Pham contacts Ezr over their secret link to schedule a face-to-face and coach him after Nau’s psychological ambush. He notes the close call when Ezr briefly thought they were exposed; Pham damped snoop diagnostics to hide Ezr’s reaction. Meanwhile, localizers are finally active on Hammerfest, though MRI units fry any nearby devices, underscoring both progress and risk.

Reviewing Nau’s data-mining of Ezr, Pham realizes the Podmaster holds a deep, often accurate archive of the historical Pham and even admires him as a “Bringer of Order.” As Ezr reads, Pham siphons the database into the localizer net, worrying that these truths will expose his own aims, especially given Ezr’s absolute opposition to Focus.

The archive triggers Pham’s memories: the high years of building a true interstellar Qeng Ho and the planned Grand Meeting to declare the Peace of Human Space. Sura Vinh set the venue—Namqem—partly so her great age would still allow her to witness it. Pham’s trust curdled into old rage over hints of Sura’s ultimate betrayal, yet the Meeting plan stood.

Decades out, warning signs mount: Namqem’s distributed automation drifts into systemic deadlocks from relentless optimization. In dialogue with Flag Captain Sammy Park, Pham reframes the crisis as the inevitable fragility of success. He orders expanded on-Watch crews during the last twenty years to analyze, coordinate with other fleets, and devise action plans demonstrating the Qeng Ho’s unique outside leverage.

As the fleets close, Namqem’s collapse accelerates—gigaton detonations, starvation forecasts, and failing governance. Sura, battered but active from the belt, urges moving the Meeting to the Brisgo Gap. With other captains weighing in, Pham insists they execute the Rescue first and hold the Grand Meeting only afterward, committing the converging fleets to action over ceremony.