Leviathan Wakes - James S. A. Corey [188]
“This was your idea?” Holden asked Miller.
“Nauvoo part was. But we didn’t know about the Lyell when we first talked about it. The booby trap thing’s kind of improvised. I think it’ll work, though. Buy us enough time.”
“I agree,” Holden said. “We need to keep Eros out of anyone’s hands, and I can’t think of a better way to do it. We’re in. We’ll shoo the science ship away while you do your work.”
Fred leaned forward in his chair with a creak and said, “I knew you’d be on board. Miller was more skeptical.”
“Throwing a million people into the sun seemed like something you might balk at,” the detective said with a humorless grin.
“There’s nothing human left on that station. What’s your part in all of this? You armchair quarterbacking now?”
It came out nastier than he’d intended, but Miller didn’t appear offended.
“I’ll be coordinating security.”
“Security? Why will they need security?”
Miller smiled. All his smiles looked like he was hearing a good joke at a funeral.
“In case something crawls out of an airlock, tries to thumb a ride,” he said.
Holden frowned. “I don’t like to think those things can get around in vacuum. I don’t like that idea at all.”
“Once we bring the surface temp of Eros up to a nice balmy ten thousand degrees, I’m thinking it won’t matter much,” Miller replied. “Until then, best be safe.”
Holden found himself wishing he shared the detective’s confidence.
“What are the odds the impact and detonations just break Eros into a million pieces and scatter them all over the solar system?” Naomi asked.
“Fred’s got some of his best engineers calculating everything to the last decimal to make sure that doesn’t happen,” Miller replied. “Tycho helped build Eros in the first place. They’ve got the blueprints.”
“So,” said Fred. “Let’s deal with the last bit of business.”
Holden waited.
“You still have the protomolecule,” Fred said.
Holden nodded again. “And?”
“And,” replied Fred. “And the last time we sent you out, your ship was almost wrecked. Once Eros has been nuked, it will be the only confirmed sample around, outside of what might still be on Phoebe. I can’t find any reason to let you keep it. I want it to remain here on Tycho when you go.”
Holden stood up, shaking his head.
“I like you, Fred, but I’m not handing that stuff over to anyone who might see it as a bargaining chip.”
“I don’t think you have a lot of—” Fred started, but Holden held up a finger and cut him off. While Fred stared at him in surprise, he grabbed his terminal and opened the crew channel.
“Alex, Amos, either of you on the ship?”
“I’m here,” Amos said a second later. “Finishing up some—”
“Lock it down,” Holden said over him. “Right now. Seal it up. If I don’t call you in an hour, or if anyone other than me tries to board, leave the dock and fly away from Tycho at best possible speed. Direction is your choice. Shoot your way free if you have to. Read me?”
“Loud and clear, Cap,” Amos said. If Holden had asked him to get a cup of coffee, Amos would have sounded exactly the same.
Fred was still staring at him incredulously.
“Don’t force this issue, Fred,” Holden said.
“If you think you can threaten me, you’re mistaken,” Fred said, his voice flat and frightening.
Miller laughed.
“Something funny?” Fred said.
“That wasn’t a threat,” Miller replied.
“No? What would you call it?”
“An accurate report of the world,” Miller said. He stretched slowly as he talked. “If it was Alex on board, he might think the captain was trying to intimidate someone, maybe back down at the last minute. Amos, though? Amos will absolutely shoot his way free, even if it means he goes down with the ship.”
Fred scowled, and Miller shook his head.
“It’s not a bluff,” Miller said. “Don’t call it.”
Fred’s eyes narrowed, and Holden wondered if he’d finally gone too far with the man. He certainly wouldn’t be the first person Fred Johnson had ordered shot. And he had Miller standing