43. Judge

Molly leads Slick and Cherry to a damaged Cathode Cathay cargo hover hidden inside the Factory. Slick avoids looking at the Witch’s bloody blades and the bodies. He carries the heavy aleph, wondering if Angie, 3Jane, and Bobby remain within.

Passing the ramp to Slick’s machines, Molly orders him to bring the one-armed Judge. Slick powers it up and maneuvers the robot into the hover. They depart, passing an oblivious suited man at the gate. In transit, Molly confirms Angie was the woman who collapsed and says, “There’s dying, then there’s dying,” implying Angie persists in the aleph with 3Jane and Bobby.

Molly outlines a deal: keep Angie inside the aleph long enough to buy time. She has Slick gather an emergency kit and solar cells. Slick asks about killing power; Molly theatrically threatens the cable, then relents, underscoring her intent to preserve what’s inside.

Slick tapes flat solar cells to the Judge’s chest and mounts the aleph on its back, wiring a recharge to the battery. Cherry chatters about a new life in Cleveland while Slick works.

Molly tests the Judge and decides to leave alone, taking the robot and aleph across the Solitude to hide them where sunlight can maintain charge. She sends Slick and Cherry to Cleveland, parting with a joke for Cherry to make Slick bathe as the Judge clumps after her into the white expanse.