u/nepbug

Welcome back Expanse readers, this is the 5th of 6 discussion for the 9th book in the Expanse series, Leviathan Falls. You know the drill, use spoiler tag as necessary and let's have a fun discussion.

Chapter Summaries:

Chapter 33 - Naomi
The Roci is still with Elvi's research ship, the Falcon, with the crews mingling more. Naomi reflects on the current state of the universe with Laconia in crisis without Duarte, and the Underground barely hanging on and becoming disorganized. She prepares a message to Trejo to accepts his terms and end hostilities with Laconia.

Chapter 34 - Tanaka
Tanaka struggles with the shared consciousness experience she had and still has occasionally. She seeks out medical help and is given drugs that should help lessen/block the connections she's been having. She also learns of the armistice and has to adapt to that new dynamic while also making finding Duarte a top priority.

Chapter 35 - Alex
Commotion breaks out on the Roci as Cara comes to confront Amos about her being cutoff from the BFE, with Amos taking the brunt of her fury. Teresa and Alex discuss parent-kid relations and how strong they are. Teresa is worried that her father is too far gone to be influenced by her at all, but Alex assures her that she might be the only one that can truly break through to Duarte. The chapter concludes with the 2 ships heading to the Ring Space to encounter what they hope is Duarte.

Chapter 36 - Jim
Many ships from both Laconia and the Underground have gathered in the Ring Space to see what happens with the egg-shaped station that might contain Duarte. Teresa manages to convince everyone that she has the highest chance of getting Duarte to respond, so she goes with the team and hails her father several times, with no response.

Chapter 37 - Tanaka
The team is coming up with ideas to open the station, and decide for Amos to go on a dive in an attempt to have it open up. Tanaka, Naomi, and Teresa all approach the station as the Falcon starts the dive. Teresa senses that something is wrong as they approach.

Chapter 38 - Elvi
Elvi is preparing Amos for the dive to link to the station. Cara is upset she is not part of the plan, and Elvi expresses the concerns with her addiction symptoms surrounding linking with the protomolecule. Amos dives and things go wild very quickly, Amos screams and thrashes around, the team scrambles as they realize they might lose Amos. Eliv tries to bring him out of the dive, but the medicine isn't as effective as it usually is. Xan and Cara have a plan of their own and are in the isolation chamber with The Catalyst. The chapter ends with Elvi experiencing a mental event of some type as her mind "exploded into white".

Interlude - The Dreamers
The Dreamer is in a space they have never been before. New complexities and experiences for the dreamer add to a sense of uncertainty and unfamiliarity. Soon, the sense of another of greater power is felt.

Amos awakens some time later and finds himself in medical care. He finds out that the situation has become a lot more dangerous for everyone. He informs the man that is in the room with him that he's made contact with Duarte and that he needs to let everyone else know that Duarte knows they are their and he's not happy about it.

Chapter 39 - Jim
Jim is recalling similar feelings and situations from his past as the group await the silent ships, likely controlled by Duarte, that are making a burn for them. Jim visits the isolation chamber and then takes action by extracting some protomolecule from the Catalyst and injecting himself with it. Shortly thereafter, Miller greets Holden.

Chapter 40 - Naomi
Everyone is coming to terms with Jim's rash actions, and ultimately decide to support him. Miller now is always present for Jim, and they are hoping he will be the key to gaining entrance to the station. Tanaka, Teresa, and Jim prepare to enter the station, while Naomi coordinates the defense against the incoming ships.

Congratulations readers on making it to the final discussion for Isaac Asimov's "The Currents of Space. I hope you enjoyed the read and are looking forward to continuing along in the Galactic Empire series with us.

Chapter Summaries

13 The Yachtsman
Terens has made his way to a yacht port where the ship of Deamone (the Squire he murdered and is now impersonating) is docked. He doesn't know how to fly the ship, but engages in a conversation with someone, Genro, there that is interested in acquiring a ship. Terens invites him to test out the ship to see if he likes it, and they even agree that a test flight all the way to Sark is a good idea. Terens falls asleep, only to wake later with a gun pulled on him and Genro explains that he knew he was the native that murdered a Squire and that he is taking him to authorities. He then reveals that he is a double agent working for Trantor and intends to turn him over to them instead.

14 The Renegade
Dr. Junz, a spatio-analyst, and the Trantorian Ambassador, Abel, engage in discussion of espionage and deception between Trantor and Sark, noting that Sark is often blind to it's own internal rebellious groups. Squire Steen arrives and wishes to align with Trantor to save Sark from the threat of Squire Fife, who he believes is scheming to consolidate power and rule over all of Sark.

15 The Captive
Rik and Lona are now on Sark and Lady Samia (Squire Fife's daughter) is desperate to ensure that they are treated fairly and is convinced that Rik has told her the truth. Her father is skeptical and has put in orders to keep her away from them and the arriving ship that contains the exposed Townsman, Terens. Genro and Terens have come up with a scheme so that Terens can "escape", which will actually put him into the hands of Trantor, but upon leaving the ship, Samia has worked her way near the port and flags him down to get in her car. Samia believes Terens to be a crewmember, not the fugitive Townsman, and is asking him questions as they drive. They are followed by the Trantorian agents that were to capture Terens, who capture photographic evidence of Terens and Samia kissing! The agents of Trantor quickly use the photographs as blackmail to move the needle into their favor.

16 The Accused
All of our current players are brought together for a round of political maneuvering and accusations. Steen has accused Fife of trying to consolidate power, Abel is using the photgraphs as blackmail to can an advantage. Rik is recalling more memories and in discussing his time before the psychic probing, he remembers one name...FIFE!

17 The Accuser
Tensions rise as Fife tries to defend himself and Steen vehemently looks to further his suspicions of Fife making a power grab. Rik remembers more details about the psychic probing, specifically that the man, Fife, was looking down upon him; it is at this moment that Fife reveals that he has a deformity in his legs and walks over to Rik to show that he is no taller than Rik is while seated. The discussion continues as the players try to determine who the mysterious X could be, and they determine it would be a Squire that would keep a close eye on him. Lona has a revelation that the only person that fits the description of X is, in fact, Townsman Terens!

18 The Victors
Terens readily admits that he is the one that has been behind Rik's condition all along. He explains how he learned of the spato-analyst and was trying to help him, but misused the psychic probe and started this chain of events, all because he wanted to save his home planet Florina. Rik recalls that he discovered the carbon current going through space is what will ultimately cause Florina's sun to go supernova and destroy the planet. They also link this condition to why kyrt is only created on Florina and nowhere else. After explaining the economic benefits and likelihood of further kyrt riches being discovered elsewhere, an agreement where Trantor buys all of the planet Florina and begins a large scale evacuation is put into place.

Samia, Rik, Lona, and Terens all play a part in the resettlement effort and Terens has made special arrangements that he stay on Florina, as he doesn't want his home planet to die alone.