The Expanse 3.5: The Churn Trivia Quiz

Answer: Baltimore

Baltimore was in the same location as the current Baltimore, but with a changed coastline due to rising ocean levels. In "Abaddon's Gate", the third novel in "The Expanse" series, Clarissa picked up her fake ID in Baltimore.

Answer: Timmy had killed the man he was sent to get money from.

A man named Austen had owed Burton money, so Burton had sent Timmy to collect it. Austen had not had any money at the time, but promised to get some soon. Timmy hadn't trusted Austen to not immediately spend it.

After Timmy got back, Burton sat down with him to ask some questions. Burton said to Timmy, "That man owed me money. I told you to get whatever you could from him."

Timmy, who had a simple sense of logic, responded, "Only thing you were getting from him was a way to make sure everyone else pays you on time. So I took that instead."

Answer: ID Forger

Erich was not a strong man; he had a withered left arm from a childhood trauma. He was a clever man, though, and could fabricate convincing fake IDs, including records and histories. This was particularly useful for those who were not registered with the government. Not having an ID could limit one's movement and what services were available.

Answer: Lydia was a friend of Timmy's mother.

Lydia and Timmy's mother had been friends and coworkers. Lydia had been present at Timmy's birth, and had taken care of him when his mother died.

Answer: A security crackdown

Star Helix Security (the same company Miller worked for on Ceres Station in "Leviathan Wakes") got a new security contract for Baltimore, and had a great idea to "clean up the city." They kept their plans as quiet as they could, and suddenly deployed lots of personnel all at once to sweep the streets, catching the underworld flatfooted. Lydia and Burton, who had experienced the churn many times before, instinctively knew something was coming before it started, and had prepared in their own ways.

Answer: He had left behind DNA evidence of himself.

Timmy's second job was to be Erich's bodyguard. They were waiting to meet someone who wanted a new ID on the morning the churn started. They didn't know it, but their client had been picked up by security. With their client late, and the sudden appearance of security, Timmy escorted Erich away.

They did not have time to go to their secret location where Erich had his deck (computer). Erich hadn't kept any incriminating files or connections on his deck, but he also hadn't physically cleaned it, so his DNA was probably all over the machine.

When swabbed, his DNA would not match anyone in the government database, but if he was caught, they would be able to link him to the illegal setup.

Answer: On an island

Baltimore had a changed coastline due to climate change. Timmy had a hideout in an abandoned house on a small two-block island that used to be a part of a suburb. Neither Lydia nor Erich knew about the hideout until Timmy had taken them there. They had never met each other before the churn. Timmy had two boats, a powered boat and a rowboat, to get to the island.

Answer: Kill Erich

Erich had made Burton's fake ID, so now that Erich's DNA was probably in the government systems and flagged; if he was caught during the churn, he could easily be used to expose Burton. Burton asked Timmy to tie up that loose end permanently. Burton gave Timmy a pistol coated in a digestive enzyme that would not hold finger prints, and would break down any organic material that got on it.

Timmy went back to his island to kill Erich, but Lydia, often Timmy's conscience, changed his mind. Instead, Timmy went back to kill Burton (and a few of his enforcers) to stop them from going after Erich.

Answer: Timmy was told to move on.

Lydia first convinced Timmy to not kill Erich, and once he was gone, convinced Erich to create a new identity for Timmy (or rather, layer Timmy's DNA on top of the fake profile he had made for Burton).

The churn was settling down when Timmy killed Burton. The next morning, he was stopped by patrolling security guards. He did not have much choice but to submit to a scan. To his surprise, he showed up in the system. It was only then that Timmy learned that Erich had given him Burton's identity, and had even enrolled him in an apprenticeship program on Luna. He was finally able to escape the cycle of violence and crime of Baltimore's underworld.

Answer: Amos

Amos Burton was one of the main characters of "The Expanse", a name he'd been given by Erich. Considering what Burton (the crime boss) had done to him, Amos would ask people to use his first name rather than "Mr. Burton".