The eyeball parasite begins to spread among the Belters and Murtry’s team, who have established separate camps within the protomolecule structure. A murder heightens tension between the groups and a deadly discovery brings a new threat. The orbits of the Rocinante, the Edward Israel, and the Barb continue to decay, with the Barb falling fastest with only one day of battery power left. Avasarala wrestles with difficult decisions. UN Marines go after Marco Inaros.

Things I Love

Avasarala yelling at herself. She’s in a situation she doesn’t like and can’t control, and powerful women get frustrated too. Even Chrisjen Avasarala screws up sometimes. She’s a remarkable human, but she is human. Also, “Fuck the rules, I’m in charge.”

Space mullet strikes again.

SCIENCE! Biology. Parasitology. Epidemiology. I love it.

Amos adopts an orphaned child. If you’ve only read the trunk Expanse series and/or watched the show, it may seem out of character for Amos to show a softer side to anyone. If you’ve read The Churn, however, you know why Amos was so determined to help Prax save Mei and why he isn’t going to leave this child scared and alone either. People are onions. Amos Burton doesn’t usually let people peel him off, but when he does, it’s likely going to be a small person in need of protecting.

Elvi telling Holden to put on his big boy pants. She’s annoyed that he’s annoyed about being the first and only human to have contact with an alien species. He responds that she’d feel differently if she hadn’t had the choice. She tells him to fuck off.

The beard continues to live its best life despite the mess on Ilus. 

DEATH. SLUGS.

Things I Didn’t Like

Ugh, Arjun. This is not about you, sir. Why are you trying to change your wife? She’s an incredible leader and an incredible human. She did what she did to please you and you had a tantrum when she called you on it. I hate that she apologized to you when you were the one being a punk-ass baby. I cannot stand the way this dynamic is playing out, and it would be ever more off-putting if I didn’t know where it was going.

Holden knows Murtry well enough to know he’s a bastard, but he trusts his peace offering anyway. I… why, Jim? Why would you do that? You should know better.

I Was Proud When

Alex admitted to Lucia that he regrets the husband and father he was and hates “hanging on to one moment I got right.” He uses his experience to help her see why she should work as hard as necessary to make amends with Felcia even though talking about the subject clearly pains him. You’re a good man, Mr. Kamal.

Next up is 408: “The One-Eyed Man.”