With their ship damaged after rescuing an unknown Gold from raiders, Lysander, Cassius, and Pytha are chased by three well-maintained Ascomanni craft. Cassius condemns Lysander’s choice to save one life over many and proposes an impossible boarding counterattack; Lysander argues for running to asteroid S-1392, citing the Gold’s hint of help. He lies that she bears no Peerless scar to keep Cassius from abandoning the plan, and Cassius overburns the engines toward the rock while arming survivors.

Lysander visits the medbay, gently tends the Gold’s wound, and tries to learn what help awaits at S-1392. She is too weak to answer. He soothes her with poetry, re-dresses the injury, and disguises her resFlesh and scar with oil before returning to the cockpit.

As the engines overheat and fail, the Ascomanni latch on with a tow beam. Preparing to die in the corridors, they suddenly detect jamming from the asteroid. A black destroyer marked with a three-headed dragon surges out, escorted by torchships and fighters, and in moments obliterates the Ascomanni. The destroyer identifies itself in a Rim accent as Charybdis, neutralizes communications, and orders them to stand by for boarding. Cassius’s appeal to neutral territory is ignored; he realizes Lysander lied about the girl’s scar, and Lysander admits it.

Facing imminent boarding, Cassius orders all identifying items hidden: heirloom rings, holos, and Karnus’s razor. With no stims left, he uses a faciem scrambler mask, enduring excruciating alteration as Pytha activates it and Lysander restrains him. The mask erases his Peerless scar and leaves him unrecognizable. As the swelling subsides, the Charybdis opens its bay to swallow their ship.