Fifty-Nine
Contains spoilersOverview
Qiwi pilots Nau’s taxi through a deadly ejet crossfire to the L1-A lock, docking as the hull is burned through. On Arachna, Victory Lighthill regains missile defense, flips hostile launches, and reveals control over the nets. She seizes the Invisible Hand’s systems, forcing Brughel’s ship into reentry. Jau Xin witnesses a controlled, catastrophic descent toward the northern ocean.
Summary
Qiwi brings Nau’s taxi to the L1-A lock when hijacked electric jets concentrate beams on the lock and the taxi. Marli is burned, the hull spot whitens, and Qiwi counters by spinning, using snow vapor to diffuse the beams. She slams the taxi into the docking collar and forces the hatch, but the hull burns through, venting atmosphere as they enter the lock.
On Arachna, Victory Lighthill directs seized Command and Control, reconnecting long-range defenses while speaking with her father over a lagging link. She flips callback-capable Kindred missiles, coordinates antimissiles with Coldhaven and Dugway, and orders truthful displays. New satellites appear, along with a vast rectangular contact moving north, and she declares it nearly spent.
Aboard Invisible Hand, Ritser Brughel expects automation to return when Bil Phuong reports L1 acks, but ground lasers and persistent radar locks expose that the Spiders are tracking them. Suddenly, auxiliaries and then the main torch fire beyond Jau Xin’s control, pushing the ship onto a deorbit path. Brughel tries to retake physical control, blasting through sealed hatches.
Lighthill’s voice, relayed by Trixia Bonsol, announces that Accord Intelligence now controls the Hand and orders nonresistance. Brughel cannot sever L1’s hold; Jau lies about pilot access to avoid being shot while the ship descends. The Hand becomes a blazing organ pipe in the upper air, then a vast glider, shedding and melting external structures while precise thruster nudges hold attitude.
At about forty kilometers altitude, still supersonic and sinking at a hundred meters per second, the Hand skims toward the frozen northern ocean. Aux thrusters yaw it toward softer terrain, aiming for a survivable smear across the ice. With Brughel still battering sealed doors elsewhere, Jau Xin accepts that they are past rescue and that Brughel is too late.
Who Appears
- Jau Xin
Invisible Hand’s Pilot Manager; observes L1’s takeover, endures forced deorbit, and rides the ship’s controlled crash path.
- Victory Lighthill
Accord Intelligence officer; restores antimissile control, flips hostile missiles, reveals assets, and commandeers the Invisible Hand.
- Ritser Brughel
Podmaster aboard Invisible Hand; loses control, tries to break out and sever links, orders violence, but arrives too late.
- Qiwi Lisolet
Pilots Nau’s taxi under ejet attack, docks at L1-A, and gets the hatch open as the hull burns through.
- Thomas Nau
Oversees the dash to L1-A, restrains guards, and plans to kill Qiwi while relying on her to reach safety.
- Bil Phuong
Bridge tech managing zipheads; reports L1 acknowledgments but cannot sever links; then falls silent as control slips away.
- Brent Lighthill
Victory’s brother; monitors networks via game rig, relays their father’s return and guidance.
- Belga
Witness in CCC; gauges the shifting battle and regains hope as antimissiles score and lies drop from the map.
- General Coldhaven
Accord commander; coordinates antimissiles after Lighthill invites proper forces back into the fight.
- General Dugway
Accord commander; reacts to the colossal craft track and helps resume coordinated antimissile defense.
- Marli
Podcorporal in Nau’s taxi; reports ziphead acks, is burned by ejet radiation during the attack.
- Trixia Bonsol
Transmits Victory Lighthill’s message to Invisible Hand, announcing Accord control and ordering nonresistance.
- Ali Lin
Qiwi’s father; his presence unsettles Qiwi as she pilots during the L1-A approach.
- Lighthill’s father
Contacts Victory and Brent; provides critical guidance enabling rapid restoration of defenses.