The Expanse (2015–…): Season 3, Episode 3 - Assured Destruction - full transcript

Previously, on "The Expanse"...

We need to send a message
that the UN is trying to kill us.

I'm leaving our names out of it.

Release sequence engaged.

The Roci picked up a distress call.

- It's Julie Mao's ship.
- We're not responding.

So we just go back to business?

Can you look him in the eye and tell him

that whatever this might be
is more important

- than finding his kid?
- Anna, I need your help.

It'll be the single, most
important speech of my life.



I want you to help me write it.

You want me to help you justify this war.

We didn't start it,
but for the good of the system

- we need to win it and end it.
- Jules-Pierre Mao

- can't hide forever.
- We know where

- his children live.
- Galactic punishment

is still a war crime, look it up.

We're all in agreement.
Tycho is the only way

- we survive.
- Io. Hell with it, I'm in.

- Amos...
- Me too.

Detonation confirmed. Our other six

are in formation around the racing ship.

If you've got a better plan,
now would be the time.

Let's do it.



- We did it.
- Yeah, we sure did.

We just declared war on Earth.

Help her, please.

♪ ♪

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Who defaced the Martian flag
on the bulkhead?

- I updated it.
- You think that's funny?

- Maybe not now...
- Hey, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Let's, uh... let's start everything off

on the right foot, shall we?

[CHUCKLES] Okay. [CLEARS THROAT]

You got everything you need
off your ship?

I need to charge my armor.

Not until you tell us what's going on.

I did a rotation on the Donnager.

This ship is the Tachi,
and it's more mine than yours.

Punch the panel all you like.

You're locked out of our systems.

You think I need my armor
to take this ship?

- Be interesting to find out.
- Not for you.

Hold on, hold on, hold on,
whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa.

Okay, let's just remember, you called us.

Okay, I think saving your lives
earned us an explanation.

A Martian Marine with the
Deputy Secretary of Earth,

on Julie Mao's ship, with the UN

trying to kill them.

Start with that.

I can't tell you. It's classified.

Ah, come on. We crippled a UNN gunship

- to save your hide.
- I didn't call you,

- I called the MCRN.
- Can you just settle down,

- now, darling, please?
- Call me darling again

and you'll be saying
that drawl in sign language.

Sounds like things are going well.

The Martians are bonding.

- How is she?
- Stable.

She's got some neural damage,
but nothing meds can't fix.

A few more minutes in that burn
might've killed her.

This one's not telling us
why they're out here.

- That's not our concern.
- Of course it is.

We just dodged a massive bullet.

Scopes are clear. No ships tracking us.

It's a God damn miracle,

getting out of this thing
like nothing happened.

- Something did happen.
- It's over and done.

We're going to Io. Right?

- That's right.
- Io?

My daughter's there. We hope.

Madam Avasarala has information

that could help stop this war.

You can't just drag her to Io
in the midst of it

Then take your ship and leave.

No one's keeping you here.

We're target practice in that thing.

It's defenseless, the comms
are locked out,

- it's not...
- We'll fix your comms!

After that, we don't owe you anything.

You can't just turn your back and pretend

this war isn't happening.

If they don't use the ship,
then you should take it and go.

Go to Tycho.

Do what you have to do.

We have confirmed ID on the contact.

It is a Martian Stealth-C
Ballistic Missile Platform.

It holds 10 planet busters,

each with 20 high-yield MIRV warheads.

Our Watchtower satellites
are the only things that can

penetrate their stealth tech,
but it's far from perfect.

This is the first time that
we've been able to locate

two of their Platforms at once.

It's a hell of a break.

And a golden opportunity.

Now, the Martians are always
moving these Platforms

and they're using sensor blinding,

so when they move, we lose them.

But as a group, they're always positioned

to optimize strike times to Earth.

So if we know where two of them are,

we can predict where the rest of them

most likely will be.

How many Platforms are out there?

Intel says five, and confidence is high.

If we can find the other three,
then we can use

our planetary rail guns to simultaneously

destroy them all before launch.

- A preemptive strike.
- Yes.

It would have to be perfect.

If it's not, Mars will
retaliate immediately.

With justification. Millions of
lives would be at risk.

Yes, but sir, our operatives
in the MCRN Command

are convinced that they're on the verge

- of launching anyway, so...
- Why would they?

'Cause they're losing
the war and they know it.

Well, fighting in the Outer Planets

is different than bringing
it to our own doorstep.

