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In Beacon’s aftermath meeting, the Greater Good and key figures take stock of a failed search and heavy losses. Confidence bleakly declares their situation hopeless; Compassion cites dwindling sunheart power and an untenable southern corridor boxed by mountains. Zeal confirms northern escape is blocked by the Cinder King’s patrols. The room initially leans toward dignified death over surrender.

Nomad rises, makes the conflict personal—vowing to kill the Cinder King—and challenges the assumption that the mountains are impassable. Hearing claims that engines die at height and people black out, he demands tools and works through calculations. He deduces Canticle is a very small, dense, Invested world whose atmosphere thins rapidly, starving jet-like engines of propellant and causing hypoxia above roughly a thousand feet.

Explaining fuel versus propellant, Nomad reframes their limitation as solvable engineering, impressing a resident mechanic while acknowledging their lack of scientific bandwidth under oppression. When pressed for goals, he commits to getting Beacon over the highlands, securing more power, circling the planet, and reopening the door—despite earlier doubts it would help.

The council debates faith versus pragmatism. Zeal argues they need a dream to survive; Compassion urges attempting even dim hopes for their children. Confidence’s challenges help crystallize consensus. The group reaffirms, “We go on.”

Nomad requests fabrication access and the captured Charred (Rebeke’s sister) for tests related to his Torment and the engine solution. He promises rapid retrofits within hours despite the enormity of the task, accepting the role of problem-solver as Beacon commits to the perilous plan.