Thomas stops running in the forest, takes inventory and realizes the between-state is herding him away from the Heart. Pushes south through fog resistance into the hospital.

Abdullah attends the Pass of Command ceremony where Captain Grove executes Rodriguez and his friend Mikael, then sentences Sister Portia to burning. He almost steps forward but makes the agonizing choice to stay silent.

Dr. Nigel Rhodes discovers through neural analysis that Kate's transformation isn't random corruption—the Hollowing is deliberately reshaping her into a living portal to allow dimensional breach.

Admiral Chen - Lucas father and fleet commander - argues Kate must be used strategically. Others object - she is only seven years old. Heated debate about ethics of using child as weapon. The Admiral has seen what the Hollowing does; he will use any tool to stop it.

Admiral Rylee Voss oversees the aftermath of the war against the Dominion, dealing with massive casualty figures and the absence of Kate Morrison, whose transformation has left no detectable trace.

Petro's first morning at the Citadel. Prayer feels hollow. Observes families at breakfast - children playing, normal life. Meets Mark, a former Church believer who found peace here. Afternoon reconnaissance - cataloging defenses while suppressing emotional reactions.

Yeol, freshly promoted to Vanguard, joins a scouting mission with his friend Traq. Their group discovers a Union force of approximately 600 soldiers. Yeol wrestles with his new responsibilities and Traq receives a custom foldable weapon from Vivian, deepening their bond.

Abigail experiences a twelve-second blackout during a mapping session while Haatim Gift suppresses the corruption at personal cost. That night she and Haatim debate the price of continuing her mapping—she argues she is a countdown not a resource to conserve.

The full team convenes a war council after Abigail reveals the tether discovery. Arthur proposes using Abigail as bait; Haatim argues for destroying Belphegor's relay network to force him into the open.