Contents
PART II — CHAPTER 34
Overview
Ravna’s silence deepens Amdijefri’s anxiety as they discover aggressive gray fungus aboard the wreck. At Starship Hill, Steel and the cloaked Flenser exploit the lull, arranging an ambush at Margrum Climb and ordering Johanna’s death. Flenser’s internal rival Tyrathect attempts a coup but is overwhelmed and absorbed, hardening Flenser’s resolve.
Summary
Amdijefri wait anxiously for Ravna’s scheduled ultrawave sessions, which fail to arrive. While troubleshooting the comm, they notice gray fungus spreading behind the cabin quilting; filaments briefly penetrate Amdi’s muzzle without pain, alarming them. Days pass with no word from the Out of Band II.
Meanwhile, in oppressive heat and smoke, Lord Steel patrols Starship Hill with a dark‑cloaked “singleton” of Flenser that speaks but emits no mindsound. Steel frets over the missed alien contacts and Woodcarver’s slow advance, yet sees advantage in the humans’ rigidity. He decides to force a decisive battle at Margrum Climb, moving superior cannon to annihilate Woodcarver’s army while keeping starship matters separate.
Steel orders Flenser to relay instructions via Farscout Rangolith to Vendacious: draw Woodcarver up the Climb within two days. Crucially, Steel demands Johanna Olsndot’s death disguised as an accident, fearing her value if Ravna arrives. Flenser, spread across castle, children, and scouts via radio cloaks, suffers exhaustion and intermittent “static.”
As Flenser juggles conversations, Tyrathect surges from within, mounting a desperate takeover to protect the innocents and even prepares to kill Steel. Her all‑out assault briefly topples Flenser into convulsions before he reasserts dominance, exploiting her overcommitment to tear down her inner barriers and subsume her members permanently.
Recovering his poise, Flenser masks the episode as cloak “static,” soothes Amdijefri, and calmly completes Steel’s directive. Through Rangolith, he adds details for Vendacious, confirming the ambush timing and Johanna’s execution, now his first blood since returning to Hidden Island.
Who Appears
- Lord SteelRuler of Hidden Island; plans an ambush at Margrum Climb and orders Johanna’s covert execution.
- FlenserManipulative mastermind using radio cloaks; suppresses Tyrathect’s revolt, absorbs her, and relays Steel’s orders.
- AmdiJefri’s Tine friend; discovers invasive gray fungus and comforts Jefri as Ravna’s silence continues.
- Jefri OlsndotHuman child allied with Steel; distressed by missed ultrawave sessions and reliant on Amdi and Flenser for comfort.
- TyrathectSubpersonality within Flenser; attempts a self-sacrificial coup to stop atrocities, but is overpowered and subsumed.
- Farscout RangolithField commander; receives and will forward Flenser’s instructions to coordinate the Margrum Climb trap.
- VendaciousTraitor embedded with Woodcarver; to lure her forces up Margrum Climb and arrange Johanna’s ‘accident.’
- WoodcarverOpposing ruler; her slow approach prompts Steel’s plan to annihilate her army at Margrum Climb.
- Johanna OlsndotHuman with Woodcarver; becomes the target of Steel’s ordered assassination to prevent leverage against him.