Murderbot decides it must leave HaveRatton quickly without using a bot-piloted transport, assuming Palisade will soon search automated routes. Using Wilken and Gerth’s go-bag, Murderbot selects a temporary non-corporate identity marker under the name Jian, inserts it under its skin, and books passage on a crewed passenger transport through an indirect route.

In its private cabin, Murderbot searches newsbursts and travel data while trying to avoid other passengers. Murderbot concludes GrayCris likely believes Dr. Mensah sent it to Milu after Mensah publicly questioned GrayCris’ abandoned facility and a SecUnit then helped expose the illegal mining operation there. The trip is stressful, so Murderbot watches media, researches TranRollinHyfa, and improves code for defeating security cameras.

At a transit hub, Murderbot changes to another false identity, Kiran, and chooses a direct transport to TranRollinHyfa because delaying might endanger Mensah. Before boarding, Murderbot removes the Milu memory clips from its arm, adds Wilken and Gerth’s clip, and ships the evidence to Mensah’s marital partners on Preservation, reasoning that carrying it into GrayCris territory would be too risky and that Miki died for the information.

On the next transport, Murderbot sees a brief Preservation Alliance statement from Dr. Bharadwaj saying Preservation is “taking steps” with GrayCris. Murderbot interprets Bharadwaj’s anger and the wording as a possible sign that GrayCris is holding Mensah and forcing Preservation to appear cooperative. Murderbot also reasons that GrayCris is desperate because the alien-remnant evidence is now public and may have made its illegal operation unusable or unsellable.

As the transport approaches TranRollinHyfa, Murderbot detects a company gunship holding position outside the station. By secretly contacting the gunship’s bot pilot, Murderbot learns the ship was contracted to retrieve Mensah but its retrieval has been suspended because TranRollinHyfa denied access. The status also suggests secondary clients from Preservation have left company protection and reached the station by shuttle, meaning Murderbot now worries about Mensah and several Preservation humans.

After docking, Murderbot disembarks hidden among a large passenger group, deflects multiple scans, hacks camera feeds, and notices unusually tight security. Murderbot suspects GrayCris may have used newsbursts to lure it to TranRollinHyfa, but it still needs intelligence and an escape plan. In the station mall, Murderbot hacks Port Authority records, locates the company shuttle’s docking contact, links it to a hotel address, and decides to meet its old Preservation allies.