At night in a military aircraft over the desert, Ford briefs the recruits on parachute drills, emphasizing trust in gear and adaptability. Kaine Sutler jumps first, followed by a nervous but encouraged Lyddie De Velde, and then Wren Darlington, who thrills at the jump and lands safely with Kaine’s help.

The group hikes to a desert camp where Ford, Matt Hadley, and Captain Cross Redden await. Despite fatigue, the recruits are ordered through a grueling obstacle course; when a recruit named Franks complains, Cross makes them run it again. Later, they gather around a bonfire to eat.

By the fire, Lyddie admits she misses Betima. Lash asks whether they believe Roe Redden’s claim that Betima was an Aberrant empath whose arms turned silver when Glin Cotter died. Lyddie, Wren, and Kaine all say they did not see that, and Wren pointedly notes Roe’s hostile attention from across the fire. A broadcast of General Merrick Redden plays on someone’s device, denouncing “Severnism” and Aberrants as weeds that must be uprooted, which prompts Wren to leave for the showers.

At the outdoor showers, Wren arrives as Cross appears and undresses. They shower in adjacent stalls, exchanging charged looks and barbed remarks. Cross pointedly asks if Wren is sleeping with Kaine; Wren denies it and teases him, while also asking if Cross is sleeping with Ivy, which he denies. Cross dismisses Roe as unfit to speak for him, then leaves, having visibly reacted to Wren.

Wren returns to the fire and beds down between Lyddie and Kaine. Kaine teases her about “shower games,” and Lyddie probes whether Wren is involved with Kaine or Cross; Wren denies both. Wren notices Ivy watching her from across the fire, then steps away to refill water.

Outside the mess tent, Xavier Ford tells Wren it’s rare to see Cross “out of control,” and, though he claims to dislike most things about Wren, he admits finding this development entertaining. Ford walks off, and Wren returns to the bonfire and her group.