Mars isn't stupid.

Or crazy.

They could be deliberately leaking,

pushg us to the peace table.

Sir, that's not what's happening here.

If this doesn't work, millions will die.

People are dying right now. Our people.

When we began this war,
we had a five to one

advantage in ships.

Now it's down to three to one.

Every minute this war
goes on costs us more lives.

Every loss that we inflict on Mars

pushes them closer to launch.

If we do this, we save lives
because it will end the war.

Find the other Platforms.
I'll give you my decision then.

[PENSIVE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC]

[GRUNTS]

[DISTRESS SIGNAL BEEPING]

Somebody heard us.

We're saved.

[GRUNTS]

It's the UNN Agatha King.

The flagship of the Jupiter fleet.

- How many survivors?
- Unknown.

They must've lost comms. We pinged their

distress beacon, but the registry data

on the answer-back was minimal.

No manifest, no crew list, nothing.

Any skiff in the fleet
could've handled this.

Why send us?

Lot I don't understand about this war.

But even in low-g,
shit still rolls downhill.

Does this remind you of Vesta?

This is nothing like Vesta.

Electrical's still not fixed?

Re-patching decks 2 and 3 as we speak.

Wiring on this bucket
really needs an overhaul.

Let's hope her outsides hold
up better than her insides.

She won't let us down.

There's a reason we don't put
these old girls out to pasture.

- Budget cuts.
- Agatha, don't listen to them.

- They'll learn to love you.
- [BEEPING]

Incoming tight-beam, sir,
From Admiral Nguyen.

Maybe that's another glitch.

Put it up.

Admiral Souther, any
survivors on the Drop Ship

are to be considered prisoners

and taken to the brig immediately.

No one is to speak
to them until I get there.

That's an order.

Transmitting rendezvous coordinates.

See you shortly.

Nguyen's coming here in person.

Apparently.

If they were gonna blow us up

then they'd have done it already.

So that's a good sign, right?

So we just have to
get our story straight.

Uh, we can say that we're the
only ones survived,

that no one else got off the ship.

We can say that I wasn't
trying to help them,

- or you...
- Theo...

Or whatever you want me to say.

- What do... what do you want me to say?
- Theo!

Relax.

It's gonna be okay.

Take a deep breath and close your eyes.

- Relax.
- And just breathe.

All right. Relax and breathe.

Relax, breathe.

- [GRUNTS]
- [CRACKING]

- Ah!
- I'm sorry, Theo.

I'm really sorry.

[GAGGING]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

It's good the children
get to play together.

Oh, absolutely.

It keeps their cortisol levels low,

which enhances protomolecule uptake.

[EERIE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

- Guess who?
- [GASPS] Stop it!

- Katoa!
- Sorry, I didn't mean

to scare you.

- Does it hurt?
- Uh-uh.

- I feel strong.
- Really?

- Mm-hmm.
- All right, time for bed.

Come on, let's go.

Hey, wanna see something cool?

- [CHILDREN CHATTER EXCITEDLY]
- Katoa! Come on.

Would you get down, please?

- [CHILDREN CLAPPING]
- Katoa! Come down!

Have the others been infected?

I don't have a large supply,

so I like to go one at a time.

The current subject is the best
candidate genetically.

Don't worry, there's no risk
of contagion.

Not at this stage.

Thanks for speaking up earlier

about still going to Io.

We said we were gonna take you there.

- Ah!
- Sorry.

Thought you said you've done this before.

I have. Just not on someone else.

I don't want you looking
like Frankenstein

when Mei sees you.

Frankenstein was the name of the doctor.

The monster didn't have a name.

God damn. That's right.

Why do you believe Mei's still alive?

Everyone who ever cared about me on Earth

thinks I'm dead.

- But here I am.
- Baltimore...

that's where you're from, right?

Charm City.

That's where you learned to do this?

This and everything else I had to.

You mean those specific
people skills you have.

Back there, getting by was getting even.

That's a dark way to look at the world.

None of the people that
I dealt with were innocent.

Did most of them a favor.

Dying is the only way
of getting out of Baltimore.

So how'd you get out?

I died.

♪ ♪

- [BEEPING]
- Alex, can you hear me?

Loud and clear.

Comms restored.

I kept override control
in case our guests

- try anything cute.
- Good thinking.

Hey, Naomi, you know
what might be a good idea

is to slave that ship to the Roci.

I'd rather have that thing following

rather than hooked up, in case

more shit goes down,
you know what I mean?

