Hiding in an access duct on the Archimedes, Lyria endures nine days of hunger before sneaking to the galley for supplies. Tempted by fresh food, she slices into a ham and triggers a nearly invisible tripwire. Sevro’s snare flips her, sacks her, and rushes her toward an airlock.

Darrow intervenes, orders Sevro to put Lyria down, and Aurae and Cassius arrive. Lyria is unbagged and identified; Sevro’s furious glare warns her to keep quiet about Ulysses. He stalks off, leaving Darrow to confront Lyria, who declares she came to help and to find Volga.

Aurae argues that Lyria can be useful, and Cassius supports keeping her. Lyria lists skills—ship-handing, EVO jumps, shooting, stealth—and insists the crew can’t turn back. Darrow, focused on contacting Athena and avoiding a war with the Obsidians, relents on the condition Lyria follows his orders. Lyria bargains for a chance to go after Volga when it doesn’t endanger the mission; they seal it with a spitshake. Darrow assigns Aurae and Cassius to lodge and task her.

Aurae helps Lyria clean up, gives her a bunk, and explains Athena as a builder and teacher. Lyria, reassured, prepares to work and asks questions about the mission and crew.

Cassius brings clothes from the former pilot, reveals that the pilot and another crew member left with Lysander au Lune, and sets expectations for shipboard conduct. When Lyria calls him the Betrayer who killed Ares, he takes it somberly. They agree she’ll learn the ship, share a whiskey, and, after some teasing about callsigns, Lyria admits hers is “Truffle Pig.”