In the chaotic aftermath of the Relight disaster and Far Treasure’s destruction, Tomas Nau addresses survivors, admitting catastrophic losses, including all ramscoops, and declaring a decades-long Exile dependent on salvaging volatiles and the Spiders’ coming industry. He denounces Jimmy Diem’s treachery but rejects a pogrom, urging cooperation and introducing Focus as the Emergents’ vital contribution.

Ezr is summoned to Nau, with Ritser Brughel and Anne Reynolt present. Nau keeps Ezr as Fleet Manager to maintain continuity and signal unity, and plans to publicly credit Ezr and Qiwi for helping expose remnants of the plot. With Wen and Xin still retrieving ice and fuel production coming online, Nau shifts to “human issues,” ordering Ezr to learn about Focus and then persuade the Qeng Ho to accept it.

Anne escorts Ezr to Hammerfest, clinically explaining Focus as a tamed mindrot that infects glial cells, releasing neuroactives under precise control; about thirty percent were lost during abrupt conversions, the sickest moved to Far Treasure. She shows Ezr Trixia Bonsol, now entirely absorbed in Spider linguistics, unresponsive to personal cues but productive and stating she is “very” happy. Reynolt praises Focus’s results and expects Ezr to make peace with it.

Back at the temp, Benny Wen reports early recovery progress with Xin’s team and notes that pilot Ai Sun is Focused, asking Ezr to explain. Overwhelmed by guilt and duty, Ezr retreats to the tiny park, struggling with the task of advocating what he abhors.

Pham Trinli finds him and urges “go along to get along,” calling Nau accommodating. Ezr recognizes Nau’s speech echoing Qeng Ho history as manipulation, reconsiders Jimmy’s modest nature, and realizes the triumphant tone of the broadcast did not fit him. Ezr concludes Nau forged the message and pre-murdered the captives to seize moral high ground and enforce Focus.

Ezr decides to feign compliance, exploit fools like Trinli as cover, and plan a long, careful resistance throughout the Exile, while publicly presenting grief to match surveillance expectations.