You're right. I'm on it.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

We missed a lot.

Maybe waking up wasn't the best thing.

I didn't think you were going to.

Thank you for not letting me die.

Proud to be of service, ma'am.

- [KNOCKS]
- You wanted to see me, ma'am?

James Holden.
Maybe I shouldn't be surprised.

Chaos has a way of finding you.

We're all victims of circumstance.

That might be a good title
for your memoirs.

How are you feeling?

I freaking hate space.

Well, it does take some getting used to,

but you already curse like a sailor.

Patience was never one of my virtues,

amongst many other things.

But at least...

I can get to thank you in person

for everything you did
during the Eros incident.

You're a hero.

No.

Miller and Julie were the heroes.

[CHUCKLES]

Well, from the looks of Venus,

Eros isn't finished with us yet.

Maybe now would be a good time

for you to tell me why you're here,

with a Martian marine
and your own government

trying to kill you.

I was trying to bring Jules-Pierre Mao

in from the cold.

There are factions
within the UN who are using

the protomolecule as
an excuse to wage this war.

I need you to take me to a safe port.

We're going to Io.

To find someone's daughter,
possibly, I heard.

That's very noble, but I may have a way

to end this conflict.

Have you been watching the news?

- Diplomacy's over.
- I need to send a tight-beam

to Admiral Souther on the Agatha King.

Any tight-beam would
give away our position.

And we already took that risk
rescuing you.

We're not doing it again.

Whatever happened to the man
who risked certain death

- to stop Eros?
- He stopped fighting battles

he knew he couldn't win.

This isn't just about the war.

We need to contain the protomolecule,

make sure it doesn't fall
into the wrong hands.

- You think that's funny?
- Not at all.

It's just that I've heard it before.

- From who?
- Everyone.

Including me.

I met your mother.

Elise.

When everyone else
said you were a terrorist,

I went to find out for myself.

Lovely woman.

She thought I was full of shit,
too, at first.

She's well. Happy for you.

Happy you're free.

She told me when you were a boy,

- you wanted to be a knight.
- That's because I was a boy.

It's no accident you're in
the midst of all this chaos.

I'm nobody's savior.

ID was confirmed Cotyar Ghazi,

Former Sig-Int. currently assigned to

Deputy Undersecretary
Avasarala's security detail.

He's her spy.

Admiral on deck.

[DOOR OPENING]

At ease.

- Permission to come aboard.
- Of course, sir.

Welcome aboard the Agatha King.
The ship is yours.

That won't be necessary, Admiral.

Are the prisoners secured?

There was only one survivor, sir.

We have him in the med bay. He was shot.

I know this is an unusual visit,

but secrecy was critical.

The Secretary General has
issued an Executive Order

to apprehend Chrisjen Avasarala,

- on suspicion of treason.
- What?

She was conspiring with Jules-Pierre Mao.

Her last known location
was aboard his yacht,

which is now the debris field
you fished the prisoner off of.

Keep this need-to-know.

May I accompany you, sir?

Of course.

[GRUNTING]

- Outside.
- Yes, sir.

Mr. Ghazi, I'm Admiral Souther.

This is Fleet Admiral Nguyen.

Well, you Navy boys sure know
how to roll out the red carpet.

I figured a rock hopper
would be my ride home.

Lucky for me, there's a war going on.

Well, your friend wasn't as lucky.

Explosion shook us pretty good.

[GRUNTS] Theo didn't get
strapped in in time.

- He was a good man.
- Shame.

Seems like the type who'd have
been very cooperative.

Now we only get your story.

Where's Avasarala?

She's dead.

Jules-Pierre Mao's goons executed her.

So she gets killed, but you
still managed to escape.

I find that hard to believe.

We barely got to the drop ship.

It's a miracle.

There's another ship docked
to the Guanshiyin.

A racing pinnace.

The Martian took it.

Those Marines are bad ass, but...

of course you know that
better than anyone.

I think your boss is still alive.

I think she's defecting to Mars.

Well, maybe you should've
called to ask her

before your people blew up
the Guanshiyin.

Are you implying that
UNN forces destroyed

- a civilian yacht?
- I'm not implying shit.

- It's a God damn fact.
- Pathetic. [CHUCKLES]

You're gonna be charged
with treason, too.

Cooperate and you might
avoid a death sentence.

Talk to Errinwright. He's the traitor,

He's been protecting
Jules-Pierre Mao all along.

