Over caf aboard the Archimedes, Sevro reports from Europa that Volga began awkwardly at her coronation but seized Fá’s warsaw, hacked apart his throne, denounced gold and plunder, and declared Red the lifeblood of all. She ripped off her ornaments, cut her valor tail, and vowed to go home to fight with Red for Mars, igniting the braves to follow while jarls fell in line. Sevro adds that Athena refuses to depart until captives are freed.

Darrow confirms to Diomedes that Volga is keeping her word, then brings coffee to Cassius. Banter turns to the Ascomanni and their plan to reach Io to contact hidden Ionian fighters. Darrow pats the box holding Fá’s head—now doodled on by Cassius—and jokes about their “honeymoon.” Darrow stresses they need Diomedes to reclaim the Garter for the system’s food supply and says it was best he missed the coronation chaos.

They discuss Volga likely leading from the Rage of the Valkyrie and needing a razormaster, with Darrow encouraging Cassius to teach her. Cassius reflects on Julian and, in a rare moment of candor, thanks Darrow for his faith and friendship. Darrow, moved, calls Cassius his brother and vows not to waste more years apart; Cassius accepts with humor.

Talk shifts to the new blade flow Darrow found against Fá. He names it “Breath of Stone,” recalling the sanity-saving wind in the mines; Cassius approves. Suddenly Cassius kills the Archimedes’s engines after spotting a sensor ghost, and Diomedes rushes in as they all peer into Jupiter’s storms.

They first glimpse a scout torchShip masking its burn in Jupiter’s magnetosphere, then the cameras reveal a full Core strike force sliding beneath them, bound for Io. Among the warships looms Darrow’s former flagship, repainted with Lune symbols. Darrow recognizes the Morning Star; Cassius coldly notes it has a new name now.