Chapter 27: Virginia: A Good Death

Summary

• VIRGINIA: A Good Death
• The chapter details a desperate escape from an engineering section with a group called the Lions, led by Virginia, being hunted by Apollonius.
• Eighteen injured Lions, some unable to run without support from suits or "battle juice," are in retreat, including a character named Holiday with a gut wound.
• They're trapped and can't reach the desired "sanitation" area due to the enemy, led by Cicero, closing in. Nonetheless, they still have some supplies from the armory.
• With no path to sanitation, Virginia and her group fortify themselves in a flight-training room near the brig; Holiday sacrifices herself to provide Virginia time to escape.
• Virginia uses a "ghostCloak" to hide and sneaks closer to the brig, avoiding the enemy led by Cicero and his legionnaires who plan to eventually crack open the brig.
• Inside the brig, Virginia finds high-security prisoners, including sixty-three Obsidian warriors and Valdir the Unshorn, a disgraced Obsidian known for his infatuation with her husband, Darrow.
• Although Virginia dislikes Valdir, she recognizes his potential usefulness and attempts to enlist his help with the promise of freedom or a "good death."
• Valdir ultimately agrees to aid Virginia, swayed by the opportunity to be viewed favorably by Darrow and a desire to not die forgotten as a traitor.
• Virginia reflects on a past conversation with Darrow about psychological warfare and anticipates Valdir's tactics in freeing her trapped bodyguards.
• Valdir leads his Obsidians in a brutal and effective ambush on the enemy, clearing a path for Virginia and her Lions.
• Despite heavy casualties among the Obsidians, the remaining warriors gather at the training room, having dispatched the enemy forces there.
• The group makes their way towards sanitation, barely ahead of their pursuers, with the plan to escape through the hydroponic farms to the Hollows.
• As Virginia narrates their potential route and the dangers ahead, Valdir pushes her down the waste tube, hurrying the escape.