Racing back toward the Canterbury, Holden’s team sees Becca flag a faintly warming patch of space with no radar return. The anomaly resolves into a stealth ship that immediately fires six torpedoes. With impact minutes away, Holden coordinates with Becca and Naomi on countermeasures as Alex prepares a brutal high-g burn.

Holden privately opens a channel to Ade while the Knight goes on the juice. Aboard the Canterbury, McDowell orders the mains lit despite the risk; Ade brings them up, a drive strut tears, and the ship is left with only maneuvering thrusters as the torpedoes close.

Following McDowell’s last orders, Holden turns the Knight toward cover to act as witness and relay SOS if the Cant is crippled. The torpedoes hit, and nuclear detonations vaporize the Canterbury. Blinded sensors recover; Alex visually confirms the Cant is a dispersing cloud. Holden, raging, tightbeams the attacker with the dead crew’s names and promises to uncover their identity. The stealth ship paints the Knight with a targeting laser, then accelerates away.

With command devolved to him, Holden proposes pursuit, but Naomi confronts him, insisting on survival, calling for help, and following McDowell’s directive. Amos escorts a shocked Shed below. Holden compiles a comprehensive broadcast package of sensor data from the Cant and the Knight.

Alex, recalling navy programs, suspects the stealth tech is military. Inspecting the Scopuli’s salvaged transmitter battery, they find an MCRN serial stamp. Holden records a public statement naming himself, asserting the attacker used stealth tech and parts marked with Martian navy numbers, and transmits the full data stream.