UN General Assembly and the Martian Parliament for their vision, courage, and the speed with which they ratified the charter.
I'm proud and humbled to accept this position as the first President of the Transport Union.
[APPLAUSE.]
Before I agreed to take this job, I insisted on a few conditions.
One of them was that Camina Drummer - would be vice president.
- [AUDIENCE MUTTERING.]
A very wise woman I know once said you shouldn't believe what people say, just watch what they do.
My first official acts will define not only me, but the transport union itself.
This new union is gonna be a critical part of our future, a future that for the first time the Belt will truly share in.
I'm not a Belter.
I'm just a man from Earth, representing people I respect and sometimes love.
An outsider, and I always will be and there's a problem with that.
[WHISPERING.]
Don't you fucking do it.
Which is why, as my first official act as President of the Transport Union, I resign.
The future of the Belt has to speak with a Belter's voice, and in that spirit, I'm proud to introduce the new President of the Transport Union, Camina Drummer.
[COMMOTION, CHATTER.]
One at a time, one at a time, please, one at a time.
You duplicitous little shit.
It was the only way.
[AVASARALA.]
The two of you planned this.
We had to.
You were negotiating in bad faith.
I will undo this.
Don't.
Please don't even try.
It was the only way to secure the peace, the only way we all move forward together.
And you know it.
[CROWD SHOUTING QUESTIONS IN BACKGROUND.]
[SIGHS.]
Oh, James.
I hope you're right.
[MOODY MUSIC.]
[HOLDEN.]
Just take it easy.
Get the feel.
The Roci's not the Razorback.
[BOBBIE.]
Don't worry, I'll be gentle.
I promise.
I wonder what this button does.
[LAUGHS.]
[AMOS.]
Sure this is a good idea, Cap? The ride was rough enough with you at the stick.
She's just messing with us, I hope.
[CLARISSA.]
Hey, I made something for you.
You'd still have the original if you hadn't come visit me.
And I always liked it, so Did I get it right? Yeah, I think you did.
I never thought I'd see Inners take orders from a Belter.
It's high time.
I pissed off a lot of people.
You certainly did.
I hope I did the right thing.
You did.
You followed your conscience in the hope that others would follow theirs.
You didn't do it for a reward or a pat on the head.
The universe never tells us if we did right or wrong.
It's more important to try to help people than to know that you did.
Take my station.
[NAOMI.]
More important that someone else's life gets better than for you to feel good about yourself.
You never know the effect you might have on someone, not really.
Maybe one core thing you said haunts them forever.
Maybe one moment of kindness gives them comfort or courage.
Maybe you said the one thing they needed to hear.
It doesn't matter if you ever know.
You just have to try.
You are very wise.
I've lived a hard life.
There's gonna be a lot of ships heading for the Rings now.
Piracy will be an issue.
We could fly security for freighters, maybe get a consulting gig on one of the colonies.
And we still don't know what happened to that protomolecule sample.
Sooner or later, we're gonna have to Let's just stay here for a minute.
[SMALL LAUGH.]
[SOFT, STIRRING MUSIC.]
[SWEEPING INSTRUMENTALS.]