He can tell you
everything you want to know.

Nice try. Get some rest.

You're gonna need your strength.

♪ ♪

These are some preliminary
thoughts for your speech.

The parts about Venus and
people facing the unknown

are fairly solid.

"Throughout our history, we've broadened

"our knowledge of creation,

"deepened our understanding of ourselves,

"discovered profound
connections between each other

and the planets we share."

- Nice cadence at the end.
- It would be more convincing

- if we weren't at war.
- [BEEPING]

[TENSE MUSIC] _

♪ ♪

What if instead,
the focus was on defying fear?

Defying fear.

Yes.

We are witnessing the greatest
event in human history.

We should feel something other than fear.

Of it. Of each other.

Of the difficult choices
that we sometimes have to make.

You mean the choices you have to make.

Yes. The necessity of hard choices,

of sacrifice.

Sacrifice literally means to make sacred.

Do you think that's what's going on here?

Yes.

Sacred losses.

[SIGHS]

You're carrying a burden.

I'm not going to lighten it for you.

Maybe this war was inevitable.

Maybe there was no way to avoid it.

But you want it to be holy, and it's not.

The best you can hope
for is that it's justified.

And if they Mars makes
it a choice between us or them?

[CHUCKLES] Us and them... How many of us?

How many of them? How many sacrifices

can you stomach and still tell yourself

you're doing God's work?

A... a hundred?

A million? A billion?

We both know it's more than 37.

I'm gonna consider that
a rhetorical question.

No. There is an answer.

Oh.

So you know precisely how many
lives a leader must sacrifice

and still be a good man?

Yes. As few as possible.

Are you someone's dad?

No one you would know.

There you are. [SIGHS]

I told you to stop running off.

I'm sorry, sir.

Do you work for Dr. Strickland?

No, we work together.

- Like Misko and Marisko?
- Who?

They're dinosaurs. They work together

to help people and stop Count Mungo.

It's my favorite cartoon.

I think my daughters used to watch that

- when they were your age.
- Are they here?

No.

Ah, I got this.

Hey, up you go. Ooh.

Did you see how Katoa jumped really high?

- I did.
- Dr. Strickland says

one day I might be able
to jump like that.

I hope I can.

I wanna show my dad when I see him.

What's your name? Mine's Mei.

- Jules-Pierre.
- Nice to meet you,

- Jules-Pierre.
- Nice to meet you, Mei.

Hey, Hoss. I wanna run a system check

of the Roci's active sensors and comms.

We've been running silent for
a quite a spell now,

and that last battle was a real thumper.

So, I just wanna make sure everything

- is A-okay when we need it.
- All right, make it quick.

Yes, sir.

[TENSE MUSIC] _

♪ ♪

Alex...

we thought you were dead

for so long.

And I'm glad that you're not.

Really, I am.

But you waited too long.

Melas has learned
to live without a father,

and a real husband wouldn't have

done that to his wife.

I'm glad that you have something

more important than us.

Because we don't need you anymore.

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

Sir, the location

of MCRN Platform number 5
has been confirmed.

What do the simulations say?

Complete success, knocking out all five

before they can launch, 82%

And if they do manage a launch,

what would the casualties be then?

- We estimate it would...
- That's very unlikely.

And our planetary defenses
are in perfect position.

But right now, we have the
advantage of total surprise.

It won't last forever.

But our rail guns are targeted,

warmed up and ready.

All we need is for you
to give the order to fire.

I have a sacred obligation
to the people of this planet.

All we need is for you
82% is not good enough. to fire.

Stand down.

This is ridiculous. I just want

- to talk to everyone...
- If you're gonna walk

around the ship,
you have to wear the boots.

- House rules.
- What?

Do they think I'm just going
to float away?

Don't look at me. This is not my ship.

Okay, lean your foot back to engage it.

Lean back with my weight on my heel?

Yes.

There you go.

Now you just walk around
like you're in pumps.

How do you know what it's like

to walk in pumps?

I didn't always work in space.

This isn't so hard.

Not bad, right?

I'll inform Mars to ready the white flag.

♪ Where are you now? ♪

♪ Where have you gone? ♪

♪ The way you looked
in the light fixtures ♪

♪ On my wall ♪

♪ Where are you now? ♪

♪ Where have you gone? ♪

[MUSIC STOPS]

There's half a pan
in the fridge, if you want.

It's all right. I'm not hungry.

Yeah.

