Late at night in the Kekon Treasury, Shae continues the financial investigation Lan authorized. By cross-checking mine output, Kekon Jade Alliance statements, and Treasury records, Shae confirms that some jade produced by the mines is neither reported by the KJA nor stored in the national vaults. The discovery proves that jade is being stolen from the national reserves, leaving Shae both triumphant and enraged.

After leaving the Treasury, Shae returns home by subway and realizes near her apartment that someone is behind her. She draws a talon knife, only to discover the follower is her neighbor, Caun Yu, who lives in the same building and works late as a security guard. The encounter embarrasses Shae and reminds her how much she misses the Perception she lost by living without jade.

The next morning, Shae calls the Kaul house to tell Lan what she has found, but Doru answers and hints that there has been trouble. Shae takes a taxi to the Kaul estate and learns that Hilo survived an attack and Tar is hospitalized, with Wen at his side. In Lan's study, Lan, Hilo, and Doru are in tense conference; Doru urges Lan to negotiate a truce in the Armpit, but Lan refuses.

Shae realizes that the attack on Hilo has pushed Lan firmly toward Hilo and away from Doru, whose influence is being reduced. Armed Fists gather in the foyer as Lan and Hilo prepare to go to the Factory, where the men who tried to kill Hilo are believed to be, along with Gont and possibly Ayt. Shae asks how she can help, but Lan tells her she cannot join this fight and instead warns her not to let Doru take control of the clan if Lan dies.

Before Lan and Hilo depart, Kaul Sen appears and bitterly blames Hilo for provoking disaster. Sen insists Ayt would never have gone to war with him and says Hilo must have deserved the attack, wounding Hilo emotionally as well as angering him. Hilo leaves with his fighters, while Lan instructs Shae to stay with their grandfather before following his men out to war.