Darrow gazes out over a vast city of spires, parks, and rivers under a shimmering atmospheric bubble. Golds and Silvers fly on graceful gravBoots, ships move along aerial avenues, and color-coded lights mark an intricate hierarchy. The blue sky and green land prove terraforming is complete, contradicting the HC and Octavia au Lune’s promises. Darrow understands the miners’ lives have been a deliberate lie.

As Darrow reels, Dancer darkens the windows and listens. Darrow repeats the propaganda that Reds are pioneers sacrificing for mankind. Outside, a drunken Gold and giggling girls soar, their decadence underscoring the gulf between surface luxury and subterranean toil.

Dancer explains the true history: seven centuries ago humanity expanded to Luna, where strict efficiency birthed the Color system. Reds were sent to Mars to mine helium-3 for terraforming. The Lunans rebelled against Earth in the Conquering; Earth lost, and an empire grew on Red backs. Reds arrived five centuries ago; other Colors came three centuries later to live in paraterraformed cities. Now the bubbles are coming down. HighReds work above; LowReds remain enslaved below, where dissenters disappear.

Confronted with systemic oppression, Darrow sees his people as the Society’s foundation and lowest caste. Remembering Eo, he accepts that the path forward is violent. When Darrow asks what it will take to reclaim Mars, Dancer answers, “Blood.” Darrow hardens his resolve and asks for his mission.