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A Shot In The Dark
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[2:15] Episode Recap
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This week we discuss the seventh episode of season 4 of The Expanse titled “A Shot In The Dark”.
You can purchase The Expanse books via Amazon. USA or Canada or the UK
Or listen to the audiobook version through Audible
Episode Recap
A Shot In the Dark
The episode opens on Ilus. The Tsunami survivors within the ancient ruins have divided into two camps, the Belters and the RCE. Everyone is making due with reduced rations and cramped quarters while they wait for the ocean of water outside to recede.
But it’s taking longer than expected and the Belters only have a day worth of water purification tablets left.
Murtry orders his RCE team to be vigilant and protect their supplies. They have more than the other camp and as time passes, the Belters will get desperate and want theirs.
He approaches Holden and asks if there’s any way for him and his team to help Holden to shut down the machines Miller started so they can all get out of there.
Dr. Elvi then arrives. She’s concerned about the number of eye infection cases. She’s been telling everyone that it’s an allergy. But in truth, it’s a native micro-organism that’s taken residence in everyone’s eyes which will cause them all to go blind.
Upon examination, it turns out that Holden is the only person not affected so she takes a blood sample from him.
With everything already going on, this new event jumps to the top of the priority list.
Jim and Elvi discuss his connection to Miller. She envies him his connection to an advanced alien species and wishes she could experience what he does. But Holden tells her it’s not the same when you don’t have a say in it. He wishes it had never happened.
Holden lets Amos in on the situation with the eyes. He’s counting on him to help keep things under control when panic sets in.
When a confrontation between a Belter and the RCE over water arises, Murtry uncharacteristically helps the Belter and allows him to get water.
He then informs Wei about the eye situation. Should they all go blind, the Belters outnumber them and the situation could be lost. So they need to start sharing their supplies now for the safety of everyone.
But he has a long term plan. He’s sure that if they wait it out, the settlers will eventually fail and relinquish any claims to the planet. When that happens, his contract with the RCE grants him one percent of the claim value once the Belters are gone. Which could be in the millions. However, if they can also gain control to the technology that Holden has activated, it could be worth billions. And he’s willing to share his cut with anyone who helps him with what needs to be done.
But for his plan to succeed, Holden needs to be eliminated. Wei says she has Murtry’s back and Amos won’t be a problem.
—
REC member Eugene goes looking for his partner Liam and finds him dead in a pool of water. He immediately attacks Angeletti, the Belter he suspects of killing Liam and starts drowning him.
He only stops once Holden and Murtry threaten to shoot him.
When Angeletti sits up, he’s covered in green slug-like creatures. He immediately starts gasping for air before falling down dead.
Another slug falls from above and lands on Eugene, who also drops dead gasping.
Looking up, everyone sees that the ceiling and walls of the chamber are covered with millions and millions of deadly slugs.
——
Above the planet, the ships are running out of time as they try to get their reactors back online. The Barbipicola only has two days left until it falls out of orbit.
As a last resort, Alex and Naomi plan on evacuating the crew of the Barb to the Roci, But Lucia explains that if they lose the lithium ore the Barb is carrying they might as well be dead.
—
Naomi instructs Felcia on board the Barb how to remove the parts from the light shuttle they’ll need to increase power to the Barb’s thrusters.
She tells the young girl that her mother only did what she did out of love for her family and home. All Lucia wants is for her daughter to follow her dreams, but she’s scared that she won’t be able to protect her.
Alex and Lucia have a conversation about family and how happy Lucia and her’s were on Ganymede. This sparks an idea. On Ganymede, they used tug drones to raise the mirrors when their thrusters failed. They can do the same with the Barb.
If they weaved together a kilometre long cable, they could use the Rocinante to pull the Barb to a higher orbit.
——
On Earth, Avasarala is discontent with how her campaign team is making her sound. She feels they are making her sound weak and incompetent. As the election approaches, Nancy Gao is only three points behind her in the polls.
Christjen seems angry with everyone, including herself. Arjun tries to console her to no avail. It’s obvious that her attitude is taking a toll on their marriage.
—
She later surprises Arjun by showing up at his class. She confesses how helpless she felt when the Eros incident happened. And how she’s feeling helpless now, for both the planet and her lack of control over the outcome of the election.
He tells her that she’s always done the right thing, but this election feels like it’s not about her being right but about her winning. Would losing be so bad?
That’s what scares her, she doesn’t know. What she does know is that she can’t be right if she doesn’t win.
—
Later at an intelligence briefing to discuss the recent attack on Earth, Avasarala is told that Marco Inaros is on board the Pizzouza, an OPA freighter in the fringes of the Belt. Marco often travels on passenger ships and uses the people on board as human shields.
Christjen is presented with two military options. Destroy the Pizzouza, or board it with a company of marines and take Inaros alive. She ops for the second and orders the Marines to proceed.
She watches from the ops room, as the marines board the Pizzouza with military precision, but Marco Inaros is nowhere to be found. A firefight erupts with people dying on both sides when the signal is lost and all marine life signs register zero.
The UNN ship monitoring the operation informs them that the Pizzouza blew up.
That’s the episode.
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