Chapter 33: Lysander: Master of the Spoils

Summary

• Lysander hosts battle honors as the last Republic ship leaves Phobos, demonstrating his victory and power.
• A severely burned man returns Lysander's bloodstained cape; Lysander rewards his loyalty with a golden phalera and the promise of future support.
• Lysander distributes phalerae to participants of the battle, reserving special honors for those who showed exceptional bravery or saved lives, like Pytha.
• Lysander gives Golds new razors but no medals, arguing that being Gold is honor enough, and he instead cuts their cheeks, marking them further.
• A hologram displays the destruction of Darrow's statue on Phobos, symbolizing the liberation of the Society figureheads.
• At a party, Lysander contemplates the success of his compromise with Virginia, feeling the pressure to live up to the faith others have placed in him.
• Julia au Bellona teases Lysander about his ability to relax and his control over Apollonius, who is important to the war effort.
• Lysander reflects on the recent pain of losing Ajax and the responsibility he feels toward those who believe in him and have suffered under the war.
• Lysander reveals his intent to launch an Iron Rain on Mars in three days to prevent their enemies from gaining strength.
• Dido au Raa joins Lysander's cause, promising the support of the Rim and Diomedes's forces for the upcoming battle.
• Lysander seeks out Diomedes in the garden to propose that their forces lead a vanguard in the Iron Rain attack.
• After experiencing sudden and severe pain, Lysander realizes he has been poisoned with the Lament; amidst growing agony, he instructs Diomedes to keep their allies together.
• Lysander's anguish is amplified by the poison, leading to an overwhelming sense of loneliness and the desire to succumb to the pain and die.