At Ophion's hidden sea-cave base on Ydra, Hunt, Bryce, Ruhn, Tharion, and Cormac recover from Cormac's exhausting teleportation while contraband is unloaded from a cargo ship. Cormac returns from meeting Command furious: Pippa Spetsos has secured control of the Valbaran front, and he could not question her about Emile without provoking open conflict. When a sealed imperial sarcophagus is brought out for inspection, Cormac puts Hunt forward to evaluate the stolen prototype.

Pippa appears and immediately makes clear that she knows Cormac wanted both her authority and her information about Emile. As Hunt studies the suit, he realizes it is not a human mech but a Vanir exosuit made with gorsian-infused metal. Because that metal can absorb firstlight from the underground power lines, the suit could generate endless power and create weapons such as brimstone missiles on the spot. Hunt warns that the design would escalate the war into mass slaughter, but Pippa is thrilled by the possibility and says Emile is no longer important because this weapon matters more.

The moral divide sharpens when Pippa reveals how Ophion now operates. She signals her Lightfall soldiers to execute the Vanir crew who helped transport the cargo, and the humans use gorsian bullets and beheading to make the deaths permanent. The killings horrify Hunt, Bryce, Ruhn, Tharion, and even Cormac, because they prove that Pippa and Command will murder their own allies if it serves the cause. Pippa also claims Emile is hidden somewhere dangerous and protected, then leaves, while Hunt and Ruhn resolve that they cannot allow Ophion to bring this violence to Lunathion.

Once Pippa is gone, Bryce, Hunt, and the others conclude that neither the Asteri nor Ophion can be trusted with the prototype. Hunt destroys the suit with lightning and then blasts the parked trucks before the rebels can stop him. When he identifies the only truck carrying brimstone missiles, Tharion uses water to drag it into the sea so Hunt can detonate it safely underwater. The explosions throw the cave into chaos, and when Cormac tries to calm the rebels with a lie about the suit activating on its own, Pippa shoots him with a gorsian bullet, which leaves him unable to teleport them out.

Facing armed rebels and no easy escape, Bryce unleashes her starborn light and blinds the humans long enough for the group to run for a moored skiff. Hunt gets them airborne to the boat, Tharion takes the helm, and they flee the base over open water. On the skiff, Bryce denounces Cormac, Pippa, and the rebellion for becoming as monstrous as their enemies and declares she is done helping them; she also warns Ruhn not to trust Daybright. As they speed away, Hunt spots Baxian in black hound form on the cliffs, signaling a warning from the west, and realizes the Hind must be nearby.