In orbit aboard Homecoming Queen, York remains the only living creature on the ship and tries to process his emptiness through poetry. He reflects on his dead hive, his past as a crawler, and the emotional numbness that grew inside him, especially after his tenodera warrior instincts surfaced. York reveals that, under orders, he destroyed a yacht full of orc children, including the new orc king, and that the deaths were dismissed publicly as crossfire.

York monitors the chaotic aftermath around Earth: the embargo remains, the Dream cruiser has crashed in Australia, a Nebular colony has committed mass suicide, and a mantis colony system has mysteriously exploded. When soldiers arrive for docking, Boomer contacts York and confirms that Faction Wars has been won. Boomer tells York that phase two is beginning, and York reports that the ship’s breaching suits, enhancement-zone suits, power armor, and weapons are operational.

A prerecorded announcement from Porthus airs, declaring the formation of a militant organization that will attack Syndicate governmental systems unless the crawl is stopped. Boomer orders Cronus suits and a skiff set aside for a pregnant veteran on the surface, then says it is time to bring the war out of the dungeon. For the first time in a long while, York feels something; his status identifies him as a captain in the newly named resistance organization, the Open Intellect Action Network.

After the quest completes, Carl enters the Outreach Guild and meets Quasar in a cold zero-zone cubicle. Carl is exhausted, bloodied, and shaken, but relieved by the silence after surviving the chaos. Quasar explains that, as Carl’s assigned lawyer, he must present exit deals; because many crawlers survived to the tenth floor, the offers are poor. Quasar mentions one better joint offer for Carl and Donut, connected to replacing Chaco, but Carl asks instead about the next floor.

Quasar explains that the next floor is called Don’t Come in Last. Crawlers and their party leaders must choose a biological or mechanical vehicle, travel from point A to point B, receive upgrades, and avoid coming in last or losing survival containment. Carl thinks Katia would have excelled at the challenge, worries about her fate, and formally refuses all deals. Quasar then reveals Donut also refused her deals and that her assigned lawyer, Princess Chandra, Esquire, is Carl’s new wife.

At Squirties waystation near the Earth-system tunnel access, Zander faces financial ruin because the embargo has stopped all traffic. He vents to an Uzi Jesus toy while considering the failure of his merchandise and lease. A strange elf-like woman arrives without warning, recognizes the Uzi Jesus figure as a possible Earth deity icon, and identifies herself as Eris, goddess of chaos. When Zander questions whether she is in costume, Eris laughs and magically makes Zander’s tentacles spew different liquids, some of them burning.