Bobbie arrives with Avasarala at Jules-Pierre Mao’s private L5 station and is overwhelmed by the scale of Mao’s wealth. The station exists solely to service Mao’s private ships, and Bobbie concludes that a man with such resources may be dangerous because ordinary consequences may not apply to him.

While waiting to board Mao’s yacht, Bobbie warns Avasarala that the trip is a trap and that Mao could have Avasarala killed with little risk. Avasarala argues that politics at her level is about influence and marginalization rather than direct violence, but Bobbie insists that powerful games can still end in murder. Avasarala listens, though Bobbie senses that Avasarala does not fully accept the danger.

On the yacht Guanshiyin, Bobbie sees even greater extravagance: the ship is designed less as transportation than as a luxury hotel. Avasarala, Bobbie, and Cotyar, the head of Avasarala’s UN security team, discuss security. Cotyar confirms Bobbie’s fear: Avasarala’s team is badly outnumbered, they do not control ship systems, and the crew could kill them by venting their deck. Avasarala focuses instead on communications, realizing that the trap may be to isolate her on a long voyage while monitoring her messages.

Avasarala assigns Bobbie and Cotyar roles for Mao’s welcome dinner. Bobbie is to attend as a social secretary and assess the ship’s mood, but Bobbie angrily refuses Avasarala’s suggestion that she charm the executive officer who had been staring at her. Bobbie makes clear that she will not use sex as a weapon.

At dinner, Mao greets Avasarala warmly but treats Bobbie as staff. Bobbie challenges Mao directly, calling his claimed humanitarian mission to Ganymede implausible. Mao calmly insists that the ship and its experts are being made available for relief work, but then reveals that he is not going to Ganymede at all; after dinner, he will return by shuttle to his station while Avasarala continues on the yacht. The revelation shocks Avasarala, confirming that the trip is not what she was led to believe.

Back in Avasarala’s secured bedroom, Avasarala tells Bobbie to plan either to take control of the ship or get them off it. Bobbie and Cotyar urge seizing Mao’s departing shuttle immediately, but Avasarala refuses because leaving now would cost Avasarala her official position and influence. Instead, Avasarala plans to keep working until her enemies cut off her communications; when the captain refuses to divert for repairs, she will declare herself illegally detained and have Bobbie take the ship.