Look, Naomi, I... I realize

that things ain't how
they used to be around here.

And, um...

When you were on the Razorback,

I saw you were checking out Tycho.

- You wouldn't understand.
- Well, you're wrong.

I do. I get why you wanna leave.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still mad as hell

that you gave that protoshit
to Fred Johnson, but...

I can't help but respect
your commitment to the Belt.

I wish I had your strength.

[BEEPING]

Sure you don't want some?

I mean, the cheese ain't real, but...

The love that went into it is.

Okay.

Yeah?

All right, you take this one.

- I'll get another one.
- Thanks.

You're welcome.

I wanted to personally
thank you for helping us.

But more importantly,
to cut out all the bullshit.

- I'll go first.
- [DEVICE BEEPS]

UN Deputy Secretary Errinwright

commissioned Jules-Pierre Mao
to manufacture

protomolecule hybrid soldiers.

The proof is in this.

It would be nice if you could
decrypt and authenticate it.

They field-tested one of
those things on Ganymede.

It wiped out a dozen UN Marines

and my entire Fire Team

without even breaking a sweat.

I believe Errinwright intends

to use the hybrids to lay waste to Mars.

We need your help to stop him.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Show cargo bay surveillance

of hybrid incursion.

We encountered one on Ganymede.

It got onto our ship,
almost killed us all.

We killed it instead.

Wait, you guys fought
one of those things and won?

How?

Burned it up in our drive plume.

We believe they're
producing the Hybrids on Io.

A pediatrician is using
children with a rare

immune deficiency to create them.

My daughter is one of the kids.

I hope you find her.

What do you intend to do
if you find other things?

Like scientists, data cores, a sample of

- the protomolecule itself?
- We shoot the scientists

and nuke the rest.

Speaking for myself.

Based on your track record,

I think you'd be inclined to give

the whole lot to the Belt.

They don't need it.

Fred Johnson already has a sample.

How could you be so freaking
stupid to give it to the OPA?

He didn't.

I did.

I'd say cry me a river

if I thought you could
appreciate what one was.

If good Belters ever stood up
and defied the OPA

instead of letting them
speak for all of you,

perhaps you'd deserve respect.

We're not the ones doing the killing now.

Earth and Mars have the protomolecule.

The Belt has the right to it as well.

In that case,

we should nuke Io.

I told you we want the same things.

Maybe now you'll believe me.

Thought you'd left.

Have a drink.

Thank you, sir.

- How's the speech coming?
- Good.

Anna knows how
to reach the best in people.

This speech could well
define my term in office.

Well, that's a shame.

- Excuse me?
- I understand why

you canceled the strike,
but with all due respect,

that was the moment to write your legacy,

- not some speech.
- You're being short sighted.

Leaders aren't just remembered
for the wars they win.

No, they're remembered for

how they moved civilizations forward.

This isn't about defeating Mars.

It's about what's happening on Venus.

Eros proved that no one
on this planet's safe anymore.

And we need to end this because

we don't know who
or what our next enemy is.

And if the thought
of casualties scares you now,

imagine another Eros,

one that we can't even stop.

If you end this war,

you'll be remembered as the man

who united humanity
in the face of first contact.

And that's a legacy you don't
need anyone else to write.

- [CHEERING]
- [LAUGHS]

- [GRUNTING, GAGGING]
- [CHILD SCREAMING]

- What's going on?
- Katoa!

- [GRUNTING]
- He's okay.

He's gonna be fine.

Katoa.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

So I understand we're still
having electrical problems

- on decks 2, 3, and 11.
- 11, no, sir.

And 2 and 3 are fixed.

How long do you think
the systems will be down on 11?

Uh... everything should be
back up and running

in about 20 minutes.

That'll be perfect.

Lieutenant.

[GRIPPING MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[BEEPING]

[ALARM BLARING]

Electrical fire down on 15.
All hands needed.

Sir, I'm not supposed
to leave the prisoner.

He's chained to his bed. You're with me.

We have new orders, Lieutenant.

- Lay in a course for Io.
- What's in Io, sir?

That's classified.

- Yes, sir.
- What's the problem?

Electrical issues.
The Agatha's showing her age.

Repairs are underway.
Shouldn't take long.

Where is Admiral Souther?

I believe he's in his quarters, sir.

Which decks are experiencing
electrical issues?

2, 3 and 11, sir.

Med bay's on 11.

[SIGHS]

I rarely agreed with your
boss or her methods.

