Part III New Babel — Chapter Sixteen

As a winter storm bears down, Senlin moves to depart Goll’s port with the Stone Cloud, carrying books, the sewn-in painting, and the aerorod. He and Iren had staged the porters to shadow Rodion through the tunnel. On boarding, Captain Billy Lee betrays Senlin over the suspicious crate, aiming to profit from Commissioner Pound’s interest.

Rodion’s disguised men swarm the Stone Cloud and dock, turning the standoff into chaos. Rodion executes Billy Lee and duels Edith across the ice-slick deck. Amid scattered gunfire and panic, Senlin shields Voleta, helps her into the rigging with his coat, and fights off attackers using Iren’s simple advice.

Edith gains the upper hand, snapping Rodion’s blade, but Rodion cuts a mooring line; the ship lurches and Edith slides through a gap into the abyss. Shocked and disarmed, Senlin and Adam are captured. Rodion taunts them and begins executions of Stone Cloud crew on the pier.

Goll and Iren arrive with armed men, confronting Rodion. Under pressure, Adam confesses he contacted Commissioner Pound about the stolen painting, drawing Pound’s wrath onto them. Goll demands the truth of the painting; Senlin admits it’s in the crate.

When Rodion threatens Iren, Senlin shoots him dead with the jailor’s key, revealing its lethality. Goll moves to have Adam killed for his betrayal, but the Commissioner’s fortress, the Ararat, looms into view and opens fire, obliterating the Gold Finch and upending all sides as snow begins to fall.