Bobbie remembers earning her place in Martian Force Recon and her father's proud reaction, a memory that still sustains her despite her current isolation, her dead platoon, and her uncertain loyalty to Mars. As the Rocinante travels toward Io, Bobbie feels certain that Holden will lead a rescue mission to the labs and that the protomolecule monsters will be waiting there. Bobbie believes confronting one will likely kill her, but Bobbie welcomes the chance to avenge Bobbie's team.

In the Rocinante's machine shop, Bobbie finishes stripping and rebuilding Bobbie's Martian power armor. The work began as distraction, but as the suit comes back together Bobbie treats the process like a ritual before battle. While examining battle damage from Ganymede, Bobbie starts questioning why the monster self-destructed when it did and reasons that damage may have caused its constraint systems to fail.

Bobbie asks Naomi to connect Bobbie's helmet to the Rocinante so Bobbie can replay the Ganymede gun-camera footage. While continuing the armor rebuild, Bobbie watches the fight repeatedly and analyzes the monster's behavior. Bobbie concludes the creatures are extremely strong, fast in straight lines, reactive to attacks, and possibly controllable by orders, but less agile laterally. Bobbie decides the best tactic is not to overpower one, but to keep moving, attack from range, and inflict enough damage to trigger its self-destruct.

After finishing the suit, Bobbie still cannot sleep because Bobbie feels unfinished emotionally. Bobbie goes to ops during the quiet third watch, finds Amos asleep on duty, and sends a message to Bobbie's father explaining that Bobbie loves Mars and has tried to protect home despite complicated choices. Bobbie then sends a message to Captain Martens, acknowledging that Ganymede was not Bobbie's fault and that Bobbie is returning to finish the fight without anger or self-blame. Sending the messages gives Bobbie peace, and Bobbie falls asleep in the ops crash couch.

Holden wakes Bobbie in the morning and later asks Bobbie to meet in the machine shop. There, Holden gives Bobbie a new Thunderbolt Mark V Gatling gun for Bobbie's armor and five thousand incendiary rounds. Holden explains that armor-piercing rounds will not help against the monsters, but their implanted incendiary bombs suggest fire may be effective. The gift completes Bobbie's preparations and gives Bobbie a practical weapon for the coming fight on Io.