She's a ruthless son of a bitch.

But she's also a patriot.

She'd die before betraying Earth.

So talk fast.

What really happened on that ship?

Avasarala made a secret deal
to bring Jules-Pierre Mao in.

In exchange for immunity,
he was going to testify

that he and Errinwright
had been colluding

to develop the protomolecule
into a weapon,

and would turn over all data to
the UN instead of the Martians.

Errinwright turned the tables
on all of us.

That means Nguyen's been
working with him.

Avasarala isn't dead, is she?

She got off the yacht
with the Martian Marine.

I don't know what happened after that.

- Can you prove any of this?
- No.

But Errinwright sent
a message admitting everything.

And Avasarala has it.

[ALARM BLARING]

She said you were an honorable man.

This war was built on a lie.

Are you gonna do something about it?

[POWER RETURNING]

Find that guard. I wanna talk to him.

Could you kill the lights again, please?

I'm trying to get the rest
you said I need.

I've decided to take you up
on your offer, Admiral.

- Sir?
- I'm relieving you of command.

The Agatha King is now mine.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Don't make me relieve you
of duty as well.

Of course, sir. The deck is yours.

Rail guns designated 1 through 5

report green for go, sir.

All targets locked
for simultaneous impact.

On your command, sir.

Fire.

[WEAPONS CHARGING, BLASTING]

One away. Track is good.

One is away.

Two is away.

Three is away.

Four is away.

Five showing red. Failure to launch.

- What's happening?
- I... I'm just checking, sir.

- Check incoming.
- What the hell's going on?

We have a launch malfunction on five.

They need to shoot, God damn it.

Yes, sir.

Five is away.

♪ ♪

Target one is scratched.

Scratch two.

Scratch three.

Scratch four.

- Scratch five.
- [EXHALES]

[INDISTINCT CHATTER]

- Congratulations, sir.
- Well done.

- Thank you.
- We have a confirmed launch

from target five.

They got one off before we hit them.

Jesus Christ.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

♪ ♪

[SOMBER MUSIC]

♪ ♪

Status.

Impact in South America. Tip of Amazonia.

Closest city to ground zero is...

Goías Maior.

Total population in the blast zone

approximately 2 million.

What happened with the rail guns?

It was a power cycling malfunction.

From charging up and
standing down earlier, sir.

Watchtowers have detected
no other launches.

Sat-com believes we have eliminated

the MCR's first strike capability.

♪ ♪

[SIGHS] The subject has been
placed in isolation.

The rest, sedated. They're
asleep in their quarters.

I'm sorry you had to see that.

Stop.

Sir?

Stop what you're doing to the children.

Sir, these experiments have
lead to the only real success

we've had in controlling
the protomolecule.

I wanted that to be true.

- I was grasping at straws.
- We are on the verge

- of so much more.
- We're torturing children.

We're creating killing machines.

And we're still light years away

from even beginning to comprehend that.

What we are doing is hard.

We have to be strong,
and great men are strong.

That's how they accomplish great things.

It's not up for debate.

The experiment is over. Shut it down.

Who's responsible for that?

Me.

I'm not unsympathetic
to the plight of Belters.

I know the OPA doesn't speak for you all.

Save your breath.

We're not gonna be friends.

That doesn't mean we have to be enemies.

There's an old Belter joke

How can you tell when an Inner's lying?

- When their mouth's...
- When their mouth is moving.

And it's not much of a joke, really.

You might be able to fool the others,

but I know what you're doing.

What I'm doing is trying to stop this war

from getting worse.

You're not going to Io
to destroy the protomolecule.

You're going because Earth
doesn't have a sample,

and you need one to stay in the game.

[CHUCKLES]

The only reason I'm still on this ship

is to make sure you don't get it.

You're right.
We're not going to be friends.

ANNOUNCER: Which covers a radius

of nearly 11 kilometers.

The South American Emergency
Response Directorate

has begun sending workers in,

though they say that fires
and radioactive fallout

will make rescue efforts
extremely dangerous.

Drone cameras have begun recording

dramatic footage of the impact site.

Warning: the following
images are graphic.

You know what makes this worse?

What could be worse?

Didn't need to happen.

We had a military option earlier today

that would've prevented it.

But there were risks and costs,

which the Secretary General
was unwilling to take.

If only he hadn't wavered.

But it's good that you're here, though.

He's going to need you now
more than ever.

[TENSE MUSIC]

♪ ♪