Ephraim sets the Queen’s Kiss on the table before Volga, Cyra, and Dano, explaining the Syndicate’s ultimatum and the lethal consequences of refusal. He believes the job is nearly impossible but less deadly than defying the Duke of Hands. The crew reels, uncertain whether this is another of Ephraim’s games or a death sentence.

Cyra tries to opt out, while Dano mocks the situation. Volga counters with loyalty, reminding them of what Ephraim has done for each of them. Ephraim stresses that the Syndicate knows who they are and that refusing the Queen’s Kiss means certain death.

Cyra proposes fleeing: Endymion, off-planet routes, charters, forged documents. Ephraim dismantles each option, citing Syndicate reach and costs. Money talk exposes Dano and Ephraim as broke; Volga offers all her savings, but Ephraim refuses to fund a doomed escape with her nest egg. Cyra considers going to Republic Intelligence. Suffering a headache, she accepts a zoladone from Ephraim while tensions cool.

Changing tactics, Ephraim pitches the payday—eighty million credits—and the promise of freedom if they succeed. The Duke’s terms allow less than a month and identify three public opportunities to strike. They agree to seek an inside man, and Ephraim tasks Cyra to probe Epirus and Leomant for payment trails. News breaks that the Senate has issued a warrant for the Reaper, sharpening their sense that larger games are in motion. Ephraim activates the Duke’s holocube to review the three target windows and, despite the odds, commits the crew to plan the heist.