Caliban's War

Prax, sitting in Amos’s quarters, is feeling sorry for himself when Holden enters to announce that Fred Thompson fired them, and that the crew of the Rocinante will find Mei. To raise money, they create a video describing how Mei was kidnapped and asking for help. Over breakfast the next morning, Amos shares that donations have poured in as people want to feel less helpless about the encroaching horror of the protomolecule: “All that shit that came down on Ganymede just got itself a face,” and it’s Mei (369). Prax gets thousands of messages. One is from an older Martian man who recognizes Strickland.

Holden finds the bar where Naomi is hanging out with her friends. While he is still afraid of how she is changing him, admitting his fear makes all the difference. Holden speaks with Naomi. He apologizes for his behavior, admits she was right, and asks her to hire back on with the Rocinante. The next day, Prax and Amos meet Holden on the ship to share their lead: Strickland was formerly a scientist named Carlos Merrian, who was fired from his university for violating ethical boundaries. Holden guesses he went to work for Protogen.