The incident with the Scipio Africanus and the ice freighter occurs in the book - but we only ever hear about it and never see it.
I'm guessing the freighter gets destroyed to cement the conclusion to that thread from the books.
The kid on the freighter IS the same kid that Miller busted for stealing water on Ceres - but he's also supposed to be Diogo, the same character that Miller befriends when he arrives on Tycho. He's involved in the assault on Thoth and the finale when everyone heads back to Eros. I'm guessing that the Roci may pick Diogo up on the way past to their first stop on Eros.
The kid on the freighter IS the same kid that Miller busted for stealing water on Ceres - but he's also supposed to be Diogo, the same character that Miller befriends when he arrives on Tycho. He's involved in the assault on Thoth and the finale when everyone heads back to Eros. I'm guessing that the Roci may pick Diogo up on the way past to their first stop on Eros.