Chapter Eight: Anna

After sending her spouse Nono and daughter Nami back to Earth, Anna travels alone to the UNN Thomas Prince, reflecting on loss, duty, and the strain of gravity changes. Yeoman Jin Ichigawa greets her with an eager tour, but Anna, exhausted after hard burn, opts for rest and settles into her small stateroom, recording a tender message to her family before crying herself to sleep.

Later, at a VIP reception in the officers’ mess, Anna meets media-famous pastor Hector Cortez, who flatters her and quickly pivots to politics, and Bishop Michel, who offers gentle camaraderie. Socialite Tilly Fagan banters pointedly about influence and campaign power, sharpening tensions among the elites present.

The group debates the Ring: Anna focuses on what it means for people’s faith and stability, while Michel and Cortez frame it in broader symbolic and political terms. As Father Michel moves to introduce Anna to other delegates, the room’s mood shatters when a young man drenched in alcohol invokes political slogans and ignites himself.

The ship’s fire-suppression system extinguishes the flames within seconds, and security teams efficiently detain the shocked, injured protester. In the aftermath, Cortez presses officers, Michel prays quietly, and Tilly quips about the journey’s excitement, while Anna observes the incident as a stark reminder of the volatile passions accompanying humanity’s approach to the Ring.