Holden monitors the growing convergence at Io from the Rocinante’s operations deck. Admiral Souther has joined Avasarala’s side with UN ships, while Martian forces also gather against Admiral Nguyen’s fleet. Although Souther and the Martians appear to outnumber Nguyen, Holden worries that UN ships may refuse to fire on other UN ships or even change sides once combat begins.

Avasarala, unsettled by the scale of the coming confrontation, talks with Holden about empire, distance, and the limits of control. She argues that every empire eventually reaches beyond what it can hold, then connects that history to the protomolecule and the possibility that whatever is on Venus may represent a power with no such limitation. Holden tells her to rest, but her uncertainty remains.

When the Rocinante reaches the tense standoff over Io, no one is shooting yet. Naomi reports that Nguyen’s ships are targeting Martian vessels, the Martians are targeting back, and Souther’s ships have not opened their missile tubes. Holden orders updated identification data and has Amos check everyone’s suits in case the standoff collapses into battle.

The deadlock escalates when a broadcast from Io threatens to launch biological weapons at Mars unless the fleets leave. Avasarala identifies the threat as Nguyen using Mao’s people on the surface to compensate for being outnumbered. Admiral Muhan of the Martian navy responds by threatening to glass Io if anything launches, while Nguyen and Souther exchange accusations over command authority and the illegal bioweapon project.

Prax panics because Mei may be on Io and the fleets are now openly discussing destroying the moon. When Prax tries to seize Avasarala’s communications panel to plead with the combatants, Holden physically stops Prax and orders Amos to take him below, sedate him, and prepare engineering for a fight. Holden, shaken by the pressure, admits privately to Naomi that he is terrified.

Avasarala then catches a distant broadcast from Secretary-General Sorrento-Gillis announcing that key UN personnel are being recalled to Earth for questioning, beginning with Admiral Nguyen. Avasarala reacts with shock, and immediately afterward alarms begin blaring across the Rocinante.