Chapter Five: Bull

Bull warns Michio Pa that the Behemoth’s lightweight structure could shear if the newly installed rail gun fires, but Pa refuses to reallocate resources without a full-picture plan. Bull swallows the rebuff and returns to his security duties, frustrated by the constraints and his outsider status among Belters.

Over lemonades with chief engineer Samara Rosenberg, Bull confirms the risk and the eighteen-day reinforcement timeline. He rejects Sam’s offer to appeal directly to Pa, fearing it would undermine his authority, and resolves to find another path.

Back at work, Bull processes routine reports, including a serious knee injury from a salvage mech accident and a minor larceny dispute. Aware he’s excluded from high-level strategy while Earth, Mars, and the OPA converge on the Ring, he scours the operational plan for leverage he can use.

Bull quietly redefines engineering work as “technical support” to authorize rail-gun mount reinforcement despite budget barriers. Anticipating pushback, he also revisits the injury report, noticing the driver wasn’t named or tested, and suspects impairment was ignored.

Confronting Sam in the machining bay, Bull raises the hidden issue of intoxicated workers, citing the accident’s omissions. Sam resists betraying her crew, warning Bull about alienating people, but Bull insists on accountability for safety. After a tense pause, Sam chooses cooperation and gives him the name of the impaired tech.