Amid a brutal boarding action in the Donnager’s hangar, Holden tethers Naomi and hauls Amos and Alex toward cover while Marine Gomez draws fire. Lieutenant Kelly opens the Tachi’s airlock, and the group boards under heavy fire. Alex lifts the ship, uses point-defense cannons to kill the attackers shooting Gomez, then accelerates hard out of the bay.

After a prolonged high-g burn, Holden wakes in zero g to find the Donnager destroyed and Amos bleeding from a compound leg fracture. Naomi panics at being treated as the default problem-solver, prompting Holden to take charge of Amos’ care. Kelly dies from massive internal injuries. Holden and Naomi painfully realign and stabilize Amos’ leg, then both collapse from stress and grief.

Regrouping, they drift dark. Alex reveals the Tachi’s transponder is off, keeping them anonymous, but Naomi notes they cannot approach any port without a valid identity. Holden decides to contact Fred Johnson. Alex and Naomi prepare Kelly with full honors and store his body; Naomi finds a small data cube from Kelly’s armor for later review.

Fred responds via tightbeam with a legitimate transponder code and coordinates to a safe harbor, offering to meet and talk. With a path to hide their Martian warship and avoid immediate capture, the crew sets course, nursing Amos and their losses while moving toward an uncertain alliance with the OPA.