Expanse 03 - Abaddon’s Gate Read Free Page A

the
Roci
was already capable of accelerating fast enough to kill her crew and asked why they’d need to upgrade her, Amos had replied, “Because this shit is awesome.” Holden had just nodded and smiled and paid the bill.
    Even after the initial giddy rush of spending, they had enough to pay themselves salaries that were five times what they’d made on the
Canterbury
and keep the ship in water, air, and fuel pellets for the next decade.
    Probably, it was temporary. There would be dry times too when no work came their way and they’d have to economize and make do. That just wasn’t today.
    Amos and Alex had finished counting their chips and were shouting to Naomi about the finer points of blackjack, trying to get her to join them at the tables. Holden waved at the waiter, who darted over to take his order. No ordering from a table screen here in the VIP lounge.
    “What do you have in a scotch that came from actual grain?” Holden asked.
    “We have several Ganymede distillations,” the waiter said. He’d learned the trick of being heard over the racket without straining. He smiled at Holden. “But for the discriminating gentleman from Earth, we also have a few bottles of sixteen-year Lagavulin we keep aside.”
    “You mean, like, actual scotch from Scotland?”
    “From the island of Islay, to be precise,” the waiter replied. “It’s twelve hundred a bottle.”
    “I want that.”
    “Yes sir, and four glasses.” The waiter tipped his head and headed off to the bar.
    “We’re going to play blackjack now,” Naomi said, laughing. Amos was pulling a stack of chips out of his tray and pushing them across the table to her. “Want to come?”
    The band in the next room stopped playing, and the background noise dropped to an almost tolerable level for a few seconds before someone started piping Muzak across the casino PA.
    “Guys, wait a few minutes,” Holden said. “I’ve bought a bottle of something nice, and I want to have one last toast before we go our separate ways for the night.”
    Amos looked impatient right up until the bottle arrived, and then spent several seconds cooing over the label. “Yeah, okay, this was worth waiting for.”
    Holden poured out a shot for each of them, then held his glass up. “To the best ship and crew anyone has ever had the privilege of serving with, and to getting paid.”
    “To getting paid!” Amos echoed, and then the shots disappeared.
    “God damn, Cap,” Alex said, then picked up the bottle to look it over. “Can we put some of this on the
Roci
? You can take it out of my salary.”
    “Seconded,” Naomi said, then took the bottle and poured out four more shots.
    For a few minutes, the stacks of chips and the lure of the card tables were forgotten. Which was all Holden had wanted. Just to keep these people together for a few moments longer. On every other ship he’d ever served on, hitting port was a chance to get away from the same faces for a few days. Not anymore. Not with this crew. He stifled an urge to say a maudlin,
I love you guys!
by drinking another shot of scotch.
    “One last hit for the road,” Amos said, picking up the bottle.
    “Gonna hit the head,” Holden replied, and pushed away from the table. He weaved a bit more than he expected on his walk to the restroom. The scotch had gone to his brain fast.
    The restrooms in the VIP lounge were lush. No rows of urinals and sinks here. Instead, half a dozen doors that led to private facilities with their own toilet and sink. Holden pushed his way into one and latched it behind him. The noise level dropped almost to nothing as soon as the door closed. A little like stepping outside the world. It was probably designed that way. He was glad whoever built the casino had allowed for a place of relative calm. He wouldn’t have been shocked to see a slot machine over the sink.
    He put one hand on the wall to steady himself while he did his business. He was mid-stream when the room brightened for a moment