Gareth and his lost crew from the Solenil struggle to survive their enslavement by former allies, the Gharadee. Darien desperately distracts the Stellar Council worlds and particularly the Shargassi, away from thoughts of the Armada by using specialized potions and medicines. His brash subterfuge leads people to believe he has gone mad, and the motley crew from different worlds he employs convinces allies and enemy alike that he is a rogue Thuringi. Stuart and Carrol finish their mission at Michael's school. Glendon agrees to earn coin for their expenses and is uncomfortable but successful. Spence reaches the Armada and discovers Hartin leads the fleet but Asa and Tomas have managed to get a small measure of power for themselves, and life on the Armada is tense when they discover they are being followed. Glendon searches the wormhole traces for information about the Armada and finds more than he anticipated.