Since this is The Expanse, we open Laconia for more drama that seems unrelated to the rest of season six so far. Cara is still mourning the loss of her bird friend, and she ignores her little brother who tries to get her to play soccer. She returned to the clearing in the woods, where she found the broken drone that she had pilfered from her parents. The strange dog and bird appear, as does the bird. You fixed her! You fix things. Cara shrieks and runs away. When she sees Xan's lifeless body on the couch, her mood changes quickly. One thinks that "you fix things" is coming back around for this plot development.
The combined forces of Earth, Luna, and Mars will head out to regain control of Ceres Station, which was briefly under the control of the Free Navy. Marco and his people are nowhere to be found at the station, which is always an important strategic stronghold. Kirino wonders if it is a trap, while Avasarala looks like she is thinking the same. The chief administrator is not too pleased to see the inners return for their illegitimate occupation. The Belter says she doesn't know where Marco went or why, and she advises the Secretary-General to take your people and leave. The UNN fleet isn't equipped to assist with three weeks' worth of food and air left, something the stretched-thin UNN fleet isn't equipped to assist with. It is definitely a trap. If we don't help this station, we will be responsible for a massive humanitarian crisis. The Belt will show us as the oppressor and Inaros will continue to grow.
Clarissa is taking her first night-watch shift at the Rocinante, where she is still wobbly after using her mod. She confessed to him about how she used her mod to kill her co-worker, who was a good friend, and she is still haunted by it. Everyone on this ship has something they regret. Including Amos... I think, says Holden. You are in good company. Amos excitedly says that all the brothels are union, and that they got decent booze, after a nice exchange in the kitchen with Bobbie.
Naomi opens up about why she froze during the Azure Dragon mission, which was due to trauma from her terrifying space walks in season five, and says she is embarrassed about what happened. Naomi smiles and deduces that Holden is trying to distract her by giving her an interesting problem when she asks for her help with the data surrounding the Barkeith mystery.
The news reports that Belters are rioting to protest Marco's abandonment of Ceres made Filip cringe, and he spotted a poster of Marco's face with "COWARD" scrawled across it. Marco is in a chipper mood and seems to be unaffected by the increased military presence in the inners. If any Free Navy ships encounter battle groups while picking up supplies for Medina Station, he is excited for a hit and run plan. Marco was asked why they left after declaring it to be the Belt's capital. Marco said he knew they couldn't keep control of Ceres, but he needed the people there to believe they could. He says that he told the people what they needed to hear when they needed to hear it. He thinks that the Belters who spent their lives serving inners on Ceres are a class beneath him and Filip. He told his son that he and he were meant to be out in the dark. They hug it out, but they are still uneasy with each other.
The Tynan has ex-OPA ships that might help them target Marco's secret supply depots. She wonders why he has the depots in the first place, and Walker is not sure either. It's a strategy for generals. Michio is watching a news interview. Monica Stuart created a piece about the aftermath of the disaster on Earth, and it is being talked about by a pastor. Josep said that the Earther was poor. I don't know where she'll get her food and water. Welcome to the belt. She doesn't think anyone should be treated the way Belters were, and they argue loudly enough to draw Drummer's attention.
We get to the juice. Marco is delighted when the Pella picks up a lone ship in its vicinity and he can't believe who it is. Marco can't be reasoned with, "You should learn to recognize an opportunity when one presents itself!" Everyone heads to their battle stations, including the one with the guns.
The next scene has a past-season callback. Amos gets a message from his bestie, Prax, when Amos and Bobbie are making repairs to her armor. Amos was told that a scientist in his lab was killed by the Free Navy because they suspected she was a spy. Prax pleaded with Amos to share the data with Earth. Amos said that Chrissie would know what to do with it. The old lady loves it when you call her that. He smirks and says at least he says it to her face.
Naomi has found a pattern to the ships that have disappeared during their transits through the Ring. Once a ship falls through a hole that opens up, the ship disappears, and the hole itself disappears. The Roci is in danger because the Pella and Marco's two other big gun ships are speeding towards it. Everybody is about to get hot.
We have to wait through another scene on Ceres, in which Monica and her camera eye are recording UNN soldiers, some of whom have a better attitude than others, doing relief work for the Belters. She wanders off to talk to an elderly Belter when there are a series of huge explosions across the station. A gift from Marco?
The Pella has a missile lock on the Rocinante. Shiit! I yelled at the screen. The Roci is able to defend itself, even though Filip takes the shot. We are out of our weight class here. The Roci catches a break when the two ships traveling with the Pella duck out of the fight. The Roci needs some urgent repairs. In the middle of the fight? Clarissa is in disbelief. Amos and the Roci scramble off to take care of business even as the Roci flips and tumbles. The Pella keeps going the same way. Her next shot is going to work. Marco is a sitting duck, temporarily at least, and Bobbie is ready to end it. He says thatMarco is better as a prisoner, but if that doesn't work, you fire.
The video link allows us to see Marco and Holden eyeballing each other, and also Marco leaning over so that Naomi can see them. Marco is going to die before he lives at the end of his leash. When she fires again, is the kill shot a dud? Couldn't have anything to do with what he did at the last second? The warhead was disarmed by a man named "Holden, J.", but not to everyone else, but to the Roci's data.
The Pella disengages from the fight. Amos asked if we win. Bobbie says no. At least we did not lose. Marco is angry at everyone, including his son, who protested that he did exactly as his father told him to. In front of everyone, Filip says, "You failed." This is your fault. We did not need to be here. We did not need to be in this fight. We did not need to kill James. From the look on her face, she knows that Marco was right to order him off the deck. Marco received a missive from Medina regarding something top- secret that has been received at Laconia gate. You say the Laconia gate? Oh shit. Marco has a screen that shows something that could be a brand-new stealth ship built using Protomolecule technology. Yes, Oh crap indeed. We are at the halfway point of The Expanse's final season, and the dots are starting to come together.
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