Returning from the radio debate, the Underhill family disperses at Hill House. Victory Junior searches for her father and eavesdrops on General Smith confronting Sherkaner Underhill in the signals lab. Smith accuses him of revealing too much on air, then discloses that Honored Pedure is a Kindred (Action of God) intelligence officer. Their planned, gradual rollout for Dark-era living has been jeopardized. Smith detects the eavesdropping and sends Victory away.

At Hammerfest’s clinic, Pham Trinli and Ezr Vinh arrive to chaos. Anne Reynolt runs emergency procedures as translators show signs of runaway mindrot linked to cross-specialty chatter sparked by the broadcast. Trixia Bonsol is “detuned” to dampen her linguistic specialization, leaving her distraught but manageable; Dietr Li is monitored for looping.

The Focused network continues to crash; a cascade spreads among translators, while navigators remain unaffected. Reynolt directs shutdowns, rescues, and reboots across labs. Despite intensive efforts, Xopi Reung dies from brain-stem poisoning caused by the runaway. Reynolt’s competence keeps the overall operation from collapsing, underscoring her indispensability so far from Emergent support. Trud Silipan, whose query helped expose many zipheads to the debate, fears punishment.

Leaving the clinic, Pham reflects on the human cost of the Emergents’ Focus program. In the corridors, Qiwi Lin Lisolet approaches Ezr to talk. Ezr, reeling from Trixia’s condition, attacks Qiwi; she endures the blows without resisting. Pham intervenes with a calculated shove that stops Ezr, who retreats in shame but with a measuring look at Pham.

Shaken, Qiwi confides in Pham. She insists she never intended harm, recalls her childhood admiration for Ezr, and argues that Nau’s openness to Qeng Ho practices—trading spaces like Benny’s and bonsai deals—offers a path to eventual release of the Focused. Pham holds his cover, sympathizing while privately vowing that someday she will be avenged.