Phobos erupts as lowColor mobs surge toward the Needles and Skyresh while Grays and the Martian Navy try to contain them. Darrow and Holiday slip through the chaos to an old freight hangar, where Quicksilver has staged a luxury Venusian yacht packed with Sun Industries weapon crates. A Blue pilot, Lieutenant Vesta, awaits their escape under refugee cover.

Darrow changes into polar seal-like gear, monitoring the Sons’ advance through helmet feeds as Sevro drives assaults in the ducts. Ragnar arrives, armor battered, with Obsidian Howlers, declaring the tower fallen and tossing Darrow a blood-smeared curule from subGovernor Priscilla au Caan. They begin preflight to depart with the refugee convoys.

As the hangar doors start to open, Mustang appears alone, blocking their exit. She reveals Ragnar told Kavax where to find Darrow, and tests his motives. Their tense exchange lays out her failed attempt at peace, her duty to protect Mars, and her refusal to surrender to the Sovereign’s order.

Demonstrating sharp deduction, Mustang identifies Darrow’s plan to pose as Gold refugees and fly to the Valkyrie Spires to petition Ragnar’s mother for an army. She offers to join and forge an alliance—House Augustus, Telemanus, and Arcos with the Rising—on the condition that Darrow prove he can build a better world. The chapter ends with her challenge and his hesitation.